Dieting during tx?

Anyone taking Hoodia gordonii or actively dieting during tx?

I'm 43 yo now, 6 years ago I started gaining weight (all my life before that never had such problems). Actually, becoming overweight and the increased fatigue prompted me to go for a health checkup, which led to my accidental Hep C diagnosis 4 1/2 years ago.

During my first tx 4 years ago for 28 weeks I lost 10 lbs but after it immediately gained 20 lbs. Since then I'm constantly struggling with weight but can't really lose much. Although I'm not formally diagnosed with hypothyroidism (my TSH is 1.4 which is in the lower end), my Doc thinks my weight problems are thyroid based. Also, last year a nodule was discovered in my thyroid. This might have been caused by my first tx.

Last 3 years I try to eat healthy and exercise at least 5 days a week. Even now on tx, with all side effects, I rollerblade or ride bicycle at lease 1 hour and a half everyday. Still my BMI is 32.

I knew that being overweight is a strong negative predictive factor for SVR. I discussed the issue with my Doc before tx but he underplayed it. He said, "Whether you lose 30 lbs - which I doubt you can do - or I increase your Riba with 200mg, the final result will be the same."

However, the other day I read "Obesity tied to hepatitis C treatment failure":
http://tinyurl.com/mzf73
And I become very worried that my weight problem will almost certainly doom my struggle to clear the virus.

Any thoughts, shared experiences or advice would be much appreciated!

[Kalio1]

What a horrible thing for the dotor to say! "I doubt you can lose it" what a JERK!
You are right, your doc has his head...ahem...somewhere. There is evidence in studies that weight can impede your chance at SVR, but it is just ONE of the indicators and not a definate.
In other words, overweight people DO clear the virus but weight CAN be an issue in some. You aren't grossly overweight and you are doing something about it. Good for you!
I'd probably not complicate things by taking Hoodia on tx, but talk to your doc and see what he thinks. If it was me, I'd get a second opinion and/or a more supportive doc!

[fishdoc]

OK, I looked at that site, and its a poor reference, there are better ones.  I am 5'6", and weighed 238 when I had both biopsies.  No fatty liver.  Fatty liver is not necessarily a weight related issue, my son had fatty liver at 18, and he is in great shape.  I got down to 180 for treatment, which is a BMI of 29.  I failed to clear or have a two log drop at 12 weeks.  Do I think my weight was a factor, probably, but no one has quantified the risk that I have seen: for example if I have a 29 BMI now vs. 38.4 then, is it a linear relationship? By that I mean is there a "2%" per BMI point above 26 reduction in the likelihood of SVR, or is it nonlinear: 26 BMI 42% SVR, 28 BMI has a 37% SVR, 39 has a 20% SVR, I just have not seen the kind of information needed to make a sound treatment decesion based on BMI.

[Galen]

There are many, many factors in any statistical analysis of us heppers.  Only one of those is weight. Do your best, keep your chin up, follow the tx regimin to the best you can, and tell that doc to pound sand. Lots of folks here will testify as to how messed up the statistics are.

[can-do-man]

Hi, hope all is well, one thing with me is Dieting during tx has not been a problem. Eating during tx has been the problem. Take care and wishing you the best.

[Fisheress]

Just wanted to jump in an say HOWDY.  Hope all is going well w/cha.

Me, living on yogurt and sugerfree Blue Bell pops and alot of bedtime.  Been having a prob w/sore throat.  Doc swabbed my throat Wed, nothing there...so whatever.  The pops help alot though.  On vicobrophen now for leg and joint pain.  It's working well for me.  They also did my bloodwork, HGB dropped from 11.1 from last month to 10.6........eeeeeeeerrrrrrr, can feel it too.  Uratic acid is up also but she said they see that alot with the interferon, not to worry. (told her my diet and she said it sounds fine).

Take care, let me know how the heck ya are and have a good weekend.

Fisheress

[can-do-man]

Does getting off the couch and walking to the bathroom to pee 50 times a day count as exercise? Hope all is well with you two.

[can-do-man]

From what i've been able to follow here i take it things are looking better for you? Take care guy.

