Aa
Edema and Hep-C
As a 52 year old male. I found out about a year ago that I have hep c. (Viral load 7E6, genotype 1b, grade 3 stage 2 (biopsy)). The VA has denied me treatment because I suffer chronic depression and I also suffer from chronic debilitating back pain and take replacement testosterone. The VA thinks that I will go out and blow my brains out if I go on Interferon. (I live in a very supportive household.) With my stubborn genotype and high viral load they have recommended that I take non-pegylated Interferon/Ribavirin DAILY for 48 weeks.) I recently began collecting lymph fluid in my lower legs,feet and I think, my hands and to a degree my face. I was given an extensive battery of cardiac tests all of which were negative. The VA thinks it may be due to my long-term use of dilauded for my back pain. (I have an indwelling interthecal pump that administers the drug and the dosage is very small.) I disagree and think it's due to my hepatitis-c, Any ideas out there? With my hep-c configuration would it be a bad idea to wait 6-12 months to try to get a better handle on my depression before starting treatment as the VA recommends? Coincidently, I don't drink and haven't for ... oh gee, maybe three years. Aside from that should I be taking milk thistle? Besides avoiding Tylenol/Vicodin are there any other substances that I would be wise to avoid? The VA is doing wonderful work on this nasty disease but in my case I think they may have made a mistake in judgement. Having access to this forum is a god send and I appreciate any response you may post
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i had a 16y marriage 6 children with 11y fostering allways suffered depression and anger took antipsycotic and depression pills i have just been told i have hep c re-active im waiting for 1st hospital appointment but my body is swelling gp said oedma but gave me nothing like water tablets will i not get treatment if i suffer depression
what I thought was too funny is that they all go these spas in the buff! I liked to think I'm was kind of sophisticated, but man, going to a family spa like that, I wore a bathing suit, some of them would point at me, aaah! You must be an American, you have your bathing suit on! ha ha ha! What do you have against the nude body! ha ha! I mean, it was a trip!
Germans, Scandanavians, they are mostly nudists! At least in the north...Which is kind of a healthier way to look at things I guess, in that they don't think you have to be "perfect" before you can show your body to others like here, they think if it's natural, it's okay...but still, it was an experience for me! And yeah, the French are funny about their livers, always thinking something's wrong with them..kinda sound familiar huh? cept we have an excuse! ha ha!
Germans, Scandanavians, they are mostly nudists! At least in the north...Which is kind of a healthier way to look at things I guess, in that they don't think you have to be "perfect" before you can show your body to others like here, they think if it's natural, it's okay...but still, it was an experience for me! And yeah, the French are funny about their livers, always thinking something's wrong with them..kinda sound familiar huh? cept we have an excuse! ha ha!
oh, and of course, what's always good for me, sometimes it even works on it's own when the headache is not too, too bad, is take a shower with really warm then cold water hitting me on the head...then I rest with cold compresses on my noggin and neck...and try to nap...
in fact this works for me for a lot of things, anxiety, achey bones, etc...
Ina when I was living in Berlin, everyone loved to go to the spas...and they'd take these really, really hot saunas, then jump into ice cold pools, I managed it once or twice...but those were healthy, sturdy people! I guess circulatory things like that are good if you can stand to do it, ha ha!
in fact this works for me for a lot of things, anxiety, achey bones, etc...
Ina when I was living in Berlin, everyone loved to go to the spas...and they'd take these really, really hot saunas, then jump into ice cold pools, I managed it once or twice...but those were healthy, sturdy people! I guess circulatory things like that are good if you can stand to do it, ha ha!
all I know is you've been a good friend to me, as I have had a real problem in getting good remedies for this...I think we both know how bad headaches can be...sometimes I get the wrap yourself in a a fetal position on the bed and listen to the tv in the dark kind...and yeah, it's a real concern for me with tx and like you say, I haven't gotten a real good supply of answers to this from the docs, again, thanks so much...
I don't see any mention of oxycodone. I have chronic back pain and use an indwelling morphine pump for pain. For "breakthrough" pain I use oxycodone (percodan without the aspirin/tylenol). I use the five-milligram dose and they are wonderful. I get about one-hundred and fifty of these a month and usually don't have too many left at the end of the Rx month. I just like the idea that there's no "junk" filler. I hope I don't offend anyone but I think Tylenol is the most over rated pain med (OK, there's Darvon) we have in the pharmacopia. I haven't seen any problems with oxycodone in any literature I have ever read. Hope this helps.
Isn't Sandia a nuclear lab? One that gathers protesters, etc?
