diet need to lose weight before tx

Well I have had every blood test possible and all came back good so I have decided to tx will start after my cataract surgery late December  but I have to take off weight my GI would like me to lose at least 8 to 10 kilos
I will be on Pegitron 100 and Riba 1200  otherwise he will prescribe Pegasys but prefers I do the Pegitron as for my genotype 1b he feels I will have a better chance
I was turned on to a product I am considering using I have checked it out on the internet  has anyone tried Livskinny My friend has recommened it to me as she has lost 15 pounds in a month She has medical issuesand needed to lose weight
and it was prescribed by her doctor and she swears by it  
It claims all good things for the liver on the website for the product It  has been a very nerve racking time since I was diagnosed and I have stayed up all hours of the night researching  and reading all the posts debating to tx or not.
thank you all for all the informaiton regarding your good and bad experiences with  sx on tx
but I have finally made the decision to move forward and Go for it
I am doing great on the Anti Depressant and feeling like my old self again  Depression is a bear
and I actually gained weight! during this trying time. Any input will be appreciated

[geterdone]

Well, if you are unable to achieve the weight loss before starting treatment not to worry. You maybe one of many who have achieved this feat in less than 12 weeks at 1200mg of Ribavirin a day. It suppresses something’s and accelerates others, one and foremost is the frequent trips, it strikes without warning and has no boundaries in which the occurrence may strike. One bit of advice, never let the pantry go below 8.

Other than that your boarding pass is all in order for the journey. Hum… I will be having my cataract surgery this Wednesday on my right eye and have had the same symptoms as you have described, night diving is almost nill to none. I am also a 1b and am post 8 months. Keep your spirits up moving forward the water is fine once you get use to it.

jasper  

[desrt]

You say all your bloodwork came back 'good', but what exactly are your fasting glucose numbers? Given the emerging good news about the insulin sensitizer Metformin aiding in response (especially in women who need to lose weight) I would seriously look at your bloodwork again and read the report concerning Metformin that was posted on the other forum. I've dropped 40 lb. in the last 6months (230 down to 190) since starting to take Metformin ER, my fasting glucose has normalized (after being 'borderline for years, and I feel great. Something to at least discuss with your doctor.
I would tend to have doubts about a product called "LivSkinny' unless I knew *exactly* what was in it. Good Luck with your treatment.

[bajawoman]

About weight loss well I asked my doctor about losing weight and why cant I start before weight loss it is because the meds in the fridge are based on the weight before I gained weight he said get at least 8 kilos off but if I don't make the mark I will tx anyway with the meds
I have made up my mind He said I most likely will not lose weight maybe he is just being him He now calls me Dr. as I come in with so many questions and info from here and the internet he is elated with me Iand likes the fact I am so on hands in my tests He says he is not going to tell me to tx but I am ready except for the weight I also feel ready  
Desrt
my fasting insulin is 12 the values of reference are 5-25
my
Hemiblobin is 12.9 and '
platlets 225 the only bad result was the tryglicerides  198
and my white blood count is a bit off but

I have a huge lump under my left ear very painful been coming on for a while a gland but he did not want to give me antibiotics and gave me nimesulida an anti inflamatory  If it is not gone in 5 days or gets worse I go back

My eco cardiogram came back excellent as well as my ekg and the thyroid tests all  normal range too

livskinny been checking it out seems okay so far looking for the ingredients it will have to say on the product I would assume it is a hydration program I will not use it while on tx unless it is good to do so

I take milk thistle and dandelion and Omega 3
not sure if I can continue those but will hope to hear opinions on that as I feel more energy but could be the anti depressants too

thanks for the support I am relieved I finally decided and will move forward  and no I did not discuss the livskinny with him last night

[FlGuy]

Based on what you say, you probably have the 120 mcg Redipen. If the doc says that your dose is 100 mcg (really 96) you will probably have instructions to set the pen's dial to .4  . If the doc is concerned about you losing some weight to match the dose for 100 mcg (really 96) why then don't you set the dial to .5 to get the full 120 mcg dose that's in the barrell?  But, I'm a believer that more Peg is better than less Peg.  Anyway, if you are like most people (not all), it's likely that you will shed a few pounds on tx eventually getting to the weight the doc wants. Take a look at the box and then look at the dosing table (Prescribing Infromation) for combo (not mono) therapy that you can find on pegintron.com or maybe the prescribing information came in the package. Let the fiesta begin.

