WEIGHT LOSS OR WEIGHT GAIN

[honey1616]

Hey...seems like threads have been kinda slow so just curious...how many people have either gained or loss or even stayed same on tx?  I'm at 10 weeks and lost 3lbs but the plus side is I'm eating alot of things that normally I probably would have put some weight on like pizza, ice cream etc.  Did you notice more of a weight change beginning, middle or even end?

[honey1616]

I feel so bad you are having to deal with this at such a young age.  I have daughters about your age and I am so thankful they don't have this!  As far as the drinking...I mean...I guess you already know that alcohol is like fuel for the fire when you have hep c in your blood.  I would say that you need to protect your liver in everyway possible until you can start the treatment.  Of course I just found out I had it recently and had occassional drinks until I knew and I was like you in probably have had this a very long time.  This is a decision you will make for yourself in knowing what just the disease is doing all on its own.  I wish you the best of luck and please come back to this forum to vent your fears and especially starting treatment.  This will help you get through it~!

[Jenna1188]

I have not started treatment yet. I am 19 years old, and I got hep C from a bad blood transfusion when I was 6 wks old. I found out that I had Hep C last april, after trying to donate blood at school. I had a liver biopsy which showed I had stage 2 and signs of stage 3 liver damage.  I am type 1b. My dr. wants to start the treatment when I get out of school in May, I am at UCONN, right now. I was wondering if I have never really used alcohol befor anyway if it would be very bad if I drank just once at a party this weekend. I know it is very bad for me and stupid to even consider but I thought maybe just one night wouldn't hurt me. i am only 19, and I have not started treatment yet. I know I will definitely no beable to drink while on the treatment.

Jenna

[berlynn]

I can't remmember..are you a 1? I sure hope you keep in touch.... I am a little nervous to what my outcome will bring and how to handle it. Thanks for any ionput. take care, kim

[berlynn]

I can't remmember..are you a 1? I sure hope you keep in touch.... I am a little nervous to what my outcome will bring and how to handle it. Thanks for any ionput. take care, kim

[susan400]

Weight loss, I lost 25 lbs on treatment.  Susan400

[LvdByGod]

you are in my prayers. i'm so sorry you did not respond. that stinks... what was your biopsy report info,have you concidered maintainance interferon?...

i pray that you will have more than enough time to wait for new tx options, and that your liver will stay the same or even get better...the healthy living sounds great for all of us...

i have to do battle on that level too... because even though i'm "clear" for now, my alt and ast are still showing liver cell death...my dr. wants me to go on maintainance tx after tx is over...even if i clear, to help my liver stay healthier longer... i am bridging fibrosis, early cirrhosis.

[slarso]

I am going to wait and see for a while. I will go into an ultra healthy life style and eat milk thissle. I will re biopsy in a year or two

Thanks

Steve

[LvdByGod]

you should take it with some fat too. the meds process thru the body better if taken with a fatty meal. i take it with a cookie or a health bar...something with at least 5 grams of fat in it.

i came up with the 5 gram min. but the instructions just say to be taken with a fatty meal.

[berlynn]

Honey, Hi, I have actually lost about 25lbs. Now down to 113lbs. At first I was pretty happy to lose some but now....I feel like the walking DEAD.LOL.. I try to eat several times a day...but when I am sleeping alot...some days up to 20 hrs...I don't wake up to eat. I told my S/O last night that I think my bones ache sooo0 much cause there is no fat around them to cushion.hahahaha. Anyway, losing weight is not always all it's cracked up to be.

Slarso, You have a great attitude...are you going to retreat? or wait and see?

Tony, I take effexor and took nothing before tx. I don't think I could make it through all the emotional and mental turmoil without the AD. I am happy for those who don't need them...but I know they keep me hangin around for the FIGHT.

Couch, I usually make a smoothie with a bannana, yogurt, milk or juice, and frozen fruit (usually strawberries or peaches), and then I add liquid vitamins and calcium. I am not much of a breakfast eater and this is an easy way to get something nutri. in my system before I take my riba. It's easy and good.

All, As for sweets...I have been craving them since the beginning...mostly chocolate,,,mmmmmm hot choc pudding esp. I have always liked sweets and now it is about the only thing that sounds good, which is probably not the best thing considering how much weight I have lost. I just can't controll myself.....hahahaha.Hey where are my PEEPS?....I know I had one more pkg left.....LOL

[kennedge]

hey

went and got a 90 day last thursday so the wait is on...did do cbc just to see....alt and ast both at 18 lower then when i was on tx....keeping fingers crossed for you, me and all the rest

ken

[n2cats15]

The only thing on this treatment I was looking forward to was losing weight!  So far I have lost about 4 pounds!!  I am taking shot #12 this thursday.

My appetite has changed.  I used to love veggies and fresh fruit but now they taste funny.  Carbs and meat are the only things that taste "normal".

I developed thrush (candida albicans) in my mounth so that may have alot to do with the taste thing.  I was given mycelex so hopefully it will go away soon!!! Has anyone else experienced it?