[can-do-man]

Hey girl, wondering how you been. Sorry to hear your not feeling well. Your getting pretty close to being done right?

[lilmoma]

I dont like the word "DIET" and I think most people really put themselves through more changes than they need to when losing weight is a concern.
There is no Magic pill out, there isnt even a magic solution,....it's just BASIC MATH: What goes in vs. what you burn off. I could go on a snicker bar diet, and lose weight IF I burn more calories than I consume.
Dont stress yourself over your weight at such a time in your life, everything in moderation, and you will lose the weight, maybe not as fast as you like, but the faster you lose,...the more likely you are to gain it all back +more.
If your problem is thyroid, talk to your doc about that, they do have meds out there that work.
Please dont stress yourself over this,......you have enough on your plate (no pun intended)

[Mister beagle bailey]

Where have you been, my heart is broken.  I thought you found another puppy dog to luv.  Miss thoses xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

How are you doing?  I was being to worry then you were MIA for awhile.

BTW- I'm undetectable and done with tx.

Beagle :)

[can-do-man]

Whoa now, just calm down there boy. You know your fisheress favorite mutt. All them xoxoxoxo's do is get your tail waggin. Then you get bounceing up and down, tounge panting. Then you'll be out chasing those silly wabbits. Now go find you a fire hydrant and mark your spot.

[Fisheress]

Ya'll just tickle me to death!  WOOHOO for you Beagle!  I am so happy for ya!  How ya feeling, any different besides missing my OXOXOX?

YEa, after tonight I have 7 more injections to go.  This last part is a real doozie.  Thought I was going to escape all sides........OH but NOOOOOO!  But thats OK, guess it could be worse.

Can-do, the trips to tinkle are many although I sit there along time feeling like I have to tinkle but nothing.  Up and to the lil girls room at the least 5-6 times a nite before I finally empty my bladder.  Guess another side..huh?  Saves on TP though!

LOL!  The Beagle is allowed to be a tail wagging, jumping for joy, ball chasing, happy wabbit chasing doggie as long as he does not get the happy puppy pee's (my 16 month old Westie still gets thoes.

OXOXOXOXOXOX to both of ya!
SMOOCH!  OH and happy Fathers day TO ALL!

Fisheress

P.S.  Can't go on new boat tomorrow w/Rog & son untill my HGB comes back up, too weak & faint  (BOOHOOING!)  :(

[can-do-man]

I know i'm a crazy person. Heck got a card to prove it and kinda proud of it. Never really thought of myself as real stupid though. Sure might take me a few times to get my shoes on the right feet, Have put my pants on backwards before. Seem to where my shirt inside out more then not. But what confuses me the most is i take this shot on saturday so i can feel like total c*ap from saturday night till tuesday. Pop pills everyday so the rest of the week i feel good, even though i'm out of breath, can't walk 10 feet. not hungry, pee all the time. And don't know where i'm at. Just so on Saturday i can do it all over again. Hmmmmmmm.......Oh Well

To all you people starting tx don't let this scare you or stop you. I've been like this all my life... Just some things never change.:)

[fishdoc]

Hey there, I have the sore throat, not where you normally have a sore throat in the tonsil area, but down deep, I drink hot coffee and my mouth is fine, burns like heck when it hits lower.  I have assumed it is tx, you know I knew someone on chemo and all rapidly regenerating tissues were affected: like the lining of her throat and mouth.  I just assumed it was similar to that... and watch the tinkle thing, I did have a bladder infection, and missed it because we EXPECT  to feel like ****...

I want to go fishing in the cool breeze of early evening, ........not gonna happen here for a while....
take care,
c.

[can-do-man]

says......Hey there, I have the sore throat, not where you normally have a sore throat in the tonsil area, but down deep.

Well 'Linda' behave your self while on tx...JEEZ...

