HR/ anyone/ HCV found in brain tissue ?

I have been worried about HCV possibly being found in brain tissue and what this means.  I didn't really know if it had or had not been isolated in brain tissue.  

I just googled HCV blood brain barrier and read this.  

http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=13448748

So... I guess it has been found post mortum in some patients? Does anyone have any research on this, studies, data, etc, or what this mean as far as treatment (with respect to still having "symptoms" even if we get SVR).  Does anyone know what this virus does in our brains?  Does it replicate?

Thanks.

[Myown]

http://www.pos4pos.org/croi2005/hep2-05.htm

This is the site I posted to you in the homeopathic thread below.  Maybe you didn't see it. Dr. D mentions on page 5 or so something concerning the hep c and its crossing of the blood brain barrier.It seems they are studying possibilities? The entire interview is very interesting.

[Myown]

"Only one abstract, only one poster here about Hepatitis C effect on the brain. That Hepatitis C does penetrate the blood-brain barrier, so it may cause neuropsychiatric problems over the long term similar to HIV issues in the brain."

pg 4

[spacecst]

This may explain why I'm so wacky! I don't think pegasys is small enough to cross over, but peg intron is! I think I read that awhile ago but I could be wrong! I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong! It's hard to remember everything that I've read over the years!
AKA SpaceWac

[chcnme]

LOL -- Myown, I was wondering what page it was on earlier. I couldn't find it, and that's when I googled it and found that article, and that's when I called a friend and cried "THIS STUFF IS IN MY BRAIN!!!"  

lol space can you help me, please?

[Myown]

If this explains why you're so wacky,,,,REJOICE!! you have found yourself!! Embrace your inner child!!

[Myown]

lol,,yes it is affecting our brain I guess, but now that we know for sure or so it seems,,,I'll use it as an excuse with my husband if my personality isn't exactly what it should be on any given day.ha!

[Lady E]

About 2 years before I started tx for HCV, I began to notice at work that my mind just wasn't as sharp as it used to be. I would have some confusion in thinking & some forgetfulness.(at that time, I was an office manager) I remember discussing it with my husband, & we didn't know if it was hcv, or just the aging process. Now, in retrospect, I think it was due to both hcv & aging. Same thing for fatigue.

[anise]

This topic really interests me.  I have thought about this often, and even asked my NP about the virus jumping the blood brain barrier.  She said it doesn't???  If it did, I personally would consider the virus very dangerous.  

Any input from you guys out there would be extremely welcomed.

[Myown]

I have an upcomming appointment with Dr. D.  I will mention to him I read his interview (above) and ask him if there are any new findings.

Spacecst kids around, but his post above does have meaning. I remember someone posting the difference in the 2 interferons and I believe I read something about the pegintron crossing the BBB also. So now what? Does that mean pegasys leaves behind hep c particles in the brain? Just a question. I'm not freaking out or anything,,,sometimes things get misinterpeted by the typing not being able to convey.

I'm only wondering because I haven't yet started and though I wanted Pegasys, because you guys say it seems to have less sx,,,,but now if pegintron crosses the BBB, maybe worth a shot trying that. I'm not going to worry about it, too much stuff comes flying at us and not being doctors, so easy to misinterpet.

[chcnme]

Thanks everyone.  Your input's greatly appreciated. It makes me feel better just knowing someone else worries about these things too (or ...better yet, has learned not to worry about them.)  I had myself in such a funk yesterday (read em & weep, read em & weep, read em & weep -lol).  When I called my friend, he said "WHAT??"  I was talking about the brain, and he was listening, and he said "it's not hep crossing your BBB that worries me; it's all that %$#*& research you've feeding it that has me worried - get OFF that computer!"  I promised him I would.  yeah right, what did I do?  I tried to figure out the mechanism of VX-950 and convince myself that if all else fails, we can all rely on it to cross the BBB :)

Interesting about the Pegintron crossing the almighty BBB.  I had not heard that.  I will keep that in mind, too :)  

I think it truly IS best we not worry about this stuff (in fact for my mental health I know it is), but....

OK - today is a new day? yes?

Yes!

[Myown]

yes,,whatever I find out, I'll let ya know.

yes i just saw that you made a mistake with move/myown. thats okay,,its the 'M'.  I sure he didn't mind either. brain fog and menopause brain for me. I forget from one minute to the next.

so then do you go on pegintron or pegasys? maybe you answered me, but i don't remember the answer,now thats classic brain fog. i'm too lazy to re read the posts. I'm hitting the sack in a minute. i know you said your doc wanted you on pegintron, but did you agree to it? just curious. and also, how do you feel on treatment?? just tired and flu type stuff. The unknown gets worse the longer you wait. I'm at wits end. i have to get started.

let me know,,see ya tommorrow.

