Aa
liver repair
I know it matters on the damage of the liver but they say it can repair it self.I know it dosent happen over night.Is it mounths or years? will it every be 100% if HCV is gone?
Glad I got directed down to this post as I have been wondering how you were. It is great to hear that your life has gone on - without the ruq pain. Congrats most heartily on your continued SVR. I am at 43/48 - you were just gettin started when I came on board here - and am looking forward to that icy Corona with lime, my feet propped up on the back porch rail. Maybe soon, eh?
We do the tx for self preservation purposes in the first place, that's the whole point...
Speak for yourself sister. I jumped on board for the laughs and good times...
Speak for yourself sister. I jumped on board for the laughs and good times...
7.1?? Moses in the bullrushes! Lowest mine got was 12.1, & I still felt like ****.
Anyway, I did 12 weeks tx b/c I was clear at 4 weeks. You apparently did not have a PCR at 4 weeks. You will never know if you were clear at 4 weeks, so you should try to finish your 24 weeks, if you can.
Another issue would involve what kind of peg you are using, the 12 week regiman was only recommended for 2's and 3's who were on pegintron and cleared at 4 weeks. Those on pegasys were instructed to do 16 weeks.
Who knows? Maybe if you can squeeze in one more shot and call it a day at 20 you will SVR, maybe not. With a HgB of 7.1, though, I hear where you're coming from.
Conrats on the 12 week UND. I'm sure the last virus didn't die 10 minutes before your PCR, but conventional wisdom says that you treat for the full 24.
I suppose it is your choice. I got a lot of guff from the tinfoil hat brigade when I posted that I was only doing 12 weeks. The good news is that you are a proven responder, and would likely respond again if necessary.
I hope the transfusions help. Talk to your doc & ask if maybe you could continue the peg and ease back on the ribavarin for your final 5 weeks.
DJL
Anyway, I did 12 weeks tx b/c I was clear at 4 weeks. You apparently did not have a PCR at 4 weeks. You will never know if you were clear at 4 weeks, so you should try to finish your 24 weeks, if you can.
Another issue would involve what kind of peg you are using, the 12 week regiman was only recommended for 2's and 3's who were on pegintron and cleared at 4 weeks. Those on pegasys were instructed to do 16 weeks.
Who knows? Maybe if you can squeeze in one more shot and call it a day at 20 you will SVR, maybe not. With a HgB of 7.1, though, I hear where you're coming from.
Conrats on the 12 week UND. I'm sure the last virus didn't die 10 minutes before your PCR, but conventional wisdom says that you treat for the full 24.
I suppose it is your choice. I got a lot of guff from the tinfoil hat brigade when I posted that I was only doing 12 weeks. The good news is that you are a proven responder, and would likely respond again if necessary.
I hope the transfusions help. Talk to your doc & ask if maybe you could continue the peg and ease back on the ribavarin for your final 5 weeks.
DJL
so glad that you are clear! wonderful news, one thing though, were you just making a point or do you really pound back a cooler full of beers? really glad to hear the good outcomes like this...
No, I wasn't kidding about the cooler full of buddy lites, but I probably shouldn't mention stuff like that here, as most folks are going thru tx and can't drink. I know I sure didn't. But, yeah, I like my beer on the weekends and I started drinking beers again about mid-December. I finished tx in early September. It didn't make the virus come back and it didn't spike my ALT's. I don't drink during the work-week, either. I suppose it's a personal choice that one should make taking the condition of their liver into mind.
I used to drink beers a lot before tx. Whenever I drank a substantial quantity of them, I would get the RUQ pains for a few days afterward. That is definitely not good.
DJL
I used to drink beers a lot before tx. Whenever I drank a substantial quantity of them, I would get the RUQ pains for a few days afterward. That is definitely not good.
DJL
like you said it's a personal choice, I just think a person who has/had? liver disease, whether they have cleared on tx or not, should go into issues like this with their eyes open...
Indeed. There are posts in the archives where the debate raged whether one could or could not drink after successful tx. What really gets me is that nobody seems to ask about the risk from smoking. The liver has to detoxify any noxious substance that you take into your system. I heard of a person on tx once who would not even pump their own gas, b/c if you get petrol on your hands or breathe the vapors, the liver has to deal with it. I remember way back when we used acetone to wash our hands after work 5 days a week. I don't think that is done anymore.
