Iron

[mumsie]

What's with not taking iron ? Do you mean directly as in vitamin suppliment or as in no iron in soy milk or soy protien shakes or the trace amounts you get from veg ,meats? What the scoop my doc never mentioned it.I've looked at the survival site and didn't find anything specific, but did find lots of great info.I take C, E ,Selenium ,Lots of B, ALA, and Calium , Evening Primrose anything wrong there?

[OkieJim]

I'm not sure why but I have read here that supplimental iron is not a good thing. Normal intake of iron in food products is OK I believe. I have stayed away from suppliments during TX but have not stopped eating foods I like. I should say my wife keeps the foods healthy for me. She keeps me healthy. I'm not a doctor just on TX like you. Others may have a better explaination, I just wanted to answer you with good thoughts and helpfulness today. I think we all need this.

Love, Peace, and Happiness

[Martee]

It appears that people with hepatitis c accumulate more or excess iron levels which may interfere with treatment.
I also take vitamins but I stay away from multivitamin with iron. :)

[Indiana]

That stuff about the Iron applies to taking suppliments. And even then it depends on your damage levels. As we progress towards Chirrosis our livers can have an iron storage problem. Unless you're at Chirrosis levels I wouldn't sweat it. You still need Iron. The iron you get in your diet is different and is ok. Unless you're sure, just avoid the iron in suppliments. You can get multivitamins without iron.
As for the other stuff....the antioxidents are always a good idea. Vitamins E,C, and foods with them(like Green Tea) are good for us. Take the other stuff as you choose. I was always partial to Folic Acid. Always check with your doctor before adding anything to your suppliment list. Depending on your WHOLE condition there may be other reasons not to take something.
Hang in there Kiddo.

[audreywald]

My liver doc told me not to take supplements with iron. I am not at the cirrohsis level.

[OkieJim]

Thank you for your words of wisdom. I'm glad you are still here. I have listened or should I say read what you have been saying during my TX. Thank you for being you. I am at chirossis stage and trying to keep informed.

[AK - Hepper]

I think I read somewhere that hcv needs iron to replicate

[jonihs]

I was told tht my liver takes a very long time to process iron, therefore it over works it. My first G.I. told me that but it was when we were talking transplant. I still take only senior vitamins(they have no iron), & vitamin c. I was told not to take vitamin A because it makes bleeding harder to stop if tour platelettes get too low and makes bruising worse. Joni

[wengue]

Hi, this is not an iron question, I´m just jumping onto a thread.

My husband is 2 weeks into Tx. So far things are OK. He gets chills and flu like symptoms after his Interferon jab but the rest of the week he´s OK. He drinks lots of water, perhaps that helps.

Our doctor prescribed folic acid tablets twice a day. Does anyone know why? Otherwise he takes no other supplements and we just eat healthily. Is it necessary to take more supplements (and what?) His apetite is still normal.

He complains of a metallic taste in his mouth and says that his gums bleed when brushing his teeth (but otherwise he does not bleed). Is this normal and does anyone know why this happens?

If anyone can help with answers or advice, thank you so much.

[cuteus]

i was told by a hepatologist to take all the antioxidants + zinc+ biotin
folic acid is a b vitamin that assists with the neurological system.  tx and hcv can cause some neropathy.  maybe that's the reason.  don't be afraid to ask his doc ANY questions.  
good luck and welcome

ive

[Indiana]

I was a big fan of Folic Acid during my tx too. It is a water soluble B vitamin(B-9) and is important to the building of healthy cells and protection of our DNA from changes that can lead to all kinds of problems. I believe that it helps strengthen the liver cells and so help prevent breakdown and invasion by the virus.
Being water soluble it doesn't stay in our systems for very long. We need an adequate supply of this all the time. It is in most popular foods but guess what?.....how hungry are we when we are on tx? We tand to have poor diet and just don't get adequate nutrition when we're on the meds. That...and we pee...A LOT. Since we drink all those fluids to combat the dehydration that just makes it worse.
You do have to be careful not to take too much though. It can mask a deficiency in B-12 if you do and that is bad too. I would keep it at or below 1000mcg.
Here is a site that talks a lot about it..........
http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/supplements/folate.html

Hope this helps ya...........

Oh yeah....Now this doesn't mean that he needs to start eatin the front lawn or anything

[cuteus]

on the b vitamin subject-- i miss taking my brewer's yeast supp and b complex due to the fact that it contains niacin which is a big no no for us.

how do i get my complex w/o niacin? nature includes all the b's in wheat germ and other foods, they must balance niacin's effect somehow?

any one knows?

ive

[audreywald]

I was told to take B vitamin as it helps with mood.

[DebbieDo]

My GI told me not to take any vitiamin.....he said if you eat right you dont need them.....definitely no iron or vit C.....i am going to ask him if i can resume taking my Calicum......i need that for my bones.....Since being diagnosed i havent taken anything other than my normal meds and the peg/riba......i feel fine, but, i think i need to take the calcium.  I'm still puzzled about taking tylenol.....i take Ibuprofen 400mg once  a day...if needed

[Indiana]

Sorry but I really can't answer your question on the Brewers Yeast or b complex stuff. I reall didn't ever look much further that the things I decided to take myself on the vitamin lines. My thinking was that I wanted my tx to be successfull, but I wanted to limit the additional things I took down to what I considered a minimum. We could probably take all kinds of things in the name of "health" .....and have the bottles all lined up from Florida to Texas, But I think all the stuff we take just add to the "stew" inside us. Who really knows what a given combination will do for or TO us? With the addition of tx I decided it was best not to muck up the "stew" that I needed to kill the virus. Too many things just might "spoil the stew". The meds and tx have simply GOT to come first. Just be careful.
I am not the vitamin "guru" here though. Sorry.
Now...if you want to talk about "GAY BADGERS".....There's a subject that I can help with............

