Honest Answers, No BS! LONG post!

:}  Okay the topic is this......how many really do other med's to help get thru the symptoms of Hep and the sides of tx?
  Please bare in mind in this long story, that I am also a dress up, ‘normal’ business woman that most would be in shock if they saw me when doing this!
   As most here awhile have probably heard from me a time or two.....I am VERY 'anti drug' -abuse of prescribed drugs, street drugs’ and active in fighting the worst 'new' threats, crack and the again popular meth, grabbing our young by the b*alls! (and ‘old’) People get 'hooked' very often on that 1st hit with those. I have literally 'bought' 'kids' from dealers, give them a picture, they set them up and if I get them, in hand, they get the money. We all know-most of us- that a crack head will sell their mom for a hit! I have a few I ‘use’ for this and have gotten who I am looking for every time. Our understanding is, you help me, I shut up on you! I have a ‘Christian drug counselor’ who has given my name,# to parents to help find their kid. I have gotten the call at 4:00 am and gone into 'crack town' alone to get them, have jumped thru the back of a car window, put a knife to the scumbags throat and drug the kid out! I have chased crack dealers with an axe handle! (Dangerous and extreme yes, but that one was a loved family member drug into it by an older, using guy that made a habit of getting 'kids' hooked to use their $$! That 'man' is now in prison 3 years, poor thing! )With a scar on his arm from me! That 'kid' is, 2 years later, drug free, into the arts and back to being a GQ , handsome, going somewhere young man that he was. It is heartbreaking the ‘kids’ I would see at those place’s. Cops ‘overlook’ me and actually respect what I do, tho have made the speech I may get hurt, etc. And as extreme as my methods are, I am proud to say only one I couldn't 'save', yet he did go back to the re-hab later and is now clean. I am one crazy woman. (need to add....I have a bit of biker, and some tough guys back up and our local police dept. actually goes 'in' with me at times 'off the record' , not arresting anyone, just helping me get who I came for!) All is also out of my pocket. I have lived in that world, briefly, 32 years ago, and will do anything I can to get someone out of it. (the success rate of quitting crack, for good, is 5%!! Once 'hooked') I went into all that as.....am not, nor ever been ashamed of how we believe I got Hep C, is when I 'ran away' at 16 yrs. old and 'lived in the streets' (a virgin, no less!!) and got with people and tried all kinds of drugs, had done heroin before loosing my virginity! Within 2 years, by the grace of God.....a 'street guy' that cared took me back to Fla., left me with friends and snuck out in the night, of which I had seen so much I knew I did not want that life. I saw terrible things and many are amazed I never got hurt and ‘walked’ away so easily. I than became anti-anti-anti. Went on to be a good mother of 3 and have a great life. I now use my disease in my 'talks' with young people to say "SEE....look what stupid young mistakes can do! ALL these years later'. My plan, was working on before dx, so now after tx. Is to get a few acre’s and make an ‘animal rescue, kid’s in trouble come take care of them’ counseling type ranch. It’d be pretty hypocritical if I became addicted to med’s thru tx and hep to do this! LOL.
That all said.......I also developed a bit of a phobia for all drugs, even ‘good, needed’ med’s. Took NOTHING. (tx has been a ‘conquer the phobia’ for me!) Several years ago encountered 'panic attacks'?? Tough, no fear woman kicked to the curb. My dr., knowing I never took med's...said 'be a good girl and JUST try these"..... xanax, lowest dose and wouldn't do AD's. With them and a LOT of mental training, beat those and long gone from my daily life. I do them occasionally to sleep and always made sure I was careful not to do daily, get addicted, etc. THAN came hep symptoms, terrible aches, pains and could not do any of my very active jobs well, he gave me Vicoprofen. Again, very careful with them and suffer most days as opposed to doing daily. NOW..…(babble, babble.-sorry!).....I could not have gotten thru hep symptoms, dx, and now tx without doing those 2 pill's on the really bad days and 1st shot day Dr. even gave me Valium and said do the night before and do an hour before app. I read and hear a lot here on suffering and comments on some med's hurt the liver, etc. but my Hep Dr. has clearly told me the amounts I can safely do (and don't even do that much). SOOOOO.....Of course not anyone that is a recovering addict as per worries of a relapse, but how many are actually doing pain med’s or calming med's thru this? My sons and man had to fight with me to actually use them a bit more rather than suffer "YOU (knowing me) will NOT get addicted, stop suffering!” A small part of me still worries that I may have to do some of them from now on, yet I also feel...WHY suffer if they can help? So folks…..how many really do need other med’s to help get thru this?
               Thanks for listening to my ‘out there’ long babbling post :}, to anyone who didn’t give up and quit reading 10 minutes ago :}
                                                                                                LL

[nygirl7]

I am a recovering addict who found that they did need meds to get through a rough course of 72 weeks of treatment.  Aside from Paxill and Ambien (which I am still on now) I did get a prescription for Percocet.  I did NOT take them every day for fear of dependence...I was very worried about that too.  I only took them when I really needed them.

I found that taking the Percs for actual tx type pains was very much different for me than taking for "fun" or from being addicted.  Maybe it is because I am much older, maybe it was because I was really so damn sick.  

