fishdocs HBG dropping!!! (Hijacking on thread is OK.....)

2 week 4 week 8 week 12 week 18 week

WBC 5.31 4.09 3.2 4.35 3.93
RBC 4.7 4.75 4.28 4.27 3.78
HGB 14.6 14.8 13.5 14 12.3
ast 30 26 24 21 15
alt 35 30 27 20 17

Hello everyone: I realize yall arent interested in the specifics of my bloodwork, but given the recent consult (thread: fishdocs consult), and the discussion we had on hyper metabolizing ribavarin, it is interesting that after three weeks on 1400 (7 a day), for the first time in 11 years, there is a dip in my HBG.  If yall remember, that was the "marker" I was looking for...so who whoooo, I'm almost anemic... I must be F**king crazy to be happy about it!!  Started 8 a day friday, same day as the leach visit...

[jmjm530]

Hopefully it is a positive sign and your ALT curve is also looking good. What are you viral load numbers?

[GoofyDad]

Congratulations. Buckle up, you should start to feel that drop pretty soon, if you're not already. As Jim notes, the LFTs look great!

I think you reported 5% of folks hyper metabolize ribavarin. That ratio suggests we should have a number of them here, but this is the first I've seen it reported.

Good luck fishy. I want you SVR and on the calendar, au naturel - except for the hip boots of course.

[FlGuy]

At some point I expect a 'riba til it hurts' orientation too.  Just be careful. One prominent member here has some experience that we should all keep in mind. Jim has written about it several times.  Jim, I'm not being critical - just appreciate that it's a lesson I've learned without learning it myself. I'd like to hear the pcr result too.

[rochammer]

Hi fishdoc

Your numbers look good alt ast and hgb dropping. I guess we need a blood test to find out how much riba is getting into us- oh well maybe some day. 1400 looks to be your number

[jmjm530]

Riba till it hurts was my mantra, but before I ever posted here, and for only two weeks of my life. My hgb dropped over 3 points between weeks 2 and 4 of treatment because I upped the riba too fast -- from 1200 mg/day to 2000 mg/day. As a 59 year old male, this was too much for my system and I ended up in the ER and having to go off of ribavirin for almost a week.

I repeat this story often so others will not follow my lead in raising their dose too high and too fast. Fishdoc's hgb curve does not suggest the same will happen to her, but always best to be prudent and check hgb (and how you feel) frequently until hgb stabalizes.

Playing with riba is like playing with fire, but under the right medical supervision, and a little luck, it can make a difference in treatment outcome.

-- Jim

[iceboy]

Yea, the riba lesson that we never learn. At the moment Im trying to convince the pharmacist to give me few pills to last til friday as then I have an apointment with my doc and will try to convince him to prescribe them to me. (doc doesn

[fishdoc]

OK< keep in mind the increase in ribavarin was the consults Drs. strategy, I have just escalated his time frame, he said 6 weeks at 1400, 6 weeks at 1600, then PCR.  If I am clear, then 36 weeks more of the 8 a day...if not, then I am officially a nonresponder.  I am doing 7 a day for three weeks, then 8 a day for the next five weeks, then my regularly scheduled 24 week PCR, reason being: baseline 2,900,000, then 12 week was 38,700.  I have decided in my infinite wisdom in the realm of fog that since my VL was already down, I don't want to wait 12 weeks to see if I am responding.  Either flunk me out, or lets roll!!  Thanks for all the support... I may actually be disappointed if I am undetect. because I had made up my mind to quit...
geno 1a, stage 1,0............
consuelo dos gatos

[jmjm530]

Sounds like a plan. Good luck!

[OnAPrettyPoison]

I would have never thought to pray for anemia, but I can relate - of course, I have had it early and often!  I have always attributed the anmeia to the meds working.  Maybe this will be just the ticket for you to clear that nasty virus.  Are you thinking of an early PCR?  If so, when?

On another anemic note, the NP told me my hgb was hanging around 10.7 even though I have been on procrit, not too worried about that, but neuts are down (641)to the point she would be cutting my meds if I had much more time left.  Had to go deposit more blood today....just hoping to finish at full dose.  Funny enough, other than a little fatigue, I don't feel bad - I just have bad bloodwork!