[returntosender]

I also had the sore throat thing.  My theory was that it was related to the chest congestion caused by Riba - you know that yucky stuff that you have to cough up every few minutes - aaarrgghggg ughhhhhhh aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggggghhhh! Excuse me fishies, I am just clearing my throat, wooops - hope I didnt ruin your fishy water! LOL

The other theory was that it was related to reflux cause by tx as well.  I really had to ramp up the pepcid during my tx and it seemed to help somewhat but never really went away entirely.

Truth be told, I got rid of the sore throat and sore tongue and mouth sores using a little trick that I discovered and will share with you: finished treatment, waited a few weeks and viola!  
No more "Riba Man" - thank you god - I am not an animal, I am a human being! I...am...a man!  

Peace, contentment, smiles, happy, happy, joy, joy - no anemia, no virus, not dizzy, not mad, not tired, not disinterested, not sick - well a little bit but not much.  I feel a bit guilty throwing this out but I think you should know that finishing isnt all misery and woe - its actually quite nice thank you.

[Forseegood]

Valtod: Really sorry about your current probs, hopefully certain people who know more about this can shed some light on this for you...

Chevy: sorry, but I don't quite understand your question to me on the - Never again? thread...I don't have time to read the entire thread now, so maybe this was already straightened out, so many threads, so many people posting it's easy to get confused...

The way I saw it, there was a newcomer asking members here their opinions on receiving a Hep C diagnosis and drinking alcohol, even moderately, or occasionally...

I did'nt really go into drinking occasionally after tx completion and SVR...from what I understand, he hasn't even started tx yet...

I was particularly addressing drinking while having the hep c virus...Jim and I were in partial disagreement about this, which is fine, we can't all agree on all things, it would be weird if we did...

I said, after all the newest research, (I'll post some of an article again below) the vast majority of doctors, researchers and experts say, no, it is not okay to drink with a diagnosis of hep c, especially since it's been found that alcohol causes the virus to multiply in the liver...(see below) and I made the point that, even if there is some kind of margin of error with this research, why would anybody take a risk drinking with the hep C virus?

I also made the point that we are all adults here, and masters of our own ship....this is just my opinion on a question he asked...backed up with a considerable amount of medical articles, and I could of cut and pasted 20 more if I had the time and inclination, but I thought the ones I did made a good point...

But of course any one of us can do whatever they feel is right for them to do or not do....that wasn't the question though, he just asked if we thought it was okay to drink with hep c...

I only remember saying I agree to something Kalio said, not Jim...I hope youre having a good weekend, and everyone else too!

From Blue Cross
If you’ve been diagnosed with hepatitis C, your doctor has probably advised you to give up alcoholic beverages. For some people, this can be one of the most difficult lifestyle adjustments to make. But it’s also one of the most important.

Several studies have shown that among people with hepatitis C, regular drinkers have higher levels of virus than nondrinkers, according to Wen-Zhe Ho, M.D., director of retroviral research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Studies also show that when people infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) stop drinking alcohol, levels of the virus decrease.

Now, for the first time, experts are discovering why. In an experiment Ho directed, researchers found that alcohol causes the hepatitis C virus to multiply in the liver. The findings, reported in 2003 in the journal Hepatology, show that alcohol increases the activity of a protein that triggers the virus to make new copies of itself. These new copies speed the progress of the infection and raise the risk of liver damage.

Rocker: Okay, I just went down to the health food store and got some Bragg's Apple Cider Vin - this time I'm going to try and keep up with it, even though I absolutely hate the taste! I just heard from a few more friends of mine that it's really good for them...and that you can feel a bit badly at first...coincidentally, a neighbor of mine who likes to tie one on, said it works really well for his hang-overs! ha ha, so it must be good at detoxifying, anyway, how much are you supposed to have, and when, at least your take? thanks!!!!!

[fishdoc]

Well, I'm glad to know one thing will get back to normal... I don't have any reflux, and being a fish person, I understand mucus is our friend, but its not doing its job in my throat!!  Its what is known as "unproductive", kind a like me these days.... or in layman terms, no loogies............

glad life is better for you,
peace,
c.

