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Ex husband has hep c

I just found out my ex husband contracted hep c.  Should I be worried that our 11 year old daughter could be at risk?
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Avatar universal
Fres,

Take the anti depressent. I have been going through menopause for 2+ years now (I'm 49).  I was put on Paxill in the beginning which seemed to help until I had a complete breakdown in my doctor's office.  I got on the scale and I had gained 15 lbs.  I started to cry like a baby and all my emotions came rushing out, making no sense whatsoever.  I remember screaming at the top of my lungs, "Oh God, I'm a fat woman now..." (actually, I'm rather thin).  This was prior to starting tx.  When they finally got me into a room and away from other patients, the Dr. told me that clearly the Paxill was not working anymore.  He put me on Effexor.  I have been on it ever since and it really helps.  I still have mood swings, hot flashes etc. There are times I am not sure which side is coming from the tx and which is the menopause.  Hormones or Anemia..........gee.......which is it today??  Havin' some fun now!  Seriously, I strongly advise you to take the ad's for now, it will help.
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Avatar universal
My own experience w/hysterectomy and still keeping your ovaries:
I went crazy for 2 weeks after the surgery...no joke...I would wake up in the morning, before I could make it to the bathroom, be in a puddle of tears on the couch sobbing like a baby, suddenly stop and say "where am I?" and realize it was morning, not lunchtime or whatever...very freaky! Never in my life had I been so out of it! The doc said it was a 'mini-menopause' ie your body is freaking out....since my doc was a male I don't think he realized how serious the situation was...what do men know about how women feel? Nada! So anyway, be careful and don't worry, I been there too and so have lots of other women unfortunately...
Cin
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Avatar universal
Glad to see you popped back in!  You do need the forum as you are going through tx.  It does make sense like cquest mentioned,,,that you were thrown into menopause on top of it.  Everything you have been through,,,,Take the anti depressent,,,You need it now to get your through this period and then when you have recovered more so,,,,you can think about getting off of it!
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Avatar universal
Hi Everyone,  I am new for this website. I just foundout that my father is Hep.C Positive with 30,000 count in his blood.( I don't Know what that mean)My dad lives with me and I have two little girls. Can anyone expolain for me how is this disease transmited to the other person also he will start his treatment in 2 weeks and Is there any thing i need to know about the treatment.

Thank you So Much.
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Avatar universal
Oh boy! I see the extinction of some Australian frogs in the future as folks begin squeezing the juice out of them> argh!


foresee; I did not get a chance to comfort you at the loss of your dear friend. When my pets die, writing a farewell poem helps me. There are some sites for memorial postings of our unconditionally loving friends. The first time I read the Rainbow Bridge poem, I was at the library and my pet was very ill, it was hard to finish reading it at that time. Later I found out that is never easy to read it.
do you have any other pets?
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86075 tn?1238115091
I gotta run because I just dont want to hang around here too much today, miss my doggie a lot, but I just wanted to say for my part that I'm okay about everything. I've learned the hard way, ha ha, that I shouldn't read too much into statements made in anger when someone is on tx. I want to have more compassion for my own suffering and other;s too, I just feel better that way. One of my best friends was on it while having to take AIDs drugs at the same time and had a helluva time...he used to singe my hair he'd yell at me so hard sometimes...but I mananged to just take in stride for the most part...and when he was completely unbearable, I'd just screen my calls, he he. (Sorry for gigling about this rather serious issue but sometimes I think if you don't laugh sometimes your mud.)I think his dogs would make themselves scarce when he had his shot night, he he he.

Fortunately, he cleared and he's okay now. Guess my point is we only know certain aspects of each other anyway on these boards, unless we get to know each other offline, and I'd just like to take the high road and give people the benefit of the doubt if I can. That's not to say that I want to routinely take anyone's abuse, but the disease alone is tremendously stressful and/or depressing and a huge mind****....I can't even imagine how tx would be on top of all this. And you had a hysterectomy to boot, gheesh. When and if I take the stuff and have meltdowns, whatever, I'd like at least some people to give me the benefit of the doubt and realize that I'd probably be doing the best I could under the circumstances. Hope you feel better soon.

Chev, that was good of you to make a reach out call. Mending fences is nice when it happens, especially around here, he he!
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Avatar universal
It just goes to show you that you never know where the "better treatments" we're waiting for just might come from.  Here's a short blurb from last Friday:

"Vanderbilt University researchers found that secretions from the skin of some Australian frogs were effective in the test tube at killing HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. They hope their findings will lead to the creation of a topical ointment containing synthetic secretions that will help cut the spread of the deadly worldwide pandemic."

