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blood tests

My husband and I had our appt yesterday and both of us have had some drop in white blood cells and both of us on neutrophil.  I'm week 2 on tx and mine is 1.13 which is not bad but considerable drop from original 3.  My hubby's has dropped each week and is now at .60  He is suppose to check back in for blood work next week and if drops more...Our Dr will try the neopogen (sp) to see if that helps.  My husband is on week 6 and since week 3 has had a cough and drainage and nothing helps.  We have humidifier in our room at night and that helps no coughing for night but next day back to same thing.  Any suggestions for something to tackle this annoying drainage, cough? Dr says its a side effect but we are both laughing to ourselves and thinking for 1 year???  oh wow...
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Thanks Joni.....that's too bad..you go for 9 weeks with not much of anything and they you get hit.  I hope I can go that long as well.   Today was a halfway decent day for me....a touch of a naggy headache and I'm tired, but I was able to go out and get a bunch of  errands done.  Tomorrow I'd like to do some painting for a friend, but I'll take one day at a time......

Thanks again,
Sue
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Avatar universal
I have had very little sides also and I'm on9/24. I didn't have the dreaded cold sweats or aches. Thonly thing I see is loss of appetite (and I never had much of one). But now I'm Getting real severe body aches and headaches. and losing more energy, so I guess I'll just see what happens.    Joni
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Are you hep b or hep c?  If its chronic, it is probably hep c not b.   big difference in terms of tx and outcome.
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hello,i am 29 years old and i have hepatite b chronical,what can i do to escape of this virus,my analises results are ag hbs positive anti hbc positive,ag hbe negative and ag hbc igm negative,thank you!
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Jill, CONGRATULATIONS!  What great news!  I just started tx this past Monday and I hope one day I'll be able to report the same!

Everyone -
This is probably off topic but as I said, I just started TX on Monday.  I've been waiting for the dreaded sides to take hold, but so far, I've really haven't had any.  I do have a bit of a HA today, but it could be related to the weather we are having. My question is, how many of you that had little to none side effects in the beginning went on to having side effects later on? What week did it start for you? Did they really hit you hard?  
I really appreciate all of you for your advice and support...as I said before, I've learned so much about this dreaded disease from all of you.
Thanks,
Sue
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Avatar universal
Have you heard from ringading?  I really miss her jokes. I haven't laugh so hard in a long time; the horse's smudge, Grow a date, etc.  How is she?  I found a new site called hepc palace with a chat room also.  I did not check it out yet.  
Be well
Ive
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If we live in an area where we must heat our homes, that and the fact that winter air is low in humidity dries our membranes and skin, a lot.  Tx will aggravate anything. I don't have the cough, but lately find myself constantly clearing my throat.  I use Nasalcrom for my daughter's constant sinus problem, it is now OTC and goes directly to preventing symptons at the master cell level.  If she doesn't use it, she wil inevitably have a discharge and cough.  
My skin is normally dry, now worse with Tx, the best thing for that is any lotion/cream with at least 10% urea, eucerin, glycerin and lactic acid in the ingredients(Dermatologist formula). I would "snow" skin without U-lactin in my life.

Vicki, the ringing in your ears could also be higher BP, I always had normal BP, Lower when I was pregnant, and since TX I had scary high levels. it has to be the tx, i am getting a cardiac eval today, to be on the safe side.  High BP can cause ringing in the ears, check it out.
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Thank you all for you support. I do shot 14 today, it makes things alot easier knowing the meds are working. I do wish I had some energy! I"m learned I really love my Bed...lol
   I hope all is well today. Here we are all pretty much snowed in.      JILL
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Congratulations on the good news. Good luck. Mike
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Mom of three, congratulations on passing the first big hurdle in tx.  This is a very, very good sign, to be an early responder.

I had low grade temp most of the time, usually between 99.3 and 100.2.  When it went higher, I felt lousy and achy.  It usually spiked after shots.  After a few months I guess I just got used to it and stopped taking my temp.  When I was achy, my doc let me take Alleve, and it's been my best friend.

Also in the first 5-6 months, I had what we referred to as "the dreaded hot-heads".  My head would feel so hot, it would feel like it's about to explode; and I'd sweat profusely, ruining whatever excuse for a hairdo I had; looking good was not an option.  The hot-head often came on shortly after I took the riba, and would pass in about an hour.

