Aa
4 week test?
Everyone seems to have 4 week results. My Doctor says that she will only do the 3 month test because results would not change the protocal and that a poor 4 week result could be demoralizing. Is this legit? Does knowing your response earlier that 4 weeks help in any way?
If a fish does go on a business trip I suppose that means he has to leave the office pool, and his per diem must be scale-based? By the way, what IS your strong suit???
ribbet.
ribbet.
I join Debby with the tears...I am such an animal lover that reading your thread was a joy, tears of joy here :)
Thank you
Beth
Thank you
Beth
Strator:
I uses <a href="http://www.porterslotion.com/shopmain2.html">Porters Original Lotion<a>when I'm outside in the winter. Some don't like it, but it works for me. I buy it at Restoration Hardware... a bottle lasts forever. I think it has alcohol in the formula, some would say that's not what you want.
AZ and Carpedi:
What does a fish spend on a business trip? His Carpe Diem. (Clearly this isn't my strong suit)
I uses <a href="http://www.porterslotion.com/shopmain2.html">Porters Original Lotion<a>when I'm outside in the winter. Some don't like it, but it works for me. I buy it at Restoration Hardware... a bottle lasts forever. I think it has alcohol in the formula, some would say that's not what you want.
AZ and Carpedi:
What does a fish spend on a business trip? His Carpe Diem. (Clearly this isn't my strong suit)
Oh my GOD nothing on here has made me cry as hard as that.
I have to take a walk. Oh my GOD I have to save that. Thank you. I can't even breathe now I am holding my breath so people dont hear me weeping.
That was so gorgeous.
I have to take a walk. Oh my GOD I have to save that. Thank you. I can't even breathe now I am holding my breath so people dont hear me weeping.
That was so gorgeous.
This is for your Shelty.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food and water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they miss someone very special to them; who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. The bright eyes are intent; the eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to break away from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. YOU have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
THEN YOU CROSS RAINBOW BRIDGE TOGETHER...
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food and water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they miss someone very special to them; who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. The bright eyes are intent; the eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to break away from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. YOU have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
THEN YOU CROSS RAINBOW BRIDGE TOGETHER...
Strator, you sound like you are doing great still working. Let me suggest since you are a WORKING MAN to try O'Keeffe's Working Hands. It's overnight relief and has worked wonders on my cracking feet (heels). I use is also on my hands because I wash them all the time.
Hope it works for you! Good luck and sorry about your dog. I got my Westie before treatment to be my treatment buddy. She is eight months old today. What a wild thing. Glad I have her cause she makes me walk her everyday and does not let me get by w/o playing with her. Very tunacious! Tiki is her name and I am so happy I made the decision to get her just prior to treatment.
Off to the study clinic today. They did a 4 week PCR 2weeks ago, Going to bring the results home w/me today. Friole I will email them to you because you and I both know.....I HAVE NO CLUE!
Take Care
Fisheress
Hope it works for you! Good luck and sorry about your dog. I got my Westie before treatment to be my treatment buddy. She is eight months old today. What a wild thing. Glad I have her cause she makes me walk her everyday and does not let me get by w/o playing with her. Very tunacious! Tiki is her name and I am so happy I made the decision to get her just prior to treatment.
Off to the study clinic today. They did a 4 week PCR 2weeks ago, Going to bring the results home w/me today. Friole I will email them to you because you and I both know.....I HAVE NO CLUE!
Take Care
Fisheress
Because of my psoriais, lately I've been soaking once or twice a day in the tub with Balnetar Oil. It's a therapeutic tar bath solution you put in the tub and requires no rx . You could get your druggist to order it or find it on the net. I find it helps my skin and the itching. Reading from the bottle:
"soothing relief from psoriasis and other scaly skin conditions". It also contains alpha keri bath oil as a moisturizer. I also add a little mineral oil to the mix.
Basically you soak for 10-20 minutes and then towel dry. If you want to wash, do it before, not after.
