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ALT/AST normal questions
I have decided to go ahead with treatment in January and my tx is covered to 80%. I applied for coverage for the remaining 20% to our federal drug plan here and their response is that because my ALT/AST is normal, no treatment is required.
Subsequent reading tells me that some people have normal ALT/AST and yet can have progressed stages of liver damage and high viral load....and that the reverse has also been found, that you can have elevated levels of ALT/AST and yet have none to minimal liver damage.
If you have been / are either of these scenarios, can you weigh in please? And also, can you weigh in on whether what I've stated is true or false?
First of all, I want to be sure I have my facts right. Second of all, I'll likely proceed with tx regardless but it's going to be tight. Third of all, my GI is really, really upset with their position as it's from their "medical expert". He's written them a really nasty note as he has to include his treatment recommendation along with my application and their expertise trumps his apparently.
What I'm MOSTLY concerned about ... is that if they're only basing it on ALT/AST levels and this is their expert, there are others who will also be applying who don't have any coverage at all or worse coverage than me who will be turned away for this. I don't want to let this slide and I want to make sure of my facts before I decide what I want to do about this, both for myself and others with HCV as a whole.
Any info you can share that clarifies the picture here will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Trish
Subsequent reading tells me that some people have normal ALT/AST and yet can have progressed stages of liver damage and high viral load....and that the reverse has also been found, that you can have elevated levels of ALT/AST and yet have none to minimal liver damage.
If you have been / are either of these scenarios, can you weigh in please? And also, can you weigh in on whether what I've stated is true or false?
First of all, I want to be sure I have my facts right. Second of all, I'll likely proceed with tx regardless but it's going to be tight. Third of all, my GI is really, really upset with their position as it's from their "medical expert". He's written them a really nasty note as he has to include his treatment recommendation along with my application and their expertise trumps his apparently.
What I'm MOSTLY concerned about ... is that if they're only basing it on ALT/AST levels and this is their expert, there are others who will also be applying who don't have any coverage at all or worse coverage than me who will be turned away for this. I don't want to let this slide and I want to make sure of my facts before I decide what I want to do about this, both for myself and others with HCV as a whole.
Any info you can share that clarifies the picture here will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Trish
mostly just kidding and I hope youre well today...this last post was to be on some other thread...I need a vacation
I know a few people who have found this guy's blog helpful, in the process of getting it for Hep C...step by step and no nonsense.....
http://heppie2000.tripod.com/index-3.html
hope everyone had a good weekend...
http://heppie2000.tripod.com/index-3.html
hope everyone had a good weekend...
Well, I was surprised that you seemed to draw first blood. Comparing college types as "superior" to other american groups sounded to me as arrogant and bigoted. I felt compelled to defend them. And then I felt compelled to defend my faith for the same reason. Perhaps your comment was not meant in the vein I interpreted it to be. Hope so. I have met too many SPs' with this superior attitude of " if you don't think like I do...well, don't worry your puny little brain about it, we'll FORCE you to do what we know is best for you...." grrrrr.... Makes me fighting mad. I do not believe you to be one those though. Sorry I lost my cool.
......... I will say this, before I have come to many of my own opinions on matters general, I try to study all sides of an argument (and I ususally can see some merit in another person's point of view, even if I'm generally I'm opposed to their opinions)....otherwise I'm just spewing my own party line, and "I feel" I really have no business arguing something till I've bothered to read as many sides of an issue as possible. ...........................................
Me too. Good post, 4c. We have got to 'do lunch' one day if ever in eithers part of the country! Much in commom (have had 2 'foster' kids thru state, F'd up parents) and many 'straggler,lost' children thru my doors. The animals, kids, whatever I do, is also NOT for the show of being a 'good person', in fact much of what I do no one knows but me......and I always say that I get more satisfaction out of making SOME difference than 'they' get from the help, making it NOT a 'selfless' act, but something I get much from myself.
Have to go get 'sicko' now, haven't seen it!
P.S. Could you think all that AND get it all written while ON tx??? I try and get to the 7th word and forget what the h*ll my point was, LOL.
LL
Me too. Good post, 4c. We have got to 'do lunch' one day if ever in eithers part of the country! Much in commom (have had 2 'foster' kids thru state, F'd up parents) and many 'straggler,lost' children thru my doors. The animals, kids, whatever I do, is also NOT for the show of being a 'good person', in fact much of what I do no one knows but me......and I always say that I get more satisfaction out of making SOME difference than 'they' get from the help, making it NOT a 'selfless' act, but something I get much from myself.
