pain

[Nwlywed]

Hey out there-hope everyone I read about is doing well. Just trying to learn and get to know where some of you are at with things-so it' sbeen a few days since I have commented.
My question is pain-I just went off prednisone 10 days ago for Psoriatic arthritis-No further joint pain, and suspect the joint pain I have is Hep C related. But this week I have had right upper quadrant pain-sharp!!! It makes me slightly dizzy then dulls down to an ache. I have had my gallbladder out last June-about the time of my Hep c dx. But this pain is causing alot of worry-I read the lining of the liver can  feel pain.  Please let me know what you all know.
Jan
PS I have settled in my head to go ahead and treat. I will be aiming for March when my new health insurance kicks in-yes they are going to cover treatment!!!:)

[layla]

Our stories continue to be similar. I also run or should I say ran. It was getting very difficult before tx. I had slowed down a lot the couple years before. I did chalk it up to age and join pain until I got my dx. I kept running on tx but it was more of a walk and trot, but for me that really got me through tx. I just really started to get back into it. Starting is quit slow but I am enjoying it. Really try to do some exercise while on tx even if it's just walking. LL

[Nwlywed]

Thank God, there is some hope that treatment may solve alot of problems I've been experiencing for years now, not knowing really why.  Two years ago I was training for marathons and wearing a size 3. Now I somedays can walk a mile and somedays can't climb the stairs in my house let alone run anymore. I miss running so much-having done it my whole life. Not to mention with the prednisone and less activity I don't even know myself in a size 12.
I have struggled so much with depression. If weren't for the wonderful man I just married a few weeks ago-who thinks I am just lovely, curvy and sexy-I think I would have  done somthing very stupid. But all and all I am very encouraged, even excited to start treatment!  When I entered this site approx. a week ago, I wasn't going to start treatment for another year and was very scared to try at all!!! Now I plan to in March as soon as my new insurance starts.
I started a new job, and am afraid to tell them-I'll wait until I have to tell them.
God Bless!,
Jan

[layla]

Yes it is very similar. As you can see here this is not an unusual problem with HCV. Both my hepatologist and RA doc have seen this. I hope this gives you hope. To be truthfull I really thought I would have to deal with that pain forever and was quit depressed about it at time. It's really great to see how many people have releif from this pain through tx. I went throug 3 docs befoe I found one well informed with the credential I wanted. It was certainly worth keeping up my search. I hope you find better docs. Autoimmune problems are found in HCV people and that is fairly common. I hope you find some releif. I tried different things for the pain but beleive it or not only aspirin worked. My hep doc did ok it since my liver damage was so limited.  LL

[Nwlywed]

WOw, thanks and what parallels we have.  I started all of this a few years ago with a positive RA-The rheumatologist at that time wanted to put me on Methotrexate( a chemo drug) thank goodness I was moving out of state and refused to go on it for lack of medical care until I established in my new town. Anyway-seeking a new rheumatologist to begin this treatment-he states my ra factor isn't elevated to warrant tx of RA-but that I have psoriatic arthritis-which is just as bad as RA-he dx me with only subjective finding-my report of where the most pain is-my fingers feet, neck and specific small joints. Now...I am a massage therapist and a physical therapist, I use my hands!!!They NEVER hurt when I do my work, infact hurt more when I don't!.He has me on Plaquenil(anti-malareal) for the arthritis, the only one they can give me because of the Hep C.  It can cause me to go blind, so I see an eye doctor often. Nice huh?  After some researching...I think I do not have any arthritis-maybe osteo-I'm older and active...I told him it could be from my Hep C-he says no and my gastro doc says no too.  I really don't want to take any other meds while in treatment. I am just not so impressed by my docs. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing they say... I have a medical background so understand alot, but when things are starting to make more sense to me than my docs, I worry what's best.  I am more inclined to treat by what I have learned here, not because my doc wants me to.
Thanks for all the help,
Jan

[new-sojourn]

Pre-tx, I was so crippled up I couldn't hold a pen, open a door or hold a knief or fork or toothbrush. I couldn't lift my arms or sit too long.  It was nearly impossible to walk  

Post tx and SVR, all gone.  The only thing I did was tx for hep c.

Now, being w/o insurance or the funds to go from doc to doc,  all I can go on is my experience.

The only thing that bothers me is a form of RA known as gout.  And that has to do w/the deplorable state of my liver (per scarring, ie cirrhosis) and is controlled by careful avoidence of purines and other triggers-citrus junk food, etc.

So good luck

[ral]

That's great news as I had joint pain before tx.

Thanks

Bob L

[britgirl]

I also had more joint pain before tx than after it. I used to get it in my fingers, toes and knees in particular. Before going on tx they did an RA test which came back positive but it went into normal range during the 6 months on treatment.

[layla]

Funny you mentioned joint pain today. About 7 years before dx I started having joint pain. It would happen in different joints for long periods. I told my doc at the time about it and they never seemed concerned. It was really getting quit painful and a problem  when I was dx. so they also did a RA test. That came back positive and over normal so the doc sent me to a RA doc. After an exam he said I definately did not have RA but sometimes people with HCV have this pain. My hepatologist said to get retested 6 months post tx. My joint pain, which was very painful by now totally stopped by my 2nd month on tx. I just got my 3 month post tx labs which I had a RA test and it is now well within the normal range and I don't have joint pain. So yes I surely believe HCV can be the cause.  LL