Aa
lab results
Found out I have hepC this week {health dept}.I had my viral load test for hepC ordered by a doc at a free clinic, who by the way no longer there .Can you give me a clue? 3 were red flagged : auto eos- 0.5 norm is 1.25 mch-33.5 norm is 27-31 mcv-101.4 norm is 81-99. Any info would be appreciated as I`m in a catch 22, can`t afford to go to a gastro intestinal doctor { low income-no ins}.My liver panel was norm , free T4 norm, chem 8 norm . Thanks again
Truly, honestly, I want to see legit, peer-reviewed medical studies showing "immune enhancement" by herbal concoctions. Same, same, with "liver cleansers," "colon detoxifiers," etc.
Hey, there may indeed be some herb or such out there with significant and beneficial effects for us, but according to all sellers of herbs, etc. this is true for all "natural" products - see if I didn't say "beneficial" one could point out that arsenic is very natural and indeed has a significant effect... How the heck could any tell if 99.9999% is so much hooey that there may some signal in all of that noise? If the compound(s) is so efficacious, why muck with the shite that gets shoved into capsules and sold as "pure?"
Contrary to popular belief, there is valid research being done on herbal treatments and it is becoming clear (factually undeniable) that the emperor has no clothes.
Hey, there may indeed be some herb or such out there with significant and beneficial effects for us, but according to all sellers of herbs, etc. this is true for all "natural" products - see if I didn't say "beneficial" one could point out that arsenic is very natural and indeed has a significant effect... How the heck could any tell if 99.9999% is so much hooey that there may some signal in all of that noise? If the compound(s) is so efficacious, why muck with the shite that gets shoved into capsules and sold as "pure?"
Contrary to popular belief, there is valid research being done on herbal treatments and it is becoming clear (factually undeniable) that the emperor has no clothes.
Excuse me? You seem to be confusing me with hippiemom. Temper, temper, boys. My acquaintance with Bay Area Hep-C resources doesn't necessarily make me a fruit and nuts case.
I hadn't thought of it like that but I do agree with you about the Marx Bros. And I also agree that it's not funny. What's scary is that she might really BE involved in counselling hep c patients. Mike
Just a quick note on "alternatives" -- or, please let me clarify myself before somene else does! No responsible practitioner of herbalism, whether Western or Eastern, or orthomolecular medicine or whatever, can claim to eradicate Hep-C. Only Schering and Roche (alas) can make that claim with any legitimacy. However, alternative approaches can be invaluable in enhancing quality of life, controlling inflammation and strenghtening the immune system. That is, they have been for me. Matthew Dolan's The Hep C Handbook and Misha Cohen, O.M.D's The Hepatitis C Help Book are excellent introductions to responsible alternative medicine approaches. BTW, it's well known that as a group we're deficient in zinc and selenium, so investigating nutritional approaches, at the very least, is just good common sense. Okay, okay, I'll climb off my soap box now. (Given my depth perception on riba, this should be an amusing sight.)
Welcome to the newly diagnosed people! It sure is a scary time after being diagnosed with the hcv, but truly it is better knowing than not. For many folk, the news is worse than the reality. This translates into you don't have to rush into anything tomorrow - no treatments, exams, making out the Will, getting measured for a casket, etc. So take some time and become reasonably knowledgable about the disease and it's treatment. Knowledge is the best antidote to this fear.
There is no "natural" cure for hepatitis C, that is, no herbs, minerals, vitamins, oils, etc. that can rid you of the virus. Of course, interferon is very much "natural," but that doesn't seem to count for most. Take stock of your general health and determine if you are deficient and if supplementing can help.
There are some exciting potential treatments for hepC on the horizon, but nothing will be widely available for a number of years. A good hard look is needed to see if treatment is the option to take right now, but remember that this is a progressive disease and more time means more damage.
God bless! -Michael
There is no "natural" cure for hepatitis C, that is, no herbs, minerals, vitamins, oils, etc. that can rid you of the virus. Of course, interferon is very much "natural," but that doesn't seem to count for most. Take stock of your general health and determine if you are deficient and if supplementing can help.
