Here I go! And for other posts..........

[Fisheress]

I have posted a few times here and have been reading everyone's post daily for about 2 years now.  Have to say, very informative.  My appointment for the clinical study at the Liver foundation is next Wed.  The anxiety is already setting in.  Don't know if I am excited about finally getting treatment or just down right scared!  Had a phone interview last night and I could be starting treatment here in about 30 days.  Only 2 slots left and I get to fill one of them.  The study clinic folks sound great and asssured me they will hold my hand and be there for me every step of the way.

Have to have another biopsy, all the BW done, eye exam...........ya'll know the routine.  Had I not found this website, hell I would not know the routine!  

SOOOOOOOOO HERE I GO! 48 WEEKS!  Suppose I will be a regular on here now.  Look forward to everyone's support that ya'll are all so gracious with.  Please feel free to use this for other posts.  Sorry I took this one up............

Wishing you all the best of health!

[Fisheress]

K........Yes, down at the medical center, this is through St. Lukes.  Will be a drive although not too bad.  Traffic from Clear Lake to Med center can be a B****!  Wish there was some place closer for you.....are you going through a private doc?

[friole]

Good luck Fish, did you say Houston?   I am in West Texas and I only wish there were some liver experts here.
Kathy

[Fisheress]

Thanks for your response.  It was encouraging.  I too have been a dieter on and off since I turned about 42.....metabolizim (spelling)dropped I suppose and the most I weighed was 148.....uuuuggg!  I am now 46 and holding at 140.  Anyway, yogurt sounds like a wonderful supplement, love the stuff.

O'tay, guess you guys will be hearing from me soon after my 1st visit to the study clinic on Wed.....I'll let ya know what my program is going to be.  In the meantime, just gonna keep taking notes from the threads and reading my "Survival Guide"!

My best to all

Over & out!
Fish

[scruffy]

Kind of you to ask. I saw the doc in July and will get the biopsy September 8. After that who knows? My info will be posted here as soon as it is available to me. I feel pretty good though for an old hepper. frank

[friole]

I don't recommend, per se a high fat diet.  Just some fat with the riba.  As an on-again off-again weight watcher for most of my adult life, I would not want any weight gain.  I started on treatment July 15th.  This morning (that is 20 days on treatment) I was down 8#.  I don't think too many people gain weight on tx - most from what I have been reading lose 30-40#.  My appetite is off and that does not hurt my feelings one bit.  I am just trying to make sure what I eat counts (nutritional, not junk food). I haven't bought high-fat yogurt for years and I am enjoying it.  At dinner, I figure the meat/chicken whatever has fat.  If there isn't any, I just do the yogurt as a supplement.  

So what I am saying is the peg-riba diet works real good.

[artgal]

I was just thinking about you. Weren't you going to see your doc or get a biopsy in mid July? Just wondering and hoping things are moving forward for you.

[Fisheress]

Thanks for the info......  I was just speaking with my sissy who has a friend on treatment who by the way just had test showing clear!  Anyway the high in fat diet thing kind of concerns me due to the fact he has gained like 60lbs!!! on treatment.  I am only 5'2 and 140lbs and cannot and do not want anymore weight on me.  My lower back just won't take it.  How have you done with your weight?

This is all so mind boggling!

Thanks K
Fish

[friole]

fish - if you use your belly you can wear your short shorts (LOL).  I have used my thighs twice and my belly once. I have just had small bruise marks (the size of a pea). That belly was a lot tougher than I thought it would be.  I really had to punch in the old needle (not old, of course).  I am going to try the belly again tomorrow.  And you are right - I learn a lot more valuable stuff here than at the doc's office.

gene & fish - I also have lots of regular high fat yogurt on hand.  I take my evening riba with or actually during my meal, and in the morning, if I am not having any fat (like fruit or non fat milk ) I make sure to eat some yogurt before I take the riba.
Kathy

[Fisheress]

Everyone on this site is so informative!  WOW, the information, knowledge and suport is great.  I have been making notes on my work sheets I started and just made notes aabout fatty meals with riba along with yogurt.  Also to take tylenol before shot along with water, water ...oh!  and did I say water?  These little bits of information are wonderful.  I also saw a trend awhile back before I knew I was going to treatment this year about injection site, best way to inject without leaving a red sore area after injection.  I do have some fat on my tummy so I am thinking (thinking can be a dangerous thing for me! lol) that is going to be injection site.  TOOOOOOOO FUUUNNNNY, already thinking it all out in advance.