Have to go get 'sicko' now, haven't seen it!
P.S. Could you think all that AND get it all written while ON tx??? I try and get to the 7th word and forget what the h*ll my point was, LOL.
LL
This thread has sure taken it's twists and turns. What started out as a discussion on the positives and negatives of the US health care system, as compared to one of our Canadian member's experiences (and there are a few).....has invariably lead to a discussion on the merits/negatives of religion, the merits and downsides of our higher learning institutions, etc etc etc...one thing I will say as it pertains to the discussion of our US health care system - in general....Please see the movie "Sicko" by Michael Moore...it's out on dvd now so you can rent it.....lol....some of your guffaws are audible, even over the internet, ha ha ha!
But before you pass judgment on it, just see it, then pass judgment if you're a mind to, and I'm certain you will. I thought it was kinda funny when they went around asking all those conservative Senators what they thought of Michael Moore's movie, and they were calling him Satan, it was pure lies and trash, etc...then they admitted they hadn't even seen it, or any of his movies.
I will say this, before I have come to many of my own opinions on matters general, I try to study all sides of an argument (and I ususally can see some merit in another person's point of view, even if I'm generally I'm opposed to their opinions)....otherwise I'm just spewing my own party line, and "I feel" I really have no business arguing something till I've bothered to read as many sides of an issue as possible.
While I think Michael Moore can be heavy handed, to say the least....and he shows his bias and agenda a bit too often - to his detriment - this last movie of his seems to be a bit more objective in talking about the flaws of our own US health care system, though, of course, the movie isn't perfect.
Many of the circumstances speak for themselves.....unless he's hired a bunch of actors to lie about their circumstances, in which case his detractors (whose scathing opposition and hatred of him has now become the stuff of legend) would surely have pointed out each and every detail of his misrepresentations. He has left out a few details that would of made the movie more unbiased, that much I will say.
I'm a liberal but I routinely read the National Review (not all of it, some of it) and other conservative papers and magazines - and TV pundits. I read articles by George Will, William F. Buckley, Grover Nyquist, Carl Rove....even the older conservatives like Barry Goldwater, what have you. (I'm not the only one to point out that Barry would seem almost liberal -by today's standards...the party has gone so far to the right. My take.)
Gauf: as to your contention that you wouldn't leave your children into the care of a "liberal", I don't mean to patronize you, but I think you might of said that in the heat of an argument. At least, I choose to believe that.
I'm a liberal, and I routinely tutor kids from an inner city school in the summers and vacation. I took in a 15 year old girl because her own parents were drug and alcohol addicts, and she was going on a downward spiral, pretty rapidly...she was exhibiting a lot of bad behavior, flunking out of school, etc...She is now graduating high school (I can't believe it myself) and is applying for trade school in computer graphics. Most of her really bad behaviors are gone, but she is a teenager, and I sometimes feel like jumping off my balcony...lol...overall, she's a good kid now and on the right track...
I'm not trying to demonstrate what a great person I am, I do a lot of these things because I *can* be a very selfish person. In fact, I like to think of myself as a selfish person doing things to help curtail my selfishness. But, down deep, I'm a pretty good person, and wouldn't exhibit criminal behavior taking care of any body's kids.....I know plenty of other liberals who are good people. They, for the most part, comprise most of Habitat for Humanity and countless clubs and organizations who do good in our own communities and in the world. Once again, there are a lot of LIBERALS WHO FOLLOW A RELIGIOUS PRACTICE, INCLUDING CHRISTIANITY.
I *think* Scratchy was making a point (maybe a little unsubtly) that there is good and bad to all religions and people practicing within them. There has been a lot of evil in this world, perpetuated by "men of the cloth" of all religions. But so much *good* too. My mother is a practicing Catholic, and that religion has brought her soooo much comfort and relief, and her life has had a lot of misery. I really think she's the strongest in my family, perhaps because of her faith. She has had colon cancer, twice, (the last time she had some parts of her body removed) but she was the one to offer comfort to all of us, and the person many people lean on in times of crisis. She's a giver and a very kind, thoughtful person. And she's a *liberal.*
She prays to the saints, etc and is very devout...She was actually ex-communicated in the 50's with a divorce she had, but she said that was up to the Priests, not up to Jesus. And she says the masses are far more "liberal" now : then in days past. I'm glad she has this religion to help and support her.
I'm not against any religion or religious practice, unless it harms children, animals or people. One of the great attributes of America is religious freedom. But I do think it's incumbent on us to be catholic, small c, when it comes to judging others. We are all (metaphorically speaking) in Andiamo's boat.