Not sure if this will be helpful for all skin conditions but might be worth a try although it's a little expensive. Also be sure to clean the tub throurougly after as the tar oil can cause staining on the porcelin.
Coal tar, tar oil, etc. has been around for many years as a tx for psoriaisis and other skin conditions, Nowadays, they just throw a lot of topical steroids at you, which I also use but trying to cut down on.
-- Jim
"soothing relief from psoriasis and other scaly skin conditions". It also contains alpha keri bath oil as a moisturizer. I also add a little mineral oil to the mix.
Basically you soak for 10-20 minutes and then towel dry. If you want to wash, do it before, not after.
Not sure if this will be helpful for all skin conditions but might be worth a try although it's a little expensive. Also be sure to clean the tub throurougly after as the tar oil can cause staining on the porcelin.
Coal tar, tar oil, etc. has been around for many years as a tx for psoriaisis and other skin conditions, Nowadays, they just throw a lot of topical steroids at you, which I also use but trying to cut down on.
-- Jim
that's great! It took 2 months here, to get the results back and several hundred dollars to do a "specialized test" such as a PCR...I am sure when I go the tx route I will have to fight tooth and nail for frequent tests...God Bless America!
As far as I know they pick up any blood test the doctors order. Of course, I'm kinda behind in all my paperwork (like months LOL) so I can't 100% confirm this. :) But if I remember correctly, the PCR test is not all that expensive from the insurance companies point of view. They are not charged what we are -- in other words, the test might be $400 but the insurance company only pays around $100 or so.
-- Jim
-- Jim
there are a few websites dedicated or based on the Rainbow Bridge, if you visit them, have some tissues handy. They also have the options of creating "memorials" to our loved ones with pictures capabilities. Again, be ready for a weep.
There are a couple variations to the poem in those sites also.
There are a couple variations to the poem in those sites also.
does your insurance allow you to do PCR's that often, or are you picking up the tab? If you don't mind me asking of course...
In general, the 4-week PCR is a win-win situation with no downside.
If you have little or no fibrosis, then the early PCR offers not only an indication of how rapidly you're responding but options to shorten treatment.
If you have significant fibrosis, and your medical team believes in agressive, individualized treatment, then the week 4 PCR offers you doctors an opportunity to up the dosage.
The hitch of course is that most doctors (mine does, Cecil does, many other well-known docs do) will not make tx altering decisions based on the 4-week.
That said, it still makes sense to me for your own tx database to help you make your own decisions. After all, many of us have changed doctors mid-stream or re-treated with another doc. The week 4 PCR is great info to bring across should you decide to switch to a doctor that will use the data.
The plan with my doc, probably at the extreme, was to double-dose the Peg until I cleared with weekly PCR's. Therefore, I had 6 PCR's until I cleared at week 6. After that, the group recommended montlly PCR's although I only take them every 2-3 months but do watch my ALT carefully between. Enzymes and CBC's are done monthly except lately because of both falling hemoglobin and ANC. So until they stabalize, the CBC is being done weekly.
-- Jim
If you have little or no fibrosis, then the early PCR offers not only an indication of how rapidly you're responding but options to shorten treatment.
If you have significant fibrosis, and your medical team believes in agressive, individualized treatment, then the week 4 PCR offers you doctors an opportunity to up the dosage.
The hitch of course is that most doctors (mine does, Cecil does, many other well-known docs do) will not make tx altering decisions based on the 4-week.
That said, it still makes sense to me for your own tx database to help you make your own decisions. After all, many of us have changed doctors mid-stream or re-treated with another doc. The week 4 PCR is great info to bring across should you decide to switch to a doctor that will use the data.
The plan with my doc, probably at the extreme, was to double-dose the Peg until I cleared with weekly PCR's. Therefore, I had 6 PCR's until I cleared at week 6. After that, the group recommended montlly PCR's although I only take them every 2-3 months but do watch my ALT carefully between. Enzymes and CBC's are done monthly except lately because of both falling hemoglobin and ANC. So until they stabalize, the CBC is being done weekly.