Would anyone in the program advise doing that? Oh my hell no. I remember when they told me I shouldn't have novacaine when I was having dentistry done. But believe me, nobody is giving me a root canal without it.

I think everyone differs - and it'd be up to the person involved to know where their head is it.  However, I have no desire to go back to that vomit ever again, so I just tried to be rational.

I'm a dress up professional too - my shrink called me a "functional" addict because nobody around me could tell by looking at me when I was still using on a daily basis however - I knew and was always paranoid and miserable.  I just don't want to do that ever again.

Good luck LL - we're here for you you know!

[Lady Lauri]

I LOVE hearing anyone quitting, staying clean :} Good and especially thru such very tough times you have had. Your quite amazing, you know....fighting, WINNING :} the hep fight AND beating addiction AND dealing with your loss. Quite amazing, young lady:}!
I may need to clarify that I when I said 'dressed up bus. woman and noone would believe I do what I do' , I meant the going into crack town at 4:00am or chasing crack dealers across a street with a club thing! Also ....that when I 'tried' all the drugs, that was it, tried it "oh that was fun" and never got addicted to anything (but d*m cigs!).  But have known so many 'lost' in it all.
As for 'trying' the heroin a couple times, I do remember I said to myself "these fools PAY to throw up and itch"?? LOL! Very unusal to have done all I did and not get hooked on anything, tho.
Like you'd said, that is WHY I am so careful with any med's. I just don't see how some do this and get thru it without some help??!!
--------------------------------------------

  You said...."Good luck LL - we're here for you you know! "

I know that :} and it is a great comfort :}, thank you

  P.S. And again......CONGRATUALTIONS Hep free girl :)                              LL

[GrandmaA]

Didn't have time to read your entire post. Glad you found this great forum.

I had about 12 vials of Procrit on tx. (51 weeks Peg/riba).  My white blood count got down Iow towards the end of tx. but I toughed it out. I can't take antidepressants but Dr. Zhang suggested a herbal.  I took Ativan to help me sleep. I'm 65 years old. This is my first time treating. Genotype 1a. I worked full time 9 hours a day at a desk job for 33 weeks then I retired. I got hep. C from a blood transfusion iin 1977 following surgery. I started with a viral load of 640,000. Finished tx 5 weeks ago. I

[susan400]

I'll send you a private message on your message place and/or email......   So, look for me there...

Susan

[Teufelhunden]

Loved the axe handle part! That'll really wear them out!!  Get their attention too!  My preference though is a ball bat. Don't have any guns in the house but got a couple louisville sluggers by the night stand. It's despairing to see what drugs do to our society, both legal and illegal. I remember when drinking coke and taking aspirin was the thing to do (although I could never understand what it was suppose to do) and fast forward to today where selling legal drugs illegally is the norm. What addiction does to young people is frightening and sad. We hear and see the results of abuse and addiction in virtually every town and city but what really amazes me is how a kid of 16 growing up in a small town of 4 or 5 thousand cannot be noticed. We, as responsibile adults, have grown complacent over the years. We've become hardened and lackadaisical and we find it's easier to turn a blind eye.  "Kids will be kids" might have worked many years ago but in todays society, "kids will be addicts or dead" without people like you Lady Lauri. Too many kids falling through the cracks and no one there to reach out and grab them. They need a chance to grow up.  Keep up the good work.

[l-horn]

Hang in there. First of all, why wouldn't you do AD's ? They don't get you high and for me, they worked and continue to work wonderfully. I think I would prefer them over xanax if I were worried about addiction. So glad to hear your life is back on track and you continue to help others.

Now, about those little things called 'paragraphs' ...

:)

[froggydan]

Interesting discussion indeed...Its shure that as a recovering addict I had also to think twice before asking for stronger pain killers than paracetamol..Ihad some very strong migraine-headaches one or two days following rhe shot so after 3 months of pain I finally decided to take some, only for these days - and I stay vigilant not to take more than I need , cauz I know that my body doesn't make a diffrence between drugs I took for lets say "pleasure" (thats what I first thought) and "real" medication ...As I said it once in a meeting this decision is between me and my HP and my sponsor .Doctors unfortunately not often really understand what one addict risks in taking AD or painkillers like that without reflexions - its okay maybe with non-addicts i don't know. But i'm happy and feel grateful to have a strong fellowship to believe in and needn't any other AD's or so, here in France "normal" people take so easily tranquilizers or sleeping-pills like it were smarties that I was very careful in what my doctors would suggest to me,although they knew my past. (only my 2 cents) Have all a cool week-end ! hugs

[Lady Lauri]

                          
Please, please, please understand....I was never 'addicted' to anything, drugs or alcohol (now cigs another story).......that was to point out that I had done the 'try it, oh that was fun, gotta go' thing in my teens. I was EXTREMELY blessed to never have had any of it grab and hold me! I guess in summation, I am saying having seen it all, fighting it, hating that world that now that I may-do 'need' some med's that can be addicting, I am being very careful and wanted to find out how many of us also need/use them to help thru this.

I-HORN...."Now, about those little things called 'paragraphs' ".... your funny:}   I have tried the &^%$ paragraphs, all still lines up the same. SO..... I space like this ???:}
And  don't like AD's as they are something you have to do every day, not 'as needed' and worry on the altering brain chemicals, etc. Seen a few friends have bad exp. with them & have heard many bad things on them, along with good, but heard many bad things on our tx and here I am:} I have not ruled them out in this tx tho.