But before you pass judgment on it, just see it, then pass judgment if you're a mind to, and I'm certain you will. I thought it was kinda funny when they went around asking all those conservative Senators what they thought of Michael Moore's movie, and they were calling him Satan, it was pure lies and trash, etc...then they admitted they hadn't even seen it, or any of his movies.
I will say this, before I have come to many of my own opinions on matters general, I try to study all sides of an argument (and I ususally can see some merit in another person's point of view, even if I'm generally I'm opposed to their opinions)....otherwise I'm just spewing my own party line, and "I feel" I really have no business arguing something till I've bothered to read as many sides of an issue as possible.
While I think Michael Moore can be heavy handed, to say the least....and he shows his bias and agenda a bit too often - to his detriment - this last movie of his seems to be a bit more objective in talking about the flaws of our own US health care system, though, of course, the movie isn't perfect.
Many of the circumstances speak for themselves.....unless he's hired a bunch of actors to lie about their circumstances, in which case his detractors (whose scathing opposition and hatred of him has now become the stuff of legend) would surely have pointed out each and every detail of his misrepresentations. He has left out a few details that would of made the movie more unbiased, that much I will say.
I'm a liberal but I routinely read the National Review (not all of it, some of it) and other conservative papers and magazines - and TV pundits. I read articles by George Will, William F. Buckley, Grover Nyquist, Carl Rove....even the older conservatives like Barry Goldwater, what have you. (I'm not the only one to point out that Barry would seem almost liberal -by today's standards...the party has gone so far to the right. My take.)
Gauf: as to your contention that you wouldn't leave your children into the care of a "liberal", I don't mean to patronize you, but I think you might of said that in the heat of an argument. At least, I choose to believe that.
I'm a liberal, and I routinely tutor kids from an inner city school in the summers and vacation. I took in a 15 year old girl because her own parents were drug and alcohol addicts, and she was going on a downward spiral, pretty rapidly...she was exhibiting a lot of bad behavior, flunking out of school, etc...She is now graduating high school (I can't believe it myself) and is applying for trade school in computer graphics. Most of her really bad behaviors are gone, but she is a teenager, and I sometimes feel like jumping off my balcony...lol...overall, she's a good kid now and on the right track...
I'm not trying to demonstrate what a great person I am, I do a lot of these things because I *can* be a very selfish person. In fact, I like to think of myself as a selfish person doing things to help curtail my selfishness. But, down deep, I'm a pretty good person, and wouldn't exhibit criminal behavior taking care of any body's kids.....I know plenty of other liberals who are good people. They, for the most part, comprise most of Habitat for Humanity and countless clubs and organizations who do good in our own communities and in the world. Once again, there are a lot of LIBERALS WHO FOLLOW A RELIGIOUS PRACTICE, INCLUDING CHRISTIANITY.
I *think* Scratchy was making a point (maybe a little unsubtly) that there is good and bad to all religions and people practicing within them. There has been a lot of evil in this world, perpetuated by "men of the cloth" of all religions. But so much *good* too. My mother is a practicing Catholic, and that religion has brought her soooo much comfort and relief, and her life has had a lot of misery. I really think she's the strongest in my family, perhaps because of her faith. She has had colon cancer, twice, (the last time she had some parts of her body removed) but she was the one to offer comfort to all of us, and the person many people lean on in times of crisis. She's a giver and a very kind, thoughtful person. And she's a *liberal.*
She prays to the saints, etc and is very devout...She was actually ex-communicated in the 50's with a divorce she had, but she said that was up to the Priests, not up to Jesus. And she says the masses are far more "liberal" now : then in days past. I'm glad she has this religion to help and support her.
I'm not against any religion or religious practice, unless it harms children, animals or people. One of the great attributes of America is religious freedom. But I do think it's incumbent on us to be catholic, small c, when it comes to judging others. We are all (metaphorically speaking) in Andiamo's boat.
Job is interesting, different. Tho I haven't been there in 3 mths :}
No mundane, monotonous job will work for me! Get bored, I'm out. A ‘9 to 5’ job has never worked for me. Any work I have ever done has to be 'flexible' also, for various reasons.
I don't do 'normal' to well, LOL. Let alone I don’t deal with ‘boss’s’ to well either.
LL
No mundane, monotonous job will work for me! Get bored, I'm out. A ‘9 to 5’ job has never worked for me. Any work I have ever done has to be 'flexible' also, for various reasons.
I don't do 'normal' to well, LOL. Let alone I don’t deal with ‘boss’s’ to well either.