Any input would be great!

Thanks ya'll! (yes I am from Texas! :))))))

[scruffy]

Sandi,Welcome back Lady!! Yes-we missed you alot! For sure. frank


Genedog-I read also that fat consumed with the riba increases absorption. I found that a couple tablespoons of yogurt with it kept me from getting stomach discomfort. Frank

[friole]

Lvd - Good old Solarcaine in the spray bottle.  It's been around for years and it is wonderful for burns and would work on the bites as well.  It has lydocaine in it and that topical analgesic really helps.  It is so cold going to that it feels good.
Glad to have you back

Chellski - I am so glad to hear that you found out about a program.  I am fortunate to have BC/BS that has a $30 or $45 copay on Rx.  Sometime they put the actual cost on the RX and my eyes just bug out.  BUt I pay dearly for my insurance ($545 a month) and have never really used it, so I figure it is payback time for BC. I'm pretty sure I took that Leviquin last winter too.

Water - I'm in for the gallon a day min.  Yesterday when I felt sooo tired, I didn't drink much (which came first, the chicken or the egg).  When I realized it mid afternoon, I chugged 3 glasses (had to force it down) and I did feel a bit better after that.
Happy Thursday, Kathy

[jmjm530]

Because of the long half-life of ribavirin, I was told not to worry about taking the two daily doses 12-hours apart. Rather, to take it with my two largest meals of the day, as long as they were  4-hours apart. (One doc told me I could take all 1200/mg at one meal if I wanted.)

Taking riba with food not only helps with sx, but there has been some published data saying that the bioavailaility of ribavirn is increased up to 70% when taken with a high-fat meal. The data concludes there is "no clinical significance" to this fact, but I added "a" and "b" together, and make sure my riba meals have at least a moderate amount of fat.

Don't take antacids or similar (like Gaviscon) within two hours of riba. It reduces riba absorption. Again, there may be no "clinical signficance" but I want the maxium amount of that poison in my system every day. LOL.

-- Jim

[artgal]

Hi -- I've been wondering where you have been -- I guess I missed a post somewhere that must have said you were away. And I'm one of those people that begins to worry terribly if someone is even an hour late getting back home.... So I'm really glad to hear you are fine and enjoyed a respite from routine albeit a sore one! I'm sure everyone will be glad to see your posts again!

[chellski]

eis, the keflex was what i took the 1st 10 days - not enough happened....i was not feeling very strong and just took the new meds from the pharmacy - next day i realized i shouldve questioned it right there....thanks for your response

sandi- welllcome back!  i missed you and ur swimming fishies terribly - but i know how your feel, when i'm away i think "i've got to get on line - i've got to see whats going on with everyone!"
so very glad your back!

<3 michelle

friole - i just got approved for what they call here in PA rxaccess - is partial payment (25% - 40% depending) program run by about 15 pharmaceutical companies....this will help..
thanks kath!

[genedog]

what can anyone tell me about takeing riba with food and does it work better?

[LvdByGod]

i'm a true blue red spotted burn patient! the raised reds itch and the flat blistered reds hurt...there is a trick to itching only the raised bumps without scratching the burned background!!!

here's the breakdown...i was blue...then i was attacked and spotted with red, then the solid red sleep on the last day...but you know i'm still blue as a bush inside! the blue is fine it's the red that invading my space!

i was missin you and thinkin alot about you cutie...:O)

rearfang/chev thanks for the welcome home...i needed that and was really missin you guys too! i look forward to catching up on how your both doing!

i hope and pray all here are well!