[skagway]

some of us gained weight-----------i went from 260 to  315 by  the time ii  had to  quit.....and it  is only    jiggling when ever i move-------and thaaaat is slow......

[honey1616]

I know what you mean about less physical activity...I need to start doing something or I will be in sad shape at end of year!  Yes I got your posting about my hubby and thanks so much!!  You and me are neck and neck coming up here!!  And we are going to be undectable also!!  Love ya!!

[couchpotato]

And here I thought it was just a very difficult way to loose a few pounds, telling myself not to be concerned with the extra weight I am carrying, I'll just naturally loose it through tx!!!! But while we are on the topic, I NEVER eat breakfast and this has me wondering....is a piece of toast enough to have with our morning Riba, or do I have to force, like an egg, into me too?

[honey1616]

I'm not a morning breakfast person either and usually try to eat a piece of toast with pills.  Some mornings...I do eat cereal or oatmeal but if not feeling good..anything just so you don't take them on empty stomach. Like piece of fruit or yogurt.

[Indiana]

Catherine.....Yes, it's the spice. You can get that at the store, or go for the special dried stuff that Tony gets at the healthfood store, or just eat ginger snaps and ginger cookies. I am not sure if ginger als helps but I would think so. Ya gotta read the label for that.

Tony.......I never used AD's myself. I never had any problem with depression and was ready for the problems tx could bring so I just fought my way through. What fun that was.

Honey......I lost about 20 lbs on tx....and I was on the thin side to start with. I just was never hungry and couldn't eat much even when I did eat. I ate a lot of chocolate though which kept me from losing even more.
It all came back soon after I was done with tx.

[psychdoc]

I am finished with tx and I lost 25lbs during tx. It has been 4 months and I have only gained a few pounds back.
I took Lexapro starting about week 12. I was having trouble getting out of the house and would cry often. After being on Lexapro for a week, I had a total change of outlook. I felt great, at least until the next side hit. I have not recovered my strength and will continue the AD until then. I don't think I could have stayed on tx without it.
Hugs and prayers for all,
Barb

[layla]

Just want to say hi and it's good to see you visiting. Hope we see you around. LL

[cuteus]

Sweets might taste odd, but I crave and gulp them down anyway. remember pac man? i feel like one gulping carbs as i walk along......G.....  
Someone said riba acts like speed, so I guess we are using up all those calories, and the body is in need of that extra energy.  might not be the healthiest calories, but the body sometimes is odd in that it seems to crave what it desperately needs.
I remember one time I had Dengue(if anyone had it you know this tx pain is more like this than like the flu) and lost 10lbs in 4 days from the fever, my body was craving liver(i know) and brewer's yeast for weeks after.  must have needed the iron and b vits, and the body "knew" it.  
is so painful to like sweets, crave them, they taste like ****, you still eat them and not feel "satisfied" aaarrrrgggghh!

bon apetit

[lizzee]

HI EVERYONE,
I WAS ON TX FOR 46 WEEKS...GENOTYPE 2B.
I LOST 47 POUNDS.
I JUST NEVER HAD AN APPETITE.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL.
ALWAYS FIGHT HARD,
BE WELL,
LIZE

[audreywald]

The riba can be very hard on your stomach. I made the mistake of taking it on an empty stomach just once.

Now I take it with yogurt and maybe a banana in the am. as long as I do not get any sicker, I think it is ok.

[raheem]

Currently on week 43/48 and I put on a whopping 2 pounds!  I went from 165 up to 167. My girlfriend is a gourmet cook so I eat very, very well and not in large amounts either.  My whole life I've never been a chow hound and was worried I'd be losing weight on tx.  Appetite is the same.

[harley dude]

I lost about 9lbs. in the very beggining when the truck hit hard that first 6 weeks of TX, then it was like one morning about the 7th week I started feeling better and sides diminished and I went back to work full time and my appetite came back full force, I've read alot of people said food tasted different and alot said it tasted like plastic, while I was on pegasys+copegus the food never tasted different to me- I took saw palmeto- I read it boosts your appetite a little. I'm at week 40 and gained back the 9lbs. I lost in the beggining and then gained about 5lbs. I think the ones on the pegintron had more loss of appetite than those who took pegasys. I have a feeling your appetite is also cut because you have to drink so much water. When people go on diets they drink tons of water to fool the stomach in being full. But it's important not to lose to much weight, so eat even if your not hungry(if you can).I've also found Xanax makes me very hungry(like the old days when I use to puff on that "Red Bud"). Hope you do ok on your TX voyage- See Ya -- Harley Dude

[mumsie]

I put weight on figgering I'd loose it,I'm small to begin with,but no haven't lost any, I'm at week 91/2, I'm a chef,and haven't had a problem in the food dept.I just make sure I eat with the riba,still have 14 1/2 weeks togo and hopefully the weight will come off at some point,I'm not in the kitchen right now though I've been bartending for the last couple of years.I was experiencing bloating or water retention just befor tx , but that seems to have gone. Sue