Susan
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Avatar universal
Finally talked to NP at Docs.  Gonna do some blood today.  Thinking pain might be gall bladder as some suggested.  Will get results tomorrow I believe.  

Also, mentioned my concern about reduced dosage.  Well, come in and talk to Dr.  Next opening is Nov. 29. ???  Well, it will be up to Doc if he wants to double book himself, will leave him a note.  I am going to look for a second opinion now.  Three weeks on reduced dosage is ticking me off.  Shucks!  Not quit enough Riba to form a rage today, tho I would like to right now!  lol  

Thanks again to all.  

MissMiss
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Avatar universal
Welcome back! You have lots of friends here who care about you.

-- Jim
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Avatar universal
That's a good one! I wouldn't mind havin' those pumpkins! Funny thing, I forgot I have a meeting this afternoon and here I am w/ my bejeweled sandals and glittery wings! Oh well! One day a year ya gotta let it all go!
Cin
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Avatar universal
One thing that is important I learned in here ... educate yourself and before you go to your doctor (mine was a bit of a hard butt too) have all your valid points ready
a. b. c. why I need Procrit.  why I need more Riba.  why blah blah yippedity do.

If you sound TOO much a know it all they won't ever agree with you so just try and sound really naive but make the valid points.

Having all my documentation has REALLY helped big time - cause I can say look on 9/21 I was at this number and at 10/21 I am HERE.....you know?

People like Jim helped walk me through it and well = it's really working out well for me. knowldge = power.

BEST of luck!

Debby
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Avatar universal
Can't loose the bejeweled sandals, don't have any other shoes here! And a guy is coming from a company to show us this software and how to use it w/ half this dept, half another dept...ought to be pretty entertaining! I have to keep the wings or the outfit wouldn't be complete!

I just ran into the VP of the hospital and anointed him w/ my wand...he said he needed a good anointing...another head of the hosp asked which one of us was out of costume and I told him he was! It's Halloween! I was taking a message to someone in the auditorium filled w/ Medicare speakers and about 100 people...I said I was the 'message fairy'...I'm having a good ol time today!
Cin
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Avatar universal
Procrit stings, for most people. Some feel it a little and some too much. I tried warm, and cold, slow and fast, buttocks or thighs, IT STUNG ME the same. I ended up shooting it fast just to get it over with. I remember there was ONE time it did not sting, but even when I tried to replicate the circumstances, it stung the next time. Then, you get people who said they felt nothing! Reinforcement that everyone reacts different.
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Avatar universal
I don't honestly care how much it stings personally - the benefit is worth the discomfort, don't you agree?

Patiently waiting for it to kick in...second needle of the week tonight and I don't mind at all if it would just give me back my blood cells now please!!!!!  :)

The pain of the sting is nothing compared to the pain of the anemia I guess is what I'm a tryin' to say here!
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Avatar universal
I didn't get to write you a condolense either.  I am SO sorry for you.  I just love my dog so much and I can't imaginethe heartbreak you are going through.  They truly are little people I think in our hearts.

I did read that rainbow poem last week and it made me cry buckets.  I hope you can think of it that way and find some comfort.

Mismiss

Yeah for you!  Asserting yourself and asking questions!  There is nothing wrong with it and oftentimes I've found the people in HERE to have better information than my doc. REALLY.

I do really believe that the knowledge we learn in here can give us peace of mind that we are doing all we can for ourselves.  And in this riba world....peace of mind is something we dont have to often LOL.

PS Never just decide to go off of your Paxill.  HOLY COW what a MESS I was...I can now say that stuff is completely addictive.  But I'll deal with that later.  ;-)  I ain't ready to do that again right now no WAY!

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Avatar universal
Welcome to the discussion group. It's hard to say what the 30,000 "count" means but if it reads 30,000 IU/ML then it means he has less virus in his blood than most people with hepatitis c. This is relatively good news going into to treatment. Do you happen to know what his "genotype" is and what "stage" liver disease he has. The genotype would be found in a special blood test everyone gets before treatment. He would know his stage if he had a liver biopsy.

As far as transmission within a family is concerned, it doesn't happen very often. That said, you should keep his personal grooming aids (toothbrush, razors, hairbrushes, nail clippers) away from the rest of the family. There is a small possiblity that the hep c could be transmitted from a small droplet of blood. But stuff like hugging and kissing and eating together -- no problem.

As far as what you should know about the treatment, the most important thing is that you dad will need a lot of love, support and understanding while on treatment. The medications not only affect the body but also the emotions. So, if starts to get mad or angry in an inappropriate way, try and give him the benefit of the doubt. It really is the medications talking.