One thing that I should make clear to anyone reading this post is that I did NOT drink any alcohol or smoke any tobaccy during tx. I ate a lot of pudding and Snickers bars, though. Those little Snickers Snackers are pretty good.
The more I think of it, I wish I had a couple ready-pens of Peg in the fridge just in case that bird-flu thing comes to reality.
DJL
One thing that I should make clear to anyone reading this post is that I did NOT drink any alcohol or smoke any tobaccy during tx. I ate a lot of pudding and Snickers bars, though. Those little Snickers Snackers are pretty good.
The more I think of it, I wish I had a couple ready-pens of Peg in the fridge just in case that bird-flu thing comes to reality.
DJL
I'll say this last thing and beg off, I'm sure I'm getting the Rep of little Miss Suffragette and that I don't want, believe it or not..I'm not saying that everyone that drinks is an alcoholic, or anything like that...
But even some of the most radical things I've heard from docs...Jim's doc said it was okay that SVR's drink 5 drinks a week, and I'm sure he meant not all together, but spaced out a drink a day or whatever< I've heard Dietrich and some others say something similar...Snook says his doc, the renoun Dr. Schiff, says for SVR's not to drink at all, and I know other docs who feel the same way...my own for instance, so I guess you can surmise docs saying on one end, the 5 (or something like that) drinks a week being okay, and on the other end, none at all..
When youre liver takes a pounding is when you drink many drinks in one day because then it undergoes an assault in processing the alcohol...and who needs to injure their liver further if you've already had hep for over 20 years, then the assault from the tx drugs themselves, etc...perhaps if you were a 0 going in, but even at that...
I personally don't think that drinking a bunch of drinks in one day is the best thing to do for a person, even if they are SVR or whatever, maybe I'm wrong but I don't think I am...it just makes logical sense...you say youre lft's haven't risen or you haven't re-upped with the disease, but youre still way early in the game...for all I know you'll be absolutely fine with doing what youre doing, but is it really worth the risk? After all you've been through? Of course, this is completely up to you, and I agree that smoking is pretty bad as well...
But we all have liver disease...if you SVR that's great and hopefully youre liver can regenerate a notch or two, but nothing's guaranteed and the jury is still out whether there's still critters hiding or whatever...like you said, it's your own body and your own personal choice...I guess I just like to see everyone healthy, now and in the future...best of luck to you....
But even some of the most radical things I've heard from docs...Jim's doc said it was okay that SVR's drink 5 drinks a week, and I'm sure he meant not all together, but spaced out a drink a day or whatever< I've heard Dietrich and some others say something similar...Snook says his doc, the renoun Dr. Schiff, says for SVR's not to drink at all, and I know other docs who feel the same way...my own for instance, so I guess you can surmise docs saying on one end, the 5 (or something like that) drinks a week being okay, and on the other end, none at all..
When youre liver takes a pounding is when you drink many drinks in one day because then it undergoes an assault in processing the alcohol...and who needs to injure their liver further if you've already had hep for over 20 years, then the assault from the tx drugs themselves, etc...perhaps if you were a 0 going in, but even at that...
I personally don't think that drinking a bunch of drinks in one day is the best thing to do for a person, even if they are SVR or whatever, maybe I'm wrong but I don't think I am...it just makes logical sense...you say youre lft's haven't risen or you haven't re-upped with the disease, but youre still way early in the game...for all I know you'll be absolutely fine with doing what youre doing, but is it really worth the risk? After all you've been through? Of course, this is completely up to you, and I agree that smoking is pretty bad as well...
But we all have liver disease...if you SVR that's great and hopefully youre liver can regenerate a notch or two, but nothing's guaranteed and the jury is still out whether there's still critters hiding or whatever...like you said, it's your own body and your own personal choice...I guess I just like to see everyone healthy, now and in the future...best of luck to you....
