update

[Fisheress]

I had my first visit yesteday W/St. Lukes Center for Liver Disease who is doing a study that I hope to get excepted into.  The study consist of "Title" A propspective, Multicenter, Open Label, Comparative, Efficacy Study of Pgeasys plus Copegus in Treatment Naive Latino Patients with cronic Hepatitis C-Geno type 1, as compared to Treatment-Naive Non-Latino Caucasian Patients with cronic Hepatitis C-Geno type 1.
They interviewed me, explained everything to me, took blood and assured me they would take excellent care of me and hold my hand through-out.  Everyone was great nad very informative.  I have to wait 10 days now for the blood test to come back and could on treatment within 30 days.  After bloodwork comes back, then I will be scheduled for eye exam and bx.  The only thing during interview that could have been a prob was the ability to get blood from me.  I have very small veins nad it is almost impossible to get blood from me.  They did great though, only one stick for about 7 tubes of blood!Trail run yesterday to the Medical center.  Took about 45 mins which is not bad at all although parking for 2.5 hrs was $7.00 bucks!  They do give you a check for $25.00 everytime I have to go down there which really  helps with gas and parking.  Getting pretty excited (or scared), not sure which on it is!
Anyway, thats the lastest, suppose I will let ya'll know in about 10 days if I am for sure excepted...... Today I am feeling bloated and retaing water.  I took my watch off during the night as it got to tight.  Feeling really tired today but, off to work I go! Have a great day

[IwillBeatHCV]

That's the same study I am in!! But I am out of University of Miami. I am on my 9th week and so far everyhting is going ok--waiting for the 12th week PCR to see if I will have a 2 log drop. Well, good luck with your tx.

[friole]

This is great news.  Too bad you have to wait 30 days to start, but with all the blood work and the bx, that is about right.  Let us know the results of the bloodwork and the bx.  It sounds like you are going to have a great team.  I am excited for you.

I went to the GI today and got orders for a 4-week PCR.  I will get my blood sucked tomorrow morning for that which is exactly 4 weeks from my start.  I am excited about it -- I didn't even have to ask him for it -- . Hope I have a better tech tomorrow.  Still black and blue from last week's CBC. I don't have little veins, but they are deep and not easily seen.  

For the next 30 days your anxiety is going to go off the charts, if you are anything like I was.  Check it often

Kathy

[jmjm530]

Glad to hear you're getting a 4 week PCR.

I always take my PCR's on the "trough" day to get the most conservative estimate of viral load. Trough day at week 4 would be the day before your fifth shot.  

Also, you want to make sure your doctor orders a PCR with a sensitivity of <50 or even lower. Sometimes they order PCR's with much higher lower detection limits that are less useful for guiding treatment decisions.

-- Jim

[Fisheress]

Anxiety off the charts!  OH MY!  Once I know for sure that I am excepted, I am going to go see my Gastro Dr. and have him start me on AD's now and zanax for when I start tx..... What AD's are the best?  I saw many people speak of one inperticular but can't remember the name of it.

Good luck to you on your next visit to the doc!  Fingers crossed for ya!

Fish

[jmjm530]

As far as "black and blues" I sympathize. All techs are not created equal and I drive out of my way for a particular Quest center that has a European tech who knows (and cares) what she's doing.  One thing that appears to help is to drink a lot of water a half hour before they draw the blood. The other thing is to firmly press down on the gauze for a minute or two before they rush and put the bandaid on.

-- Jim

[cuteus]

Quest uses a lot of temps in their labs and I found most of them should not even work part time. the temps wore different clothing and no badge. When I saw them at the center I always requested the regular tech instead. Do it before hand, you do not want to antagonize a syringe yielding temp at drawing time. You might not recognize your arm afterwards...
we should start a thread on lab humor...

[friole]

Jim - yes, I thought about your little European lady - wish you could lend her to me.  Some of my techs have been excellent, but if they don't get that stretchy stuff on really tight, I bruise.  The one last week tho, I knew I would be banged up from the minute she started.  They don't wear nametags but I think I will start asking their names and requesting my favorites.  Since I picked up my rx on a Friday night, and started the RIba and the Peg on Friday night, I thought after my Friday morn Riba would be exactly 4 weeks of Riba and Peg for me.

The PCR is HCV RNA (ultraquant) done at LabCorp and he said it was VERY sensitive.  I will definitely tank up on water first!

Cutey - yes lets hear all those lab vampire stories.  I could use a laugh.

Fish - i did not start any AD's and so far don't think I will need them.  I did start practicing drinking at lease a gallon of water a day.  I really do think that helps dilute the sx.

Iwillbeat - good luck on that 12 week PCR - that's the biggie.
Kathy

[friole]

Forgot to mention -- got my hubby's results back and he is HEP C NEGATIVE.  Boy am I glad.
Kathy

[chellski]

hey! glad to hear your hubby's hep free!  i know how relieved i was when i got the kids tests back(all negative)....
i get blood drawn at my family doc - they work w/quest and they're great and i have what they call rolling veins, they'll just roll away from the needle!