[nygirl7]

The best diet is to eat moderation portions and exercise.  Anything else - all the fad diets and as soon as you eat anything outside the boundries the weight comes flying back on.

I like the Weight Watchers diet....that way you can eat what you want if you have a craving, even McDonalds and stuff like that but you loose weight too.

It's really the only thing that ever worked for me - I have no willpower and when I want something it drives me insane.......I don't know how 'quickly' you would lose the weight but you'd have a much better chance of maintaining it.

[gauf]

I managed to lose 60lbs before my 3rd tox. Her is how I did it:

As far as diet goes, it is real simple, I burn more calories than I take in. I use a treadmill every day and watch what I eat. I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables and salads. I stay away from sugar and white flour stuff.  A typical day is a Slimfast for breakfast, 3 hours later at work I'll have a salad. 3 hours later a yogurt and celary sticks, 3 hrs later some cheese or sardines (I like sardines). When I get home I work out for an hour, then eat something with protein in it like tuna, or lean meat with asparagus or a salad. I drink coffee or diet soda when I get any cravings. Once a week I eat whatever I want. I will go out for steak, or breakfast or something great which gives me something to look forward to. I count calories sort of and as the weight comes off, it get's easier to stay motivated.  Eating several small meals throughout the day with fruit and/or vegetables is easy on the liver and the URQ pain I used to have is long gone.

Good luck!

[Keith_2008]

Have you considered doing a clinical trial? The Telaprevir and the Boceprevir trials are looking pretty good. Using the Interferon and Ribavirin alone net about a 40% chance of SVR, But the Telaprevir and Boceprevir boost that rate up to about 65%. Considering how nasty these drugs are I don't see any reason why someone would not go for the best treatment possible because if you fail to SVR guess what? You get to do the whole treatment all over again. That is something I would clearly hate to do. I'm looking to clear this virus as fast as possible with the best treatment I can find. I have a very good Dr. and she instructs me to do the Boceprevir. I should be starting treatment in about a month. I have also researched this intensively and there are many articles that point in this direction. This is just food for thought and I wish you the best know matter what treatment you use!
Keith

[bajawoman]

FIGuy I looked at the box it says as it is Hecho en Mexico but it does dial to 5 100 /0.5ml  just the pen and some foil packets and a needle are inside just says dial all the way to 5 my riba comes in a separate box  but thanks after my cataract surgery I will begin can't wait to see out of both eyes   thanks for the heads up  but it says 100 is dialing at 5 will as my GI as he will have someone give me my first injection
the pen has powder and water in it and the foil packets have alcohol

[bajawoman]

I think the suggestions are great must a lost a ton over my life and then whoops creeps back on I am a comfort eater and stress and bad habits just sneak back up but I have now dedicated myself to get well I can do I am sure I think the LIvSkinny is just a drink which also has a lemon flavored cristal powder that you can mix with yougart called crave and it is suppose to be an appetite suppresant normal day for me is get up drink coffee run to work usually late don't eat till three then eat again at night late and no excercise what so ever except getting in an out of the car here it is still almost 95 in the day starting finally to cool off the anti depressants give me terrible hot flashes other than that I like them but hot flashes with heat is well miserable
nothing is perfect but I do feel better thinner and have battled weight problems all my life as I do not take care of my metabolism it is very slow from not eating actually eating more I lose weight good foods of course and eating breakfast I lose weight I am on a peanut butter kick now living alone it is the easiest thing to grab and eat I have to stock up on good food and I did buy a really nice treadmil  the beaches are great to walk on but who has the time I live in paradise and do not get to enjoy it much
thanks girls for the advice finally feels good to have made a decision can't believe I put on more weight while making the decision

[bajawoman]

I live in Mexico we are at the tip here like an island no trials all very hush hush I personally have never met anyone here with Hep C yet my doctor is treating almost 300 people now a lot of medical people he is the specialist here in Baja Sur people come up from Cabo to see him anyway trials you guys are lucky that can go on them I did get some free blood work from the lab in Valencia CA they sent down cupons as our labs here can handle most blood tests but they send the tests at 12 weeks to the Valencia labs as they I am sure are using them as a study takes a couple of weeks to get the results back  my Fibrotest was done at the teaching hospital in Guadalajara a lot of doctors all over attend medical schools in Mexico so we have the knowledge but in the smaller towns like anywhere not the equipment we do not have an MRI or CAT Scan here yet but hey Walmart is almost open then Costco then Home Depot and Sams club this place has sure changed since I moved here 23 years ago only one signal light and they would move it all over town mostly sandy roads now all paved progress just creeped up on us

