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Avatar universal

what causes blood to get crazy?

doc just called said to stop taking riba pills, my blood work was very bad, i have to go back monday for more blood work, i am going into 3 months of treatment, and scheduled for 48 weeks, will i possibly have to go for longer than 48 weeks. I am getting discouraged and wondering if this is worth it? i am out of work, will have to go to cobra and doc said after monday when blood comes back we will see what to do. i also have rash on bottom of leg that will not go away and causes my ankle and foot to swell pretty bad, dermatologist said this is normal? thanks for listening i am truly trying to beat this and hang in there..
jonney
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Avatar universal
Ivory soap is not good....full of chemicals and fragrance...try a perfume free organic soap
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Avatar universal
i speak to the almighty thru out the day and am putting all of this in His hands, and by faith just doing the foot work and hoping it's the right thing to do, everything is in His control anyways......
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750120 tn?1252455030
Howdy,

I can't really offer technical input as I have no formal medical traing.  However, I can tell you how the low hemglobin, interferon and riba have effected me and what my docs did/do about it.

At week 10 I had to have a transfusion.  My hemoglobin was at 7.1.  I felt so much better afterward even though the idea of someone else's blood in me still freaks me out.  I'm at week 21 today (21st shot) and I was called a couple of days ago to tell me to reduce riba to 800 daily.  I started treatment at 1200, went to 800 after transfusion, went up to 1000 a month ago and now back to 800.  I'm having to go in on an "unscheduled" visit for a blood draw next Tuesday to check my level.

By unscheduled, I mean an extra visit not part of the study I am on (Telepravir).  With the Telepravir study, rescue drugs such as Procrit are not allowed, only transfusions.  I won't even know when I went UND until after week 24, which is coming up soon.

As far as unwanted symptoms related to treatment, I could sling a list at you that changes back and forth from varied things.  The one's right now that I am not liking are: trouble breathing (shortness of breath), impotence (not that I have the energy or inclination right now anyway), skin rashes (lesions & scabbing), severe weakness, dissiness, brain fog, major weight loss, poor appetite (the thought of almost all foods is disgusting as they all taste like s - - t.  There are more but hey, what's new, we all experience them.  It is just part of the wonderful medical regimine that we are hopeful will kill this deadly virus.

Other than that, life is just peachy.  Keep your spirits up, speak regularly with family and friends and talk to the almighty.

Joey
Helpful - 0
691935 tn?1421027090
7 months down, I'm now only using Curel Healing Lotion, all over after my shower every morning and before I go to bed.  I use Ivory Soap in the shower, it rinses clean.  I wouldn't take a chance on missing a daily shower with MRSA lurking around every corner and our low immunities on this stuff.

Early on I was covered, neck to ankles with a rash 3 - 4 months - miserable!!!!  I tried every type of anti-itch cream and took claritin in the morn, benedryl in the eve (still taking them)

labs just seem to fluctuate all the time.
Helpful - 0
717272 tn?1277590780
What she said.  Oddly, miserably low hemoglobin has been shown to be an indicator of a positive response to riba.  I found that 1% hydrocortisone gel helped greatly with healing the rash.  Forget the moisturizers.  They fix dry winter skin but can't clear up riba rash.

If you have options other than reducing the riba (after you start it up again), take them.  You may be miserable but the riba is doing its job and needs to be at full dose for as much of tx as possible.
Helpful - 0
412873 tn?1329174455
The riba can make your hemoglobin go down.  It is fairly normal and some would even say it is an indication that the meds are working.  The interferon can make your whites go down and leave you susceptible to bacterial infection.  This also is quite common.

There are helper drugs your doctor can give you to help with these.  Procrit for the hgb and Neupogen for the whites.  Most prefer these helpers to dose reducing.  Especially in the first 12 weeks.  

Impossible to know your options unless you have your results.  Can you get them and post them?  Do you know if you are UND? And when you went UND?

Rashes are also common.  Hopefullly others will chime in with their suggestions, but for me, I cut down on bathing (ewww.. i know, but it helped)  I used Aveeno in the bath water.  I have a prescription cream Desoximetasone USP 0.25% that works well for me.  But ya have to use it twice a day or the rash comes right back.  I also take Atarax for the itching.  When the rash is gone, I use Coconut oil in my bath.

How are you feeling?  Are you tolerating the meds otherwise?  Some say that the first 12 weeks are an adjustment period and your body adjusts so that the following weeks ease up a bit.but everyone is different.

Find out what all your numbers are and post them.  We're all pulling for you...please let us know.

Isobella

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