Aa
California Pacific Called Me?
Hi JMJM, AIUTA, and all you nice people who have talked me down all the time:
Dr. Gish's office called me this morning.....what a surprise...I was planning on calling them for an appointment and a nice lady called Jane rang me up and said can you come to the Las Vegas office next Monday?
How weird!
So I will go see Dr. Gish's NP next week. I bet i know what's coming....TX.
Deb
Dr. Gish's office called me this morning.....what a surprise...I was planning on calling them for an appointment and a nice lady called Jane rang me up and said can you come to the Las Vegas office next Monday?
How weird!
So I will go see Dr. Gish's NP next week. I bet i know what's coming....TX.
Deb
I have never told people that they don't exist, I tell them the truth, that ONLY A SMALL number of people develop long term issues after treatment. But yet again, you twist things around. Like drinking, even though you have advanced liver damage, stage 3 by your last biopsy and fibroscan according to what you posted,. you still drink. NO EXPERT I can find recommends a patient in that condition drink alcohol at ALL.. Drinking discussions by doctors always have the caveat that IF you have advanced liver damage you should not drink. PERIOD.
Only those who do not have damage or very little damage and clear the virus are told it's ok to drink in moderation.
NOT ONE top notch heptologist agrees with you that "MOST" people develop these so dubbed "long term" issues, NOT ONE. I notice you have yet to come up with any data ( nor have any of the others that bang this particular drum) to back up the claim that "most" develop "long term side effects" from tx. There is no consistency whatsoever to the symptoms people claim either, they are all over the map. Tx seems to be nothing more than the catchall for blame for any health related issue some people have after tx, they just blame it on SOC regardless of how long ago they treated. It's ridiculous and not based on science.
Why you feel compelled to spread this type of unfounded fear of treatment, treatment that CURED YOU of this disease is beyond me.
A FEW people develop long term issues according to all the experts, not "MOST" as you claim. It can exacerbate existing problems ( like the ones you already had) and that is right there in the warnings on the meds.
Your latest is that this secret unnamed expert doctor of yours now is claiming interferon tx causes metabolic syndrome.
I find that curious since 43% of overweight adults in your age group have it and they neverhad or treated for HEP C. Putting on 30 lbs. alone can cause metabolic syndrome, especially if you add it to your already existing health issues.
SInce you advocate waiting, I wonder why you don't point out the " long term" risks of waiting to people? Why don't you point out the PROVEN increased risks for other illnesses and diseases that exist just by being HCV positive? why not warn people they are at higher risk for diabetes, cancers, leukemia,blood disorders, skin disorders when you advocate them waiting?
Nope, instead you tell them the ONLY tool they have available is going to cause them permanent problems. I just hope people do their OWN research and see that your claims are not substantiated by the experts.
Only those who do not have damage or very little damage and clear the virus are told it's ok to drink in moderation.
NOT ONE top notch heptologist agrees with you that "MOST" people develop these so dubbed "long term" issues, NOT ONE. I notice you have yet to come up with any data ( nor have any of the others that bang this particular drum) to back up the claim that "most" develop "long term side effects" from tx. There is no consistency whatsoever to the symptoms people claim either, they are all over the map. Tx seems to be nothing more than the catchall for blame for any health related issue some people have after tx, they just blame it on SOC regardless of how long ago they treated. It's ridiculous and not based on science.
Why you feel compelled to spread this type of unfounded fear of treatment, treatment that CURED YOU of this disease is beyond me.
A FEW people develop long term issues according to all the experts, not "MOST" as you claim. It can exacerbate existing problems ( like the ones you already had) and that is right there in the warnings on the meds.
Your latest is that this secret unnamed expert doctor of yours now is claiming interferon tx causes metabolic syndrome.
I find that curious since 43% of overweight adults in your age group have it and they neverhad or treated for HEP C. Putting on 30 lbs. alone can cause metabolic syndrome, especially if you add it to your already existing health issues.
SInce you advocate waiting, I wonder why you don't point out the " long term" risks of waiting to people? Why don't you point out the PROVEN increased risks for other illnesses and diseases that exist just by being HCV positive? why not warn people they are at higher risk for diabetes, cancers, leukemia,blood disorders, skin disorders when you advocate them waiting?