[cindee]

Hey! I started taking a vitamin supplement that my liver doctor recommened a few wks. after starting tx. I was told by my peagsys counslor to take 1 Flintstones, so I started off on them when mytx. 1st startd. Hope you do great on tx. I was SVR (SUSTAINED VIRAL RESPONDER)all the way. I have my 6months check-up on May 6th. I KNOW THE DRAGON IS DEAD! You will be in my prayers, Cindee

[dutchie]

Too much iron makes the interferon work worse. Plus an very active virus can couse an iron overload. I relapsed recently and my iron overload (transferrine saturation) is 20% too high. Not good for your organs and for us especialily the liver, but also not good for the effectiveness of the interferon. I'm going on a new round of tx, so my hepatologist considers a (or some) blood draw(s) to lower the iron in my body before we start. During treatment blood draws are not possible because of the decrease of red blood cells, so that's why docters advice people not to take extra iron.

[kojak66]

Don't take iron supplements or supplements with iron.
Avoid liver.
Avoid things cooked in a iron skilet.
Don't eat Cheerios, or Total cerial, any any other iron enriched food.
Most cerials and breads are vitamin enriched.  You should always check the lables and avoid those that are high in iron.
If a cerial says that it supplies 15% of the MAX daily allowance, thats one thing.  If it says that it supplies 45% to 100% of the MAX daily allowance that's another.

[Galen]

Sue sounds like a panic attack.  A good friend suffers from those.  Are you on an AD?  That would help.  The name 'panic attack' sounds like something you can stop at will, but it is not that easy and you may need to talk to someone (psyche doc) and/or go on meds if it continues to happen.  Take care,

[kennedge]

i read a study that stated daily vit c and e supplements will help keep low cbc numbers at bay...i guessed it work...didn't have to use nup or procrit...


hey befudd

want to take you foul mouth somewhere else i really don't need to read "what the f**k was that" on this site...

[cuteus]

i have read many posts by many others with **** all over, insinuating, not spelling them out , and have  not read you complain to them.  singling people out ?
skip what you don't like and please be more tolerant. pick your battles. I don't need to read statements by extra sensitive individuals, so i skip those too,  i skip over 15 welcomes, 20 congrats, etc.  there is just so much you can complain about.  skip skip and skip. we all do it., without complaining unless is extremely offensive and abusive.

befudd,I kind of get lightheaded after my shot, light nausea too.  I take it easy for 5 min or so after the shot. also, is there a more joyful place to go for laughs?  This site has become too bitter and flavorless and is getting me down.

ive

[kennedge]

please read the post right below this one'''looks like a good place to start complaining...


Posting material that is unlawful, obscene, defamatory, threatening, harassing, abusive, slanderous, hateful, or embarrassing to any other person or entity as determined by Med Help in its sole discretion;

[cuteus]

as determined by Med Help in its sole discretion;

[cindee]

HEY!!!!! When I first started tx. I was in the back bathroom and was hugging the toilet! Next thing I knew I woke up in the floor, trying to get my husband's attention. He was on the sofa, and when he came to my aid, he wanted to take me to the emer. rm. BTW it was the day after shot day. I refused to go to E.R. and I never told my doctor for fear he would stop tx. That was the only time it happened. If it had happened again I would have gone to my doctor. I hope this was a one time thing for you, but I know how you must of felt....like me! Prayers will be with you. Cindee

[MajNeni]

How are your bloodcounts?  I passed out 2x in one day in my 2002 tx run because I was very anemic from the riba; the anemia came on very fast, in about 2 weeks (Hgb around 8.1, @week 4 of tx).
My first tx was with PegIntron, and I had to quit after that episode.  I was hospitalized for 3 days in an ICU with full monitoring; my docs ordered 2 units of blood to be pumped into me.  
On this 2003 tx round, I've been on Pegasys combo.  This time I took a multivitamin w/no iron (a "senior" formula); folic acid; vit.E; super B-complex; Vit.C; zinc.  I still got anemia and neutropenia (= low ANC), but with Procrit and Neupogen, I got through.  I think the vitamins helped me to have much less sx, and I've FELT much better through the whole 48 weeks than in those 4 weeks in 2002.  I've had fewer flu-type symptoms, less itch, few headaches... that's me.  But I had little appetite, and these supplements were like insurance.
Some meds can make some people get lightheaded.  Tx meds get into circulation very fast; if you get up or stand up very quickly, it changes some of the equilibrium, and you can get dizzy.  It's a good idea to sit and stand up gradually.  But do check your blood counts.
Maj Neni

[Showboat]

Hang in there.  As many have stated, the sx are different for many of us.  Just be prepared for the unknown.  The physical changes are tough but they are for the most part, only temporary. You mentioned your hair.  I am one of the unlucky ones that really lost a lot of hair.  Not only thinning hair, but since week 15, I have 3 quarter sized bald spots on the back of my head. (I own a lot of head "dressing" lol)  This is my 3rd tx, and each time I lost hair the same way, and both times before, my hair came back much thicker and healthier, so I am confident that this will be the same this time.   Re: the "needle" thing.  It is not a pleasant thing to do, but it will get easier.  Anxiety can really be a road block on our path, keep the faith.