[Forseegood]

Just wanted to make one more tiny point on this, and then I'll get on with my day, ha ha! I have a neighbor that drinks as a periodic alcoholic (every 4 or 5 months she drinks all day every day for about 4 days, she often drinks till black out while doing this) then doesn't drink anything for about 6 months, she's been doing this for a long, long time...she also smokes, and doens't have the greatest diet...

She's infeebled now, to be sure, but she's 80 years old...because you have examples of people like this, doesn't mean that every person who decides to drink, smoke and eat a bad diet is going to make it to 80...we all have different constitutions and gene  make-ups, etc...

And it would be a big risk on our parts, if all of us decided to have this lifestyle and still think we could make it to old age okay...though of course, SOME of us would, even so...

On the contrary, the reason the insurance companies don't give you good odds on people like this having a long, healthy life, is because...statitically speaking, the probablility of you living a long life doing these things isn't great...

If you decide to drink with hep c, even occasionally, could very well be that you'd still be alright in the long run (and we're only giving you 50% odds on being able to SVR if youre a common genotype 1, with present treatments, factor that in as well) my biggest question is why anyone would take the risk? Is drinking, albeit one drink a day, "that" important to anybody? all things considered?....but of course, I could get hit by a bus tomorrow morning with all my healthy living....

[Valtod]

thanks everyone for the response.

fishdoc, are you on tx now? i also don't have a fatty liver. i'm 5'8" and 217 lbs now. i'm very active person and i don't see myself as obese but my BMI says i am.

[Mister beagle bailey]

Fisheress, sorry your having a rough time. I know what you mean about the HGB, are you on procrit? So glad you have 7 shots left. Can I come and play with your westie, thenwe both can have xoxoxoxoxo. LOL

See can do, fisheress said I'm allowed to do what ever I want, she's a dog lover. LOL  I've was looking for you guys last night and you guys were know where to be found.

Beagle :)

[jmjm530]

Exactly, or at least address the topic presented before going off topic :)

Sunshine's question was about drinking after SVR, but pretty soon things turned into a referendum for or against alcohol. Oh well :)

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

Forsee said: "The way I saw it, there was a newcomer asking members here their opinions on receiving a Hep C diagnosis and drinking alcohol, even moderately, or occasionally..."
-------------------------
Actually, Sunshine's question was NOT about drinking after dx of Hep C, but about drinking after SVR. The exact quote fromn Sunshine is as follows:

Sunshine: "Does this mean that I should never, ever, ever have a glass of wine again, even if I'm clear of the virus?"

And while I did relate what my doctor told me about drinking prior to treatment -- same thing Chevy's doctor told her -- the two doctor quotes I posted (as well as the major thurst of my discussion) referred to social drinking AFTER SVR.

What I was trying to do was to address Sunshine's concern about QOL after SVR in the most objective wby presenting both sides of the issue with quotes from different doctors, as well as what my own doctor told me, as well as the path I personally chose to take.

Hope this clarifies.

-- Jim






different opinions prevail here -- both in this discussion group and in the medical community.

Hope this clears things up.

-- Jim

[dyce]

Ha all, been battlin the tx and it's hard to eat with the hmg in the 10's. Down to 175 pounds now but the appetite seems to be coming back . Had some bout with constipation but I'm goin a lot better now. Started the paxil 24 days ago , seen the doc friday and they upped the dose from 10mg to 20 . It's helping with the exteme anxiety , it takes awhile for the stuff to start working, now I'm feeling more social again.

   How are ya all?

[Mister beagle bailey]

I'm so glad you posted, have been worried about you.  Glad your feeling better and I know how it feels to have low HGB, I finished tx a week ago and my HGB was 7.6, I'm still doing procrit for a few more weeks. For the constipation my dr gave me LACTULOSE SOLUTION,USP 10g/15mL, it was a miracle in a bottle.  After using the lactuloseall the pain in my chest and side left me.  Ask your dr for it, it really works.
Please let us know what your PCR results are.

Hang in there my friend, the finish line is in sight.