Nope, instead you tell them the ONLY tool they have available is going to cause them permanent problems. I just hope people do their OWN research and see that your claims are not substantiated by the experts.
It's not black and white, and like yourself, I don't pretend to be an expert in "acute" cases which can be tricky, that's why I suggested she go see "Gish" which she did. There are always "options" and whenever I see a doctor I try and find out what those options are and then weigh them carefully based on both the doctors input, sometimes an additional opinion and/or independent research.
"Scare people away from treatment"? How? By referring her to one of the leading hepatologists in the country, Gish? Maybe I should have referred her to you so you could tell her exactly what to do. Yeah, I'm sure you know the "acute" treatment protocols cold just like you know everything else about hep c cold. Not.
"Scare people away from treatment"? How? By referring her to one of the leading hepatologists in the country, Gish? Maybe I should have referred her to you so you could tell her exactly what to do. Yeah, I'm sure you know the "acute" treatment protocols cold just like you know everything else about hep c cold. Not.
Oh, yeah, your absence has been noted over on the recent thread regarding post treatment symptons on the other side. Figured you'd stop in to tell everyone that the problem doesn't exist and we're all somehow overreacting. Having a discussion with you is like talking to a wall because everything said gets twisted. Maybe you missed your calling as a pretzel manufacturer. Post on because I've stopped listening.
Just what "options" were you referring to then? She doesn't really have options which was why I called you on it. She either treats within the limit of 6 months or she becomes chronic if she doesn't clear it on her own in that time frame. Obviously watch and wait was the "option" you were telling her to look at. What other "option" is there for acute cases? Just what were you referring to then? You are now trying to weasel out of what you said, but it's right there in black and white you telling her to look at her "options"
Geez in your zeal to scare people away from treating sometimes I think you lose sight of the big picture. In an acute case, the last thing you want to do is pass up your chance at clearing it with shorter treatment with better odds.
Acute cases should not be told to look at their "options" since they don't have any options other than to let time pass and become chronic and lose the advantage they have of clearing it more readily than a chronic patient.
Geez in your zeal to scare people away from treating sometimes I think you lose sight of the big picture. In an acute case, the last thing you want to do is pass up your chance at clearing it with shorter treatment with better odds.
Acute cases should not be told to look at their "options" since they don't have any options other than to let time pass and become chronic and lose the advantage they have of clearing it more readily than a chronic patient.
LOL. Pot calling the tea kettle black methinks. So where did I say "watch and wait"????? Where? What I told her is to listen to her doctor, ask questions, including alternatives. Or maybe she should just listen to you. I'll let Deb decide. BTW if you hadn't characteristically mischaracterized what I said in my initial post, we wouldn't be having this continued nonsense.
I wish you wouldn't cut and paste what I say and edit it like you do. Try copying the whole quote and not just taking part of it out of context.
Obviously she should listen to her doctors, that goes without saying. She comes here to hear other opinions. Mine is that she treat it, the faster the better.
Acute cases are encouraged to treat by every authority I can find, before the 6 month window of the "acute" phase is over and they become chronic. The tx is half as long and their chances of clearing go way up. Logic dictates that's the time to hit it.
If you have some evidence that acute cases should watch and wait, I'd like to see it and Im sure debnevada would too.
Since that is not the recommendation for acute cases, I wouldn't tell her to look at the options when there really aren't any. It's treat quickly or become chronic. The only reason they wait at all is to see if the patient can clear it on their own.
Obviously she should listen to her doctors, that goes without saying. She comes here to hear other opinions. Mine is that she treat it, the faster the better.
Acute cases are encouraged to treat by every authority I can find, before the 6 month window of the "acute" phase is over and they become chronic. The tx is half as long and their chances of clearing go way up. Logic dictates that's the time to hit it.
If you have some evidence that acute cases should watch and wait, I'd like to see it and Im sure debnevada would too.
Since that is not the recommendation for acute cases, I wouldn't tell her to look at the options when there really aren't any. It's treat quickly or become chronic. The only reason they wait at all is to see if the patient can clear it on their own.
