Anyone else using energy boosters

[ladywhy]

I have been prescribed (generic form) ridlin (sp?). It is 5 mg. dose. It seems to help with the 'brain fog." I am able to focus. Energy wise...not so much.....

I am concerned about "more meds" on my already stressed liver and for the fact that i am either a breakthru or at the very least a very slow responder. I'll tell ya, reading can-do-man's post gave me  hope...he finished tx after also responding slow.

It could be just me, but i'm feeling like "almost" everyone here thinks it's futile for me to continue....though I appreciate everyone's views...I am going with my hep. dr's advice. I wish some of you guys could be more supportive of my decision. Even now, the top dr's, studies, and trials haven't figured out why some individuals reach svr and why some don't...even svr with a slow response...or why some relapse. So much of this tx is hit or miss...so each of us...has got to do what they feel they must.
At the very least...i pray (hope) i am protecting my liver from further damage. At what cost...we shall see.
Hoping for the best...for all!
Y

[zazza]

How are you doing with your new tx regime? When is your next viral load test? Hope all is well.

[ladywhy]

I did some research reg. Provigil...they won't have a generic available 'til 2011! It cost over 300.00 a month. I can't afford it. My insurance 'script plan maxed out. Thanks for the info.

[Hepper56]

Provigil is an excellent new drug-better than Ritalin because it is NOT an amphetamine and not addictive.  It was originally made for the soldiers in Iraq so that they could stay alert and awake on night watch.  I take it (not daily) for when I need to go out and get things done as I have no friends or family-no one to help me-and if I don't take it, my fatigue is so severe that I am bedridden most of the time.  Anyway, I like Provigil.  It doesn't make you jittery like Ritalin or affect the heart.  Hope this helps.  God Bless.

[susan400]

No, not really.  But, I could really use a kick in the backside,  Ha! Ha!        Seriously though, I drag around so much that it really isn't easy a laughing matter.  I can't hardly get anything done and it's frustrating.  I don't hold anything against anyone who needs to use a prescription in order to function.  I used to have to have my son on Ritalin in the early days of his problems.  It didn't work well for him though and he wasn't able to stay on it.  His mental health issues were way more severe than just the garden variety ADHD.  He's actually had a pretty good spell here for awhile and I'm optimistically encouraged.  His meds seem to be working right and he certainly has had many prayer warriors.  Last year, Oct. 2007 he was involved in an incident where his meds were not working right (he was an inpatient in a psych. hospital at the time) and the staff decided to file charges on him instead of handling it in-house.  He was taken to jail.  I was a basket case of upsettedness over the unjustness of this during his being held at the county jail.  He was in there through Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.  In the end, he was still deemed 'not guilty by reason of insanity'.  It was just a big waste of taxpayer dollars prosecuting him in the first place when he was already a resident in a psych. hospital and then, just went back into another psych. hospital.  Anyway, it was a huge mess.  I'm so grateful that it's behind us now and looking forward to a better holiday this year.  He's supposed to have a supervised furlough visit again in another 10 days.  That's where he gets to come (w/staff) into town and spend time with me away from the hospital for 3 hrs.  It sounds like not that big of a deal, but believe me, it's a big deal.  He only gets one of these furloughs if he's doing EXTREMELY well and that means that his meds are doing what they're supposed to.  Right now, he's on Clozaril (or something that sounds like that).  I didn't mean to get off on some tangent here.  But, when you mentioned Ritalin, his whole situation is the first thing that pops into my head.  I am not trying to say that Ritalin caused it though.  I know lot's of people who have had their child on Ritalin, who did not have this situation happen to them.  I wish you the best.   Susan

[GrandmaA]

(I switched doctors at week 11. My viral load was higher than the week before and I paniced and joined the liver clinic with Dr. Gish, instead of a gastro as before.  So I wasn't tested at week 12, but not until 15 and I was UND. I agree with what orphanedhawk wrote above. It's a **** shoot.
Some patients who did everything right didn't achieve SVR and others who didn't do everything right did achieve it. Stay on the course. You are doing great. Take good care and God bless.