[Rockerforlife]

I started treatment weighing in at 210-215...believe it or not....thats my normal weight...i just got huge frame...big bones too....i was down to 195  a few weeks ago...but i went up to 210 just smelling food...i cant help it....i just hope and pray me at 210 will cause me not too SVR

[Rockerforlife]

And i dont look fat at all...my BMI says i sholud weigh 175....I THINK NOT...ill be a broom handle

[Rockerforlife]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7707876.stm

[bajawoman]

Well I look Fat I am Fat but funny I don't feel Fat   I think your new gadget is great does it wake you up too I haven't read your link yet but I am assuming it says I will lose weight on tx well I hope so but you know the saying once you have maintained a body weight for 3 or is it 5 years it becomes your normal body weight  I like had a super physcadellic  with my eyes wide open experience last night acid flashback stuff real cool spirits are alive in my house

[Rockerforlife]

On treatment you lose muscle   not fat....BUMMER

[Trinity4]

I still have some muscle, not as much as before, but it's there.  I attribute that to doing my own housework.  I get down on my hand and knees and clean the hardwood in the foyer.  I don't have to do that but it's a little more challenging that way.  It takes me all day to clean because I don't move as fast as I used to but it is the only good exercise I get.  That's what's kept the little muscle I do have left on my body.  I can eat anything I want to on this treatment and I don't gain, I lose.  Ten pounds in 8 months, and still going down.  I eat more now than I ever have in my life, still lose.  I don't how anybody can gain weight but they say they do.
Trin

[bajawoman]

geez if I got down on my hands and knees it'd be tough to get up actually had to do that today I  am bent on spring cleaning early just in case I can't later   took four days off work to make my bedroom comfy and get all in order
Yea I figured the muscle would go
I have a set of weights and an excercise bench and a treadmill so I should be fine but gotta walk upstairs to use it  
62 feel 90 used be able to do physical labor for hours on end but now about 4 hours does me in
I hope I am not the one to gain weight my GI says I most likely won't lose weight
I said I am too old to tx he said he has a 90 year old patient asking to tx who and a couple in their 70's and one in their 80's He thinks I am in good shape little does he know how outta shape I am in compare to a few years back when I used to visit the gym 4 times a week
the energy I miss

[Isobella]

I wish I could explain it, but in my case, 5 pounds gained in 15 weeks...I am guessing the ice cream and the lack of motivation to excercise are playing a part.  Actually other than the ice cream some nights, I eat really healthy.  Fruits, veggies, whole grains, yogurt.  

Even on the weeks that I have no appitite, my weight has held steady at this new level.

I walked 3 miles today, so I'll see if the excercise can't jump start the ol' metabolism.

Izzy

[bandman54]

I lost 20 lbs before tx eating fruits, vegitables, whole grains, nuts..no fried foods! no junk food of any kind! all breads, crackers, etc. whole grain.
lots of kashi cereal (great stuff imo).
NO sugar, just ate healthy
and exercised... bought a sony wii and wii fit.
Still eating healthy , just added coffee back to my diet and feel much better.

I lost no weight on tx at all, but i was on pegysis and my doc told me that everyone on pegintron losses weight (who knows if she knows what she is talking about)

I also lost 10 lbs when I was taken off tx.
Still

I didnt lose any muscle during tx, cause I drank and ate a lot of protein.

be sure to have them check you for IR and treat that as well if you are in fact IR.
They may not want to do so, but look up the studies on the net, print out and show them.
You can find some of the latest data here:
http://www.clinicaloptions.com/Hepatitis.aspx

ps - if my liver was in good shape , I think I would wait... much more effective meds on the horizon, and if you treat and fail, some think it could cause the virus to mutate and be more difficult to treat later.  No one told me this before tx.  wah!
thats another reason they take you off after 12 weeks (w/o 2 log drop).. to quit mutating the virus...

