achejoints after treatment

[lisapep]

I was on Peg-intron for 6 mo. caught hep C in nursing school through a needle stick accident.  Anyhoo.. I was geno 3a.  But now i notice that when it is cold.. weather changes or i get sick.. my legs and joints ache.  this never happened before treatment.  While on treatment.. i thgouht my legs were going to fall off and my back would break I ached sooo bad.  I thought i would be free of this since i sucessfully completed treatement and was undetectable after 1 year post treatment.  But i still suffer with the ache joints.  Any thoughts on this would be great

PS: I completed treatment in may of 04. (i just found this place though ;-) )

thanks

Lisa

[hepcgetlost]

Ivette, I think of you all the time. Did you get the pics of Jack? Unfortunately, Connor is 2300 miles away and won't be with the doggie until his parents bring him here. As soon as it happens there will be photos, I promise.

Glad your feet are better. Today was the first day in weeks I had little if any pain. Don't know why, but it was so wonderful...just wish I could figure out what was different to make me feel so good...something I did? something I ate or didn't eat? Barometric pressure??? By now (it's 8 pm) my knees are back to hurting, but not much else...

Yes, it usually is better after I move around a bit, but except for today, it's never gone.

Love ya!
Judi

[cuteus]

I want pics of the pup with Connor! what is the doggy's name?

you still have that feet pain also? I don't get them as often anymore, but only the winter season will tell for sure if they are better. I almost went for an epidural for the disc thingy and chickened out at the last minute, I figured maybe it was not bad enough to have someone fumble with my spine...
do your pains get better after moving around for a while?
I finally checked my email and my bulk mail was up to 3300 pieces of junk mail and the inbox...needed tending, so I answered the important stuff only.  
Have you had anymore of those strange fevers? seen a neuro yet or rheumy?
inquiring, concerned minds want to know...

[Tallblonde]

Thank you so much for writing to me.  I'm really sorry to hear that you're in such pain.  I hope you're able to find something to help alleviate it.  Boy, you've really had a rough year, too.  I hope better days are ahead for both of us.  

Take care, Judi.

Susan

[hepcgetlost]

Susan.
Gosh, it's so hard to know what to say  in the face of your loss, again. I am so sorry. I haven't posted or lurked in some time, and this was the first thing I read. You're a very strong person, and I know you'll find the strength to continue and persevere.

Chev, hope you're doing well. I miss all of you very much. Don't know how to explain my inablility to come here much these days. Feeling at a loss for what to do next. I'm doing okay except for worsening joint, muscle and bone pain. Trying to address it with Glucosamine Chondroitin, Sam-e, excercise, walking, etc. Nothing seems to help for too long. It's just there and some days, worse than others. I still have days that the pain is agonizing, but I keep trying to move, not always successfully.

The good news is that I DO have much  more energy than I did on tx. We have  new addition to our family, a one-eyed shih tzu we rescued from the pound. Connor and all the other grandchildren are great. I'm quilting up a storm and am heading up a public relations/education effort for our statewide hep c alliance. Over the past year that I've lived here, I've learned that Hep C is a HUGE problem in NM, especially on the reservations. I've joined the docent program at the Albuquerque museum which involves two years of studying NM history and arts. Now, if only my bones would stop hurting so much. I agree with you Susan...I saw the face eating tumor show some time ago, and felt the same way about my own issues after I saw what "Novemtree" (probably spelled wrong) and his family had to endure.

Will continue the quest for the right combination of something to deal with the constant pain.

I love you all,
Judi

[Tallblonde]

Thank you for your kinds words, Chevy.  Hope you're doing well these days.

Susan

[Tallblonde]

Hi Scott,

I'm hanging in there.  Our surrogate miscarried last week, so our hopes were dashed once again.  I guess this kind of disappointment is similar to hearing that you've relaspsed after 88 weeks of treatment.  Life just isn't fair sometimes, is it?

I've been keeping busy and trying not to give in too much to despair and self-pity.  I saw a weird show on the Discovery channel last night about a young Asian kid with some bizarre "facing eating tumor" that was about the size of a watermelon.  It was literally consuming his face.  His nose was completly indiscernable except for two nostrils. Made me realize that things could be worse.  Miscarriages and a liver-eating virus are bad, but at least you can tell where my nose is.

Hope all is well with you Scott.  You're in my thoughts often.

Susan

[PasoPerson]

The above post was meant for you; I picked up wrong name.  Hope it helps, as said above.

[PasoPerson]

I have tried most glucosomine/chondrotin supplements out there.  As an equestrian, I am full of aches and pains, lol.  This is what does it for me:

Cosamin DS - two per day
  (can be found on eBay for half store price, with free shipping)
Hyaluronic Acid, 20 mg - two per day

This works so well for me, I hope I can continue on during treatment.  Will find out Thursday, as that's my starting date FINALLY.

I'll be anxious to see if it works for you.  Believe me, I've tried so many combos of so much, so I hope it saves you much time, money, and pain.

God bless -
Carolyn

[BostonGirl]

Hi Susan;
       Yes, I did take Sam-E when I was first diagnosed with Hep C. But 400 mg. did absolutely nothing for me. I had to take at least 1000 a day to feel it. As you know Sam-E can be costly.

