Great news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and open post

[Mister beagle bailey]

Just Got my HGB and FINALLY it stopped dropping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's still at 7.3 and I will not need transfusion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
With 4 1/2 left I should be ok   :)

BEAGLE BAILEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[OnAPrettyPoison]

Woo Hoo!  I am doing my happy dance just for you!!!!!!!!!  You have been such a trooper and I am tickled you got such great news.  Guess the red cross van thing is working for you! ;o)

[dyce]

How is pretty today? Hope ya rubbed a smile on that tummy there . Another rough day at the salt mine, people askin, ya got the flu or sumthin ? My resonse, I wish I could flu outta here! One day at a time, sometime it seems 1 hour at a time. Good thing I'm alreadt crazy or they'd think sumthin is really wrong.

[OnAPrettyPoison]

I think I had interferon flu or a tummy bug this weekend and Monday.  Also the lovely 4 day long headache.  I am so much better today!  I am just happy to make it thru one more day of work - I literally live for the evenings and weekends.  My tolerance of whiners/to stupid to work is just a little lower these days, not really riba rage but riba grouchies!  I hope you are well!

[OnAPrettyPoison]

Where is my favorite wise cracker????  I miss you!  Are you feeling okay????

[jmjm530]

Willing,

Regarding the "new test" --  as I stated in an earlier post, from what I heard from my doctor, I'm unclear whether the test/technology exists in research labs, or only in theory.

As best I remember, the conversation basically went as follows. I asked what my chances for SVR were, and after throwing some numbers at me, he then qualified it by saying that the only way to really know whether I'd SVR was by a test that differentiated what he described as a temporary t-cell response induced by the treatment drugs, as opposed to a more durable response that would lead to SVR.

I then inquired if I could get such a test and he said that this kind of thing was only available in a few research labs, inferring that it was not ready for prime time. Wish I had more to add, and if I come up with anything more concrete I will be sure to post. I did "google" the idea awhile ago, and came up with a study that had some similar ideas but can't seem to find it. I believe though it was not a hep c specific study.

Reflecting on our last discussion, I realize I'm a bit behind the research curve compared to you, TN and DD and do apologize for being overly repetitive with my own speculation and my doc's opinion, as opposed to offering study data. So until I have something new to bring to the table, makes more sense for me to sit back and listen. Thanks all for the interesting studies and discussion.

-- Jim

[ohgreat]

.... "stop rubbing it" ....

... He then looked at me with very understanding eyes.  And started telling me that what I am doing is very human.  And that I am creating more of these problems even though I realize it.  I felt like I was 4 years old and in front of god himself.

He also told me to stop betting on 1 particular medication.(VX-950) He infromed me that he was doing a trial study for HIV subjects that got all the way to Stage 3 and it just all collapsed.  He did say that that within the next 5 years there will be better treatment, but now we need to find out where my liver is based on science.  Not what pharmacutecal stocks I'm watching hourly or what my rubbing hands feel.

I've been told this over and over by you guys but I just needed to hear it from my Doc I guess.  I feel sooooo much better now that I finally have the courage to walk down this path vs. just looking at it from the side of the road trembling in fear.

I do feel good that he was concerned about my depression.  I dont feel so bad now when I cry during the Simpsons, when the phone rings, or whatever.  I can just accept it as depression and wait until after the Biopsy to see what I can get on.