Beagle

[amirtracy]

Hiya Dyceman! I've been worried about you too. Glad to hear you're starting to feel better. This sh*t ain't easy or everybody would be doing it! Hang in there- my hmg is 10.2 so i know it's tough. Still no rescue from the doc. i think they wait until your ready to die before they step in. i actually think i'm getting used to feeling this way and the last week or two i've been rebounded. dang. i shouldn't have said that. as soon as i think i feel better, well, you know the drill. anyhoo. take care, and glad to see you back around.  tracy

[rifleman]

I do not recall anyone advising a person with active hepatitis that it was ok to drink.  Southern Comforts's (or was that Sunshine?) wanted to know if he/she could ever have a drink again.  That's what I and you guys recall.  I do not have a jihad either for or against.  I didn't drink or smoke any ciggies during tx.  My GF and I did get a bottle of nonalcoholic wine at one point, but after one glass I checked the label out and it did in fact have a trace amount of alcohol. Of course, I probably got the virus when I was very young, and in the intervening years I drank enough beer to fill an ocean-going tanker.  I didn't have much liver damage at all, fortunately.
I should mention that I have several friends who are MD's, and I did a bit of med mal work after graduating from law school.  Any doctor that tells any person who ever had liver disease that it is fine to go out and drink all they want is an idiot.  That has liability written all over it.   Think of the scenario. . . a person clears HCV and asks the doc if it is ok to start drinking again.  What is the doc (who pays over $1000 a month in malpractice insurance) gonna say?  "Sure, knock yourself out!  In fact, I get of work in a half-hour.  Let's go get a fifth and get drunk!"  
I had actually considered going to med school.  I had the proper courses in college and the grades.  Part of my decision to forego that and do law instead had a lot to do with how incredibly litigious society is today.  It was a good decision. I have my own criminal defense practice and my malprac insurance runs me $163 a month.
I think what is REALLY important is minimize your alcohol intake if you are HCV + and to avoid alcohol completely during tx up to and until you have (at least) a 12 week negative PCR.  Even then, the condition of your liver should be taken into consideration.  What you drink probably plays a role too.  A couple beers is likely less toxic than a water glass half-full of Johnny Walker Red.  If you have serious liver disease, say grade 3 or worse, drinking may not be a good idea.  HOWEVER, it is YOUR liver to do with as you see fit.
DJL

[Fisheress]

AHHHHHHH,  Can-do, Beagle wanted us to come out and play last night!  Hope he found a toy to keep himself entertained since his play mates were nowhere to be found....!

Tiki has had a play mate here for 2 days now (1/2 lab, 1/2 Weimer).  After she leaves tomorrow she will need a new play mate and she chases wabbits and squirrls really fast too!

Have a great Fathers day ya'll.  Weather suck*..... here on the Gulf coast!  Back to bed to nurse my aching legs......Oh the pain!  Hope the vicobrophen kicks in FAST and I end up in LaLa land!

OXOXOXOXOXOX
Fisheress

[Mister beagle bailey]

I too had the pains in my legs and feet.  It' slowly leaving since I'm off the meds, hope it does the same for you.

Beagle

[can-do-man]

beagle barks....See can do, fisheress said I'm allowed to do what ever I want,............... yip yip yip. Pee on her carpet and i bet you get swatted with the newspaper.......... Go ahead and try.:)

[Mister beagle bailey]

Do I detect jealousie my friend, fisheress sent you xoxoxoxoxo too.  I'm well house trained and fisheress would never swat this little puppy.  Eat your heart out. ;)

Beagle

[Forseegood]

Okay, I prob think it's unproductive to keep beating this poor horsie, but maybe I can clarify some things too...the newcomer's original question was this....