My Liver was lacerated when I was 21. I drank weeks afterwards, drinking to get get drunk, not because I like the fine crisp clean hops tatse of a PBR out of the can. I drank to get drunk. Then somewhere I got HEPC and continued to chain smoke and binge drink. I am sure that pulling all nighters for work and smoking 2 packs a day didnt help either.
Now I have a buldged out lump where my liver is and Hep C. Drinking just doesnt sound that fun to me anymore. Others can do it, to each their own. Im not. I cant.
Now I have a buldged out lump where my liver is and Hep C. Drinking just doesnt sound that fun to me anymore. Others can do it, to each their own. Im not. I cant.
Can do man and I was just talking about you as I have questios. I'm also a 2B with a start vl of 318,000 and just did shot #19. Have been undetectable at week 12, which was my first PCR. I'm amazed that you only did 12 weeks and that your SVR. Would like some feed back from you . My HGB has is 7.3 at the moment and wondering if I should stop tx early. i have already had 1 transfusion and due for any other this week. Any info will help.
BEAGLE
BEAGLE
I heard if you have fibrosis it can repair itself. I also read that eating lots of the right grains, fruites and vegis and the right protein (low, low fat) helps in aiding the liver to rejuvinate.
Should have addressed this before. . . I did not do 12 weeks just b/c I thought it was a good idea. I did it b/c my doc told me that the latest studies showed that 12 weeks was as good as 24 weeks for geno 2's that cl'd at 4 weeks. He said the study involved type 3's as well, but there were issues w/ type 3 involving fatty liver and he thought 12 weeks was not a good idea for them. I'm surprised nobody else has tried 12 weeks. I know that Artgal, who used to be here, gave it up at 18 b/c of the sides. She had the same doc as I (and was also a 2B that cl'd at 4 weeks) and he pretty much told her to stop tx b/c of the sides. Unfortunately, she stopped coming here so I don't know if she SVR'd, even though she probably did.
DJL
DJL
Thanks for your info. I'm on Peg-intron and 800 of riba. I hope your right and I'll clear this bug for good. Your right because I didn't have a PCR at 4 weeks there's no way to know. I will finish the 24 weeks as I only have 5 weeks left and don't want to screw any thing up. I am thankful I had a low VL of 318,000. I know it's hard to believe but even with a HGb of 7.1 I feel fine, maybe because my base HGB was 11.0.
Thanks again,
Beagle
Thanks again,
Beagle
I said I'd beg off, but I'm glad you made the point about the difference between a few drinks occasionally, and a kegger...I'd like to meet the doc who says that's okay, for an SVR or a person who has not never even had hep...
There's a huge difference because on the one hand, your liver has to process that one drink and regroup, where the other scenario is taxing the poor thing, it just might get resentful after awhile...this tends to toward cumulative damage...
And the older we get, the more it gets taxed (who among us is in there prime twenties anymore)...I didn't make the rules, that's just the reality of the situation...this isn't meant to be judgmental, of course we're all grown-ups and can do what we like... this is just for people who might not know these distinctions...and there might be some around...
We do the tx for self preservation purposes in the first place, that's the whole point...
Now I will shut up...
There's a huge difference because on the one hand, your liver has to process that one drink and regroup, where the other scenario is taxing the poor thing, it just might get resentful after awhile...this tends to toward cumulative damage...
And the older we get, the more it gets taxed (who among us is in there prime twenties anymore)...I didn't make the rules, that's just the reality of the situation...this isn't meant to be judgmental, of course we're all grown-ups and can do what we like... this is just for people who might not know these distinctions...and there might be some around...
We do the tx for self preservation purposes in the first place, that's the whole point...
Now I will shut up...
said............... and can do what we like.............Hey what i do? i didn't have a dog in this fight.
Then.........Now I will shut up...... Now that would be a first for any women............:)
Just kidding girls, talk away. BTW forsee you don't shoot people do ya????
Then.........Now I will shut up...... Now that would be a first for any women............:)
Just kidding girls, talk away. BTW forsee you don't shoot people do ya????
not until I see the whites of their eyes....why you askin? you guilty of something? besides, I'm an Indian remember? you'll see no rifles...just a shiffft...and you'll be lookin up at a crowd...he he he
aaaaah, Canny, me thinks youre the biggest romantic on this board...you be well and take good care of yourself, may the sides be gentle this week...