As you're a first time poster, you should be aware that there are no doctors here. We're all Hep C patients either treating or have treated our selves or thinking about it. I'm in my 35th week of 48.

-- Jim

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Avatar universal
What week are you on?  I am waiting to hear waht my latest RBC test result says.  My nurse seems to remember that there wasn't anything significant about my test but walking across the room leaves me out of breath.  I don't know how much more anemic I can get.  I'm on week #9
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Avatar universal
Oh that is exactly how I feel! Just to get from the parking lot to my desk winds me so much I have to stop and lean and rest....huffing and puffing!

I just did 6/48 on Friday.  Tonight I start the 2x a week epogen. The once a week wasn't cutting it (it stopped my number from going lower but really...I think I'd be transfused if I felt any weaker than THIS  ;-)


This was my third week shot of the epogen on Friday...still waiting for SOME relief but as everyone says it's a slow battle to get those suckers back!

While this sucks...at least we aren't alone.  NOBODY in the outside seems to understand that "anemia" is NOT the same as when the doctor told them they were a little anemic you know?  Ooooh drop to what 13?

LOL

I hope you feel like dancing soon!  (and me too!)

Debby

LOL
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Avatar universal
i did lash out the other day. i have done nothing but rack my brain and try to figure out what happened. i have felt alone for a few days now. i pop in and read the comments but have been nervous to post. i do appreciate you asking for me. i do have a few things to say.... i am truly regretful for what i said, especially about the comments on losing a pet. i should have known better...i lost a 9year old pit 2 years ago and it tramatized me. i am sorry for that comment. my mind was so brain fogged that i posted comments about what other people hadn't even said. it's all like a big blurr to me now. i even considered staying out and logging in under another name just so i could stay, annonymously, but decided against it. after everything had past i saw that the ones that had left were already back and here i was, still out with the door still stuck in my ***. as far as my hysterectomy recovery is concerened i am doing better now just not sleeping more than 4 hours a nite which is taking it's toll on me. i was taking seroquel to sleep but i read that it is filtered through the liver and that scared me to death so now i'm not taking anything to sleep and it has worn me down. i continue to loose weight and i look soo yellow. i'm just really depressed right now. doc prescribed anti-depressant for me but i'm scared to take it cause it is also filtered through the liver. i'm scr***ed either way. life is so unfair. anyway...thanks for asking for me. it's good to see everything is back to normal with everyone here. see ya
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Avatar universal
Procrit definetely is worth its sting! I don't think I would have lasted as long as I did without it. I still have 4 vials in the fridge that I was going to donate.  I can not believe how low some members here have gotten in their hgb and still function.
hepc in LA;
careful when they tell you; "everything looks good", look at the blood work yourself. if the hgb is in the out of range column, you are anemic. I found that any drop in the hgb would give me shortness of breath. My PA kept saying all looks good until 3 months into tx, I started getting a chest pain and I then learned the hgb was at 10.2. No wonder. When were they going to tell me, beats me. I started collecting my copies of bloodwork after that.  I can't believe they kept saying "everything looks good"! That's what I mentioned to NYgirl when I heard that said to her, but in her case, they forgot to do the hgb, so of course all looked ok in that area.
All these experts, need our help, I believe.
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Avatar universal
The pain you are feeling could also be your gall balder.  It's nothing to mess with, call your doc ASAP.
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92903 tn?1309904711
I'm really glad you popped back in. Nothing more to be said.

I hope you'll work with your DRs to decide whether you can take the prescribed meds or something else. You shouldn't force yourself to go without. And you're right. Sometimes life isn't fair. Sad, but true. Our job is to get through those troughs. Hang in there.  

PS Thanks for turning off the CAPS key  -- it really does make it easier to read.
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Avatar universal
10-4 on your comments, i was down to 9.4 even after 2-3 wks of 40,000 IU epogen (same as procrit). got PO'd so i gathered copies of all my bloodwork from the PCP and hospital found some troubling oversights. nurse and Dr. had agreed to stop riba till hgb recovered...problem is they never informed ME of this decision so i kept pumping 1200 MG a day. fortunately after going up to 40,000 IU twice a week it sterted to recover. also found other issues that i intend to raise at my next appointment, don't want to alienate the Drs but your right about the "experts". from now on i'm learning as much as i can and keeping an eye on things.
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Avatar universal
Forget about anything I said to you too. I admire you for coming back here under your original name. I have been here for a long time and I've seen much much worse than the other day so don't give any of it another thought. The bottom line is that we're all in this crazy hepatitis thing together and we all know it's rough and cross words will get exchanged and we'll just agree to forget about it and let it all pass. Welcome back fresno. Mike
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