STILL UND!

Hi everyone,

just wanted to pop in and let you know I'm still UND almost 4 weeks after the 72nd injection.

I'm cautiously optimistic as I've read that if you're UND after a month chances of permanent SVR are increased.

Blood Levels shot back up to normal with a vengeance,  RBC from 10.4 to 14.4 and WBC from 2.7 to 5.4.  This is astonishing!  I'm still VERY weak but Dr. says that could be due to the toxins leaving the body.

The only glitch other than that is amylase and lipase both rose dramatically,amylase from 88 to 134 and lipase from 40 to 101.

Dr. says he wants to keep an eye on that.  Anyone have an idea of what that indicates?  I researched and it  seems it's pancreas related.

hugs all around!

wyntre

[TeeVee36]

CONGRATULATIONS wyntre!  I remember your last shot and now to hear the great news UND after 4 wks post tx!  

My doc told me that my labs would be back to normal in 4 wks, so I guess it is true.  I will take a 4 wk post PCR around June 9th.  I too still feel tired and struggle w intermittent depression now.

Sorry don't know anything about amylase/lipase.

TV

[mikesimon]

That's great news! I think cautious optimism is very appropriate. Good luck Wyntre, Mike

[CMcH]

Yahoooo! That is something to celebrate. My hat goes off to you for making it 72 weeks. That is amazing, you are my hero just for doing that! Is the fog lifting at all? Take time to pat yourself on the back, get a massage or something that feels cleansing.
Wishing you SVR.
Connie

[comeagain]

Good news! I know something about your struggle in your cottage with your birds,wish you the very best and as someone else just pointed out cautious optimism thats the deal.

We love Beethoven you and me!!??
God bless
ca

[working dog]

this sounds like great news....billy

[Deb_c430]

Woohoo way to go! Looking good! SVR

[wyntre9]

Thanks for the kind thoughts.

Mike Simon - right as usual.  I meant HGB and NOT RBC!
HgB actually rose from 10.4 to 15.9 so now it's high.
Elaine,
What the heck is going on with you?  PM please !  i only read a couple of threads but your name kept coming up!  hope all is well with you and Nick.

Working Dog, Deb,
I was terrified to go in for 4 week labs but now I'm glad I did.  3 and 6 months are the next milestones.  i don't think anyone is completely out of the woods until then.  In the meantime i am savoring my release from med he!!.

Thanks comeagain, Teevee and Connie.
I confess I haven't kept up with forum the past few months;  too busy nursing myself back.  Yes, i feel amazingly better, especially the psychological/mental stuff.  in retrospect, as sanity slowly returns, I'm lucky I didn't murder someone while on TX.  Even with the Ad's from January it still feels like i temporarily morphed into a 21st century version of Dostoevsky's the "Notes from Underground" man.
"I am a mean man.  I am a spiteful man.  I am an unattractive man.  i believe my liver is diseased. . . . "

D@mn but I'm glad that part is oVER!!!!!!  These meds are poison!

Thanks again everyone.  if you post back please update me on your TX status, too.

HUGS and High FIVES!    :-)

[kittyface]

I'm overjoyed at your news and admire your fortitude.  Heres to SVR!!

Big squeeze,

Kittyface

[frijole]

Excellent.  I think if you are clear 4 weeks post that is a very very good sign.   congratulations to another successful (got my fingers crossed) 72er.
frjiole

[FlGuy]

The 4 week und is very good news and you should continue to feel optimistic.  When is the next one?

[Andiamo1]

Great news!

Amylase is produced by the salivary glands and the pancreas.  Elevated levels can signal pancreatitis.  My amylase was elevated and it turned out my salivary glands were the source, but the docs could not figure out why the levels were elevated.  I always suspected it was related to HCV, but no literature seems to agree with that hypotheses.

