Tell Us Your Stats

[jmjm530]

We haven't done one of these for awhile.

So what are your stats? Both Hep C related and anything else you want to share. If you're on treatment, what week and how are you doing? If you haven't treated yet, do you plan on treating soon or going to wait? If you've finished treating, how did it all go? Etc, Etc...
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For me:

Male, 59 years old; geno 1B; Infected 37 years ago, Stage 2-3 out of 4 stages: 5'11", pre-tx weight 175 lbs, Excellent physical conditon and normal BMI (body mass index) -- www.halls.md/body-mass-index/bmi.htm --
Pre-tx viral load 1.5 milion; Treated Pegasys 180/Riba 1200; Procrit 40,000 units/wk; Non-detectible Heptimax (<5 IU/ml) at week 6; Currently on week 48 and will probably treat another ten weeks,more of less; Major sides -- anemia, nausea (early on) GERD, upper respiratory/sinus infections, loss of appetite with significant weight loss; depression; severe fatigue; psoriasis. Incapacitated and unable to work most of treatment but feeling better now.

Worst thing about treatment: A very humbling experience that made me keenly aware of my mortality.
Best thing about treatment: A very humbling experience that made me keenly aware of my mortality.

Location: Moth infested house
Latest hobby: Moth hunting
Lastest read: Of Moths and Men: An Evolutionary Tale by Judith Hooper.

Best quote read lately: "That you must check and recheck, and not trust anyone." -- Dr. Eugene Schiff, Hepatologist.

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[sindog]

will post tonight, got to get off before the work internet police run me off.

[Mister beagle bailey]

OK, Jim here it is:  male 58 geno 2B-- VL before tx 318000-- Sunday will be shot #5 of Peg-inton 120/riba 800 @ day.

I've been dizzy 2 days now, problems with my stomach, nausea,until this point not many sx's except after first shot of Peg which was chills, fever, flu like, etc.

Had second shot of procrit yesterday of 40,000 units.  Will see Doc at 11:30 today.  Wonder if procrit is doing it?

  The Beagle

[vegas777]

Okay Jim I will follow your format and give mine:

54 YO F
Geno 1A
Low VL 56,000
Stage 1 Grade 1 w/30% fatty liver

Plan to begin tx in May 06
Did the herbal route, didn't work, raised enzymes to almost tripled
Health good, other than thyroid and use of an inhaler for allergies
Diet is good, no meat, no sugar, no white flour 5'3" 125 lbs
Will plan to be at 100 pounds prior to tx

Location:       Iglooville
Hobbies:        Catching flies with chopstix
Quote:          Live Free or Die
Occupation:     Monitor behavior of domestic felines
Goals for 2006: Bring the dragon to it's knees

Biggest fear of tx: anemia and heart problems
Cost for tx:        10% co pay on all drugs YIKES!
Biggest support during tx: Mister Miyagi and Miss Kitty and  Pistol Packing Bob

[illona]

Hi: female 35. geno 2( I am not sure a or b). VL 179000 last time my doc checked. I was looking for a good doctor in the area, found one. I have an appointment Feb 5.

[NYgirl]

40yoF   Week 20 / 48 (Will be doing more as not UND at 12 week)

Genotype   1A and 1B
Grade 2/ Stage 3 (or late 2 as I prefer)
Baseline VL: 568,000
4week PCR: 411
12WeekPCR: 419

Peg-Interferon / Riba 1,000 (my personal decision for more), Paxill, Ambien, Suboxone
Epogen was 40,000 x 2 a week - down to 40,000 1 a week.


Place: New York State (Westchester County)
Hobbies: Photography, Ex Professional Musician, Meteorology (love the weather!)
Kids: 2 boy 15, girl 17 (She dates Mariah Carey's brother so that's sort of a cool side note)
Dog:  Bailey  just like Mr. Beagle Bailey.  I guess it's the new "Bandit" or something ;-)




BEST thing about tx aside from killing off Critters - Day After Shot is REST DAY where I bug out and sit with remote in hand on my bed and REST REST REST ahhhh!  ;-)

[cougareyes]

45 year old male diag Oct 2004 w/ genotype 1 at 3.5 mil vl.
Grade 3, stage 3 bridging firbrosis/questionable beginning cirrhosis, with fatty liver.
Had classic liver disease symptoms for about 2 years, no other health complaints; leading up to diag. Alt and AST was moderately elevated, had a high level of ammonia.
Started tx on July 4, 2005 with a vl of 1.06 mil; pcr undetectable at <50 at 12 weeks and 24 weeks. Now at 30/48.
Peace

[azgrl]

okay here goes...I always like doing these I feel like I'm taking out a personal ad....

Female 32 yrs geno 3a been infected 4 1/2 yrs.  Stage 1 grade 1 VL 129000.  All in all not too bad for stats other than damage starting for such a short time.