Sometimes they forget? to tell you these things.

bandman

good luck!

bandman

[Trinity4]

It must have alot to do with metabolism.  My daughter and I had a conversation last night about Thanksgiving plans.  She said I need to eat a big Thanksgiving meal because I've been looking "terrible" lately.  I don't fault her for saying that, because it's true but then she said I needed to cook the meal at her house.  Now let's see, drive two hours - purchase and cook all items for a big Thanksgiving meal at her house next week because they have other plans and won't be able to visit me on Thanksgiving.  She has to work so no help with preparation.  WTF!!!  No wonder I look terrible!!  Cut me some slack here!!  Needless to say, I respectfully declined and hubby and I will probably eat at the Cracker Barrel for Thanksgiving.  Kids, you gotta love em!  

[Isobella]

LOL!  Sounds like my Christmas....we cook all the sides, schlep them 20 miles away, fire up the grill and cook a beef tenderloin for everyone.  This year I am gonna claim tx makes me "too sick"....so you all have to keep my secret that I'm actually just home relaxing this year.  =)

[FlGuy]

PegIntron comes in 50, 80, 120 and 150 mcg that is generally available in US.  I suppose that the Hecho en Mexico version adds another 'size'  - 100 mcg that docs can use.

[bajawoman]

seems so but the bad news is I AM INSULIN RESISTANT so changing my mind to tx yet once again new helper drugs researching for insulin resistant and getting on the treadmill and starting diet today as I am borderline diabetic

[FlGuy]

Sometimes you need to 'weigh' many things in the tx or not decisions.  I went into tx also as type 2, came out svr.  The need to resolve hcv was a prioity - it took two tries.  Good luck in whatever you decide.

[fretboard]

Sorry to hear you are once again changing your mind to tx.  That is certainly your right and you absolutely have to be ready to tx or you're just throwing water in the wind.  I too have been told that I should lose weight.  I was seeing a very bad GI meaning he was totally incompetent and didn't believe that I should tx.  I saw his NP and one of the things she told me was that I would increase my chances of attaining SVR if I were to lose 30 pounds.  I know I'm heavier than I should be, but I'm just not in the mood to jump around and excercise and diet.lol  I went to my clinical trial site and they didn't say one word about my weight.  If you are borderline diabetic, then maybe you should start tx asap b/c you may be able to get out of it without becoming a full-blown diabetic.  HepC and diabetes go together and although I don't know much about it, I'm just giving you a different view.  In other words if you continue and you don't tx maybe you will be causing more harm than good.  Also, if you go to pubmed and enter hcv AND diabetes, you are sure to get alot of hits.  Just a thought, good luck and God Bless

[desrt]

Why not talk to your doc about starting an insulin sensitizer now? Cut down your carbs, lift some weights, and you might lose enough weight to tx when you planned to.

[bajawoman]

Yes I am very disappointed as I was ready to go really ready mind made up and looking forward to moving ahead with my life I will be 62 tomorrow is my birthday so today I got up early excersised on the treadmill then weights I am on a low carb diet and will get my weight down and retest as you can see below the best chance with the new drug
Metformin is only 57% chance of SVR (still this is not an ideal) but normal for someone without IR and my genotype
but a lot better than without it which is only a 28% chancesee below

I think for me it is better to get all in order to not risk more damage and not be able to SVR at my age and my current physical condition I don't think is a wise move until I can
be not IR
genotype 1b
62
grade a little under 2  stage a little under 1  
I can afford to wait a little longer but defiantely will tx as I want to live a healthier life this opinion below is not from my GI but I have sent it to him as he did not see it when I brought him my blood tests???
Hewas ready for me to start tx  if I just took of at least 8 kilos around 20 lbs
GOOD INFO BELOW recommend others to have these tests before tx to know what the will be up against with SVR  we really have to be proactive with this disease it is tricky

Your fasting blood sugar is 103.  That means you're pre-diabetic.  A fatsing blood sugar higher than 100 lowers your chances of treatment success.

Your insulin is 12 and your fasting blood sugar is 103.

The formula to see whether you're insulin resistant (is called HOMA) .....you multiply the insulin x fasting blood sugar and divide them by 405.


http://www.musc.edu/dfm/RCMAR/InsulinSens.html


So 12 x 103 = 1236 divided by 405 = 3

Your HOMA is 3

A HOMA greater than 2 means that you're insulin resistant.....and insulin resistance lowers your chances of treatment success.

There's a band new study that showed that for females who were insulin resistant, taking Metformin 850mg 3 times a day increased the SVR to 57.7%  vs 28.6% without Metformin.

(Metformin is a medication that makes you more sensitive to insulin).