[goldyn]

Good Lawd girl look at those liver levels mine have never been so low, me thinks you found the wight wecipe for weeble whoppin!!!

[fishdoc]

I hear ya, mine have never been so low either, and I have been keeping track for 11 years now, so the tx is doing me some good, even if I still have alien invaders..I know its boring to post ones stats, but with so many new faces, its an interesting nonresponder issue (original thread May 26: fishdocs consult). I have felt HORRIBLE the last two weeks, upped the riba on friday, and now, last two days I am feeling pretty good, so of course now I am convinced my bod has come up with a way to nuke the xtra riba.............bodies: when their young, they betray us with hormones, when their old, they betray us with infirmity....

[GrandOak]

Looking good, but be prepared for another possible shot regimen of Epoetin-Alpha (Procrit) if Hgb continues to drop.

Mine dropped to 9.8 in 6 wks and first doc cut my RBN in half (600 mg/day) instead of beginning a leukopenia treatment as most knowledgeable docs.  It's taken me another 10 wks to get my Hgb back above 11 and my RBN back to original 1200 mg/day with a target to go higher (1400 mg/day).  Tomorrows to the vamp den will be the key whether I go up to 1400, remain at 1200, or drop back.  At 60,000 u/wk of Procrit it sounds like it can't go much higher.

[amirtracy]

Hey fish it looks like it's working! Just wanted to send a little shoutout your way. got my fingers crossed for that pcr.

[friole]

Hate to say it but welcome to the anemia merry-go-round.  I am really impressed by this doctor you have consulted.  He really seems to have put you on a schedule that is working..  I can't wait to see the next PCR.  I don't remember you saying if this doc will rx the Procrit?  Stay cool, friend
Kathy

[beamishboy]

so glad that your getting ANEMIA.?!!! now that your fishing w/ dynamite best stay out of the water!...GOODLUCK

[goldyn]

I cant talk for everyone but i like to look at peoples stats it kind of lets me see where i fit in where i should be oh hail im just to nosey.....

[goldyn]

I keep saying if i can make it past sept ill be alright, but in all honesty we proly wont get any relief until  halloween, and my tx ends in Dec, I wonder if theres a way to warn newbies doing only 24weeks to make sure to take the cool 6 months if they live in a hot state...hmmm...ive finally found my calling....I had no choice im doing hard time, i was going to hit the killer heat no matter what!!!!!!!!!!

[goldyn]

I know i try to figure it out to, my best guess it is in your genes cause there just seems to be no other cookiecutter way of getting svr,it seems to change with every person. But who knows...
Friole your down to the count right, the rides almost done?

[goldyn]

Im on 28/48 and i live in austin where it has been getting to 100 degrees and over if im not mistaken you live in texas to?
well im teaching a little preschool  summmer program for the month of june on mon and thur where outside for about 2 hours and it has been so hard on me in the heat  i almost felt i coulndt breath, all  the next day i was sick i feel better today, but have you had any problems in the heat being on tx?
I know my HBG went from 14.5 and is now 11.7 and my whites are running around 1.0 ,I just think it was a little drastic how i felt in the heat .

[lilmoma]

Its HOT here too!!!!!!!
Heat, humity, and tx,................dangerous little combo.
I struggle, and today is just the 1st day of summer!  :(

[friole]

Goldyn,yeah, I am kind of a stat freak too - always trying to figure out why people clear and why the relapse -- still don't have a clue.....

beamish -- good afternoon!!! Glad to see you are up and at'em. The reason dishdoc is happy to be anemic is that she knows the riba is working.  Remember - she didn't get the 2-log drop at 12 weeks.  Good decision, fishdoc.  I know what you mean about this anemia tho,  I have been dragging all week. Plus the Neupogen does make me awful achey (achy) the next morning (didn't used to do that)...

[cuteus]

I just read your congrats in a thread from last wk, ok, delay reaction and thank you!, better late...
I went back to read southernsunshine's first post, and saw it, finally.

Summer can be tortorous on tx, I remember how sick being in the sun made me. I don't think it was the sunlight as much as the heat and humidity, I felt like I had heat  exhaustion after only a few minutes. But, I did enjoy a lot of walks on the beach...and the ocean breeze!
next summer would be celebration time for many!