I have known a few people who couldn't take codiene. Fiorinal is a mild sedative. Vicodin or what Kalio and others take Vicophrofen is not opiate, but a synthetic opiate, that supposedly is not as hard on the liver and people who can't handle codeine can take vicodin. Personally, I can't stand vicodin, it makes me feel weird, but codiene is fine. Everyone has different reactions to drugs, as we can all atest to here!
I have known a few people who couldn't take codiene. Fiorinal is a mild sedative. Vicodin or what Kalio and others take Vicophrofen is not opiate, but a synthetic opiate, that supposedly is not as hard on the liver and people who can't handle codeine can take vicodin. Personally, I can't stand vicodin, it makes me feel weird, but codiene is fine. Everyone has different reactions to drugs, as we can all atest to here!
sandoz, isn't that out of some sci-fi movie? forgot which...all I know is that even if I take a codeine (lowest dose) I feel nauseated, awful and urpy, like I'm going to throw up, it just throws my system off something terrible...I'd make a terrible junky...
I'm so glad you guys told me about this other stuff, as long as I can get something that is not morphine based I'm more or less okay, though I have such a low resistence to drugs...I'm the type of person that can take a baby aspirin and feel the results...I'm just not one of those people that can take two giant horsepills of something or other and whistle down the road...
I'm so glad you guys told me about this other stuff, as long as I can get something that is not morphine based I'm more or less okay, though I have such a low resistence to drugs...I'm the type of person that can take a baby aspirin and feel the results...I'm just not one of those people that can take two giant horsepills of something or other and whistle down the road...
also, picking up on what Bill said, I've seen in my own life, people that manfested symptoms usually ascribed to people with far more liver damage or cirrhosis...I keep pointing out my friend with some of these symptoms, spider nevi and a few other things, and he keeps biopsing out at a stage 1...this disease can be all over the place as to the way it manifests...
well, they say many people prone to depression are highly intelligent (hence, the over-thinking I guess) and youre certainly highly intelligent...it's interesting to me to see these connections...
Thanks guys! you know this is a concern for me, for one thing, I'm prone to headaches, and the idea of them getting worse is a drag...then I'm allergic to codeine, but I'll look into these things, and talk to my doc about them...
all I remember is the last time they gave me a morphine shot, after my hysterectomy - and boy, with that kind of pain I was crying out for one, even though I knew I was allergic. If you believe it, I barfed for 3 days straight, guess cause the room kept on spinning and spinning, it messed with my inner ear thingy...so, ha ha, I sure don't want to do any opiate based pain killer, ha ha!
all I remember is the last time they gave me a morphine shot, after my hysterectomy - and boy, with that kind of pain I was crying out for one, even though I knew I was allergic. If you believe it, I barfed for 3 days straight, guess cause the room kept on spinning and spinning, it messed with my inner ear thingy...so, ha ha, I sure don't want to do any opiate based pain killer, ha ha!
Actually, fiorinal, generic butabital, is made by Sandoz Pharm. You probably have a generic from Forest. I began taking it before it was a generic, so that's why I say this. The non-generic is MUCH more expensive It is great for migraines and other types of headaches.
After a surgery such as a hysterectomy (you probably had a general anthesthia (sp). That alone made me throw up for days. Morphine or demerol could cause vomiting, but the milder versions, vicodin or codiene aren't so ruthless on the body. I also take fiorinal with codeine #3 for headaches, neck and back pain. As everyone says, take the least amount you can handle. Got my ast and alt were normal! They were double three weeks ago. Hopefully, my pain meds aren't effecting tx. if I knew they were, I would probably just lay in bed with ice and moan all day to get rid of this virus. Of course, I may not last too long in a fetal position.
says......... but it is not in the narcotic/codeine family........
How about the Hatfield and McCoy family?
How about the Hatfield and McCoy family?
God Ina, sooooo grateful to hear this, I'm on the same page as you in terms of being so sensitive to drugs, caffeine, the whole shot..thanks, thanks, thanks so much for this info...funny how I've been asking docs this and getting vague answers, so glad you told me this, sorry if I'm gushing!!!! ha ha! these boards are great for hearing things you might not always have access to outside...
I'm not at all sure addiction to statistics is any sign of intelligence..more like an affliction, and a temporary one I hope (there's a lot to learn from watching dogs nap).
as far as I know, the *only* therapeutic benefit of the peg-IFNs over unmodified IFNa or IFNb is the additional active time conferred by the presence of the peg add on. The actual protein is identical in the pegylated/unpegylated variants. The presence of the peg delays breakdown and keeps the drug in circulation longer; for this reason, once a week peg is superior to twice a week unpeg. However, if you're willing to put up with it, nothing's going to beat daily injections of IFN. In that regard what they're proposing is not an inferior substitute, but a more direct and powerful way to dose the drug. Infergen on the other hand differs from IFNa/IFNb in that it's not a naturally occurring protein but a synthetically designed variant (chemists came up with its design by combining various naturally occurring forms). Starting therapy with Infergen would be unusual - it's usually reserved for those who have failed conventional IFN therapy.