-- Jim
argh! the skin! I forgot to talk about the skin!
I always had dry skin, and started using U-lactin for it, years ago. The lactic acid+urea+glycerin+Eucerin combo gives my skin life and keeps it from scaling and drying. Try to get similar ingredients in a cream form for the hands. During tx, my skin got worse, it was splitting like tissue paper, in places it never did before in addittion to the usual places, like the finger tips by the nail. It bled, which is scary to remember that, because I did not know I had hep c for many of those yrs. At the end of tx, it was the one side that would have done me in, the "paper cut-like" splits. Someone here recommended skin repair and it worked wonders. It kept the skin from opening and bleeding. I use the one by Nexcare. I also used vaseline on my hands and limited the water touching them by wearing latex gloves for water chores. Use a good cream with urea and lactic acid and cover the hands with cotton gloves at night for a while. Things, like Desitin, protect the skin very well, I wish they made it without the "baby" smell, though.
ok, good luck on finding a good one to control that annoying effect.
I always had dry skin, and started using U-lactin for it, years ago. The lactic acid+urea+glycerin+Eucerin combo gives my skin life and keeps it from scaling and drying. Try to get similar ingredients in a cream form for the hands. During tx, my skin got worse, it was splitting like tissue paper, in places it never did before in addittion to the usual places, like the finger tips by the nail. It bled, which is scary to remember that, because I did not know I had hep c for many of those yrs. At the end of tx, it was the one side that would have done me in, the "paper cut-like" splits. Someone here recommended skin repair and it worked wonders. It kept the skin from opening and bleeding. I use the one by Nexcare. I also used vaseline on my hands and limited the water touching them by wearing latex gloves for water chores. Use a good cream with urea and lactic acid and cover the hands with cotton gloves at night for a while. Things, like Desitin, protect the skin very well, I wish they made it without the "baby" smell, though.
ok, good luck on finding a good one to control that annoying effect.
A laugh and comfort to start the day, life is good. My hands feel like they've been baked in sand and soon I'll be able to stand a dime up in the splits, (let's see 10 fingers x 10cents, maybe I can get a real small cup of coffee). But as long as my mind stays glued together....
Whenever parenting scares me I remember that despite all the cards stacked against her my 30yr old daughter has become a wonderful reponsible adult with very little quality guidance from myself or her mother. And now she has 10 and 4 year old girls to get through the teenage years. I may have it easy.
Have a fun day all. Enjoy every easy second or minute if you can. Good thoughts to all in need.
Whenever parenting scares me I remember that despite all the cards stacked against her my 30yr old daughter has become a wonderful reponsible adult with very little quality guidance from myself or her mother. And now she has 10 and 4 year old girls to get through the teenage years. I may have it easy.
Have a fun day all. Enjoy every easy second or minute if you can. Good thoughts to all in need.
OH my I missed that - I am so sorry. I can't even imagine the pain you are going through. I love my dog so much I can't even think about it.
My thoughts are with you during this time. I know how you must feel and it breaks my heart.
My thoughts are with you during this time. I know how you must feel and it breaks my heart.
I messaged Doctor Ben Cecil and asked if fatty liver would speed up the progression of fibrosis and this was his reply:
It should not be a major problem. Stage one fibrosis is very mild. Try to get back to you weight at age 21. That is likely your ideal weight. Ben Cecil, MD
When I was 21 I weighed 103 pounds, YIKES!!! I got some work to do for sure!!
*dip on the treadmill*
It should not be a major problem. Stage one fibrosis is very mild. Try to get back to you weight at age 21. That is likely your ideal weight. Ben Cecil, MD
When I was 21 I weighed 103 pounds, YIKES!!! I got some work to do for sure!!