LOL. Pot calling the tea kettle black methinks. So where did I say "watch and wait"????? Where? What I told her is to listen to her doctor, ask questions, including alternatives. Or maybe she should just listen to you. I'll let Deb decide. BTW if you hadn't characteristically mischaracterized what I said in my initial post, we wouldn't be having this continued nonsense.
Congratulations! I started tx as an acute with a VL of 140 at week 17 post-infection. I'd say inform yourself (which you are doing) and then go with your gut. That's what I tried to do. I hope the appointment goes well. Keep up updated. All my best, Aiuta
Believe, me I listen to EVERYONE's opinion, run in past my trusted internist....(he says I am "appropriately anal" about this and then make my decision.
I plan on listening to Gish closely and then asking a lot of questions.
I appreciate EVERYTHING I'm told here. This entire experience has been pretty awful, starting with that horrible football I had removed in November and going from there to being VERY sick with hepatitis. My internist tells me that the side effects from treatment will be worse than anything i've gone through so far. So believe me...I will think about this and probably treat if he recommends it. I would love it to wait another month and see if I clear. But I don't know how wise that is. I'm sure he'll tell me.
I'll keep ya'll posted. And I feel very at home here. You all have saved me from deep depression about how things have gone the last three plus months. I've also learned a lot about who i tell and who my friends are. It's that imperceptible step back that people sometimes take that really stings!
Deb
I plan on listening to Gish closely and then asking a lot of questions.
I appreciate EVERYTHING I'm told here. This entire experience has been pretty awful, starting with that horrible football I had removed in November and going from there to being VERY sick with hepatitis. My internist tells me that the side effects from treatment will be worse than anything i've gone through so far. So believe me...I will think about this and probably treat if he recommends it. I would love it to wait another month and see if I clear. But I don't know how wise that is. I'm sure he'll tell me.
I'll keep ya'll posted. And I feel very at home here. You all have saved me from deep depression about how things have gone the last three plus months. I've also learned a lot about who i tell and who my friends are. It's that imperceptible step back that people sometimes take that really stings!
Deb
All the best luck with your consultation. The more informed you become, the easier, and more appropriate, your final decision will be. Like many here, I also leaned heavily on the opinion of a good liver specialist regarding my treatment decision. You don't have a "cookie cutter" case so seeing someone like Gish is even more important. Hope it all works out for you and do let us know how things go.
Be well,
-- Jim
Be well,
-- Jim
Kalio: As an acute case, debnevada should treat if she is still showing virus.
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I'll take that is addressed to me since I told her to get pro's and con's of each approach.
Deb has already said she's seeing Gish next week. No disrespect, but I think she should follows Gish's lead on treatment not yours. All I was saying is that it's always good to "challenge" your doctors in the sense of getting the pro's and con's of what they recommend. It's always not black and white and that goes with acute cases as well.
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I'll take that is addressed to me since I told her to get pro's and con's of each approach.
Deb has already said she's seeing Gish next week. No disrespect, but I think she should follows Gish's lead on treatment not yours. All I was saying is that it's always good to "challenge" your doctors in the sense of getting the pro's and con's of what they recommend. It's always not black and white and that goes with acute cases as well.
I'm seeing one of Gish's associates at CPMC, and am really happy with them. Good luck and keep us informed.
As an acute case, debnevada should treat if she is still showing virus. "Watch and wait" is not an option ofr acute patients unless they are fully aware that by doing so they will decrease their chances of clearing and have to treat longer. Acute cases have a very good success rate if they treat within the first few months of contracting it. Acute patients do not have the same situation as chronic patients, if you are acute TREAT if you don't clear the virus in the first couple of months on your own.
Obviously Gish is interested in your case, being a possible acute geno 4, etc, so congatulations you have their attention ! As far as "what's coming", that's really up to you, not just the doctors. Just take your time and don't be afraid to ask questions. If they say "treat" ask what are the alternatives. If they say "don't treat", ask what are the alternatives. In other words, try and get both sides of the story so you can better make up your mind. Lastly, if you do decide to treat, ask Gish about a mechanism where you can see a local doctor but still have Gish supervise your treatment. I'm sure he'd be happy to help you work something out.
Be well,
-- Jim
Be well,
-- Jim
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