I will be txing.  I was scheduled to tx back in October.  My gastro started investigating right side pain and said she needed to make certain my gallbladder was fine before tx since tx makes sympotoms worse.  I had a HIDA Scan with cck ejection fraction and much to my surprise it came back at 12% function.  ( I already had a ct scan and ultrasound and they were normal so I expected this to be normal as well)  At 30% and lower they start to discuss surgery.  I was scheduled to have gb out back in dec.  My hubby had a motocross accident and broke his leg.  2 weeks later the stork came and brought a 3 year old.  Things have calmed down again and I am scheduled for surgery in 3 weeks  I'll be going to northern cali for the surgery.  I will start tx upon recovery.

tx will be Peg and copeg.

location: Crazy located in the state of insanity
most recent quote: You can only be young once but you can always be immature - D. Barry

The worst thing so far about hep c is the waaaaiiiiting...I have no patience and when there is a problem I have to fix it....Letting it linger and hold on drives me crazzzzzy!!  I think I have been in my battle gear for too long..

Deb in Az

[FlGuy]

Can you explain the stork and the 3 year old? Like the quote. Fits me.

[azgrl]

We were trying to adopt this boy for 1 1/2 years and one thing fell through after another.  After not hearing anything aobut it for 6 months we figured it was not going to happen.  Out of the blue we get this call and the social worker said we are bringing him over.  This was about 2 weeks before christmas and 2 weeks after hubby's accident. Actually when we got the call we were on our way home from the hospital.  It was great.

That quote is all me....much to the dismay of the people around me!!

Deb in AZ

[HepCinLA]

39 yo Female
Genotype 1 B
Stage/Grade: 0/1 or 1/2 (depending on which hospital's biopsy report you believe)
Baseline viral load: 11,000
Drugs: Peg w/ 800 Riba
Current shot: 22/48
Undetectable since week # 2 (hoping it stays that way)

[Oreos]

41 year old female, 5'6" 140 lbs., married.
Start of tx Nov 2003:
Geno 1A
VL 284,000
Level 2-3ish fibrosis
ALT 91
Undetectable at 4 weeks.
Meds: Peg/Copeg, Procrit, Zoloft, Ativan, Zyrtec, Tylenol.
Finished tx Oct 2004 and still undetectable.

Worst part of tx: Feeling rundown and unsocial.
Best part of tx: It worked and I see the world with a whole new appreciation.

Location: Nerd infested California bungalow.
Hobbies: Outdoors activities and travel.  Film Noir.
Latest hobby: Watching 85 lb Ridgeback vs. 10 lb fluffball kitty follies.  It's like a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western.
Latest read: Playing with Fire - Peter Robinson

Favorite quote:  Trust No One, Mr. Mulder

[silverangel]

Female, 51yrs; geno 1a; Infected 30 yrs ago after severe car crash...multible transfusions. Stage 4 without any symptoms. 5'9", 160Lbs, Physical condition: Good. Overall health condition: Good. No smoke, no alcohol.
Pre-tx: VL:6.1 million, ALT:307, AST:278 HGB:14.7.
Pegasys 180/Copegus 1200
Dropped 1.75 logs at 3 weeks, VL:108,298 (Should have been done at 4 weeks)
Currently on week 8, HGB:10.2.
SX:Mild anemia, fatigue, bone/muscle pains, hairloss(shedding), mucus thickening(back of throat), irritable.
Working full time, 12hr shifts, 3 days a week.

I've learned depression is merely anger without enthusiasm!

Worst thing about TX: Wondering.
Best thing about TX: Wondering.

Location: Chocolate City
Latest Hobby: Wondering

Best Quote read lately: "Life is easier than you'd think; all that is necessary is to accept the impossible, do without the indispensable, and bear the intolerable."  KATHLEEN NORRIS

[vegas777]

I notice you were undetectable at 4 weeks, were you given the option of doing a 24 week instead of the normal 48?

[strator]

53yro M, geno 1a, grd 2, stage 1-2, 5'5 142lbs(158 pre tx)
dx 2002, probably infected 1975, artist/construction wkr
At home w/14yro son, 83yro father recovering from surgery
Treating w/ Pegasys 180/Riba 1000, Sat is 20/48 plus, full ins coverage
5mos Pre-tx VL 18.7 milion, 12wk pcr 291,000,
Sx: Daily Fatique (but hglb still 12.1), muscle & joint aches, really getting annoying itch, recent irritability and stomache muscle pain (note one thing I should have prepared better for pre tx-financial stress, not knowing where/when the $ are coming and worrying about sx is not great for attitude)

heavy alcohol & drug(coke) addiction except 1993-2000,
spent 2001-2003 in detox 8 or more times
clean and sober since 8/03, pre tx suprisingly good physical condition except for fatique that had been progressing yearly,(Oh and that 'broken thinker')
Spent over 2 years working on sobriety, 6mos therapy and liver disease support group before telling doc "let's do it"  

Still able to work at various types of construnction or electrical 3-5 days wk 4-8 hrs a day (NO wrk this wk-(where's the bacon Dad!), Mr Mom and chief bottle washer full time, do recovery meetings and such 5 nights a week, hit knees 15 times a day, forget what i'm doing 30 times a day.