Southern: Okay, so here is what I'm wondering. I know everything says "NO ALCOHOL". I really don't drink that much, but I do enjoy a glass of wine from time to time or a few beers while tailgating at football games or the NASCAR races in my hometown. Does this mean that I should never, ever, ever have a glass of wine again, even if I'm clear of the virus? I know this seems trivial, but I'm just trying to understand how much my lifestyle is going to change. I don't do drugs, I don't have tatoos

the way I read this, she's not really specifiying, she's asking if she can ever drink again, EVEN after after she is clear of the virus....it's right on the page there....then Kalio posted:

If you are positive for Hep C then no alcohol.
As to after you clear it? Doctors differ on their attitudes, some say ONE is ok, some say NO alcohol some say as many as 5 a week.
Hopefully you do not drink now at all.
Not drinking didn't change my social life like I thought it would before I did it

Then Jim posted:

I was allowed to drink 2-3 drinks per week prior to my treatment and I'm allowed the same after my treatment. No drinking allowed during treatment. Some here and some doctor will tell you never to drink but all I can relate is what two well-known liver specialists told me.

then we went back and forth about some other issues, then I posted to jim:

Please don't take this wrong, cause we're bound to disagree once in awhile on something, no matter how much we like one another personally...but can you tell me how you think it even approaches being evenly mixed in how docs react to drinking with a hep c diagnosis?

I just don't see that...maybe I misinterpreted, but that's what I took away from your post...that's there's just a *debate* about this, I think it's more than that...

The vast majority of what I see is docs saying *don't drink* with a diagnosis of Hep C....that goes for all the main medical sites, etc...from what I see, it's odd where you see a doc or researcher say it is okay for any regular drinking with a hep c diagnosis...

Then Jim went on to say how his doc told him that it was okay to drink 2 to 3 drinks a week after diagnosis and prior to treatment, then no alcohol during treatment, then again after treatment...that all the docs he talked to were in agreement on this, and then we went back and forth on this...

I did not say, at any time, "you are telling people to drink after diagnosis"...I didn't tell anyone that...what I objected to, is the INFERENCE a person could draw, by saying your doc said it was okay to drink, perhaps a newcomer might think, yeah, it's okay to drink.

That's why I posted what I did...then some us questioned the reasoning of Jim's doc..I really hate to dredge all this up again, cause it was basically finished on the other thread, I was just answering Chevy's post on this thread...then Jim went on to give me some very good advice regarding my own treatment issues which I sincerly apprecitated, because I value his advice...I value everyone's advice...doesn't mean I agree with everything all the time though...

After all this, people can make any conclusions they want, I'm sure everyone will be relieved to know, I'm not arguing this point anymore ...anyone else can have the last word on this...

I don't take everything any big doctor says as gospel...anyone might have a doctor that is really good for getting you through treatment, etc. but not the greatest in his advice about dealing *just* with your hep c diagonosis....

I went to a doctor that's the head of the liver dept of a major teaching hospital here, he's prob great at getting someone through treatment, he writes articles about it that are published...

But he also told me, when I told him about my symptoms being a person with hep c and low liver damage...that NONE of my symptoms were attributable to the hep, that they were either *psychosomatic* in nature, or attributable to some other disease.

He flat out told me that the ONLY people who get symptoms from hep c are people who are cirrhotic or ESLD.

When I answered, that I belong to many boards on hep c, and many, many patients complain of symptoms of hep c with low liver damage, the very same symptoms most of the time...he told me that's because we're all egging each other on, telling each other our symptoms, etc....

Now I might want this doc to help me with treatment, but do I believe this cr**p about no patients getting symptoms cept cirrhotics??? NO...I have a enough knowledge and research at my fingertips, to where I don't have to believe EVERYTHING a doctor tells me as being gospel...thank God...

I only posted so newcomers would get a different point of view on this topic, just like many people do on these boards, nuff said on this topic from my end...hope everyone is well and having a good weekend.

[fishdoc]

Yes, I am on treatment did shot 19 friday night, and 8 ribas a day now......... but my weight remains constant... I'm kinda like the cattle barons of old, once its my fat, I hold on to it....
c.

[hubbyandme]

My husband lost 20 pounds in the last two months on treatment.  He's happy about that because he needed to lose some weight.  He is trying to eat more protein and less carbs but not doing strict Atkins...just watching the carbs.  Still has pizza once a week, thin bread, etc.  The meds help to this effort since his appetite is not as it used to be.

[2irish]

YOU CAN'T BEAT A NUT!

nice....i'm not so sure that EVERYONE understood the question to be about drinking AFTER SVR.  Southern asked for opinions and she certainly got that, fair enough.  But doctors saying it is okay to have occasional drinks KNOWING you have HCV???  Do these esteemed doctors have names?  i'd like to be able to warn people.