There are some exciting potential treatments for hepC on the horizon, but nothing will be widely available for a number of years. A good hard look is needed to see if treatment is the option to take right now, but remember that this is a progressive disease and more time means more damage.
God bless! -Michael
So much for expert advice (!)--I was so busy copying and pasting stuff into my last message to you that I lost the blasted thing. So here's the barebones of it:
Please check out the nonprofit Quan Yin Healing Arts Center on Valencia in SF, specializing for 15 years in low-income care (herbs and acupuncture) for HIV and HCV-infected. Treatment and regular self-care workshops, as good as it gets. Tel: (415) 861-4964. And OASIS in Oakland will provide you access to Dr. Diana Silvestre, who does indeed specialize in treating methadone patients w/ HCV. Apparently she's at UCSF, which is a teaching hospital and therefore sliding scale. The Harm Reduction Coalition on Broadway in Oakland could be another useful information resource. These are darn good people.
Great info on web: Hep C Caring Ambassadors for the Hep C Choices download at http://www.hepcchallenge.org. Jay Emmons over at liverfriend.com, provides bulk supplements at wholesale and knows his stuff, spends all of his free time answering questions, incredible resource if you want to go the herbal/alternative route, whether exclusively or as an adjunct to the combo.
Hang in there, kiddo. This thing ain't easy but it is do-able... Very best of luck! (Better close before I fug this one up, too.)
Please check out the nonprofit Quan Yin Healing Arts Center on Valencia in SF, specializing for 15 years in low-income care (herbs and acupuncture) for HIV and HCV-infected. Treatment and regular self-care workshops, as good as it gets. Tel: (415) 861-4964. And OASIS in Oakland will provide you access to Dr. Diana Silvestre, who does indeed specialize in treating methadone patients w/ HCV. Apparently she's at UCSF, which is a teaching hospital and therefore sliding scale. The Harm Reduction Coalition on Broadway in Oakland could be another useful information resource. These are darn good people.
Great info on web: Hep C Caring Ambassadors for the Hep C Choices download at http://www.hepcchallenge.org. Jay Emmons over at liverfriend.com, provides bulk supplements at wholesale and knows his stuff, spends all of his free time answering questions, incredible resource if you want to go the herbal/alternative route, whether exclusively or as an adjunct to the combo.
Hang in there, kiddo. This thing ain't easy but it is do-able... Very best of luck! (Better close before I fug this one up, too.)
what is your thyroid reading? My MCV has been higher in my last two bloodworks so I researched the darn thing, it stands for Mean Corpuscular volume, I think. A disturbing fact that I found to feed my paranoid state towards the hypo or hyper thyroid thing was that mcv is high in thyroid disorder, I then wondered if it might be the first hint of thyroid problem brewing.
Any of the members that are suffering from thyroid problems, if you kept your copies of tests and have time, see if this reading changed in the months prior to the dx of hypo or hyperthyroidism.
It might just be a wild goose chase fueled by paranoia, but what the heck...
Any of the members that are suffering from thyroid problems, if you kept your copies of tests and have time, see if this reading changed in the months prior to the dx of hypo or hyperthyroidism.
It might just be a wild goose chase fueled by paranoia, but what the heck...
probably a combo of both. if you have the predisposition for mental disorder, it might get worse. The aches of interferon does make you feel depressed and the weakness from the anemia can add to that. It is imperative to tx the side effects so that a person can complete the tx. I did not need Ads in my 57 wks, but I did need pain med and Procrit. Some here mentioned using methadone as an analgesic during tx.
Hopefully I'll be lucky enough to find some way to raise my dose. Since I get my Methadone from a clinic, most doctors think I'm an addict & won't help me. I've been clean for 5yrs. I know that Methadone works, but it's too hard to get. I live in Berkeley - right outside of San Francisco. If anyone here lives anywhere near me, I'd love to hear from you. Thanks!
have you thought of trying to wean way down on the methadone and maintaining a lower maintanance dose. then starting treatment. ive heard that methadone helps with the side effects. the treatment is hard but doable. we take it one day at a time. prayers for you and your hubby.