TUEFELHUNDEN......Thank you sir, you got it very well!  So agree with you, parents now seem to say "oh ,they'll learn on their own" and have NO clue how fast this stuff grabs them. I have 'before and 4-5 mths. later' pics of 'kids/adults on crack/meth.....horrifying changes and have seen sweet young ones end up walking the street doing...anything....in such a short time. I live by Carroll O’Conner’s words "never give up" on saving someone. Personally.....I could never lay down if my son was out there doing this and wouldn't until I found him, no matter what the cost, time, tears. They CAN be saved.....and one of my sons was the "GQ' kid in that story!  ( knowing me, what I do...HOW stupid was he, LOL!)  He was 'helping' a 'lost soul' AT FIRST , 'tried' it, I caught it and stopped at NOTHING for 3 mths. and saved him. Been over 2 years. I caught it EARLY, so very important in this. (cute tho, during this , the NOT street smart kid went to a dealers house, who already had his picture :} and the dealer said to him " Nuh uh boy, you can't come here, Yo momma is crazy...git, git!" My son called me to get him and never returned :) He has now 'lectured' friends himself. They NEED guidance!
P.S. You do realize that in the day of that coke and aspirin thing, there was actual cocaine in that coca cola, right :} ??
Thanks ALL for input.          

[Lady Lauri]

God, I talk a lot! You'd think I was on meth! starting to beat out some of the other long posters by a mile.   Sorry! :}                                        LL

[merryBe]

I don't think it's reasonable to assume you will become dependant again later in life if you've been straight for dozens of years.
there's a place for everything. when I use something for pain, it's not everyday, it's seldom more than twice, and it's ONE pill at at a time....to buffer the worst persistant pain, it's not to get high. the doc said take 2 ...4 times a day....that would be 8....and leas to dependance.
but your own fear of abuse will keep you from overusing stuff.
I also have ativan, and use it 2 times a month or so, for stressful breathing times that happen with no cause or forewarning.....the more stress you put on heart/lungs/liver.mind by not thaking something to help when you really need it, the more chance you  will injure further those organs, or rnd up in emergency or worse.
you sound like a very thoughtful person, so just think all this stuff through too and you'll be fine.

getting through. take your shot on friday, so by monday any nausea will be gone. try to rest weekends. then, I'd get up and take my riba with food a couple hours before I get up, and go back to sleep. that way if you get fever,pain, it'll be early before work..and while getting reaady, and maybe gone by the time you hit the workplace.
evening, eat early dinner and take. then for sleep, if you have trouble, again, a lot of folks NEED help sleeping on riba and rest is SO important....try ambien as it is not known for dependance like many are. hope that helps/
ask yourself this, if your child were badly hurt or sick...would you want them to have meds to help? then why fear that for yourself? there's a huge difference between legitimate medical need, and recreational use. you need to give yourself permission to make those decisions not based on the past but what's happening in the present.

[Lady Lauri]

I have NEVER been addicted to ANYTHING! BUT nicotine! My past 'drug use' was ONLY young, dumb teenage experimentation. Where I was trying to go with that post (and just got into the story of SEEN that drug world, help fight it, etc.) is I wanted to know how many are really, truthfully using other med's to deal with all this. I guess, having TRIED drugs young, than seeing so many hurt by them, I am extremely cautious when using any prescribed med's. I guess I should not have combined the 'anti drug fighting' part with the real question. Has been confused. (I had said I was very blessed to have tried them and never gotten into them-addicted. ) It is very easy to get dependant on prescribed meds and seen it with my sis (very sick). I just hate taking much of anything but have come to where you'd said.....they are needed and why suffer more. My family was reassuring me that I am not an addictive type person and too strong in that and stop worrying about taking med's. Guess I just wanted to know how many else need that extra help right now and what about ones that do have past addiction histories.
Like you, I do 1 when it says 2 as if it works, why take 2? Takes the edge of , I'm happy. Trust me, after about 5 nights of up till 5am, I did the pill to sleep!
I do my shots on Tues. as I am 'off' work Tues., Wed., Thur. (the one I have to be at, my own work I am the boss!) don't get fevers from the pill's, just all over feel like dog doo!
                                                                                                LL

[ladybug52]

My brother is in recovery and has been clean for 11 years. However, he takes zanax  at night and sometimes during the day.  It helps him to sleep, and calms his nerves at times when he used to drink and not stop. Addiction runs high (no pun intended) on both sides of our families.
I take A/D's and had to try a few to find one that worked. I am much happier on a/d's and the people who have to live with me are also:)
I did take pain meds on some shot weekends, I never throw away pain meds when they're prescribed, and if I needed something to help with the muscle aches, pain and fever, I took it. I felt that what ever could get me through tx was ok as long as I used it conservatively. I quit taking ambien because it's too strong for me and I had the weird side of eating anything in sight while I could still stand.
I loved Teuf's comments about small towns and kids using drugs. I think many parents turn a blind eye hoping that it will go away by itself and it's a normal part of growing up. Often they want their kids to be happy or popular and still able to play sports. That's the way it is here many times. I mean there are always kids who use and no one notices because they don't have an involved family. That's sad, but when there are many kid's with an involved parent who just won't set limits.
Enough of my soap box.....
Good luck with this tx. I know many strong people suffered a lot without meds, but I did what I could to get through. Oddly enough my worst side was the itching. Nothing relieved it till I got a steroid shot post tx.
Take care,
hugs,
Bug

