chemo just means chemical therapy, guess interferon would fall under a chemical therapy, at least Riba sure would, you could make the qualification that it isn't chemotherapy used on cancer patients...
You're not gonna believe this coming from me, but it is used in <a href="http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/content/abstract/38/5/258"><b>Hairy</b> Cell Leukemia</a> amoung others.
Not surprising to me at all - that you would find this. Next you'll suggest it's use for hirsutism, and with some of the comments we've read over the months you may have something.
Yes as a chemical therapy it is considered chemo. When you stop and realize that some leukemia patients are given Interferon as their treatment...you realize it's in the same ballpark for sure and that is why we are able to tell people at work we are on "chemo" and let them deduce whatever they want without having to lie LOL
Yes, Interferon is used for MS. Wikipedia has fascinating info. When I read this (pasted Wiki excerpt) about the viruses treated with Ribavirin, I freaked out for days!!
RIBAVIRIN
Future: Other Viral Activities
Experimental data indicate that ribavirin may have useful activity against many viruses of interest, including avian influenza, hepatitis B, polio, measles and smallpox. Ribavirin is the only known treatment for a variety of Viral hemorrhagic fevers, including Ebola virus, Marburg virus, Lassa fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and Hantavirus infection. Ribavirin is active in a hamster model of yellow fever, a finding which is not surprising, given the familial relationship of yellow fever and hepatitis C viruses as flaviviridae. Ribavirin is active against other important flaviviridae such as West Nile virus and dengue.
Strictly speaking IFN is a biologic. But we all know, the root of all is chemical. When my boss said "Hey FLguy, get your head out of you azz, I just said that two minutes age" my reply was not "give me a break boss, I'm on freakin bio therapy"
Looks like you got your 'L' key working again. Good thing I have some riba left over, you never know when Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is gonna make the rounds again.
My uncle was Interferon for skin cancer (melanoma)
I believe it's also used for MS....
Dont worry I've already BEEN THERE! My daughter came out of her bedroom one morning when she was 15...with an eyebrow piercing that she did in the middle of the night herself (I can't imagine how much THAT hurt) and all of her gorgeous long long blond hair shaved off to 1/4" long. I looked on the floor at all that gorgeous hair and can't tell you how I almost died.
Thank GOD she is now 18 and the piercings and shaved head are long gone.
You see - I need the Ambien to FORGET what they've done...not vica versa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
;)
With Riba being looked at as a treatment for avian flu virus, I hope that they don't end up stock piling Ribavirin to wear all of us heppers have a problem getting it. I'm thinking of saving some pills out of each script I have in order to have my own stockpile. Since I'm on 8 riba's a day, anyway, when I get ready to stop treatment, I'll just get it refilled again and hold onto it. I know that there's already a stockpilling of the Tamiflu.
Susan
Hey I didn't know that they are looking into using Riba to treat Avian? I didn't think it was really transmittable from person to person...but I watched the movie the other night and you know at the end it mutated and was 100% fatal so the whole world was going to die - it was really a chipper ending...
The good thing about if they use Riba is we should pretty much therefore be immune to it as long as we are on it so...we should each start taking one pill less a day and saving some up! :)
hahahaah I have to laugh it might be the one good thing of having to take that junk!
(Going to go google it I had never heard it!)
Love this board you learn so much!
You are right they are! But look one company is upping the output of Riba 30% because of it...good. There better not be any pandemic cause I worry about us!
Source: Amersin Life Sciences Corp.
Amersin Announces 30% Increase in Ribavirin Production to Meet Market Demand Following Recent Avian Flu Outbreaks in Asia
NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Amersin Life Sciences Corporation (OTCBB:AMLS) announced today that its subsidiary, Hubei Tongji Benda Ebei Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (HBPharma), will increase production of Ribavirin injections by 30% in response to market demand.
Ribavirin is a systemic antiviral sold under the brand names Copegus(R)(see Note) and Rebetol(R)(see Note) in the United States; under the brand name Virazol(R)(see Note) in the United States and Canada; and as Tribavirin in other parts of the world.
http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/news.html?d=71697
The study coordinator seemed interested in where Ive been and what I've done hcv and tx-wise, confident that thay may want me for something. She gave me the number for the manager there. I made a call to the group boss and am impatiently waiting for that call to be returned. Again with all things medical, waiting, waiting.
I'm living very happily here having AmbienAmnesia myself. I don't need anything else...cause I wont remember it. Like Kidd Rock...I've started sprinkling the Ambien on my cereal - it makes for a really fun workday! :)
You know, even if it isn't technically, it simplifies the explanation process.... this mornings phone call, Hey Bill, I'm sorry I was such a jerk yesterday,, my fuse is pretty short these days, I'm on the fourth month of Chemo...WHAT....yada yada yada... seems I'm apologizing a lot lately....
CANMAN: I think he and I and dyce are in a big trough in the sea of tx... we three seem to be having a few bad weeks... but the crest is ahead...somewhere....
Don't let your teenagers know about the AmbienAmnesia they could use it against you. "Mom, you said I could have my nose pierced. It was right after you said I could go to Mexico on Spring break with Roger. Don't you remember?"
I like what Leno said about Avian flu last night..he said the number one killer bird, which will kill more people than any Avian Flu ever will....is fried chicken! ha ha....
Since you seem to be doing faily well, and September is not that far, keeping on seems to be the best strategy. A lot of the clincal trails, especially for the new stuff, require tx naive subjects. For those that recruit for non-responders or relapsers they seem to specify a minimum of 6 months since ifn/riba therapy. I'm at 6 months now and need to arrive at a specific date for myself to either be in a trial or jump back in to ifn/riba. It's a little frustrating, like Bill says, to spend time thinking/doing hep stuff when I though at this point it would be a rear view mirror thing.
ha ha ha, I agree with you completely...and yeah, he does get down here now and then...can you see our friend with a closet full of swatches? ...merkins indeed! moths, whatever...we all need hobbies I guess...
I have to say.... I just looked up your reference to 'Merkins' on the internet, and I for one am appalled! That you even know about this stuff is telling. I caution anyone reading this to exercise discretion before typing THAT word into a search engine. Blechhh. There are church going grandmothers who visit here young lady. This is tooooooo much.
After reading this entire thread, I'm thinking that sometimes I can be a little insensitive as to where I post a jokey post...Kalio and Flguy are two people (among some others)...that I'm very concerned about...although I know in my gut that they both will eradicate this virus in the future, there are so many good things being cooked up...I just wanted to apologize if I was being insensitive, I don't always have time to read entire threads, just a few posts most of the time...
No issue here. Remember, I'm the one who guessed that someone's swelled up abdomen might be a gerbil. The outlook that I have is that the folks have a commonality that it not very enviable, and sometimes down right scary. As such I think jokes, ribbing, sarcasm are an important ingredient to make people comfortable in stopping by and even have a small distraction from what ails them. As important as the studies, debates and advice given is the notion that you can come to a place where nobody knows your name but everyone knows where your're coming from. But I do have a question for you. Do you know the whereabouts of one Goofy on the night that your friend's hair was purloined? Did you catch the scent of asparagus perhaps?
This is the site they are referring governmental entities to for preparation
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/