Hippiemom:
I do not think you where attacked, but just unaware or suprised at the level of knowledge most posses around this site. There are no victims around here, just people with lots of research under their belts, and the determination to rid themselves of this disease. You said that you are a medical professional, I consider myself and many others here medical professionals also. Many of the members here are on 2nd, 3rd treatments, liver transplantation, and experimental tx's. We are well rounded, and have views from every angle on the eradication of the HCV.. I can go to my Dr, with information found from others off this site, and open her eyes to options she was unaware of, or different approaches to managing sx's...I have found that the people who have actually gone through tx, are able to relate with the overall experience alot better. Their is no way whether you work in a clinic as a counselor, or a nurse, that you can relate to what the people tx'g are going through or feeling unless you yourself have been on the tx.. It is rough..They are all fighters, as victims would sit around and wait for the magic bullet..
I for one, would hate to see you leave, as we need as many perspectives as possible.. This disease is a tricky one, and everyones input should be heard.. Don't be angry at the responses you got from many, just realize that we are not victims, but very well informed soldiers, as we are all at war with HCV...
Mythoughts: hello, another young one.. I am only 27 years old, and have hep c, stage 2/3 fibrosis.. Glad to see you got diagnosed, and hope it was caught early enough to prevent further damage. At our age, the odds for SVR are higher.. Milk thistle is very good to take, 3x a day, but more important is vitamin c, and E.. Wish you the best..
I do not think you where attacked, but just unaware or suprised at the level of knowledge most posses around this site. There are no victims around here, just people with lots of research under their belts, and the determination to rid themselves of this disease. You said that you are a medical professional, I consider myself and many others here medical professionals also. Many of the members here are on 2nd, 3rd treatments, liver transplantation, and experimental tx's. We are well rounded, and have views from every angle on the eradication of the HCV.. I can go to my Dr, with information found from others off this site, and open her eyes to options she was unaware of, or different approaches to managing sx's...I have found that the people who have actually gone through tx, are able to relate with the overall experience alot better. Their is no way whether you work in a clinic as a counselor, or a nurse, that you can relate to what the people tx'g are going through or feeling unless you yourself have been on the tx.. It is rough..They are all fighters, as victims would sit around and wait for the magic bullet..
I for one, would hate to see you leave, as we need as many perspectives as possible.. This disease is a tricky one, and everyones input should be heard.. Don't be angry at the responses you got from many, just realize that we are not victims, but very well informed soldiers, as we are all at war with HCV...
Mythoughts: hello, another young one.. I am only 27 years old, and have hep c, stage 2/3 fibrosis.. Glad to see you got diagnosed, and hope it was caught early enough to prevent further damage. At our age, the odds for SVR are higher.. Milk thistle is very good to take, 3x a day, but more important is vitamin c, and E.. Wish you the best..
p.s...oasis is a good resourse centre and has a fairly good rep
.also as for blood work as a former IDU you may be able to
draw your own blood with supervision, this is unconventional but is doable....also insist that a butterfly is always used...this makes it a bit easier and less tramatic on the viens..always insist that senior techs take your blood!!!!
..another tip, is try to NOT WATCH as we tend to want to direct them and thus cause more tension in our body, making blood Work that much more difficult...instruct them towards what you know to be your best vien and turn away...also...if you drink LOTS AND LOTS of water before blood work, this also helps by hydrating you and making it easier to find a viable vien....
hugs
.also as for blood work as a former IDU you may be able to
draw your own blood with supervision, this is unconventional but is doable....also insist that a butterfly is always used...this makes it a bit easier and less tramatic on the viens..always insist that senior techs take your blood!!!!
