My only requirement was to have a stress test. I assume your basic bloodwork will cover kidney function, thyroid, etc. The only test you might request -- they never seem to do it unless you ask or are in trouble -- is an iron store panel. That would be Ferritin and Trans ferrin uptake. The eye exam is also a good idea.
Here's a partial list of important things to do/discuss pre-tx. Maybe others will add on.
1. Use of rescue drugs such as Procrit and Neupogen == You want a medical team that will intervene with the drugs before reducint your dose. Dose reduction in treatment drugs -- esp dur the first 12 weeks -- is associated with less chance of SVR (cure).
2. Ribavirin dosing -- Ask for weight based dosing as opposed to a cookie cutter formula. Err on the side to too much, not too little.
3. Viral load testing -- Ask for a 4-week test in addition to the standard 12 week. Also ask for a very sensitive test that goes down to at least 50 IU/ml. Tests that go down to 5-10 IU/ml are even better. If your insurance allows you might also try for a two-week viral load test based on a small recent pilot study -- but def push for the 4 week. BTW this is in addition to your normal testing which is mostly basic chemscreen, cbc and sometimes thyroid panel. A weekly or bi-weekly CBC is not a bad idea in the beginning until your hemoglobin stabablizes.
4. Start getting copies of all your bloodwork and tests. It's OK to get results from the nurse, but you want your own copies as well.
All the best luck. As my doc told me -- fasten your seat belt and get ready for the ride :)
-- Jim
Couple of other things...
Also might add that if you've ever had any skin problems, especially psoriasis or eczema, you might line up a good dermatologist. Inteferon can and most often will flare these conditions to the point that treatment may have to be halted if not agressively dealt with. Unfortunately, most dermatologists are not all that knowledgeable about hep c treatment, so you might have to do some educating yourself.
If I remember correctly, work was one of your big issues. Now is a good time to come up with some back-up scenarios in case you have to take time off from work. Some folks continue to work full time, others have to cut their load, and some cannot work at all. You won't know where you fit in until you actually start treatment. Believe me, pre-tx fitness has nothing to do with it. I competed in endurance events prior to treatment and was unable to work most of the time.
As far as telling people at work about hep c-- we've had a number of threads on this. The consensus seems to be to tell as few people as possible, if anyone at all. Disclosure is definitely a two sided sword but one thing treatment will teach you is how selfish most people are when it comes to both work and friendship. If you expect a lot of sympathy and understanding from people, you might have a suprise in store.
-- Jim
albumin 5.2h - 4.6
t.protien9.2h - 7.0
alt 55 - 35
ast 53h - 33
bili total.5 - .8
dir bili 0.0 - .3
wbc 9.9 - 2.0
hgb 15.3 - 11.5
Enzyemes have improved but the hmg is dropping but not real fast. I seem to be handling the hmg drop well, today I did yard work and have been goin to work everyday. Overall I believe the tx is working for many of the hcv sx's it's self have disappeared. I'm a happy camper right now!
Dyce
Hey Dyce,
Your blood looks good. Your HGB is holding pretty good, your at where I was before doing tx. Glad your doing well.
Beagle
Happy easter all my friends! The riba is still given me the jibas but all is well this holiday weekend.
Dyce
Well Happy Easter to you too!!!!!!!
Hope things continue to go well for you.
Are you having a special dinner tomorrow?
lilmoma
Hi lilmoma, sorry to hear your still having the bloating sx's! Yes tomarrow is easter dinner and we'll have ham ,lots os sx dishs and of course lots of sweets(Good for riba diba absorbtionLOL). A day to give reconition to the passover and the lords sacrificial death and resurrectin. How bout you?
Dyce
Happy Easter and have an enjoyable time in whatever is your fancy! (I can hear Can-do-man thinking up something on that last statement) :)
We obviously celebrate Easter alike, sounds like this house.
We were gonna go to the sunrise service,...but gotta admit, I just DONT want to get up that early if I dont have to.
We will probably go to 9:00 service.
Actually this year we are doing something different, hubby is gonna grill huge steaks, and of course all the trimmings to go with. mushrooms and onions roasting away on the grill!!Yum!
Tonight Im gonna make a chocolate pudding cake.
Gosh, Im getting tired just thinking about all this stuff.
I have spent all day on the couch, napping off and on.
