Aa
Finished 72 Weeks
Last night was my last dose of ribavirin. I want to preface this post by saying that I am thankful that I was spared many of the horrible side effects that so many people on this forum have suffered. I was able to work throughout treatment and was able to tolerate a fairly high dose of ribavirin with the help of Procrit. Still, I found out that 72 weeks is a long time, and I would like to get back some of the things I lost.
I want my energy back.
I want my hair back.
I want my appetite back.
I want my libido back.
I want my personality back.
I want my 20 pounds back.
I want my wife to have her husband back.
Thanks to everyone here on this forum for all your help and support. I'm a physician, but I learned more here than I did anywhere else. I'm glad I didn't have to do this all by myself.
My plan is to get my EOT labs in a couple of days and then stay the heck away from all doctors, pills and shots for six months. At six months I'll get my VL checked and celebrate if I've attained SVR. If not, I'll wait another six months, get a liver biopsy then decide if I want to retreat or wait for the newer drugs to be approved.
Thanks again for all the info and support. I'll continue to check in and let everyone know how things are going on my wish list above.
Jeff
Facta non Verba
I want my energy back.
I want my hair back.
I want my appetite back.
I want my libido back.
I want my personality back.
I want my 20 pounds back.
I want my wife to have her husband back.
Thanks to everyone here on this forum for all your help and support. I'm a physician, but I learned more here than I did anywhere else. I'm glad I didn't have to do this all by myself.
My plan is to get my EOT labs in a couple of days and then stay the heck away from all doctors, pills and shots for six months. At six months I'll get my VL checked and celebrate if I've attained SVR. If not, I'll wait another six months, get a liver biopsy then decide if I want to retreat or wait for the newer drugs to be approved.
Thanks again for all the info and support. I'll continue to check in and let everyone know how things are going on my wish list above.
Jeff
Facta non Verba
Thanks for all the kind words, encouragement and prayers.
Rockerforlife:
You asked about letting the drugs linger a little bit longer. I don't know about doing a detoxification, but I do want to change my diet. For the last year and a half I've eaten two high fat meals a day to enhance absorbtion of the ribavirin, and the rest of what I ate was anything that I could get down to keep weight on. I'm cutting out some of the fat and adding the fiber I also avoided. See what I learned here?:-)
Jmjm530
You're right about a genesis. At first I wanted to stay out of the process because I didn't want to be in the position of a doctor treating himself. Kind of like that old saying that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client. Then I began listening to people here and hearing about high relapse rates, new drugs and extended treatment. My doctor is a hepatologist at a major university, and he was straight up with me about my chances and was the one who suggested extending to 72 weeks when I didn't clear until week 20. I read about Alinia here and even got the links to the articles here. My doctor didn't want to prescribe it for me off-label, so I had a friend write me the Rx.
JackABCD
I'm 52, white, male, geno 1b, 185 pounds at start of treatment. This was my first time. I didn't clear until about week 20 after ramping up the ribavirin to 1600mg/day. Despite Procrit, my hemoglobin has dropped as low as 8. Without Procrit I couldn't have completed treatment.
Sounds like you're like you're on track having cleared by 8 weeks. If treatment failed before because you were on monotherapy with interferon only, I doubt you would need to extend treatment since you are doing so well on the INF/Riba combo. Of course, the standard disclaimer: talk it over with your doctor.
Smaug48 and Deb_c430
Hang in there. You've both been through ordeals before. I don't think it's a coincidence that so many extenders are reaching SVR. Short of the new drugs, extending is our best shot. I'm glad I did it. The research supports the 72 week treatment period, so I didn't want to play around with any shorter treatment based on someone's theory alone. If 96 weeks had been shown to be much better than 72 I would have done that, too. (I think.)
Zazza
Swedish, exotic screen name... what can I say? I'll track down your 72 week club post and update it. Thanks.
Rockerforlife:
You asked about letting the drugs linger a little bit longer. I don't know about doing a detoxification, but I do want to change my diet. For the last year and a half I've eaten two high fat meals a day to enhance absorbtion of the ribavirin, and the rest of what I ate was anything that I could get down to keep weight on. I'm cutting out some of the fat and adding the fiber I also avoided. See what I learned here?:-)
Jmjm530
You're right about a genesis. At first I wanted to stay out of the process because I didn't want to be in the position of a doctor treating himself. Kind of like that old saying that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client. Then I began listening to people here and hearing about high relapse rates, new drugs and extended treatment. My doctor is a hepatologist at a major university, and he was straight up with me about my chances and was the one who suggested extending to 72 weeks when I didn't clear until week 20. I read about Alinia here and even got the links to the articles here. My doctor didn't want to prescribe it for me off-label, so I had a friend write me the Rx.