..another tip, is try to NOT WATCH as we tend to want to direct them and thus cause more tension in our body, making blood Work that much more difficult...instruct them towards what you know to be your best vien and turn away...also...if you drink LOTS AND LOTS of water before blood work, this also helps by hydrating you and making it easier to find a viable vien....
hugs
I haven't seen such self-agrandizing in a good while. I just wonder where these folks come from and just who in the hell they think they are. Specialist? Yea right. Mike
hi there, sorry that you found out the way you did...thats hard. hows the absess? have you finished the anti-biotics for it?
as for treatment in con-juntion with meth, there are several doctors that do specialize in this area. the monitoring of patients on meth maintenace differs slightly the sides will not be affected to any remarkable degree with this ..if anything they may even be slighly minimised (side effects)
i wouldn't worry about pain yet at all...other than occassional terrible headaches that do require meds....there are non opiad meds that can be used with success....and if those do not work, your doctor will perscribe something that does in the opiad family....although it is highly unlikely you will get an increase in your meth...so don't count on that okay....ask to speak to the director of the meth clinic you use and ask him for referrals to any specialists he is aware of that are treating others with interferon and meth maintance....there are many many many people treating that are on maintenance
good luck with this and you have stumbled onto a great site, stay well and keep us up to date....
cheers
kimmy
as for treatment in con-juntion with meth, there are several doctors that do specialize in this area. the monitoring of patients on meth maintenace differs slightly the sides will not be affected to any remarkable degree with this ..if anything they may even be slighly minimised (side effects)
i wouldn't worry about pain yet at all...other than occassional terrible headaches that do require meds....there are non opiad meds that can be used with success....and if those do not work, your doctor will perscribe something that does in the opiad family....although it is highly unlikely you will get an increase in your meth...so don't count on that okay....ask to speak to the director of the meth clinic you use and ask him for referrals to any specialists he is aware of that are treating others with interferon and meth maintance....there are many many many people treating that are on maintenance
good luck with this and you have stumbled onto a great site, stay well and keep us up to date....
cheers
kimmy
I saw her message explaining how shes a specialist and trained professional. I also saw her other message asking about the tp list and not being able to say wether shes stage b or c.
My comment to those 2 things put together is, I'm not a specialist, I'm not a professional, but I am on the tp list and I do know my PUGH stage.
Hippie mom if your reading this and if you dont know PUGH stages--- I guess you might want to turn it down a notch. (and get your doctor to explain it to you)
My comment to those 2 things put together is, I'm not a specialist, I'm not a professional, but I am on the tp list and I do know my PUGH stage.
Hippie mom if your reading this and if you dont know PUGH stages--- I guess you might want to turn it down a notch. (and get your doctor to explain it to you)
I visited the web site you suggested. Now I am really freaked. It mentioned Interon-A as the only drug that works for both Hep B & C. Isn't that the one with the WORST side effects? Accordin to their site, EVERYONE on Interon-A experience atleast mild to moderate sides, with many experiencing severe sides. GREAT.
Regarding depression - do people on tx become depressed b/c they are sick & feel like ****, or is there an actual chemical reaction? Thanks!
Regarding depression - do people on tx become depressed b/c they are sick & feel like ****, or is there an actual chemical reaction? Thanks!
You also need to go to janis7hepc.com. They have very good guides on how to get disability and drug assist programs from the pharmacutical companies that makt them if you decide to treat, which I beleive w/ both b&c, you don't have much of an alternative. Best wishes, Joni
I too was just dx 2wks ago. But for me it's with BOTH Hep B & C, and my husband probably also has both. I am 28yrs old & female. I also went to a free clinic locally. It took them 2hrs to draw the darn blood & they didn't even do a viral load check. We have to go back & let them poke at us for hours again to check load, genotype, etc....
We also don't have money. We don't have insurance or even a doctor! We've really never gotten sick, ever - and when someting came up from using IV (like an abcess), we went to a free clinic. I am looking into a place near me called OASIS.