[Lady Lauri]

Thanks for you thoughts. Believe me, learning fast to use the med's as this is a B*TCH! (as I am starting to be.LOL)
Loved Tuefs post too as he really got what I was saying/do. My sons....even at 23, 24 & 30 ...they know I am flies on sh*t if they start down any bad road at ANY age and momma dosn't play fair :}They have turned out much like me, in that they tend to 'watch over' partying friends, try to help also. I can't count how many other kids 'grew up' at my house or how many I chased after, watched over while their parents had NO idea where they were or just let them run with that 'oh, they'll grow out of it' attitude! (AKA....too d*m lazy and lack of concern to get up and DO something about it!) Had 2 legal 'foster kids' also, from parents that just didn't care. Nothing erks me more than a parent who is NOT a parent! And nothing please's me more than a naive, non street smart (dumb type :) parent that comes asking me to help find thier kid! At least they WANT to help. Just don't know how any parent can sleep with a young kid out on the streets doing drugs. When it was one of mine, I never stopped looking and found him everytime. WHERE would he be had I not? (he wasn't a street smart kid! they'd have eaten him alive).
I better shut up or it'll get long again :}
      Feel good, LL

[Lady Lauri]

Just a 'laugh' note on the 'non street smart (sorta dumb..) parents. You have to teach them!
" Oh, he said he needed $150.00 for a field trip at school and he hasn't come back for 2 days". Or the sweet, sweet mom....her son fighting crack...." We had his birthday party and he went to the store and hasn't come home"....."well, what did you give him for his birthday"....."oh, $200.!"
NO, NO, NO, honey, you don't give the kid CASH at ANY time" ! "OH, we never thought of that."
(of course they also hadn't thought on her check book that was in thier car that he 'borrowed'.
Gotta love 'em, but teach them TOO.
                                             Nite, LL

[Forseegood]

Geeeez, what a story! good on you for all the work you do, we could exchange tales for sure...I was with a radical animal rights group and we used to steal away animals that were being tortured (we'd have to have evidence, check it out, warn people to stop, and only on seeing the torture go on - after our warnings - we'd act....

these animals fell through the cracks of animal control, so we were the only chance they had) crawling into psycho back yards and untying animals, running away with them in tote bags and cat carriers, etc or leashes at 5 in the morning, thinking we might be shot or whatever...but we saved lots of tortured animals...it got too nerve racking, so I got out of that sort of animal rescue...I was also a volunteer drug and alcohol counselor for a bit...so wow, don't have the hide you have, not by a long shot, but I sure can relate to what you do...I hope you get the help you need and deserve...best to you....

[nygirl7]

I'm addicted to those da*n cigs too.  No matter WHAT I do.........ah they've got me by the tail. The monkey on my back. That, by far, is one of the hardest things in the world to control....ugh.  Hate those suckers but love them too.

[nygirl7]

PS don't worry - we got that you were never addicted to anything - we addicts tend to put everybody in our pool together ;)

[Lady Lauri]

  Whew..... I was running out of words to say...."I'm so dam lucky I never got addicted and use my exp. now to teach/NAG others! Glad ya' got it! LOL How ironic, also was a point in that I could try something like heroin, walk away and CAN'T from nicotine! Yes mam, they are the monkey on my back too, for years. Plus that ol'  'hate that they control ME' factor, h*ell, my dad, drugs and no man could ever 'control' me.....watch me jump when I'm down to one cig! :}
Forseegood, ya may not believe this:}.....but me too on the animal saving! Knew we had to have things in common! I never did the save from torture, testing ONLY as never ran across a facility or got word of one, but did a whole lot of 'animal stealing' from 'kill dog pounds' and so on. I had the whole set of keys to a pound in Colorado, never stole a thing but animals that were going down! On a regular basis my friends or 1 st son would go there, he'd stand at the back fence, I'd throw them over :}  I actually went into a crack house window and stole the dog they'd beat on, not feed and taken MANY from yards that were abused.  Had 28 dogs at one time, finding them homes. My sons dad walks in to see a bull mastif in the kitchen, hands me $20. , shakes his head and says 'I guess you better go buy more dog food!" As we speak, I have 2 needing homes :}
And you do have thick skin and b*ll's......you couldv'e gotten shot, went to jail.
( my only 'criminal record' is over dogs !!:}
And good for you on the counseling, REALLY wanted to put together a junior high school (best ripe age to get to them) program (many hoops to go thru to do this) of REALITY drug course. Before/after pics (teens are vain, show them what they can look like in a few mths., year on crack/meth!)  REAL recovered addicts that have much to offer as oppossed to some guy that got a degree and never smoked a joint! A re-hab in our 'affordable' list, not one in the building has ever smoked pot....they need people that speak FROM exp. I know people on crack now that would speak to help keep a kid away from  it all. And the sad reality is.......with crack...re-hab success if 5% and normally a waste of $. The highest % that quit for good are 'on thier own' !!
Uh oh...here I go again. I better find a 'drug help forum' and get back to Hep C.
  .............LL
                            