I feel like such a loser!!!!!
lilmoma
OMG!!!!!!!!! I know Im a little belated, but I just read your post from the 12th!!!!!!!!!!The vagisel story,.....OMG Im rolling, I gotta go tell hubby! Be right back!!!!!!!!!
lilmoma
oh lilmomma you sound like me i want to do sun rise its such a special service but to tell you the truth it will prob be the 11:00.. come home hubbys gonna bbq. Easter egg hunt with cofetti filled eggs we hit on each others heads its a family tradition..
Rocker- please tell me youll add alittle real butter to anything youll eat for Easter....
Ha girl , your a winner and DON'T YOU FORGET IT!!!!
Dyceman
I hope everyone has a nice Easter and is in good spirits and health tomorrow. I am really glad hear we can all talk about this Hep c monster openly. I feel lucky to have found you all.
Happy Easter
HAPPY EASTER AND PASSOVER TO ALL.
Lilmomma -- You just saw what can do did? LOL That's what we were kidding him about all week.
Dyce-- You sound like your having a good night.
Hope everyones shot nights went well and no sxs for all this Holy weekend.
Beagle
Yes, happy Easter and Passover to all.
CDM...brushing your teeth with Vagisil huh. This explains a lot.
chiming in...happy resurrection to us all. to me it's all about the joy and hope in healing and love! you all take care.
CDM...brushing your teeth with Vagisil huh. This explains a lot
Sorry that wasn't me. i'm the one who was using vaginal gel on their forehead. GEEZ i'm not that crazy:)
Happy Easter to you and thanks
ps didn't help my forehead but i don't have a yeast infection
Yes i've made a lot of people happy, Like they say what goes around comes around. But when my wife called the office and made sure they knew well, I had a bag on my desk waiting for me, i got everything from maxi-pads to pamplets on how my little friend would visit me once a month. sympathy cards TO MY WIFE. And other things i never new there was. Not to mention pink thongs, hose, garterbelt, lipstick, Oh and some nice black high heels that wasn't even my size.
HAPPY EASTER MY FRIENDS
Hope everyone has a spiritually healthy weekend. No matter Whoever, Whatever, However, you believe or don
If life smiles at you, smile back.
If life isn
Thanks fella, I saw and answered your blurb lookin for me down in the post...Had a friend ask...
Just baked cookies and Irish soda bread w/the kid. See the doc Monday finally, although at BB and Jim's suggestion I tried to catch him Friday with no luck, sx seem to have kicked up. Put another notch in my belt today.. but it was just to hold my pants up. Wouldn't mind the wt loss if I had the energy to back it up. Tryin to stay awake cause I gotta do shot 31 after the breads done and then make the Easter Basket for a kid that now has 20lbs on me and wears it well. At least if I shrink enough the bill collectors won't be able to see me.
Best wishes to you and yours,
Don
happy easter/passover,etc to everyone that believes. I believe in the spiritual world and the positive and negative energies within, but have a hard time with organized religion. Long term side effects from 12 yrs of religion in catholic school!
strator; after the laughter there was not much pissed off going on, so I guess it was a short confession. I thought the worst time for confession was Easter Sunday, the lines are longer than the after thanksgiving at wal mart. I read a lot of people only go to service once a yr, and that is it. The energy level dwindling on you is definetely chronic anemia catching up with all your systems. If you get the procrit approved, it will help enormously, any problems, I have 4 vials, will drive to the border to release them to anyone in need.
zero; If my insurance allows, I would request the baseline tests you mentioned, plus a neurological, endocrinology(antithyroid antibodies), and cryoglobulins(even if no symptoms) and if you are at it, a test for the HLA especially the b27 to see if you have disposition to autoimmune conditions. After that, you should be set.
Hope your feeling better this morning. Please let us know what the doc has to say about the sxs your having. Glad you'll being seeing him tomorrow.
Beagle
I had a lot of tests before treatment - the eye exam was very important so I hope that your doctor prescribes that one too. I had every test in the world it seemed and I just didn't know WHY.
I did have baseline thyroid done and thank GOD the doctor did it or we would not know that the interferon killed my thyroid and I would not be getting treatment
Every test that they want to do has a GOOD reason it seems behind it - even if we don't understand it at the time
Make sure you get ALL TEST RESULTS and keep a copy for yourself so YOU CAN look and compare. Nobody cares more about YOU than YOU!