*dip on the treadmill*
Goofball - That is great news...congratulations. News like that gives the rest of us even more encouragement in the great journey we will be embarking on........hahahaha....I sound like I just walked out of a Star Wars movie or something.
Strater - I am really sorry to hear about your dog. I have 3 dogs and know how bonded we get. again I am sorry for you loss.
deb in az
Strater - I am really sorry to hear about your dog. I have 3 dogs and know how bonded we get. again I am sorry for you loss.
deb in az
OK I just had to do a little dance in my cube. Boy oh BOY I am SO ECSTATIC FOR YOUR AND YOUR TESTS!!!!!!!!!!!
Just did my 4wk. will see results next week. I just want to follow along nice and quietly in your shadow and repeat "Eggs come in grades, fibrosis comes in stages, Eggs come in grades, fibrosis comes in stages, Eggs come in stages, fibrosis in grades!"
YIPPEEE YIOW KAYAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not really sure how to spell that so I'll just say EGGS EGGS EGGS!
:)
Just did my 4wk. will see results next week. I just want to follow along nice and quietly in your shadow and repeat "Eggs come in grades, fibrosis comes in stages, Eggs come in grades, fibrosis comes in stages, Eggs come in stages, fibrosis in grades!"
YIPPEEE YIOW KAYAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not really sure how to spell that so I'll just say EGGS EGGS EGGS!
:)
strator; so sorry about your friend, she left a vacant space in everyone's heart, it seems. It is so sad to see children and other pets grieve, because you find yourself unable to comfort them. Good luck on the other issue, the tutoring lessons, I guess as long is not in biology...
plenty of members have had mild sides and still got svr. I think that was ONE study I read, a long time ago, about bad sides=svr, not enough to believe the theory.
the goofball; I will join in the chant: "Eggs come in grades, fibrosis comes in stages, Eggs come in grades, fibrosis comes in stages, Eggs come in stages, fibrosis in grades...and congratulations!!"
maybe you should now move on to garlic vinagraitte, looks like the onions were sautee too long.
I hear it helps with facial hair...
plenty of members have had mild sides and still got svr. I think that was ONE study I read, a long time ago, about bad sides=svr, not enough to believe the theory.
the goofball; I will join in the chant: "Eggs come in grades, fibrosis comes in stages, Eggs come in grades, fibrosis comes in stages, Eggs come in stages, fibrosis in grades...and congratulations!!"
maybe you should now move on to garlic vinagraitte, looks like the onions were sautee too long.
I hear it helps with facial hair...
Goofy- that's purely wonderful news on your tests! I think how you look at life has an awful lot to do with how you live it and how it lives you. And frankly, I think humor does kill bugs! I'm not sure about onions though - I suspect they just clear rooms and provide peace and quiet. As for that metallic taste - my doc suggests zinc lozenges (fight metal with metal, I guess) and it sort of works, kind of.
Strator- I'm so sorry about your dog. We have 2 at the moment and they are such a comfort. When we lost our last dog at 17 I thought we'd never have another, but here we are now with 2 more and loving every moment. As for the shovel, is there someplace I can trade in my teaspoon for a backhoe?
Strator- I'm so sorry about your dog. We have 2 at the moment and they are such a comfort. When we lost our last dog at 17 I thought we'd never have another, but here we are now with 2 more and loving every moment. As for the shovel, is there someplace I can trade in my teaspoon for a backhoe?
when we're "in the moment" of hep c, it's like that's all there is. how right you are that life still goes on. i have a 90-lb very spoiled dog that i love dearly, will be devastated when something happens to him. and your son.....lol. our rule was that the door had to stay open. as days went on, door would be open an inch less..an inch less...an inch less...and you better believe Momma was on top of THAT situation!!!!! kids think they're slick!!! lol
goofydad...you never fail to make me laugh out loud. glad you had good results
goofydad...you never fail to make me laugh out loud. glad you had good results
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