[Forseegood]

Hey,not your bad, my bad, ha ha! Some of us are just born debators, doesn't mean there is any bad blood so don't worry....

And it was certainly not your fault if people took your question and ran with it, we're just sorting things out among ourselves as well as answering your questions....everyone is equal here and we're all here to support and help, as well as argue points, ha ha...

You had a legitimate question, which caused some debate, hopefully, you got some answers....there are many knowlegable people here with many opinions, and we are here for support and help while we're having to endure, treat, etc. this creepy disease...good luck to you!

[rifleman]

I think you (and Jim) will agree with this tidbit... I learned it long ago. .. ..

YOU CAN'T BEAT A NUT!

DJL

[SouthernSunshine]

Oh gosh!  I hate that I caused so much conflict.  I just wanted to say that I appreciated EVERYONE'S input on the drinking subject.  I also want to add that I am not planning to drink anytime in the near or distant future.  I think I'm really terrified to.  Again, I don't drink much, so I don't think I will really miss it.  But, I can't promise that if/after I clear the virus I won't have one glass of wine on Christmas Eve with the family...but ONLY if my doctor says it is okay.  I love life too much!

Again, thank you all!!

[cuteus]

alcohol always brings a lengthy string of comments, ALWAYS. Not much to do with your posting the question. the subject of whether to treat or not is another one that will fill threads.

Do what feels right for you.

not sure what the increase of viral load by alcohol means, though, since viral load has not been proven to correlate to liver damage. So, even if alcohol increases viral load, no studies have proven that the higher the viral load, the more severe damage you have. In moderate drinking, it probably means that hep c won't do more damage than alcohol itself.

[jmjm530]

2 Irish says "... But doctors saying it is okay to have occasional drinks KNOWING you have HCV??? Do these esteemed doctors have names?"
--------------------
For a number of reasons including privacy issues, a number of us  (including myself)do not post the names of our doctors in a public forum, especially when paraphrasing their private doctor-to-patient remarks. It's different, however, when they publish an article or post something on the internet, for example the two doctors I cited in the original post regarding the pro's and cons of light drinking after SVR.

But to your specific question, above. These esteemed doctors do have names as this study demonstrates.
Link here: http://tinyurl.com/l7c8h

Review commentary by the esteemed Cleaveland Clinc sums the study up as follows:

..."What does this mean for our patients with HCV? It seems to this reviewer that the stern warnings we have previously given about the possible dire consequences of even modest alcohol intake now must be tempered. Alcohol abstinence may be the safest course of action, but an occasional drink appears not to harm the liver in those infected with HCV."

Full review here if you scroll down a bit:
http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/hcv/litreview1.htm
------------

Going back to the original, original, original question :)

A young lady diagnosed with Hep C appears to be in the kind of shock many of us go into when first hearing we have this. She brings up what to her is a QOL issue and asks "...Does this mean that I should never, ever, ever have a glass of wine again, even if I'm clear of the virus?"

I tried to give her a balanced answer by quoting two doctors on the pro's and cons of drinking after SVR and adding my own doctor's comments about drinking in general with HCV.

The intent was to let her know that there was no closed book on this subject and some of us have been allowed to drink before treating and after treating. I thought this information would mitigate her fears by not making it the black and white issue that it often becomes.

Hope this finds you well.

-- Jim

[MrsOckert]

I just wanted to weigh in on the comment by your doctor.  When I started tx my dr told me I could expect to lose about 20 lbs on tx.  The first 24 weeks I lost 5 or 10.  Not much at all.  I was really disappointed.  There has to be an upside to this stupid medicine!!  lol

Between week 24 and 36 I have lost a total of 45 lbs.  I have heard of people not losing any and I met one lady that lost 125 lbs on tx.  

Kinda sad to say ignore your doctor on this issue.  We do expect them to know more than us, but my experience is that many times they don't.  Especially in smaller towns.  Good luck to you! Valorie