[chellski]

question:  did you guys smoke while on tx?  one thing i've never done - cigarette smoking...but can't imagine smoking when feeling so sick...jw....chelley

[nygirl7]

It's ok - we all get like this on treatment after we discover the forum...running at the mouth that is...but that is NOTHING uncommon for me, at all.  gosh some of us could write paragraph after paragrah about nothing at all - at least you have something to SAY!  :)

Chell = I can smoke thru pneumonia no problem, treatment whatever...the only time I couldn't smoke was after I fell and my rib went thru my lung and I was in ICU with a chest tube in - pneumothorax was what they called it.  Unfortunately after 10 days when I got out I took the patch off and took a drag. Yup. NYGirl <<< No brains in her head. At all. Sick.

[Lady Lauri]

NYgirl.....your so kind :)

Chellski......ditto on what NYgirl said. I smoke thru everything, even pnemonia (pneumonia) also! Everyone took my cigs, the second I was alone in the house, jumped in the car....RAN to the store, bought 4 packs and hid them! HORRIBLE habit. All while eating organic food, drinking wheatgrass, no drugs, doing yoga! Health nut that smokes...thats me! (hypocrite comes to mind :{....)
   Even going thru this tx, actually craving them MORE??
  Bought 'organic chemical free' cigs!! STILL crave a Winston with all those 300 (?) chemicals they add!
Cigs suck :{                                         LL

[nygirl7]

It's a horrible addiction (I am also addicted to coffee) and people that beat it well I don't know HOW they do it.   They suck so much but the more I think about them the more I want one! I'm smoking "ultra lights" full well knowing that means NOTHING and I might as well be smoking Camels but...you know I can con myself easily enough these days and keep saying that I'm going to quit any day when I"m really 'ready'.  Yeah...they'll be putting a marker over my head saying here lies a mother who loved her kids enough to do 72 weeks of tx but stupidly couldn't stop killing herself anyway.  OH I get so mad at myself and the tobacco companies!

But hey...I could be addicted to brownies too so for today - at least there's that!   ;)

[susan400]

I used to smoke, but gave them up about 12 years ago.  I drink 2 cups of coffee a day, now, but during treatment couldn't stomach even a cup of it.  But, I cannot seem to give up my sugar/chocolate addiction.  I am so bad, I'll give up a regular meal and/or cut out eating at lot for one of my meals, in order to feed my craving for chocolate and then, make myself do the treadmill, to try to burn off some of the chocolate.  And it's like, I really don't seem to be highly motivated to change it any, just like people are w/their smokes.  Same w/my certain shows on T.V.....I'm like if I know I'm not going to be here for the time frame that it's on, I'll set up my DVR to record them.  Fortunately, I haven't had a big weight problem...yet.    Anyway, we all have our vices, I think.     Susan

[Forseegood]

I agree, we do all have our vices...a big one of mine is trashy magazines, I used to be so holy about them too, I'd never read those! Now I'm buying 3 of them in line at Rite-aid...don't care who gives me dirty looks either...sometimes when I'm nervous about things, I read them and laugh about all these things that are happening to the stars, knowing much of it is made up anyway...and it's always good to know that movie stars have cellluite too...lol....I'M EVIL!!!!

[Lady Lauri]

NYgirl...yep....HORRIBLE! As I have the Riba cough terribly, and sucking down the cigs:{
You need to get TARBLOCKERS filters! At least they take a lot of the cr*p out. You should see the filter after 4-5 cigs! Get the real ones tho, go online. In a red box. If you can't find them I'll be happy to mail you some. Once you are used to them, you can't smoke without and only takes a day or 2 to be used to them. Even with ultra lights, which I use also. I know they say that doesn't matter, but if I light up a 'full flavor' cig, I gag, it hurts!

Susan400.....ONLY sweets I eat, Breyers chocolate chip and CHOCOLATE!
Put a cig, a bar of chocolate and a man and me stranded .....and I can only pick one.......Well, the the mans for sure leaving :} (specially on tx!)

Forseegood, my girlfriend that passed away last year, only 40 and BECAUSE  of no pap test for 10 years (so sad, senseless) was a genious, brain, over the top IQ but she LOVED those trashy mags!
Only with her brain, she could read-FULLY-10 an hour so I always had them here and of course, I now GOTTA know who's doing who and that they DO have 'look like sh*t ' days also :}
Without $$, they'd be fugly!!
And I find myself sneaking them into the shopping cart under to TP :}
   Have a feel good day......(me too! me too!...posting later!)
                                                                                                LL

                                                                                               LL

[nygirl7]

your a funny lady I like you a lot!  :)

Tarblockers huh? I'd like to get them for me and my mother.  I can't believe that we could so stupidly be killing ourselves but still I just can't stop. Now, my kids are both smoking and I beg them and tell them in a few years it will be TOO HARD to stop quit now! but of course they are already addicted. My son was the most ANTI-smoking person on the planet and he started. My daughter has COPD and has almost died several times from her asthma. Well she finally started to get a little older (she's 19) and outgrow some of it (as girls get older they produce more theopholine or some drug and it was helping) but then SHE started smoking when I let her go live with her dad for a few months! I couldn't BELIEVE IT someone with NO lung capacity at ALL smoking and he was buying them for her! Well by the time I got her back it was just too late.