6 months post tx!! right on! and back to living life without that extra worry.
I have enjoyed some margaritas, Pindor red wine and my MIller cold draft very cold! Like yours, my liver damage was mild, and having no problem with substance abuse, I chose to return to normal, after evicting HCV first.
There are people out there with no hep c, or alcohol abuse who exhibit more damage than some of us. I think my liver is capable of handling a couple of drinks occassionally, it did before, even with hep c around.
thank you for sharing
I have enjoyed some margaritas, Pindor red wine and my MIller cold draft very cold! Like yours, my liver damage was mild, and having no problem with substance abuse, I chose to return to normal, after evicting HCV first.
There are people out there with no hep c, or alcohol abuse who exhibit more damage than some of us. I think my liver is capable of handling a couple of drinks occassionally, it did before, even with hep c around.
thank you for sharing
Got a little ahead of myself. . . I mentioned that I had high-normal ALT during tx when I was undetectable at < 5. I asked the doc about the ALT (I believe it was 39) and he said not to worry about it because it was, after all, in the normal range. Even 6 months post it was 30. He indicated that the numbers may be like that due to the infected cells and/or fibrotic cells being killed off as part of the regeneration process.
DJL
DJL
Sorry to hear that your liver hasn't improved, Susan. I was playing around on the pc and thought I'd stop by and pay a visit. Hard to believe it was a year ago that I first posted here and 11 months ago that I started tx. You were one of the first to welcome me and give me some words of encouragement. I hadn't realized that you had done that many treatments. I hope the new drugs coming out will give you your cure.
I am feeling fine as a fiddle and do not miss the hep one bit. For those that are new, I was a geno 2b, got it sometime between 1966 (Born in '65) and 1992 from blood products. I'm guessing it was sometime in the early 70's, when I was a little kid. Knew I had it since 1995. Only symptoms I had was that god-awful RUQ discomfort and tiredness. A year ago I had a vl of 1.3 million. On June 17, 2005 I started tx. 4 weeks later I was undetectable and treated for a total of 12 weeks. I was still negative 6 mos post and consider myself cured.
For the question about the liver regenerating, anything is possible. According to fibrosure, I went from a 2 to a 1 in 6 months. I also had elevated ALT during tx. It was in the normal range, but at the upper end.
I think the main thing to keep in mind is that you can function just fine with fibrosis. The key is to get rid of the virus and its non-stop assault on the liver.
Maybe the RUQ pain is a warning flag. I had that for the past 10 years and not it is gone. Even if I spend a day at the lake and pound a cooler full of beers, there is nothing except the dry mouth and headache.
DJL
I am feeling fine as a fiddle and do not miss the hep one bit. For those that are new, I was a geno 2b, got it sometime between 1966 (Born in '65) and 1992 from blood products. I'm guessing it was sometime in the early 70's, when I was a little kid. Knew I had it since 1995. Only symptoms I had was that god-awful RUQ discomfort and tiredness. A year ago I had a vl of 1.3 million. On June 17, 2005 I started tx. 4 weeks later I was undetectable and treated for a total of 12 weeks. I was still negative 6 mos post and consider myself cured.
For the question about the liver regenerating, anything is possible. According to fibrosure, I went from a 2 to a 1 in 6 months. I also had elevated ALT during tx. It was in the normal range, but at the upper end.
I think the main thing to keep in mind is that you can function just fine with fibrosis. The key is to get rid of the virus and its non-stop assault on the liver.
Maybe the RUQ pain is a warning flag. I had that for the past 10 years and not it is gone. Even if I spend a day at the lake and pound a cooler full of beers, there is nothing except the dry mouth and headache.
DJL
The liver CAN repair itself, but this is not always the case. I've done several full treatments and I'm currently on my 8th and yet, I've had no improvement with my fibrosis. I've had 3 biopsies and each one showed worsening of my fibrosis. However, there are others who have improvement. But, we need to be careful not to say that you always have fibrosis reversal because that is just simply not true.
Susan
Susan
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