JackABCD
I'm 52, white, male, geno 1b, 185 pounds at start of treatment. This was my first time. I didn't clear until about week 20 after ramping up the ribavirin to 1600mg/day. Despite Procrit, my hemoglobin has dropped as low as 8. Without Procrit I couldn't have completed treatment.
Sounds like you're like you're on track having cleared by 8 weeks. If treatment failed before because you were on monotherapy with interferon only, I doubt you would need to extend treatment since you are doing so well on the INF/Riba combo. Of course, the standard disclaimer: talk it over with your doctor.
Smaug48 and Deb_c430
Hang in there. You've both been through ordeals before. I don't think it's a coincidence that so many extenders are reaching SVR. Short of the new drugs, extending is our best shot. I'm glad I did it. The research supports the 72 week treatment period, so I didn't want to play around with any shorter treatment based on someone's theory alone. If 96 weeks had been shown to be much better than 72 I would have done that, too. (I think.)
Zazza
Swedish, exotic screen name... what can I say? I'll track down your 72 week club post and update it. Thanks.
A huge congratulations on completing you treatment!!!! I pray for your SVR and a hep c free life! May you also have a quick recovery from treatment.
All the best and warm wishes.
Marcia
All the best and warm wishes.
Marcia
Great news! Wishing you the best and may your list of 'wants' and dreams come true!
Jacob
Jacob
cool of you to say you learned in here. I hope your specialty will allow you to treat others with this...we need some docs who know what tx is like!!
anyway congrats on your 72 wks....I'll be joining you soon.
It's been a long haul, but the only haul that made sense.
Good luck to you on SVR forever!!
mb
anyway congrats on your 72 wks....I'll be joining you soon.
It's been a long haul, but the only haul that made sense.
Good luck to you on SVR forever!!
mb
cool of you to say you learned in here. I hope your specialty will allow you to treat others with this...we need some docs who know what tx is like!!
anyway congrats on your 72 wks....I'll be joining you soon.
It's been a long haul, but the only haul that made sense.
Good luck to you on SVR forever!!
mb
anyway congrats on your 72 wks....I'll be joining you soon.
It's been a long haul, but the only haul that made sense.
Good luck to you on SVR forever!!
mb
I hope ONLY the Best for you.For reaching the goals you have come so far to reach.
If you reach for the stars- You will be one ! After tx for 72 weeks, You are one on here.
You will get better.I'm impressed that you worked throughout...
I do remember you had a rough time.
I bet your wife wants you back as well.She's still with you, I think she'll take any of you ...
One day,one step at a time.You did it ! I ONLY hope you'll have it-SVR-Six months from now !
You have ALOT of people rooting for you !
God Bless,
Tammy
If you reach for the stars- You will be one ! After tx for 72 weeks, You are one on here.
You will get better.I'm impressed that you worked throughout...
I do remember you had a rough time.
I bet your wife wants you back as well.She's still with you, I think she'll take any of you ...
One day,one step at a time.You did it ! I ONLY hope you'll have it-SVR-Six months from now !
You have ALOT of people rooting for you !
God Bless,
Tammy
Congrats Jeff! Much looking forward to repeating your words myself. I've done 50 weeks out of a planned 88. Yep, it's a long haul...
Please keep us posted on how soon you get your "wants" - it would be useful info for many of us.
Hope they come quickly!
smaug
Please keep us posted on how soon you get your "wants" - it would be useful info for many of us.
Hope they come quickly!
smaug
Congratulations on your last riba last night - what an impressive landmark. And I love your plan to walk away after your EOT test and never return for testing for six months.
Energy, hair, appetite, libido, personality, twenty pounds - they're all on the horizon, I'm sure. And your lucky and patient wife will have you back soon, better than ever.
Energy, hair, appetite, libido, personality, twenty pounds - they're all on the horizon, I'm sure. And your lucky and patient wife will have you back soon, better than ever.
You accomplished something pretty tough to do! I wish you every well! I am on 72 + myself.
Hope all goes well, sending you warm wishes and a time of comfort!
Take care
Deb
Hope all goes well, sending you warm wishes and a time of comfort!
Take care
Deb
Cogratulations on completing tx! Hat's off to you for hanging in for that long.
Your plan sounds great....I look forward to following it in about a month myself.