I sure don't deserve the mother of the year award and it breaks my heart so much.

so I have another cig and a piece of Dove dark chocolate and go on with life.

Waaaa.

Boy am I a whiner today!!!!!!!!!!

[froggydan]

about your vision of the world - you should realize that somebody who doesn't want to be helped won't hear you and your naive talking about antidruglessons in school and such - i see you like Don Quichotte against the windmills - u so naive,hihi - but nevertheless i respect your actions,whatever the success of it! please don't compare your "ziggies" to heroin - its a bit annoying...save the wales,lol

[Lady Lauri]

Froggydan..........while I respect your opinion and your more than entitled to it, please do not assume that I am naive, nor insult me with the comment. (followed by 'I respect your actions' ??)
I am anything but naive dear and ’naïve’ would have never came out alive in some things I have done/do.  And please read my previous post where I said..."unfortunately some are unsaveable", which I have seen often. That, however, does NOT mean a mother should stop trying to help her son or a sister should stop trying to help a brother. Hand them $, enable them, NO, keep trying to help, yes. Doing NOTHING is what....admirable tough love? And for the record, how many have you gotten into treatment, with success, that 'didn't want to be saved'???
Myself, 4 that I drug out of the house's and took there. 3 out of 4 are still clean. And several that did ADMIT to wanting help. Also, when was the last time you knew ANY addict that wanted to stay an addict? Even the hardest core addict dreams of life without it!
      As for the 'naive anti drugs lessons' (class's) in school's....do you have children and have you seen/heard the 'drug class's' they already have in school's?  As with their sex speech's "just say no", yeah, that'll keep a lot of kids off drugs and unsafe sex. Or did that work for you?
    Have you seen a person before they started drugs? Than even just 6 mths. later? (especially with crack and meth). teens are vain buddy....show them that pretty girl before than with bad teeth, scrawny,  and 'picking' sores a year later. I have a friend that has been on heroin near 30 years, does his couple shots a day and functions and looks 'normal', look at someone on meth 3 years. I'll match my knowledge of drugs, street life, Re-habs, damages, what they make the cr*p from,  any day. Does your opinion come from any experience out there? And I don't mean just personal use.
   And last, but not least......comparing 'ziggies' to heroin......do your research bud, it is scientifically proven to be as addictive and as hard to quit as heroin. And my ‘comparison’ was…..”amazing I could do heroin and walk away, but not nicotine’. WELL AWARE of effects of heroin addiction versus cigs. In fact over all, cigs are probably more harmful in long time use-to the body!  So what WAS that about?
Personally, your suggestion would be…….not try to teach them the hard facts in school? Not try to help?  Getting ANYONE ‘help’ in the 1st few mths.  Of drug use (again,,especially crack/meth in my RESEARCH AND EXPIERIENCE), greatly increase’s their chance of beating it, versus doing nothing and waiting until they are full blown, stealing, begging, selling themselves and ‘in’ the street scene.
If you have experience to base your comments on, feel free, but you sound like many of the parents that sit home and say ‘oh, nothing we can do, they’ll have to learn on their own”, 16, 17, 18 year olds being so mature and sensible you know!
Thanks for the opinion, think I'll pass :} Enough people saving the whales, think I'll stick with OUR young in the world!
                                                                                        LL

[Lady Lauri]

Whew! Not a post I needed to hear on shot day, (above!!!)  LOL.
Definatley try the tarblockers. try online, but as I said, will mail you some if you can't get there.
And strange, and sad, my ANTI, nagged me for years to quit son also started smoking :
But quit this year! Another one smokes, yep, that hurts.

  YOU -"I sure don't deserve the mother of the year award and it breaks my heart so much."

None of us are perfect, cept Froogydan up there (kidding guy, kidding!) and as your kids started later in life, not like they were stealing yours at 12 to 'be cool' like mom..... stop beating yourself up. All mine started after moving out also (or hid it well from me:} You seem like a good person and good mom, and D*M strong, give that TO yourself.

YOU: "so I have another cig and a piece of Dove dark chocolate and go on with life."

As the &^%$# wine or vodka is out, Dove will do :}

And speaking of whining, I'm about to post a real whining post!
Expecting sympathy and 'buck up' girl replies:}, both being good!
                                                                                                      LL

[froggydan]

you are definetively to stubborn and highly self-opinioned to learn stuff from critics - good luck to you Donna Quichotte ;-)

[gauf]

I am a recovering addict and alcoholic. I will take any prescribed med for as long as it is prescribed and then done. I've never had a problem with that. I too am a smoker and will be until they throw me in jail (which is not far fetched anymore).  As far as helping kids stay off drugs or taking an active role in prevention, God Bless You. Don't let anyone tell you it's a waste of time. They said that to Mother Theresa, "it won't help the big picture", well it sure helped the ones she picked up off the street!  Her philosophy was one, one, one.....  I admire her above all woman save one.  