LL
Pigeonca, I like your idea.......but than we'd have another civil war ??? (in jest, sort of.)
All....... I saw this coming in the religious comment.
Good and bad in all walks of life, as Andiamo said.......both sides, good and bad points, in pretty much everything from politics to religion to even tx!!
I better stay out of this one, all I will say is I have a real problem with "God' being taken out of EVERYTHING as it may offend someone while every other weirdo, terrorist, anti Christ and soooo oooonnn can say whatever the h*ll they want, anywhere, anytime with 'rights' to do so.
I better shut up now!
I'm an odd ball, I agree with some points in all arguements (nearly) yet won't bend in the above.
LL
All....... I saw this coming in the religious comment.
Good and bad in all walks of life, as Andiamo said.......both sides, good and bad points, in pretty much everything from politics to religion to even tx!!
I better stay out of this one, all I will say is I have a real problem with "God' being taken out of EVERYTHING as it may offend someone while every other weirdo, terrorist, anti Christ and soooo oooonnn can say whatever the h*ll they want, anywhere, anytime with 'rights' to do so.
I better shut up now!
I'm an odd ball, I agree with some points in all arguements (nearly) yet won't bend in the above.
LL
Could it be that both sides have some good arguments and some bad?
It won't be long before everyone recognizes the real threat to the US is economic. The problems ahead will be so severe that we will have to unite in order to solve them.
It won't be long before everyone recognizes the real threat to the US is economic. The problems ahead will be so severe that we will have to unite in order to solve them.
A billion people (1/5 world population), that's a pretty big cult. Amazing that you are smarter than all those people....not to mention some of the greatest philosophical minds in history, Augustine, Aquinas, Bonaventure..... Indeed, I was awestruck by your intellectual prowess in the above attempt at...humor?
Of course! Good and bad in any group. John Kerry is a Catholic and believe me, I practice a totally different form of Catholiscism. And Scratching head? You sound like a bigot my friend.
In defense of Catholics, there are many Catholic liberals, especially among immigrant groups in big cities. In the East, Irish, Eastern European and Italian people are often union members and therefore vote Democratic. In the Southwest, Latinos, who are largely Catholic, are primarily liberal. So I don't think religion necessarily coincides with political beliefs.
I do agree with you that our country is so polarized it should maybe split in two. After the 2004 election, there was a cartoon in the L.A. Times showing the borders if the blue states joined Canada, and the middle remained as the United States. It sort of made sense, in that the Canadian outlook more closely matches that of liberal Americans. Then we'd get our socialized medicine, and you guys can pay as you go.
I do agree with you that our country is so polarized it should maybe split in two. After the 2004 election, there was a cartoon in the L.A. Times showing the borders if the blue states joined Canada, and the middle remained as the United States. It sort of made sense, in that the Canadian outlook more closely matches that of liberal Americans. Then we'd get our socialized medicine, and you guys can pay as you go.
--------we should really trade animal stories, and I don't mean the current political debates, on both sides! lol..........
yes, we should :}
Sure we both have some d*m good ones there.
P.S. You want a dog we just flew over from PR with the horses to save it ?? NEEDS a home! LOL
LL
yes, we should :}
Sure we both have some d*m good ones there.
P.S. You want a dog we just flew over from PR with the horses to save it ?? NEEDS a home! LOL
LL
Gauf......Of course I forgive you, I am a Catholic.
Scratchin.......Man, those Catholics, they can sin all day then confess on the weekend. sheez
LMAO...sorry, but true often. Man are you opening a can of worms to a religous debate!!
You guys make my LMAO!
LL
Scratchin.......Man, those Catholics, they can sin all day then confess on the weekend. sheez
LMAO...sorry, but true often. Man are you opening a can of worms to a religous debate!!
You guys make my LMAO!
LL
Man, those Catholics, they can sin all day then confess on the weekend. sheez
I grew up in Brazil and Italy and Panama and I would choose Catholic if I had to choose a cult.
The Catholics allowed their slaves to practice any religion they wanted as long as they worked hard all day. The Protestants believed the slaves should be Protestant day and night.
So . . . . .the Catholic settled new world countries are rich in polythymic musical culture because the slaves brought their voodoo and drumming with them (Read: Carabean, Brazil) . . . .and you'll never guess the one city in the USA that was Catholic settled . . . . . . . ready? . . . . .New Orleans! . . . . . .and that is where Jazz came from. And now you know the rest of the story.
