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HCV and Low Cholesterol Levels
Has anyone been tracking their cholesterol levels since being dx with HCV? I've always had a family history of high cholesterol, but I've seen a dramatic decrease in my numbers. It was 259 five years ago when I was dx and now it's 155.
From the little bit of research I've done, a low cholesterol level can be a bad thing for people with HCV because it might mean that the liver isn't funtioning properly. Just curious if any of you have experienced similar drops in cholesterol and how your doctors view this. Thanks.
From the little bit of research I've done, a low cholesterol level can be a bad thing for people with HCV because it might mean that the liver isn't funtioning properly. Just curious if any of you have experienced similar drops in cholesterol and how your doctors view this. Thanks.
Glad you made it back ok. Hey i still got my siphon hose if you need it. No need to go to the hospital for blood then. We will hook one end to your daughter and the other end to you and fill you up.
Sound like a plan to you?
Sound like a plan to you?
Thanks my friends, you have lifted me a bit out of this mood I'm in. Will see nurse tomorrow and she will up the procrit and test blood. Just got back to NY and can't wait till tomorrow.
Can -do --My wife doesn't match my blood type but my daughter is type 0 so if need be will get it from her.
deb-- Like can-do said you will be SVR I just know it.
Bob
Can -do --My wife doesn't match my blood type but my daughter is type 0 so if need be will get it from her.
deb-- Like can-do said you will be SVR I just know it.
Bob
I'm on 800 of the riba and peg 120, I hope your right that it's more important at the beginning for type 2's to be on full dose.
Thanks,
Bob
Thanks,
Bob
FYI---This week's issue of U.S. News and World Report has a lengthy article on HCV. Lots of quotes from Schiff. The article is both scary and encouraging. Definitely worth reading.
you know if I could will your hgb back up with sheer strength from here it would be up
i won't let you go off the meds the way i am looking at it you're getting to the point where you are almost DONE with tx and HAVE SVR - then you can go off the meds!
What week you on now? Shoot - 24 isn't far I know THAT even if you have to lay down and do nothing else for a few weeks (or get a transfusion but make sure they test that blood GOOD) I know you can do this.
I KNOW IT. You HAVE SVR MY FRIEND and that is that is that.
D
i won't let you go off the meds the way i am looking at it you're getting to the point where you are almost DONE with tx and HAVE SVR - then you can go off the meds!
What week you on now? Shoot - 24 isn't far I know THAT even if you have to lay down and do nothing else for a few weeks (or get a transfusion but make sure they test that blood GOOD) I know you can do this.
I KNOW IT. You HAVE SVR MY FRIEND and that is that is that.
D
You know I'm sitting here thinking about it - why can't you have a transfusion to try and get the blood up for a while? Hey while I don't like them either (the four I had last year were necessary or I wouldn't have done it LOL) but...is there any way they can make sure to test the blood then stick some of it in you?
Wouldn't that jump the hgb and then if they double the procrit maybe it could give you some sort of boost or something to get it going?
I wish so much I had an answer somehow. I am a really whacky person you know and I think I'd be bugging my doctor for some red blood cells if I ever went down as low as you. Heck when I had my problem...that's what I thought they were going to do and I was FINE with it.
Wouldn't that jump the hgb and then if they double the procrit maybe it could give you some sort of boost or something to get it going?
I wish so much I had an answer somehow. I am a really whacky person you know and I think I'd be bugging my doctor for some red blood cells if I ever went down as low as you. Heck when I had my problem...that's what I thought they were going to do and I was FINE with it.
ny says...I KNOW IT. You HAVE SVR MY FRIEND and that is that is that.
Whats THAT you say?
Whats THAT you say?
Hey BB, maybe nygirl is on to summin there. When i was younger i used to siphon gas out of cars to put in my car. Kept me going you know. Your married isn't you?
Just a thought.
Just a thought.
I wish that there was some way I could see that article in U.S. news and World report. I don't get that mag and I don't know anybody that subscribes. I don't know, is it possible to download on line? I'm obviously not a big computer expert.
Susan
Susan
I was infected 'bout 35 years. Started tracking choleterol about 25 years ago. LDL was never higher than 100, mostly in the 60's during that time. In recent years around the 90's. Had first non-detect pcr about six months ago and a full endocrine rundown. LDL now at 105. Triclyceride have always been abnormally low too. Not sure what it all means though.
Man, I'm not happy about this. Here I thought that I had finally licked my life-long cholesterol problem through diet and exercise. But now it looks like there's something sinister at play. Here's what I found at the American Heart Association website today:
"Studies have shown a higher mortality in people with low total cholesterol levels — that is lower than 160 mg/dL (Note: Mine is 155!!) These deaths are from noncoronary causes, including some cancers, chronic respiratory disease, liver disease and trauma.
On the other hand, some evidence suggests that total cholesterol levels below 160 mg/dL are not dangerous. In many countries, a major portion of the population has cholesterol levels in this range throughout life without serious health problems. Also, less than 6 percent of the U.S. population has a total cholesterol level below 160 mg/dL."