[nygirl7]

What a fool that one is huh?  Popping up out of nowhere to spout ridiculous **** for no reason.  I wonder who it REALLY is...which puppetmaster is behind those strings? Seems we have so many idiots lately.

hang in there girl..........we've all been attacked by one fool or another at some point.  Consider it a compliment that such a moron doesn't understand a word you are saying :)  

[Lady Lauri]

Gauf......Agree (and thank you ), even if only one. Times that 1 x 100 doing that, and so on.

froggydan, it's shot day, Riba's kicking my self opinionated arse and don't need your self opinionated arse either :}
ONE question, what HAVE you done of any value in the world lately (or at all)?

  Far more open to a critic IF they have ANY back ground, experience or knowledge TO criticize!
I WOULD ask Forseegood an opinion, advice as she HAS exp. in that area. You have posted none but that "oh, it ain't gonna help " opinion.
Note: CONSTRUCTIVE criticism versus insulting criticism.
Go read the book again!

And that would be 'MS. DOGGETTE' to you, sir !!

     Have a nice carefree day...................

[Lady Lauri]

  Thanks and trust me, that opinion meant about as much as my 1st Dr.'s telling me "oh your depressed' with all the hep symptoms! Especially after asking 'ANY exp. or knowlegde' of the sheeet your muttering!

  I am starting to exp. the term 'Riba rage' I have heard so much about.....I am very proud of how I COULD have handled that post :} I AM still a bit in control, LOL!

I did wonder tho, am I supposed to go save 'WALES' or "WHALES"..... Big difference there! :}

                                                                       LL

[Forseegood]

I've always found that some people resent it when you post anything about trying to help anything....there will always be these people, it might trigger something in them that they don't like .....God knows, that's their deal...but it's not about you and what youre trying to do, it's about their opinions about it, on a internet board...which they are entitled to.

This side is for chat, and we can chat about anything and everything, the reason the forum owners made this side of the board is for fellowship and being able to talk about things beside Hepatitis (which can get tedious sometimes, like anything else)...to get to know each other apart from that disease...if we so wish....or we can talk about the "lighter side of being sick with hepatitis, lol" whatever we want....

If someone doesn't like your train of thought, or your posts, or the color of your hair, etc. whatever, there is a great function on one's computer, it's called a scroll bar, one only has  to move it to another post, or thread, whatever....

Everyone *is* entitled to one's own opinions, but I just find it odd to debate about what someone does in their own personal life  (as long as they are not hurting anybody or any thing...) we all are entitled to live the lives we want to have...it's not like debating about the effectiveness of one treatment plan over another...that's something else....and debates like that are useful to forum members, to help decide and decipher from layman's opinions and experiences...

But here, live the way you want to live, and if you want to talk about holes in your tennis shoes, go ahead, this side of the board is for the Chatty Kathy's of the world, of which, I'm a proud member, lol....or your dog, or bird, or boyfriend, (not necessarily in that order:) or some guy's girlfriend or wife, whatever!!!  

[froggydan]

...AMEN !

[Lady Lauri]

Agree, agree. Surely don't expect all to agree with all, which is what makes it 'conversation'. I do have the etiquette to not be insulting when I don't agree (unless they are 1st :} and I also don't give my opinion if I don't feel I have enough knowledge in the subject, kind of like the accountant telling the nurse how to draw blood!
I do, however, have a cocky side that does tend to reply to disrespect, bad behavior :}
   And also know when it just doesn’t matter.

  Now on to more important things like…….I feel like cr*p, having 2 ‘aunt flo’s’ a month now and how about that Brittany Spears , LOL  :}

(….and why this side is so good for us also, the lighter chat side. You said it well, getting to talk besides all the Hep talk -also needed, both needed.)

P.S. Uh oh, I forgot you read all the trashy mags....forget the brittany Spears comment :}

                                                                                      LL

[Lady Lauri]

"scroll bar"..........Bless you :}

[pitter]

this is really not a good place to come and let your P*SS offedness out.....there are people with problems here trying to get help...don't be soooo mean...it would be way better to go beat up a pillow...and then you can still feel good about yourself later...knowing you really didn't hurt anyone with your anger and bad mood...

[Lady Lauri]

Please see forseegoods post about 'this side' of the forum.
And no one was being 'mean', until the rude post that came into this thread.

So as it was my thread to start, how about we just drop this thread now!

                                                                                 LL

[pitter]

Hi ...I meant that rude post ..that was all... I think your'e ambition to help others is very cool...and Foresee has a good heart I know!!!
smiles

[Lady Lauri]

I'm sorry :{    That wasn't meant to come thru as it did, it's shot day and crabby too.
I just meant to drop any 'testy' post, (myself included , I guess.) Which was your point also.

  Gotta watch how I word (and read) things right now :}

               Sorry, smiles back to you.........LL

[pitter]

Hi , it's okay..... we are all under a good amount of stress... and I could go on & on about that and blah blah blah!!! But why?? I know we all know that!!! (So I won't)  
I used to put alot of time into helping other people... it was a good time in my life... I still do a little,
not as much...I could only do it for so long..(getting old ha!)

[Lady Lauri]

Trust me, this past year had been verry little helping anyone/anything. 5 weeks into tx and I am thinking about a little crack/ meth myself, for the energy :}
(KIDDING, KIDDING!)

