Just started week 3 Of pegatron/riboferrin

[Sharron1]

I am from Canada and found out luckily from a new doctor exam who adds ALT and liver function tests to his normal new patient workups....I was shattered and all I thought about was 'I could have passed this on to my children etc.....they did a traceback and it was found that i contracted it through a blood transfusion in 1979, juts before they started screening blood up here.....I fought about the treatment back and forth in my mind and finally decided to do it.....i start the victrellis in a week....as of my last blood test yesterday my glucose is high but my GP was a little concerned that my hemoglobin is Very low...lower than even last week blood test. He advised me to see my specialist and see what's going on....he said I may be bleeding somewhere .....this scared me..anyone know anything about this please....I am type 1 and I thunk viral load is 8 million or so,, could be wrong about that....

[Sharron1]

That sounds fantastic .Ty.....I keep buying kale and adding it to spinach in spinach pie as I find I need to mask the strong taste sometimes...lol but I know it's a Super food and would like to include it...the juices sounds great....and I hear ginger is good for nausea which hasn't occurred yet, but I have it ready lol.....Ty for your advice....juicer out as I type lol

[asle]

Red meat is hard to digest, and puts a strain on the liver. I stayed well away from it. Unfortunately, one's iron gets out of whack during treatment, so big no no to taking any iron supplements, even in a multi vitamin.
Google foods to improve haemaglobin. I ate a lot of fresh oysters and mussells etc. I really responded to something in the oysters. I'm in Australia and Procrit isn't used as a 'rescue drug' here for HCV triple therapy treatment. My ribavirin dose was lowered, and I had blood transfusions to help me through. (I treated with Incivek which is a different kettle of fish).
-Spinach, cooked with lemon juice is great
-fresh juice with kale, ginger, beetroot, carrot and apple.
The meds can really affect your tastebuds and appetite and desire for food. I found it easier to buy food frequently, as what I wanted to eat one day I couldn't look at the next.

[Sharron1]

Ty so much form taking time to respond so soon....so far so good...I know positive thoughts help and am trying to stay tha way......I don't eat red meat and the one thing theynhave all mentioned is that I should....would anyone know other foods or things I could be doing and/or eating that may help....spinach, beets, etc etc.....any ideas At All for adding to diet that may help....love you all..you seem to help many people feel,better ty

[Sharron1]

Thank you sooo much....I've seen talked to the office of my gastronomic specialist and they will see me Tuesday. She did also say it is a normal,symptom and mentioned the Procrit name, too. When I was a teen I was always anaemic and had iron shots and B12 shots and transfusions..they even did bone marrow to see why after transfusion  etc it would still be low....but Now I Know the one thing they dint test for or realize was....that I had Hep C back then and they didn't even notice.  ThAnk you for your help...I know I am just very lucky thatni live in Canada and all this is free and I can drop into the doctors office Anytime if I feel odd or different and he will fit me in Anyime...he also helped me with the first 2 Injections....didn't do them, made me do them But it felt good to knowicmould be there and he would help if needed...Last night I did it all by myself.....after the initial panic attack and blood pressure soaring lol...I did it...they were able to find funding for a blood test that apparently costs a ton and does the same as a biopsy so I didn't need an invasive,procedure....thank you again....

[LN55]

Can-do-man has given you good advise. The drop in HGB is a universal sx that is directly related to the Riba (and the addition of the Vic as I understand from reading). I am not on triple therapy but my HGB was the first thing to drop and explains the fatigue that one experiences throughout the tx. Mine has steadily dropped and it is one of the main things that my doc monitors. The specialist that you see should be very aware of this. There are many posts on this subject that you can search and educate yourself on this and many other sx. Stay diligent and ask questions when seeing your doc. This is your treatment and you want the best outcome. Good luck and best wishes for a successful tx!

[can-do-man]

Welcome to the forum...... Let me say first your GP has no clue what he is talking about, your HGB is low because of the meds you are on not because you are bleeding somewhere. Depending on just how low it is and whether your specialist should start you on Procrit. I also was a geno 1 that treated with Victrelis. When you begin the Vic it will add to the low HGB as it is the number side effect so your specialist should be prepared for this.

Once again your GP is just flat out wrong, and to tell you the truth a drop in your HGB is a good sign. Hang in there, just make sure your treating doctor stays on top of this............. Wishing you the best.