I should start the therapy today,but.....

[ziffy1]

Hallo all of you.I been to the appointment with the nurse for starting the therapy but they discover that I was anemic some month ago and they want fix this prob before start.They alredy give me a iron tablets but evry time I try to take them,I've been sick.(like yesterday).2day they took some blood to test my iron but I don't think that is improved because I rarely took the tablets.I've told them and they say that when they got a result can give me something else.So, I keep to waiting again.The nurse told me my genotype is 1 with 50% of chance to send away the infection.She talk abaut the side effect,that the first 4 week they take my blood weekly and if I'm going to experience some illness they can help me.She took my weight.That is it.I wait the blood result and I'm bit nervous because I don't know if I'm going to feel bad or not,but at the same time relaxed because I havent start yet.They,finally,say that is better don't drink througt the treatment because the alchool reduce the effect of the treatment.I'm going to use ribavirin (3 pills in the morning and 2 in the evening)and a shot of interpheron(1 at week).I would say thank you to evrybody supported me yesterday,I've really felt all of you,and this is amazing.Even my partner can't give me the same.thank you

[desrt]

Hi Zifffy. You need to stop all drinking until you clear the virus. Also, I don't think most doctors here in the US would give iron plls to someone with a damaged live. Procrit is a rather  expensive drug given to people doing interferon treatment whose red blood cell count falls too quickly or too far. For about one out of four patients, the three drug therapy is necessary to clear the virus. For others, it can make the tratment time shorter. I don't know a lot about HCV/HIV co-infection or the health care system in the UK, so I have sent you a personal message with some sites that might help you with these issues. I don't know if the IL28B test is available in the  UK, but if you can get it, it will provide you important information on whether it is a good idea to treat with the two drugs or try to get the three. If the National Health will not pay for this, you might need to find the money to pay for it yourself. It is $300+ here in the US. I will also send you the name of the company that does this test by PM.
Best wishes. Take care of yourself.

[ziffy1]

Hallo,I very pleased that you adviced me.On monday I'll call the nurse and I'll ask.Maybe the reason is because I'm alredy in treatment with antiviral for HIV,but at least they should tell me!!! I don't trust too much in my doctor and his staff,from the beginning the doctor say that the nurse would contact me in one week and I think they forget me,so I went to my GP and after the GP called for info they call me for start the treatment. It's not the right start,isn't?I let you know.

[ziffy1]

Hi James and Thanks for answer.So be low iron is called Procrit?Sorry I'm new of this terminology,maybe because I'm Italian?!!!probabily,Yes I'm in treatment since I'm descover that I'm HIV+ as well as HCV,so I alredy take antiviral from at list 15 years.And I've fight all my life for stand up at depressions,tyreness,ecc.now I'm well and I should start this new chapter.Sometimes I'm not too sure.Did you say that the triple is better than 2 drugs treatment? I living in England but I don't think  here it's different,please when you have time ,answer me  abaut it.I don't drink a lot just 2 glass of wine at day but I can do without.thank you again,All the best

[scoleman]

Is there a reason, like liver damage, for you to be treated just with interferon and ribavirin?  The odds of clearing the virus for genotype 1 go up to 70-80% if you do the triple therapy with a protease inhibitor.  I don't know if they're available in the UK yet or not but it's worth asking about.  

At the very least you should have your IL28 genotype done if you do the interferon/Ribaviron treatment.  Some IL28 genotypes don't respond very well to that treatment.  

You might as well consider your options since you have to wait while your anemia issues are addressed.

Take care, Sherry

[hcvJames]

Write your questions down as you think of them. Bring the questions to the next doc visit. Someone will have to comment on you iron levels in detail. All I know is from reading the boards, which say, for some people, to much iron is a real problem, it damages the liver. Yours is to low but your reaction to iron supplements is interesting, looking forward to the responses to this. nygirl7 is right (when is she wrong?) about the Procrit. Did you say you are doing the two drug treatment? Even though I just finished the same 5 mths ago, it already seems ancient history since everyone posts about the new 3 drug treatment. That third drug gives one an extra ~30% chance of success over 2 drug. And yes drinking is VERY damaging to a HepC liver, possibly the worst thing you could do against it. FWIW, I'm one of the lucky people who had very mild reactions to treatment. So it happens. Either way though it has to be done. All the best.

[ziffy1]

Hallo,no I haven't clue of how low my hemoglobin are.To be onest I feel stupid,I never ask more and when I'm back at home I;ve a lot of questionsr without  aswer.I asked  if I could do the anti flu and was positive.Regarding the iron,my stomac or my liver don't want take it,So often I vomit when i take it.I tryed with food but nothing to do,anyway the nurse say they can give me something different.I'd read some post that almost all of you experinced hair loss.I'm alredy fight with this prob (cause the iron)and I color them as well.Could start thinking of short hair cut?I don't know this waiting time is not good for me ,thinking too much.Somebody compare the Interferon terapy with cancer terapy.Should I be prepare for so hard time?maybe is better I don't read all this post....anyway i love have friend which I can talk abaut that.And you? i've read you got some hard time with bipolar mood.I hope now is better even me sometime have swing mood,are you in terapy with antidepressant?if you want talk with me I'm here4 u.All the best and thank's

[nygirl7]

There is a drug they can give you for hemolytic anemia (anemia caused by the meds) called Procrit, many of us have had to take it.  but they do have to get your anemia under control - do you know how low your Hemoglobin is?