I am also very into natural methods. I've been a vegetarian for 13yrs & would love to find a less toxic tx, but it doesn't always work that way. Luckily, I may be healthier b/c of my lifestyle. Please stick around, as we both may have many of the same questions.
I bought a urine test at my health food store yesterday that checks for Bilerubin in the urine (bad). There were 4 different colors on the chart. Mine came up between no bierubin & small amount. My husband's came up with no bilerubin, and he is the dry alcoholic! I know that's not a medical test, but it made me feel better for $4. I bought some milk Thistle yesterday, but I have to admit that I'm kinda afraid to take it.
What happens when I get my period? I can't take Midol anymore. I am also on MMT (Methadone Maintenance Tx) at a very high dose, so I can't really take any painkillers due to my high tolerance to opiates. I also am allegic to ibuprofen.
I am terrified. I would need a very compassionate doctor to give me enough painkillers to help me. Plus I hear that Interferon 'eats' up my Methadone, and I don't know if my clinic doctor would double my already high dose. And, I don't even have a doctor! Plus, drawing blood is so tough that I may have to get a shot in the jugular or painful groin shot on top of being jabbed for hours by strangers. How am I going to live through this disease?
I can't talk to my husband, b/c he hasn't gotten his results (too afraid of the blood draw) & is 90% + for both Hep B & C. I don't want to scare him to death. You guys are all that I have. I've been checking in here every hour or so with the hopes of absorbing every last word. Thanks for being here, guys.
We also don't have money. We don't have insurance or even a doctor! We've really never gotten sick, ever - and when someting came up from using IV (like an abcess), we went to a free clinic. I am looking into a place near me called OASIS.
I am also very into natural methods. I've been a vegetarian for 13yrs & would love to find a less toxic tx, but it doesn't always work that way. Luckily, I may be healthier b/c of my lifestyle. Please stick around, as we both may have many of the same questions.
I bought a urine test at my health food store yesterday that checks for Bilerubin in the urine (bad). There were 4 different colors on the chart. Mine came up between no bierubin & small amount. My husband's came up with no bilerubin, and he is the dry alcoholic! I know that's not a medical test, but it made me feel better for $4. I bought some milk Thistle yesterday, but I have to admit that I'm kinda afraid to take it.
What happens when I get my period? I can't take Midol anymore. I am also on MMT (Methadone Maintenance Tx) at a very high dose, so I can't really take any painkillers due to my high tolerance to opiates. I also am allegic to ibuprofen.
I am terrified. I would need a very compassionate doctor to give me enough painkillers to help me. Plus I hear that Interferon 'eats' up my Methadone, and I don't know if my clinic doctor would double my already high dose. And, I don't even have a doctor! Plus, drawing blood is so tough that I may have to get a shot in the jugular or painful groin shot on top of being jabbed for hours by strangers. How am I going to live through this disease?
I can't talk to my husband, b/c he hasn't gotten his results (too afraid of the blood draw) & is 90% + for both Hep B & C. I don't want to scare him to death. You guys are all that I have. I've been checking in here every hour or so with the hopes of absorbing every last word. Thanks for being here, guys.
Thanks for the site, very informative appreciate all with the info provided. All new to me- sounds like you all are enlightened as to what this is all about, plan to treat myself with herbs {holistic doctor} I know alot may think its all for nought, will visit this post often & let you know if anything helps in my case. Also anyone taking collodial silver?
Does anyone know what MCV is? My MCV value was a little high (107.7) on my last labwork done by my PCP. I haven't been able to find it when looking up the CBC info.
Go to janis7hepc.com. There is a link to help you understand your lab results. You will need this often if you chose to treat. However that decision should not be made until you have a biopsy,genotyping, and find out your correct viral load. This sight also will be a great asset as you go on so welcome, and I wish you the best. Joni
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis C Community
Learn about this treatable virus.
Getting tested for this viral infection.
3 key steps to getting on treatment.
4 steps to getting on therapy.
What you need to know about Hep C drugs.
How the drugs might affect you.
These tips may up your chances of a cure.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