I'd have to say a lot of countries would still be sitting around a fire getting pimples on their butts if it wasn't for missionaries. I guess there are 2 sides to that coin, no? Ask a Hawaiian haahahaha
Two priests were in the bathroom at the urinal. One looks over and says "what is that on the end of your thingy?"
The other priest says: "It's a nicoderm patch."
First priest says: "Does it work?"
Second priest says: "Sure does. I'm down to 2 butts a day."
I
Cept that if you took stats on the way people lean in the vast majority of colleges and universities (students and profs), the preponderance is certainly more "liberal"....if you went to a tractor pull, more right wing.....(sorry, couldn't help that last cheap shot, he he he, I'm an idiot sometimes)
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yes, well i suppose your liberal professors might make mincemeat ot the tractor pull guys in an intellectual debate. The libs would stump these folk with there superior attitude and verbiage. (i.e. baffle em with bullsh$%) But, If I had to choose which group I would prefer to look after my kids in my absence, well it is a no brainer..... I agree that our institutions of higher learning are predominantly staffed with aging hippies trying to fill young naive minds with there their misguided perception of utopia. These professors are nothing more than liberal preachers sermonizing in the church of secular progression. Thankfully most come off looking baffoonish. Ya know, America's leading universities were started by Christians as places to teach the Bible, train students for the ministry, and nurture the values needed to strengthen America. Now, these colleges are nothing more than temples spouting anti Christian, and anti American rhetoric. The leftist agenda that is running rampant in these schools got its roots in the 1960s. The radicals of the Sixties Revolution are the same idiots at the head of these institutions, and are in charge of shaping the minds of our kids.
And it is not just anti-Americanism that has escalated on these campuses. Just look at this list of courses taught at some of America's top universities:
At Columbia, Sorcery and Magic
At Dartmouth, Queer Theory, Queer Texts
At Cornell, Gay Fiction
At Swarthmore, Lesbian Novels Since World War II
At the University of Wisconsin, Goddesses and Feminine Powers
And, at the University of Pennsylvania, Feminist Critique of Christianity,
to name just a few.
Yah, I think I'll let my kids hang out at the tractor pull.....
Well how you like that, I let you get my long johns in a knot....
Peace my liberal friend.
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yes, well i suppose your liberal professors might make mincemeat ot the tractor pull guys in an intellectual debate. The libs would stump these folk with there superior attitude and verbiage. (i.e. baffle em with bullsh$%) But, If I had to choose which group I would prefer to look after my kids in my absence, well it is a no brainer..... I agree that our institutions of higher learning are predominantly staffed with aging hippies trying to fill young naive minds with there their misguided perception of utopia. These professors are nothing more than liberal preachers sermonizing in the church of secular progression. Thankfully most come off looking baffoonish. Ya know, America's leading universities were started by Christians as places to teach the Bible, train students for the ministry, and nurture the values needed to strengthen America. Now, these colleges are nothing more than temples spouting anti Christian, and anti American rhetoric. The leftist agenda that is running rampant in these schools got its roots in the 1960s. The radicals of the Sixties Revolution are the same idiots at the head of these institutions, and are in charge of shaping the minds of our kids.
And it is not just anti-Americanism that has escalated on these campuses. Just look at this list of courses taught at some of America's top universities:
At Columbia, Sorcery and Magic
At Dartmouth, Queer Theory, Queer Texts
At Cornell, Gay Fiction
At Swarthmore, Lesbian Novels Since World War II
At the University of Wisconsin, Goddesses and Feminine Powers
And, at the University of Pennsylvania, Feminist Critique of Christianity,
to name just a few.
Yah, I think I'll let my kids hang out at the tractor pull.....
Well how you like that, I let you get my long johns in a knot....
Peace my liberal friend.
Gauf: just speaking generally, you sound like a very thoughtful and kind person, I'm glad you post on here, just sorry for the reason...
LL: read your story on the other thread, too funny...we should really trade animal stories, and I don't mean the current political debates, on both sides! lol.....
LL: read your story on the other thread, too funny...we should really trade animal stories, and I don't mean the current political debates, on both sides! lol.....
might have something to do with how youre raised...and what channels on TV you watch, or whether you read newspapers, read the articles all the way though instead of listening to just sound bites and propaganda on both sides, for your information on issues that are immensely complicated, and need a more thorough analysis
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Just to clarify, I don't fall in the propaganda trap ever. I am an avid reader and am a student of history, theology, and politics. I could hold my own in any discussion, but as I pointed out above, to what end?
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Just to clarify, I don't fall in the propaganda trap ever. I am an avid reader and am a student of history, theology, and politics. I could hold my own in any discussion, but as I pointed out above, to what end?
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