The cough was really a bother.  Ribavirin causes it.  I had some success with Dextromethorphan as a single-ingredient cough suppressant.  I, too, had clear x-rays, and Rx cough medicine (I tried Tessalon and hated it) didn't help.  The humidifier in the bedroom helped, since I spent so many hours there.  I used a combination of zinc-ointment and Vitamin A&D ointment on/in my nostrils (like Desitin, but doesn't smell fishy), or any other acutely dry skin.  I also used Tears Free Naturale in my eyes; it helped me open my crusty eyes in the morning.

I stopped having mouth sores after I started using Biotene toothpaste; the mounthwash helped a lot with bad tastes.  Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash, with one of those bath rosettes (tulle?)
kept my skin feeling a bit more like skin.  In everything, I avoided fragrances, because they irritated my skin, membranes, etc.

Benadryl may help cut some of the sinus, etc. drainage; it may help cut itchiness; and it also may help you to sleep.  Tavist antihistamine - without decongestant - may help help the same way without making you sleepy.

In all cases, I recommend store brand or generic equivalents; look for the same ingredients, and avoid extra ingredients.  In retrospect, all these things faded into the background, and I just mucked on.  Drink and rest enough, and hang in there, folks.

Maj Neni
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No I haven't had any raised temp since starting.  Have you called your dr and told him?
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I have started sneezing for no reason a number of times the past few days. Also have begun to cough. I hope this does not last, surely it does not for everyone?
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Hi Vicki
I usually have a very low grade temp. off and on and have had since I started the meds.

At times, I felt like I was burning up and could almost feel my temperature raising.  When I take my temperature though, it was always just below 100 and sometimes right at 100.  Usually 99. something.

I use to call my GI PA and let her know when my temperature would rise above normal.  She always talked with me to see if I was feeling unusually lousy during those times.

I've read where others have talked about temperatures.  You should call your doctor just to let them know and see what they say.  May not be too serious and then again, may want you to come in or do something extra with your blood draws.

Drink cold, and chew on a little ice.  I ate popcicles like crazy this summer.  Was good to get more liquid in me (something fruity and something other than just plain ice and water) and just soothed me all over.

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This is the best, most absolute wonderful news!!!

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Yes! I also feel feverish a lot of the time.  When I take my temp. it's not much above normal, but I can feel that my head is hot.  Feels hot to me and like my head is baking.  I don't know if there is a relation, but I've recently been dx with hyperthyroidism and the docs say the feeling of heat is realted to that.  Who knows!  I'm not sure what's causing what these days.  I 15/24 and counting down the weeks. Best Wishes, caruu
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I have had low grade fever all throughuot my tx #33 this fri., I have been feeling bad for so long that I have gotten use to feeling bad, I felt bad about 2 years before I started tx, I was always tired and thought it was from allergies, I actually use to feel a little better when I would take an allegra but it would only last for about 3-4 hours and I was taking the largest mg. allegra, It wasn't till I switched to another doc and that's when he ran some blood tests and well you know the rest(HCV)- I get around real good, do everything I use to do but just do it with low grade fever, headaches, body aches, stiff neck ect. When this HCV is gone and I start to feel better(it's been about 3 years since that was) I'm not going to know how to act. Let me quit complaining and go to bed - see ya and hope you start feeling better-- HD
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So happy to hear your news!  One more hurdle down.  Sure helps you keep your eye on the goal!
ambush :)
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That is wonderful news. You're on your way to a SVR. I'm happy for you.
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CONGRATS on your news!!
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I have had a cough and nasal discharge on and off for the 16 weeks I've been on tx. My wife put an air purifier in our bedroom and I no longer cough at night.
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Hi all , I haven't wrote in awhile, but today I got the best new,s. I got a call from my DR. today ,and my 12 wk , I am nondetectable!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don,t go to the DR. till 2-6-04 I will know more than. I was so excited I couldn,t even ask ?            
   I am a 1a  with a little over 1mil vl.Now thats all changed , I am very happy right . I hope every one is doing well. Thank you all for being here.

    JILL OHIO
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I was caughing badly, started taking Vit E (400 UI daily) and my Hgb stabilized and later improved. Maybe Vit E could help you.
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Has anyone tried the halls fruit breezers. They are more for dry hacking coughs and so. that seems to be what I have so far?

                                 Joni
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Had the cough through all 48 weeks of tx.  Pretty much treated the symptoms with Rx cough syrups or I'd hurt too much from coughing to function.

Kim
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