So I am searching for somthting to help with joint pain, but not at those prices. Thank you for the suggestion though. I've heard Sam-E works great with most people. But then again, as my doctor keeps reminding me, I am not like most people. She says that I am a rare case. LOL!

Take Care (((( Sue ))))

[BostonGirl]

Hello NS;
        I would like to know if you would mind sharing with me what type of joint juice & liquid vitamins you are taking? I do take some supplements & milk thistle ect.

I've tried the Glusomine, MSM, ect for my joints and still have lots of joint pain. ( of course I still have Hep C )

I did 6 months of the combo, but could never clear > I also developed some bad neuro sx during tx.  

So you see I am really in need of trying some new supplements & joint juice. I would appreciate any information you can share.


One more thing......I drink 1 cup of coffee in the AM. Do you really think that coffee makes a difference in the level of joint pain, especially 1 cup?

Thanks ((((( Sue)))))

[HepCat]

I had 6 months treatment as well (Genotype 2) and late in treatment I noticed a little pain in the back of my knees when going up stairs.  I figured it would go away after I finished tx.  But it didn't.  I was running for exercise prior to tx but had to quit during when my hemoglobin fell.  Anyways, I got tired of waiting for improvement about 3 months post tx and tried to run despite the knee problems.  I tried a couple days in a row but couldn't run more than a hundred feet.  I tried cycling and that seemed to go ok but then like the next day I found I now had pain just walking and it was much worse and had shifted to the front of my knee.  Walking more than a block was now a problem and I got scared.  I had a doctor's appointment and x-rays showed "mild narrowing of the joint space" in my knees which suggests early osteoarthritis.  I got a prescription for nebumetol which is a NSAID similar to ibuprofen but designed so it can be taken long term.  I never took any of that though and instead tried glucosamine/condroiten supplements.  After a month of that I noticed improvement and a couple months after I didn't have much pain and can walk and cycle without a problem but my running days are over.

[lisapep]

thanks everyone.. it is not as bad,... but still there like a nagging little tooth ache.  tahnks again for your quick responses

lisa

[HepCinLA]

Hi,

Didn't want to waste a thread so I thought I'd post onto this one...

I like Kombucha tea.  More than anything I like the taste.  Unfortunately information regarding it's toxicity to the liver seems to be incosistent.  Some websites boast that it helps people w/ Hep C and others say Kombucha is toxic to the liver.  One site that stated it was toxic to the liver also said green leaf tea was toxic.  
Does anyone know anything about Kombucha or have been told to stay away from it.
Thanks!

[Tallblonde]

Hey, get off of my turf girlie...I'm the tea lady!  Just kidding of course.  I've never heard of Kombucha tea, but would love to learn more about it.

Hope you're doing okay.  I'm hoping that your treatment journey is a gentle one.

Susan

[Tallblonde]

Have you ever tried taking SAM-e?  I've talked about my experience with it before -- it's completely alleviated my joint pain.  And that's not an understatement -- it took away ALL the pain.  I'm literally pain-free and I totally credit my daily dosage of 400 mg. SAM-e.  Maybe my experience is the exception, but I still think it's worth trying in your case.

Susan

[sunspot]

Congrats. Please enjoy your journey into the world of SVR.

[genedog]

did i tell you 2 of my liver test came back normal for the first time? my ast and ggt my alt went down 5 points from 67 to 62

[donAlfonso]

Way to go DAWG!  Meat scraps with your kibble today!  Finish strong!

dA

[nyhepc]

what a struggle, but you did it!!!!!  congrats

[snook_man]

Congratulations man!!!! Maybe you got the thing licked after all!!
You missed the fullmoon by a couple of nights, but go out and do some howling anyway!!!

[genedog]

got pcr back undetectable oh yes bow wow snoop doggy dog i shot left

[new-sojourn]

I'm 3 yrs post-tx-svr-2b.  Before tx, I couldn't open a door or hold a pen.  My back was always 'out' and my ski knee was always 'going out'.  If I rode in a car for an hour, I crawled out!  I had no quality of life and w/no money or insurance and unable to work, I couldn't go from doctor to doctor.

B/that's all gone now.  The only aches and pains now are when I don't exercise or don't rest enough.

I'm taking nothing else now or during tx except otc pain releivers and benedryl for the puritis.

I do take supplements-joint juice and liquid vitamins in my daily fruit smoothie.  And avoid caffine.  Caffine seems to make everything worse.  I use one green tea bag in a large tea pot, so I get alittle caffine, b/not much..

My partner is a drummer and notices his hands ache if he lays off the joint juice, so it helps both of us w/different problems.  We travel all over the world w/our joint juice and blender, plus teas, 85% chocolate, rice protein powder, etc.

It's strange to carry most of your own food when traveling, b/I know what works now.

[cuteus]

some have found relief once they finish tx and others don't. I had them prior to tx, during and now post. I always said that even if they don't go away, as long as I get the SVR, I will learn to live with them....kind of still wish they were gone with the virus...nice title: "gone with the virus"
I just take ibuprofen.

[rearfang]

welcome, congrats on your SVR status. Can't speak to your other concern because I'm still being tx. This is the best place you will find for support.
Lauren