I had a much harder time with depression during tx than either before or after. Something about the meds really brought the sky down low. Adding an AD helped reduce the effect and the high cost of funeral services ($800 for basic cremation - outrageous!)kept the "suicidal ideations" in check. One reasonable strategy is to first sign up for an 8 week "trial" - by then most of the side effects should have surfaced and your viral load drop will give you a pretty good idea of whether investing another 40 is going to pay off.
I had a much harder time with depression during tx than either before or after. Something about the meds really brought the sky down low. Adding an AD helped reduce the effect and the high cost of funeral services ($800 for basic cremation - outrageous!)kept the "suicidal ideations" in check. One reasonable strategy is to first sign up for an 8 week "trial" - by then most of the side effects should have surfaced and your viral load drop will give you a pretty good idea of whether investing another 40 is going to pay off.
Hey there, gal--
I believe Vicoprofen is hydrocodone /ibuprofen combo as opposed to Vicoden which is hydrocodone/acetaminophen. You might flag down Cuteus next time she swings by and ask her for specifics. I seem to recall it was her drug of choice for Tx.
Take care,
Bill
I believe Vicoprofen is hydrocodone /ibuprofen combo as opposed to Vicoden which is hydrocodone/acetaminophen. You might flag down Cuteus next time she swings by and ask her for specifics. I seem to recall it was her drug of choice for Tx.
Take care,
Bill
What about Ultram (tramadol)? I never took it, but it's what my liver-dude prescribed. It is opoid based, if that's the problem.
Said: I'm allergic to codeine and I'm looking for a stronger pain reliever that doesn't have it
Unfortunately for you if you are allergic to the codeine based narcotics...most likely the stronger ones are also morphine derivitive and are going to bother you more.
Vicodin is really no "stronger" than a tylenol #4 but it's made with hydrocodone which is a synthetic type base. As it's synthetic it might bother you = but vicodin is not really anything that I would call "strong" at all.
It might be worth a try though - even if there isn't really much difference it might be enough!
Unfortunately for you if you are allergic to the codeine based narcotics...most likely the stronger ones are also morphine derivitive and are going to bother you more.
Vicodin is really no "stronger" than a tylenol #4 but it's made with hydrocodone which is a synthetic type base. As it's synthetic it might bother you = but vicodin is not really anything that I would call "strong" at all.
It might be worth a try though - even if there isn't really much difference it might be enough!
I am being treated at the VA Hospital in West Haven, CT. After I had been on treatment for a few weeks, I developed depression. The doctor put me on an antidepressant, and sent me to talk to a "shrink". That did help with the depression and I was able to continue treatment. Tomorrow I'll do shot #45 and I'm feeling ok.
I do think that if you have real serious clinical depression, treatment could push you over the edge. What the VA is saying does make sense; get the depression under control first. You can live a long time with hep c; I've had hep c for over 30 years and I'm still only a stage 2.
The VA hospital I go to has given me good treatment. My VA hospital has doctors who also work at Yale New Haven Hospital. Many VA hospitals have very good reputations. Find out if there is a hepatitis c support group at your VA hospital. There is a hep c support group at my hospital - that's a good place to meet other patients on treatment, or patients who are just starting treatment, or are done with treatment. The VA does treat a lot of hep c and they seem to be doing a good job for me. They have a lot of experience with hep c because so many vets have hep c.
Hepatitis c is a slow disease; you don't need to rush into treatment until you get a better handle on the depression. Keep us posted as to your progress.
Bob
I do think that if you have real serious clinical depression, treatment could push you over the edge. What the VA is saying does make sense; get the depression under control first. You can live a long time with hep c; I've had hep c for over 30 years and I'm still only a stage 2.
The VA hospital I go to has given me good treatment. My VA hospital has doctors who also work at Yale New Haven Hospital. Many VA hospitals have very good reputations. Find out if there is a hepatitis c support group at your VA hospital. There is a hep c support group at my hospital - that's a good place to meet other patients on treatment, or patients who are just starting treatment, or are done with treatment. The VA does treat a lot of hep c and they seem to be doing a good job for me. They have a lot of experience with hep c because so many vets have hep c.
Hepatitis c is a slow disease; you don't need to rush into treatment until you get a better handle on the depression. Keep us posted as to your progress.
Bob
hi Bill, is this other pain reliever, vico whatever, forgot, the one other then vicodin (sorry I sound like such a ninnie) have codeine in it? I'm allergic to codeine and I'm looking for a stronger pain reliever that doesn't have it...I'd think it would..and of course, I could always go look it up...if you have any suggestions...
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