[orphanedhawk]

I think tx is a gamble no matter what. Nobody can say who is going to SCR and who isn't. We have studies and statistics but just because a person lets say, only has 10% chance of SVR , that isn't a reason to quit. You could be in that 10%!!!

  Honestly, you have to look inside and listen to what your inner voice tells YOU to do.

BTW: I didn't use any ADs. I surrounded myself with peaceful images, read meditative thoughts, did deep breathing, and still went crazy sometimes!!
     Best of luck.                                OH

[ladywhy]

"I think the worst thing would be to look back later and wonder 'what if I had done this or that?'."
That's just what i'm thinkin...thank you.
Hope you're having a nice day!
Yvonne

[ladywhy]

candoman: Oh the can-do-man, can...he mixes it with love...la..la..la :)
My stats: No PCR done @ start of tx (changed dr. @ 6th week of tx)
2006 vl 2.9 million
2006 bx: Stage 2, Bridging fibrosis Grade 2-3
1a
11th wk. Upped riba from weight based 1000 mg. to 1400 mg.
21st wk: 28000
24th wk: 45000 ....something like that
25th wk: Hgb: 11.8
"           wbc:   2.7
"            rbc:   3.46
28th wk: double dosing pegasys 2x a week inject. (that's this week)

I don't know how I could get through this without this forum. I believe it is an incredible gift from God, and has been a great source of support. Actually, my main support. As I stated, it could be me...I have just been feelin' like "those in the know" have given up the idea that I may well conquer these parasites this time around. It really could be all in my head...which can sometimes be a scary place..lol. trying to keepdafaith! Thanks for responding and wishing you the best. I hope you know that song?

charm27: Not sure of breakthru..cause I had yet to see UND....considered at this point ('til results come back) to be a slow responder??? Thanks for your "Positivity"...Miss Tulip and I am praying that you will sail thru tx..and are UND at 4 wks!

as Tiny Tim said, "God Bless Us Everyone!"

[FL_Gal]

I tried the ritalin.  It made me too jittery.  I'm glad it's working for you, though.

It's never futile to try whatever you can to rid yourself of this disease.  Treatment should be more personalized instead of the "one size fits all" that is offered now.  And none of us are doctors, we can only offer opinions, so of course your doctor's opinion should weigh heavier than ours in your decisions.

At the end of the day, it's your body, and YOU have to feel satisfied that you have done everything that you could do.  I think the worst thing would be to look back later and wonder 'what if I had done this or that?'.

Good luck reaching SVR!!!

FlGal

[charm27]

im glad your feeling a little better. I know you said you had a breakthrough. Sorry you had to go thru that letdown but you have options which you know..(I might wind up in the same boat with you who knows) but Im sure eventually we will kill this virus. We just dont know when right now. But we will.

You said you were going with your  physians decision.

Whatever you decide to do I wish you luck.....its not over till the fat lady sings.

You'll nip it eventually...hoping its soon too.
Positiveity To You!

[can-do-man]

Hello,  sorry but i haven't been around for quite some time so i know nothing about your stats or what week your on. When i was here alot i allways found people to be very supportive. I didn't have my first pcr until week 12. Wasn't und but did have over a 3 log drop.

At which time my Hepo upped my riba from 1200mg a day to 1600, but due to my already low hgb after a few weeks we went down to 1400mg. My next pcr was at week 24 and i was und. If i hadn't been  und at week 24 my hepo would have stoped treatment and would have tried something else.

As for the drug riddlin if it is helping i wouldn't let it stress me, other people have took it, anything that helps with the sx's. Getting to stressed out about HCV can be worse. If you have a good hepatologist and trust him. Wouldn't hurt to get a second opinion from another hepatologist if you haven't allready.

Wishing you the best of luck and things work out for you..... Take care

[ladywhy]

BTW: My liver enzymes have not been elevated after 4th week of tx. YEA!

Back to ridlin...i should have said more focused during the work day and a 'bit' of energy. I don't take any on weekends. Just rest up.