[ladybug52]

I know what you mean about having a hard time keeping up with peoples stats re: tx, past tx, future tx.
I started tx. Friday. It's my first round of tx and I am geno type 2.
When do you think you'll start and who is your doctor? I really have a hard time keeping up with the big name Dr.s too. Let me know what your dr. says about 4 week vs 12 week and peg intron vs pegasys.
Thanks!
Bug

[Myown]

Thanks for your info,,,but to tell you the truth I wonder how much of the decision of what the doctor uses is due to the perks they get.

They just had ANOTHER article in the newspaper here about the perks the doctors get from the sales people. The article went on to say that they don't think it influences what the doctors prescribe though. Hardy- har har. What a joke!

So, you didn't tx yet? I can't keep up with who has tx and who hasn't yet. Have you come to a decision what you will use? The pegintron?

Too bad we couldn't use pegasys for half the tx and pegintron for the remainder. That might catch all the little buggers. But even if the drug companies knew that would bring a  true cure,,,they wouldn't tell us unless there was a company merger. Sad but true, at least in my brain.

I hope I can start soon. I have alot more doctors names that Dr. A sent me. Some are closer than even Dr. D and in Jersey rather than NYC. So, I'll see. I'll let Dr. D know that I am concerned about having to take the subway when I'm not feeling good. But I'll see. Getting there wasn't bad, but I'm not on meds now. Subways are so much better from the last time I rode one,,,ions ago. They were actually clean. Not too many people with shifty eyes either.lol

Take care, nice talking to you.

[Myown]

You're a fellow geno 2,,,*high5*!!
Congrats on starting tx.
In answer to your question,I have a consult with Dr. D very soon and he 'may' be the doctor I tx with.

As far as pcr ...Dr A wants me to get a pcr the 2nd week and 4th. Expects me to clear at 4th. Stupid me never asked,"what does it mean if I don't?" Plan B?

I will ask Dr.D about the pcr's. Actually I would like one every week to see exactly when/if (hopefully) I clear. My doc that I almost tx with believed in weekly pcr's until clearing. But I trust Dr. A and the advice he gave me. I'm happy Jim recommended these doctors. I need to feel confident in a doctor or I question their every move and thats not good for doctor or patient. Asking a doctor questions because I want to learn  is one thing,,,but asking because you don't trust their decision is a whole other issue and that's what I feel I was doing with other doctors before I went to Dr. A.

I hope you have smooth sailing through it all and svr!!!!!

[ladybug52]

High 5 right back at ya! Stick around to give me all the advice you get from your doctor! If you read the comments above in the med help thread you'll discover a little mistake I made!
Move, Myown, same difference right? Wrong! I was kind of embarrassed.  Is it too early to calsim brain fog after 3 days?
Bug

[ladybug52]

I wanted pegasys also because of the 'less sides' reasoning. However, when I talked to my doctor he said that there is a greater chance of drop in white blood cells with pegasys. He said that the neopigin (sp?) helps the bone marrow produce new white blood cells but the bone pain is very intense.
I have no idea if he's right or not, but I did get a second opinion and he wanted to use pegatron also.
I hate to think of hcv in my brain! I have always been scattered, hyper and shortened attetion span. Thought it was my ADD but maybe the hcv made a bad trait worse.
BTW don't know if that's true about pegasys vs pegatron, just throwing that out there.
Bug

[ladybug52]

Yes I'm doing pegatron. So far so good, just flu like symptoms Friday night. I am so glad--relieved I started tx although I might be singing a different song in a month from now. I'm off to work now, have a great day.
Bug

[ZeroFrancis]

"Evidence for a cerebral effect of the hepatitis C virus"
The Lancet 2001; 358:38-39

Hi everyone! This is my first post here. I wanted to let you know about this article. A team at St Mary's Hospital in London did some research on this in 2001. They were looking for answers to what might be causing some of the weird extrahepatic symptoms (chronic fatigue and such) suffered by hep-c patients with histologically mild disease. They published their findings in the Lancet which is the most prestigious medical journal over here. The team included Dr Graham Foster (now Professor) who is one of the most highly respected hep-c experts this side of the pond. I think you can get a free trial subscription to the Lancet and read the article yourself but here's the gist of it anyway. They did brain scans of hep-c patients and controls. They excluded hep-c patients with significant liver damage so as not to compromise the results with the possiblility of hepatic encephalopathy. The scans revealed abnormalities in the brains of the hep-c patients the technical details of which are gobbledygook to me. But I guess it all means yes the virus does cross the blood-brain barrier.

[ladybug52]

Thanks. But what I really mean is OH C**P. Oh shoot, oh heavens, gosh darn, just wish there wasn't proof that it was so!