Aa
Genotype is in, Doctor lined up
Okay, I now know my genotype is 2b. (VL was like, 17 mil) Finally, a little good news! From the great websites you post, and information you gave, I've learned a lot, and I feel fantastic emotionally for the first time since I got the results I had HCV, just a couple of weeks ago. Talk about proactive! I'm ON IT.
My biopsy is in a week, and my Hepatologist about 5 days later. I was PO'd that he was so far away, but at hepatitis-central, it has good comments about him, said to be by patients? that say he is knowledgeable, understanding, caring, and involved..and that he does a lot of research, is on the board of directors of local American Liver Foundation, and does lecturing around the country to other gastros.
I was told that there was a doc closer to me, but as it turns out, there are only a few doctors around here that have the experience with HCV. Well, okay, two.
Just wanted to share my news, and say "THANK YOU" to all you posters for your encouragement and advice. With my other health problems, I was afraid they'd advise me to wait if I was a genotype 1 with that VL... All things still relative to the biopsy. I am not real optimistic about that, unfortunately, as I know the odds, including how I've felt for a long time, but I've seen some astounding fighters in here, and that will keep me going now, no matter what. ;-)
My biopsy is in a week, and my Hepatologist about 5 days later. I was PO'd that he was so far away, but at hepatitis-central, it has good comments about him, said to be by patients? that say he is knowledgeable, understanding, caring, and involved..and that he does a lot of research, is on the board of directors of local American Liver Foundation, and does lecturing around the country to other gastros.
I was told that there was a doc closer to me, but as it turns out, there are only a few doctors around here that have the experience with HCV. Well, okay, two.
Just wanted to share my news, and say "THANK YOU" to all you posters for your encouragement and advice. With my other health problems, I was afraid they'd advise me to wait if I was a genotype 1 with that VL... All things still relative to the biopsy. I am not real optimistic about that, unfortunately, as I know the odds, including how I've felt for a long time, but I've seen some astounding fighters in here, and that will keep me going now, no matter what. ;-)
The weird jumpy things in your chest sound like the heart palpations I have had for years. I didn't know how dangerous they could be until V-Tac showed on an EKG while I was in the ER. It got me a stay for 3 days to get a stress test and chest ultrasound (to check aorta, I think). They put me on 25mgs of metoprolol and I haven't had those feelings since. I started TX a week later. 24 weeks for geno2 also. Good Luck
Denise
Denise
congrats on your genotype...that's one piece of good new..
the neurological aspacts have me concerned. If you have had injuries are you on meds?
they had me on Ultram (tramadol) for a spinal cord injury and it made me have small seizures...you do want to tell you doc..
they MRI'd my brain..and found I had 13 spots that were demylinated..or where small strokes had occured...this all happened during the period I took tramadol...
I would wake up with limbs twitching...or heart pounding..
it lowers you respiration and starves your brain for oxygen...causing strokes and/or death.
My doctor had told me it was perfectly safe and had me on 8 a day...
I felt awful.
It was the ER doctor that alerted me to how dangerous some of these "non-addictive" drugs really are. Later I discovered this and other prescriptions were toxic to the liver and probably hastened my fibrosis...
spend time learning....it can add years to your life.
It's also important you know about anything neurological before you begin tx. In other words, you need a baseline......so that if the INF accelerates and brain degeneration you can make a decision whether you want to save your brain and let your liver fight it's own battles.
I'm a firm beleiver in treating this disease...but also in reading and knowing what the possible risks are, the better you know your body...and what sysmptoms to watch for..the more likely you are to do well on tx...and yet notice if things get dicey to communicate that in time to treat the sides, or slow the treatment....these are things we should do for ourselves and not expect that every attending physician will know or have the time to pay attention to...truth is..they don't always do either..so we best be at it.
again, you for you 2b...trade ya!!!
mb
the neurological aspacts have me concerned. If you have had injuries are you on meds?
they had me on Ultram (tramadol) for a spinal cord injury and it made me have small seizures...you do want to tell you doc..
they MRI'd my brain..and found I had 13 spots that were demylinated..or where small strokes had occured...this all happened during the period I took tramadol...
I would wake up with limbs twitching...or heart pounding..
it lowers you respiration and starves your brain for oxygen...causing strokes and/or death.
My doctor had told me it was perfectly safe and had me on 8 a day...
I felt awful.
It was the ER doctor that alerted me to how dangerous some of these "non-addictive" drugs really are. Later I discovered this and other prescriptions were toxic to the liver and probably hastened my fibrosis...
spend time learning....it can add years to your life.