Worst thing about tx: After working hard to get emotionally and spiritually stable, feeling great going in to tx, meds still seem to leave me powerless over how I feel(somedays), get frustrated too easy.
Best thing  about tx: learning how to receive help, learning how to be part of the tx instead of letting it happen to me, knowing that there's growth no matter what the results of tx, having this forum to interact with, getting time at artwork, naps.
Location: 54yro construction project, table saws and such 5ft from dining rm table, 3 rms being remodeled, 6 more need it, estimated finish date-not in this lifetime

Favorite quotes(this week):
1. from Michelangelo: "the greater danger is not that our hopes are too high and we fail to reach them; it's that they're too low and we do."
2. from My son: Found scrawled on his daily pad on desk this morning..." Note to self- go insane, over and over again! If any one has a problem with it, tell them to bite my a**!"
May Peace be your strongest sx,
don

[FlGuy]

Great news on the child, low vl, geno (that's really warped, congratulationg some who HAS a geno type). The stars seem aligned for you.

[vegas777]

wow, aren't you the one that had no sides?  I see you're on 800 riba, I wonder if that has something to do with sides, lower riba dose..At 100 pounds (if I can reach that goal) going into tx I am sure they would want to put me on 800 as well...your vl is lower than mine, but we seem to have pretty much the same stats except my fatty liver but if I drop 20 pounds they tell me that won't be an issue...thanks for your post, it was the most inspiring to me so far :)

Happy Day to you!

[vegas777]

oh - I just read your age...lol  you're a lot younger than me, so that blows my theory  lol

[beamishboy]

49 yr male,1b,stage 2 grade 2 startin vl 6,000,000..week-11,takin peg-intron&riba 1200....4 wk vl-1280...hgb went from 16.2 to 12+...sx: fatigue,depression,nausea,headaches,easily winded&respiratory congestion,assorted body aches,insomnia,brainfog&coordination impaired--acceptable sides on my way to SVR!......Quote: Slay the Dragon......don't sweat the small stuff.....GOODLUCK ALL

[friole]

stats again... 58 year old F, probably infected about 1970, tested + for antibodies in 1993, dx for sure in 2005, began treating 07/15/05............ Geno 1a, pre treat vl - 1.52 IU/mL, bx grade 1, stage 1, 12 week vl was 40 IU/mL, and didn't get a sensitive PCR until week 20 and it was clear.

On Pegasys - 180mg and Riba 1200mg, also Procrit and Neupogen.

Sides are fairly light - no shot reactions - lost probably 30-40% of hair and have aged considerably,  lost about 12#, had a bout of riba rash but it is cleared.  Main problem is keeping the blood levels up.  So far (thank goodness) no brain fog - or at least it comes and goes...

Hobbies?  No energy for anything at the present.  Working full time 40 hr wk, now increasing to 50-60 hr week.  Go home and lay on the couch.

[vegas777]

you're a very brave soul, increasing your work load...wow!  I wish you well and hope your sides stay low...You're a single parent, aren't you?  I was a single parent most of my children's lives, they are all grown now, and one has children of her own...I have total respect for those out there that are trying to support their kids and tx at the same time, don't know if I would of been brave enough to try that when my kids were still at home...You all deserve a big round of applause!  

Beth

[Mister beagle bailey]

I think I'm going to print the stats out so I remember what every ones stats are.  There are so many of us to remember.

The Beagle

[Oreos]

No I was not given the option of cutting tx back to 24 weeks.  I think that their were some studies released recently stating that type 1 early responders may not have to treat as long.  Looking back, even if I had been given the option to shorten tx, I don't think I would have.  I wanted to make sure those little bugs were dead, dead dead.

[vegas777]

yes, there are a few doctor's that are in trial with the cut back to 24 weeks for 1a's with early response...I am going to do 24 weeks if I am UD at week 4, plan on starting tx in May

[miss moneypenny]

female - 42
geno - 1b
infected - transfusion at 16 (well thats the risk factor but who knows)
VL - 150,000
stage + grade - 0-1 + 2
Diagnosed - May 05
TX - Due to start Feb 3rd
Peg + Riba 800 - If clear at 4 wks will do 24 weeks
5' 8" + 130lbs
3 kids, 10, 6 + 2 - ALL CLEAR - (best day of my life)
Live in beautiful countryside in UK with kids, horses, dog and fish
swapped music biz for digging manure onto veg garden!