Eric

[fretboard]

Great news!!  You're probably wondering, where do I know this guy from?  Actually you don't, just giving you best wishes with your newly found SVR.  later

[GSDgirl]

congrats!!!!!  I thought 24 weeks was bad enough but 72, you have my respect

Denise

[wyntre9]

kittyface, friole,

Thanks for chiming in.  I hope you are both doing well.  KF - did you ever start TX?  Friole, you are SVR, right?

Floridaguy,

A friend who did 48 weeks says her Dr. told her 90% of those who are UND 4 weeks after stopping TX will continue UND.   I sooooooooo hope he's right!
My dr. gave me a script for monthly labs;  guess he wants to know immediately if there's a spike or change in stats, but I may not go for another 2 months . . . I'm so tired of the vampire-hour.  .  

Andiamo,
Thanks for the amylase/lipase info.  That's what I read, too, that it's pancreas related.  Trying not to get worried about that and hoping it's just a blip.  How's post-TX going for you?

fretboard,  i  am(was) G1 grade 1 stage 1 as well.  I was a slow responder (UND at week 17) so I went on the extended 72 week TX.  In retrospect, compared to the past 6 months the first year was a walk-in-the-park.

GSDgirl,
I'm in awe of those who go multiple rounds of TX, like Andiamoo, susan and others!!    GL with your treatment and thanks for the good wishes.

[IAmTheWalrus]

Just want to add my "Hoorah!"  Cautiously optimistic is a good feeling, no? I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.

I'm in week 47 of 72. Cruising through light chop with occasional swells that bring on nausea.  :)

Brent

[wyntre9]

Hi Walrus and thanks for your good wishes.

FWIW, weeks 1 - 48 were hard but the last 6 months were horrendous.  :-(.

I say that to let you know that if you think you're feeling worse you won't be imagining it.

The good news is 4 and a half weeks after my last injection i feel close to normal energy wise.  no more afternoon naps.  no more showering at 6pm in case I have to go to bed by 7; no more rashes, uncontrollable outbursts, extreme paranoia, overwhelming fatigue.  My strength is slowly returning.  unfortunately, so is my appetite.  i want to eat EVERYTHING in mass quantities and I'm already 5 pounds heavier!    *LOL*

If you run into any rough patches don't hesitate to PM me.  Got my fingers crossed for you that you'll sail through the last 6 months.  :-)

[Deb_c430]

Hey there, I am at week 20, and UND finally!   Still struggling a lot, woke up with your earache today, No fun!   Infergen is no fun! treating is no fun, then we  see folks like you, tough as heck but done and doing ok!

Such good news!

[Proactive]

Fantastic news Wyn!!!!! Keep us posted...And congrats to you to on your undy pcr Deb!
.................and only 25 weeks left for Brent , his appetite ought to be returning just in time for a Thanksgiving feast..:^) Pro

[ladybug52]

I think of you all the time. I'm so glad that you got your first pcr back with good news.
Also that your blodwork came back to normal so quickly.
I think I was most worried about you when you had that altitude reaction, or whatever it was, right after you moved. Do you know what I'm talking about?
Thank goodness tx and the first pcr are behind you.
Hugs,
Bug

[Trish77]

Good to hear the ongoing great news.  I'm hanging in there for your SVR. :)

I'm at Week 13 now...nausea is gone thankfully.  Anemia and fatigue remains and the fatigue is getting a bit worse....weekends are almost a write-off.  Still working though and it takes my mind off of all of this.  The mental, physical and emotional exhaustion is increasing so I'm trying to lighten my load so to speak in other areas so that I can keep on working.  Compared to others, I would say I've had it pretty good.  

Nice to hear that you're doing so much better.  Enjoy the increasingly good weather. :)

Trish

[meki]

You know I've got the Snoopy dance goin' on for you!

Keep it up WYN!

Woohooo!

Got a case of non-alcoholic champagne for you!

Meki

[Mikkimoe]

That is Awesome news - I have sooooo much respect for you. To think what my past 2 months have been....I can't imagine 72 weeks. But your drive and determination seems to have really paid off - Congratulations and you too Deb....that's awesome...such challenges you have all faced and overcome....my heros!