It's also important you know about anything neurological before you begin tx. In other words, you need a baseline......so that if the INF accelerates and brain degeneration you can make a decision whether you want to save your brain and let your liver fight it's own battles.
I'm a firm beleiver in treating this disease...but also in reading and knowing what the possible risks are, the better you know your body...and what sysmptoms to watch for..the more likely you are to do well on tx...and yet notice if things get dicey to communicate that in time to treat the sides, or slow the treatment....these are things we should do for ourselves and not expect that every attending physician will know or have the time to pay attention to...truth is..they don't always do either..so we best be at it.
again, you for you 2b...trade ya!!!
mb
What great news about your genotype! Congratulations!
Night sweats I have had for years, but somehow they have become better during the last month.
Weird jumpy night things, no, I have not had that. Have not heard about it being a symptom of hep c. I was just wondering, if it could have anything to do with your back injury? I would definitely talk to my doctor about it.
Marcia
Night sweats I have had for years, but somehow they have become better during the last month.
Weird jumpy night things, no, I have not had that. Have not heard about it being a symptom of hep c. I was just wondering, if it could have anything to do with your back injury? I would definitely talk to my doctor about it.
Marcia
Thanks! Trinity, Likely had this 30+ years, drank moderate to heavy for 20 of those. Socially, a few, and all but stopped last 6. I've been putting down my medical history, and if you saw it, you'd know why I drank! Heavy into the sports and activity until back injury. Now disabled. Very bizarre symptoms for last 15 years, ER said due to previous surgeries, so I stopped going to ER, and coped. Bad night sweats off and on.
For the past year, off and on, besides sudden pains from nowhere at any time, I've had some bad, jumpy feelings in chest when I would lie down to sleep...very weird, like adrenalin spurts or something, it would make me jerk real hard too sometimes. Once it started, it would be intermittent sp? until I would ball up, or find a position where it didn't happen, and go to sleep. Is that weird, or what??? Kept forgetting to tell any doctor too, as I would forget about it when doc visit came up.
Also weird coughing when I try to sleep which has been fairly persistent for 6 months.
Was going to go to Ear, Nose Throat guy for that when this HCV problem came into the picture. Now I skipped it. Figured I'd tell the Hepatologist about it, and wrote it down so I don't forget again. I was afraid to ask anybody if they had had the weird jumpy night things, I'm not sure I want to know. Thought I'd hope for the best and wait on the biopsy now, but you can see why I'm a little concerned about that.
Yay Hector, and thanks for your input. My continued prayers for you, and did you get the sunshine I sent?
I'm ON IT, one day I will water ski again, (maybe in a la-z-boy)
Cathy
For the past year, off and on, besides sudden pains from nowhere at any time, I've had some bad, jumpy feelings in chest when I would lie down to sleep...very weird, like adrenalin spurts or something, it would make me jerk real hard too sometimes. Once it started, it would be intermittent sp? until I would ball up, or find a position where it didn't happen, and go to sleep. Is that weird, or what??? Kept forgetting to tell any doctor too, as I would forget about it when doc visit came up.
Also weird coughing when I try to sleep which has been fairly persistent for 6 months.
Was going to go to Ear, Nose Throat guy for that when this HCV problem came into the picture. Now I skipped it. Figured I'd tell the Hepatologist about it, and wrote it down so I don't forget again. I was afraid to ask anybody if they had had the weird jumpy night things, I'm not sure I want to know. Thought I'd hope for the best and wait on the biopsy now, but you can see why I'm a little concerned about that.
Yay Hector, and thanks for your input. My continued prayers for you, and did you get the sunshine I sent?
I'm ON IT, one day I will water ski again, (maybe in a la-z-boy)
Cathy
Genotype is 2b? Good news indeed!
Sounds like you are making things happen. Great. And your getting a good doc to work with. Yes! You're doing all you can to give you the best chances of clearing the virus. Good for you.
Let us know how the biopsy turns out.
Keep up the good work!
Hector
Sounds like you are making things happen. Great. And your getting a good doc to work with. Yes! You're doing all you can to give you the best chances of clearing the virus. Good for you.
Let us know how the biopsy turns out.
Keep up the good work!
Hector
VL doesn't really matter as to when they will treat you. Even though your vl is high it really doesn't have any bearing on what kind of liver damage you will have. Geno 1's with a high vl are given the same considerations for tx as 2's. Tx is really based on the amount of liver damage you have sustained due to the length of infection or other contributing factors like drug or alchohol abuse etc. The good news is your a geno 2 and if you end up treating it will most likely be for 24 weeks with a very good chance of clearing the virus if liver damage hasn't progressed too far. Good luck and keep us informed about the bx report.
Trinity
Trinity
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