If Peg is Pigging, is Virus leaving? or Walking on a Cloud, but then again

Well yesterday's labs show Hgb back to 10.8, which must mean I'm walking on a cloud.  But then I realized FLguy didn't distract Brian long enough and it really was a fog bank.

I also learned that WBC has dropped to 1 and ABS Neutrophils to 0.7, which I guess means no mosh pits for me anytime soon.  Bummer especially when tx does not seem to be working any longer.

But then if I'm not mistaken Peg-IFN is responsible for lower immune system numbers and if they are tanking, does it mean that the dragon slaying has resumed or is it like the liver enzymes where no such conclusion can be drawn?

[Saved1]

If your blood cells get to low your Dr. will probably lower your dose and maybe even stop Tx. When I was on the poison I made a ratical change in my diet. Therefore I never had really low white or red blood cell counts. If you want to do this then you need to do some research. Start by changing what you eat and drink. If your iron levels are ok(get it tested) or even a little low you need to get it up. And I'm not talking about pills. Do it with good wholesome foods. Lean red meat can help. I would also take some B vitamins at least every other day. Do not take a mutivitamin for this it has to much other stuff in it. Mushrooms especially enoki and maitake. You can find them at oriental and health food stores(dried are best, you soak what you need). If you can not find them then button or shitake mushrooms are better than none. One more thing. Try not to cook your food to much; and eat your red meats as rare as you can stand it. Eat your veggies raw or as raw as possible. Lay off starchy foods and eat freash herbs. You will be suprised at the benefit some herbs give.

Good health.
Jim

[GrandOak]

I've already gone the reduced tx by my first doc who did not know or did not want to use the Procrit regimen for combating low Hgb that many others use now days.  We've also talked about possibly having to also add neupogen for low immune system, but WBC has hovered around 2 and ABS Neutrophil around 1.1 for so long it hasn't been deemed necessary yet.

But about a month ago we finally got Hgb to stablize at 11 long enough to boost Riba back to original 1200 mg and shooting for 1400, which is also when the immune system counts started bouncing around again.

Thanks for the suggestion on dietary changes, and believe me I've already made some serious changes there.  As for mushrooms, no thanks, I've never like them and probably never will.  Too rubbery for me and I always taken the George Carlin approach (i.e. if I can't spell it or say it, I'm not eating it) by saying that anything which grows in cowpies is not going into my mouth ;-)

[NYgirl]

I agree with Rev in case anybody cares LOL.

My hemo is 9 right now...but I've gone on 2x @40,000 so it should go up fast (as it has in the past).  I'm sitting on the cloud next to you playing a harp....you see me now?

The indicator that I personally used the whole time was my ALT/AST.  When the liver is being destroyed by the hep...it kills off the cells and when they die they make a "liver enzyme" and so the numbers go up.

So when my numbers went from in the 200s down to in the low 20s I figured it was working.

Unfortunately at week 4 I was not UND (411) and I was still not at week 12 (419) but at week 24 I was undetectible.

So you really can't find out via any number method aside from a PCR - but the lowering liver enzymes mean that your liver isn't being killed off by the disease and THAT is a good sign that you aRE fighting it successfully.

[Mister beagle bailey]

I'm with Rev and NYgirl.  I have Thalassemia anemia and many drs wouldn't treat me for Hepc, till I went to NY and was finally treated.  The point being, I was put on procrit and that helped and also needed 2 transfusions as my HGB dropped to 6.1 but I never had my meds lowed (my choice) and had I needed another transfusion so be it, but I didn't. Now I'm 5 weeks post tx and my AST is 24 and my ALT is 13 and still undetectable.  I would concider taking the procrit or any thing that will help you stay on the meds.  Oh, and my HGB is 12+ and still climbing.  I don't understand why your dr is againist using procrit or the other recue drugs.
Only you can make the choice, but it should be your choice not only your dr's.

Stay well

Beagle

[Moniker]

I was genotype 1a, had 1,900,000 viral load before treatment, biopsy showed stage 2, grade 3.

I was treated with Pegasys and Ribavirin for 48 weeks. I was undetectable at 12 weeks, still undetectable at 24 weeks, and undetectable one week post treatment. I finished treatment five weeks ago.

I went to the doctor today. My hemoglobin has risen to 12 now; it had fallen to 8.4 at the end of my treatment. My hemoglobin was 10 for most of my treatment. The low hemoglobin made my treatment more difficult than it needed to be. Get Procrit if you possibly can get it. I sure do feel so much better now with 12 than I did when my hemoglobin was 10, or 8.4.

The first 15 weeks of treatment, my Pegasys was lowered due to low WBC. I started Neupogen at week 14, and I went to full dose of Pegasys at week 16; I stayed at full Pegasys dose until week 48. I would have had greater piece of mind if I'd been given Neupogen right away, as soon as WBC got low.

I went on Zoloft early in treatment because of depression. I started cutting to half dose of Zoloft a week and a half ago. I noticed that I got very cranky from detoxing off Zoloft, but today I'm feeling good again. I didn't need any antidepressants before treatment and I don't want to be on Zoloft. In a week or so, I'll cut my Zoloft dose in half again.

It seems that depression, crankiness, anger are some of the side effects I've experienced. I also had rash, joint pain, anemia, and some other sides too.

I hope your treatment goes well. Try to stay positive and be as easy on yourself as possible. Give yourself some extra ice cream; sleep late if you can. Good luck to us all!!

Bob