                                                                    LL

[pitter]

Yes it takes energy that you probably don't have much of right now...don't worry , when you are done w/tx, God will put ya back to work!!!!  hopefuilly you will get some of that help that you put out there, back when you need it !!!!!!!
Have you ever dropped your Harley?  I see women driving them and I think I would probaly drop it..they look heavy!!! Aren't they?
Pitter Pat

[Lady Lauri]

  Haven't rode my bike much since started tx and would not even try it now :{  JUST got the new one and than dx'd a week later.
   "He" miss's me :} I sit on it and start it in the garage a lot, LOL.
It'd be very stupid for me to even try it, it's a "fat boy' and weighs about 850 Lb.'s, I weigh 128, or less now maybe! Love it tho and , Thank God, never dropped either I have had except in a dirt driveway, with lotsa people looking where your not hurt but your pride is :}

  Yep, tx kicking my tail, as is most of us.  No life and have to accept that, tho a bit more than I'd expected (as in no life! All on hold.) Saving the dogs, kids, whales, winos.....whatever is out. Just trying to save breakfast in me , LOL!
Haven't read much on your tx here, of course keeping up with all gets harder with fog brain, but did you get SVR ( or are you done, still on?). I try to not whine tho and be grateful being 2b.
HOW these guys/gals (you?) do so long is just AMAZING, can't imagine as in week 5 I am saying "Oh GOD, how many more weeks" :}......in that whining moment!

P.S. I have a lot of help, blessed there, in all area's and .......
        "Hey, God, I'm ready to go back to work now! Ya' hear me ??    :}
                                                                                          LL

[Lady Lauri]

  that said......... "pitter pat, Cute name!"

[Lady Lauri]

I've added to that drug list I am against....

" INTERFERON AND RIBA.......JUST SAY NO! "

   (Yeah, Yeah...these are 'good' drugs, will help us drugs'!! I'm saying it, I'm saying it!! Over and over and over. )
  
                                                                                    LL

[pitter]

Hi Lauri,
ummmm... I am not treating  (yet)  I am totally afraid of it...to put the truth out...I am g1 damage 0-1. Had biopsy. I guess I am waiting . I will have another bld test in about 2 mos.
I am xtreemly sensitive to any meds...so I am scared. PLUS ...I have INSOMNIA all the time. I take half of a 5 mg xanax a nite to sleep. Been this way for awhile LONG while. Can't take aspirin, caffiene... I don't know. What is your Harley like? color? etc.
pit pat

[alagirl]

I freely admit to ASKING for drugs specifically for hepc treatment.  I have horrible joint pain from the pegasys unfortunately.  I am taking lortab, esp the first two or three days after each shot.  It also helps with the 101 degree fever I get for three days after each shot.

But I'm a migraineur so I'm pretty used to relying on pain meds.  I find I don't need the meds the second half of the week, but the first half, right after every friday's shot, is pretty rocky.  I also have xanax in case I have probs sleeping.  Oh yeah, and there's always posting on the medhelp board...
does that count as an opiate?

[froggydan]

you asked : does that count as an opiate?

answer :

Chemistry/Pharmacology:

Hydrocodone [4,5α-epoxy-3-methoxy-17-methyl-morphinan-6-one tartrate (1:1) hydrate (2:5), dihydrocodeinone] is a semi-synthetic opioid most closely related to codeine in structure and morphine in producing opiate-like effects. The first report that hydrocodone produces euphoria and habituation symptoms was published in 1923. The first report of hydrocodone dependence and addiction was published in 1961.

[froggydan]

but should be not much stronger than codeine (free from the counter in our country ;-)

Licit Uses:

Hydrocodone is an antitussive (cough suppressant) and analgesic agent for the treatment of moderate to moderately severe pain. Studies indicate that hydrocodone is as effective, or more effective, than codeine for cough suppression and nearly equipotent to morphine for pain relief.

you should maybe try this, its a bit less strong :
its called DI-ANTALVIC or DIALGIREX in europe

formula: Dextropropoxyphène Paracétamol

works good for joint pains and migraine (i have them also)

[Lady Lauri]

I am with you on the Xanax....and I don't 'vouch' for many.  I have MVP, which add's to anxiety, as does tx as does having the hep! I think the key is not daily, as your doing with the Lortab alagirl, I got those too now. I am more for the med's "as needed' ,not have to do everyday.
On treating.....pitter....I am also sensitive to drugs, as in I can take 1 when others need 2-3 etc.
And as I am finally posting a 'HELP' post, think I am turning out to be sensitive to these drugs :{
As you are early damage, there is a few better drugs close by (once a mth. shots.etc) so hang on!
I may be stopping and waiting myself!

  My Harley is a 2005 1/2 Anniversary Ed. Fat Boy, silver as is my truck and didn't plane either. Nice, nice bike but what I want is a screaming Eagle soft tail duece....which was about $10,000 more than mine and thank God I didn't as I am not totally not working 5 weeks into tx!  
  I consider myself a pretty tough 'middle aged' lady (not saying old:}, and this tx is making me feel like a mentally, physically and emotionally abused 3 year old!!  man, I AM a woosy ! (sp)

                                                                                    LL

[pitter]