Mikkimoe

[dperry10]

That is fabulous !..    I have still have my lab work, just haven't made it to the lab yet..   I keep forgetting I need to fast, cuz they ran a full scope of tests on me and I have to fast.., sugar included.   Sooooo..   I will let you know . I am so happy for you that you are UND, and pray you stay that way.. Hopefully everything else will pass too, maybe a few more weeks off meds ..  and everything will return to normal.. Let sure hope so.

Keep in touch,

Dana

[medicmommy]

Whoo hoo! You're ship is coming to port! The elevations may be your liver going into overtime to get rid of the Riba toxins...I've been told by several SVR heppers, that you go into a sort of withdrawel/ detox state for a while, and it can take up to 6 months for toxins to completely clear...So, hydrate well, make your nourishment count, no alcohol, keep NSAIDS to the barest minimum...I plan on seeing my Naturopath when I'm done to aid the detox process better...Keep in touch! You are another lit candle in this fight! ~Melinda

[medicmommy]

P.S.  Oh, and practice safe sex, and wear your seatbelt! LOL...did I leave anything out? :)                                                                                   ~Melinda

[wyntre9]

Proactive, Ladybug, dperry, meki, Trish, medicmommy, mikkimoe,

It means so much to me that you all stopped in to wish me well.

I can't tell you how much i have appreciated the wonderful forum members who listened, advised, sympathized, commiserated and shared the HIDEOUS 18 month ordeal.  

If I'm not posting much it's mainly coz this is my first spring in the Catskills and it is GLORIOUS!  Plus, renovations/repairs Part 2 started a couple of weeks ago and I can't be here whan they're working.

hugs to everyone and I will be checking in and once my life finally settles down, i hope i can offer the encouragement and support to new members that you guys have given me.

with love,

wyntre

[nygirl7]

Well numbnuts..................you are SVR so of COURSE your VL will come back UND how many times do I have to tell this to you until you GET IT!   :)

Couldn't have heard better news than this though...cause God knows I love saying "TOLD YA SO TOLD YA SO TOLD YA SO!"    :) :) :) :) :)

MWAH!  xox

[wyntre9]

You know all about paranoia, deb!   :-)  
I had to FORCE myself to drive down to NJ for the 4-week and even when I saw the labs were still UND i started worrying that since I'd had post TX bloodwork done 3 weeks and 4 days after the last injection maybe it wasn't valid . . . . and the wheels started churning and, . . . and . . . . I gotta admit I'm still nervous about the 3 and 6 month. .

When did that spike happen during your post TX?

Otherwise, my appetite has returned with a vengence and I've already gained 5 pounds!  SH!T!!!!!!!  And I feel much DUMBER than I used to be . . . . maybe riba withdrawal?  Did you get that?

hugs back to you,

wyntre . .

[Lady Lauri]

That's great news! Sooooo glad to see this, you pushed thru hell and back in that 72 weeks. I'm so happy for you :)
Yes, I do believe that's a 90% (or more?) chance going there. Can't find the stats on that.

Your next ones will be happy news, you did the 'time' for it.

Happy day, hope your healing, feeling better every day.

LL

[cajunldy]

Wonderful news.  72 weeks is a long time.  You and Nygirl are troopers. CONGRADULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a great day.

Cajun

[wyntre9]

Ladylaurie, Cajunlady,

thanks you two.

LL,
I have been RAVENOUS since stopping TX and have been eating non-stop.  Already gained 5 pounds.  Did that happen to you?

[cajunldy]

I started to eat almost everything in site.  It was like trying to make up for what I could not eat during tx.  I did gain some of the weight back down the way and a little more.  I am now feeling good enough that I am in the gym and loving life at 53.  Just don't let the eating and weight gain get out of control and you will be back to normal once again.

Good Luck
Cajun