[cuteus]

HEllo red sandi! Well, you were in a red state so now you are red!
Vicki is in Alaska for a month, so you two have a lot of adventures to tell.
I don't think she got in trouble at the airport this time.
How can you tell your red spots from the general redness?

[friole]

Go Cin.  It sounds like you are on a mission.  In a way I felt the same way that first week (just 3 weeks ago). Ready to get started but nervous.  Do take a couple of tylenol an hour before you get to the doc's office so it will be kicked in before you get there.  And start flooding the system (lots of water).

Post on Friday night or Saturday morning so we know how you did.   I will be thinking about you.
Kathy

[Aubbie]

Welcome and I know for a fact that I would know nothing if not for this caring site.  I agree with friole and this site is really something, I am amazed at the blood counts that go down and I take a test tommorrow. I am feeling Procrite time , I am so weak . I am on shot 5 and doing ok.  But get on this site and you get educated, I learn from them, and am glad to have all of you. SUCH KNOWLEDGE and GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!! Aubbie

[rearfang]

C and Fish--
Good luck to you both. Take the advice about the water. I do about a gallon a day and overall have had an easy time w/ tx (Sorry to those who want to choke me now, like Lorrie and artgal). Let us know how it goes.

Sandi-
Welcome home! I've missed you too!
Lauren

[dutch_boy]

Welcome aboard Fisheress!  It is a wonderful thing that you have decided to fight this battle!  We all have had that anxiety before starting tx and we all understand.  My words of advice to you for what they are worth is that my fears of tx BEFORE I started were much much worse than what I've experienced DOING tx.  I'm in my 25/48 and I still believe this is true even with bad days that come up.  So take a deep breath, arm yourself with knowledge as you have been doing from these wonderful, knowledgable, and caring folks here, and thank yourself for giving yourself the gift of taking the steps to beat this virus.  When you know more about the study you will be participating in and what drugs/dosing you will be on let us know.  In the meantime congratulations for starting very soon!  Welcome aboard.
Scott

[cquest]

I finally got a call from the pharmacy,they will be shipping the meds, I should get them tomorrow. I'm having them ship them to work...I can put them in the fridge and won't worry about them sitting outside in this heat till I get home, in case they pull a stunt like jmjm had happen...I am stopping at the docs before I go home from work and get the shot. To be honest, I can't wait! I am excited that I can finally DO something about this! It makes me feel like the movie Alien...some weird monster inside me, waiting for the moment to jump out...I want to kill the friggin thing allready! Anyway, I still want to join the march in NYC this Tues as long as I am feeling ok...I guess I will find out soon enough! I still didn't find out the results of the bx from the upper endo yet...either way...unless it is a MAJOR issue, it won't stop me from tx.  
Cin

[friole]

jmjm -- no permissiion needed.  My brother is a lobster fisherman on the Cape - and he doesn't send me care packages nearly enough!

chel - any chance you can get into contact with the drug manufacturer?  Many of them have forms you can fill out and you can get meds cheaper or free -- at least I know there are programs for the elderly, and surely for all who qualify.  Usually you can pick up the forms in the doctors office.

I was on 4 or 5 rounds of antibiotics last winter.  sometimes it is hard to kick certain infections out.  Hope this one works for you.

[chellski]

fisheress - welcome!  im on shot #17/48 and it aint no picnic - but if it weren't for this forum - god only knows what i'd do...the people here have gotten me thru some very hard days....
good luck and be well...


jmjm:  our health care system.....i'm still nursing my infected finger - its been two weeks; they won't lance b/c afraid of more infection so put me on a stronger antibiotic called levaquin....14 pills for $299.04 - i cried right there in the pharmacy.....i have a job but no prescription benefits - doctor helps out ALOT with free samples and, yes thanks to Roche - im getting meds free....but that is more than a weeks pay for me and believe me i wanted to say just take to god damn finger - it'll be cheaper!   it doesnt seem fair to me. but nobody ever said life was fair, right???
<3 chelle