Please keep us posted. On to SVR!!
Isobella
Your plan sounds great....I look forward to following it in about a month myself.
Please keep us posted. On to SVR!!
Isobella
Wonderful news - We seem to have made similar decisions regarding our treatment.
Wishing you the very best and may all your "I want my's" return soon.
Regards,
Trinity
Wishing you the very best and may all your "I want my's" return soon.
Regards,
Trinity
A very hearty and sincere congratulations to you, Jeff. I wish you well in the coming months, and look forward to hearing upcoming good news from you.
All the best—
Bill
All the best—
Bill
Congratulations on finishing a job well done!
I like your list. It is very illustrative. I am 8 months post tx and I can tell you my hair is still growing back, my libido was never gone, my energy is so much better, my appetitie came back with a vengeance as soon as I stopped treating! I was constantly hungry for weeks! My kids got their mom back but of course tx has had some impact on my personality, as do all major experiences we go through in life.
I will be looking for your results, hoping it is SVR,
Za
I like your list. It is very illustrative. I am 8 months post tx and I can tell you my hair is still growing back, my libido was never gone, my energy is so much better, my appetitie came back with a vengeance as soon as I stopped treating! I was constantly hungry for weeks! My kids got their mom back but of course tx has had some impact on my personality, as do all major experiences we go through in life.
I will be looking for your results, hoping it is SVR,
Za
Congratulations.
My best wishes to you and hope for SVR.
Could you please provide some data about yourself: geno, why 72 weeks, was it your first time on treatement ?
About myself - Geno 1b, now start week 46, I have started treatement 3 times in past before there was Riba but I have abandon after few weeks.
This time - I take Pagasys and Riba, I am UND since week 8, going to me my doc 10 dayd from now and I am curious to know if he will recommend me to continue for 72 weeks or not ? Before starting this last treatement I made bx and was diagnosed as Stage 2-3 Grade 2-3.
Thank you & Good Luck to you.
Jack
My best wishes to you and hope for SVR.
Could you please provide some data about yourself: geno, why 72 weeks, was it your first time on treatement ?
About myself - Geno 1b, now start week 46, I have started treatement 3 times in past before there was Riba but I have abandon after few weeks.
This time - I take Pagasys and Riba, I am UND since week 8, going to me my doc 10 dayd from now and I am curious to know if he will recommend me to continue for 72 weeks or not ? Before starting this last treatement I made bx and was diagnosed as Stage 2-3 Grade 2-3.
Thank you & Good Luck to you.
Jack
Congratulations!!!
I do remember -- at least I think I do :) -- your genesis here. From total faith in leaving treatment in the hands of your doctor, to putting it in your own hands, to helping so many others with what you have learned. I like your plan moving forward, especially the part about not seeing any docs for six months!
All the best,
-- Jim
I do remember -- at least I think I do :) -- your genesis here. From total faith in leaving treatment in the hands of your doctor, to putting it in your own hands, to helping so many others with what you have learned. I like your plan moving forward, especially the part about not seeing any docs for six months!
All the best,
-- Jim
Great news!! Congratulations on your completion of tx, hopefully things will get back to normal for you. good luck and I hope everything comes back to you soon as you head into home plate for your SVR. God Bless
"I'm a physician, but I learned more here than I did anywhere else."
This speaks so highly of the site. I'm an RN, tx wk 8, and also finding this to be the best source of information, not to mention the support, reassurance, and generosity I receive from members.
Best wishes to you! Huge respect for completing 72 wks!! I'll look forward to hearing how you do. Hoping your transition back into non-tx world is smooth for you, and you get everything you want without too much waiting!!
This speaks so highly of the site. I'm an RN, tx wk 8, and also finding this to be the best source of information, not to mention the support, reassurance, and generosity I receive from members.
Best wishes to you! Huge respect for completing 72 wks!! I'll look forward to hearing how you do. Hoping your transition back into non-tx world is smooth for you, and you get everything you want without too much waiting!!
Congratulations and I hope you get everything back soon and then some. You and your wife deserve it.
congrats!!!!!!!!! I finished two months ago and would also like my life back. What I´m trying to say, don´t expect it all too fast; but be assured you are not the only one whose life fell apart on TX; good luck to you
ciao
c.
ciao
c.
Im just wodering if its ok now to go crazy on the heath foods and supplements the day after you finish TX....maybe we should let the tx drugs just "linger" for 6 months?,,,as you know some foods and herbs can de tox us...what do you think?...BTW
CONRATULATIONS
CONRATULATIONS
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