"Studies have shown a higher mortality in people with low total cholesterol levels — that is lower than 160 mg/dL (Note: Mine is 155!!) These deaths are from noncoronary causes, including some cancers, chronic respiratory disease, liver disease and trauma.
On the other hand, some evidence suggests that total cholesterol levels below 160 mg/dL are not dangerous. In many countries, a major portion of the population has cholesterol levels in this range throughout life without serious health problems. Also, less than 6 percent of the U.S. population has a total cholesterol level below 160 mg/dL."
GREAT! now I have to worry about a to low cholesterol level. Before starting tx my total cholesterol was 145-155 which is great. Now ever, now finding out that to low durning tx can hinder SVR. It's bad enough to have a HGB of 7.7 but now this. Where does it end? Guess all this bad news from all lately is getting to me.
beagle
beagle
Hey guy, don't let it get you down. I mean high cholesterol levels, low cholesterol levels, high viral load, low viral load, little liver damage, high liver damage. And on and on it goes. Seen people here cleared either way with any of those. Sometimes we seem to become obessed to much. Then you can add stress to it. Theres no real rhyme or reason to clearing HCV.
You keep that up beat additute of yours. Yeah been some sad news lately here but like anything in life soon we'll be hearing the good news all the time. Hope your sx's are good.
You keep that up beat additute of yours. Yeah been some sad news lately here but like anything in life soon we'll be hearing the good news all the time. Hope your sx's are good.
Thanks, I really needed that lift and guess things are starting to get to me. Will do # 11 tonight and see doc Tues. to up the procrit, just hope the HGB didn't drop any lower then the 7.7 I'm at now.
Thanks again my friend,
Bob
Thanks again my friend,
Bob
hey did you see mauka post? He said....In 2 weeks my HGB went from 8.2 to 13 and HCT from from 24 to 40!!!!!
He's on top of the world... Still trying to figure out how he got up there though
He's on top of the world... Still trying to figure out how he got up there though
yes I saw the post from mauka and the reason his HGB went up so fast was because they pulled him off the meds. I'm trying to avoid that at all cost. Being almost half way done with the meds, I need to find a way to stay on them. Will find out Tues. how much they will up the procrit.
Bob
Bob
How much riba you on a day? I don't think it will come to this but in a worse case couldn't they lower your dose for a few days? Your a geno 2 so being halfway there i've heard the riba is most important at the start.
Cando,,,you say:
He's on top of the world... Still trying to figure out how he got up there though
LOL,,,,then Beagle says,,,he is off the meds! Ok,,,I'm laughing at you two,,,It is amazing how fast you rebound after putting the peg down but you both aren't doing that anytime soon! LOL
Both you will be up there before you know it!
There has been more doom and gloom then usual so Cando,,,you or Beamish,,,care to enertain us for awhile. Get our mind off of it,,,,I'm sure you both can figure out something creative here lol
With regard to cholesterol, if you have a high cholesterol and you DON'T want to risk taking the liver toxic cholesterol drugs, then, what do you do? I haven't crossed that bridge yet, but both of my parents are on cholesterol drugs, dad's diabetic. They take aspirin. I can't take aspirin or non-steroidal drugs. I'm starting to get the attitude that well, we all got die of something and I'm tired of doctors, tests and meds. But, I haven't quit any of my meds, YET!
Susan400
Susan400
Can't put my finger on it now, but yes, I've read that low LDL (bad cholesterol) can be a negative predictor of SVR and is also associated with liver damage. However, if memory again serves me, the mechanism regarding SVR may be more complicated than simply liver damage and could have something to do with LDL and the virus sharing the same receptors. In other words, the LDL will hog the receptors away from the HCV, therefore the more LDL, the worse for the virus. At the extreme, I also believe cirrhotics have lower total cholesterol.
That said, I've been infected with the hepatitis C virus for 36 years and my has always remained on the moderately high side -- good I suppose for the SVR theory, but not very good for the heart, especially given my family history. And if I were a betting man, I'd put the odds of me dying from some sort of cardiac disease 50-1 over dying from liver failure -- in spite of my stage 3 status.
The one interesting thing I did note, however, was that I had a dramatic reduction in both LDL and total cholesterol after my first shot of Pegasys and that drop has continued throughout treatment. My guess it's the interferon but possibly also liver related. I'll be very interested to see if the drop in LDL continues when I get off the treatment drugs.
Anyone else out there notice a drop in total cholesterol after starting the treatment drugs?
-- Jim
That said, I've been infected with the hepatitis C virus for 36 years and my has always remained on the moderately high side -- good I suppose for the SVR theory, but not very good for the heart, especially given my family history. And if I were a betting man, I'd put the odds of me dying from some sort of cardiac disease 50-1 over dying from liver failure -- in spite of my stage 3 status.
The one interesting thing I did note, however, was that I had a dramatic reduction in both LDL and total cholesterol after my first shot of Pegasys and that drop has continued throughout treatment. My guess it's the interferon but possibly also liver related. I'll be very interested to see if the drop in LDL continues when I get off the treatment drugs.
Anyone else out there notice a drop in total cholesterol after starting the treatment drugs?
-- Jim
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