OMG! goofy! how is your brain wired?? That is hilarious! a new twist to the story! LOL!
I honestly did not see that one when I posted. we have to be on our toes here with you (oh gosh! is this one carrying a hidden twist too?)
KSK; please do check the vitamins mentioned
Doin better today thank you, I'm gettin used to the work and tx thing ya know. Alls quiet ,so maybe tonite I can come out of hiding. Ya know, a guy gotta protect himself.
Dyce
sounds like you are a good friend...hopefully, she'll find some better answers than she's been getting...peace and blessings to you both...and you are right, hearing about your friend does put a lot of our problems into perspective...
You want to hear a real bummer/? I had no phobia about needles, got mine the old fashioned way running around with a bunch of viet nam vets back in the late 70's, but because I have no problems with needles, I gave blood about twice a year. I am A-, so only 7% have my blood type... and guess what they got from all my good will?? That really haunts me...
KsK: Nortriptyline and other tricyclic anti-depressants are usually prescribed to blunt moderate pain, and neurontin for more severe pain. I'm currently taking low dose Nortriptyline (too chicken to deal w/ the prescribed Neuontin) to take the edge off of painful hands and feet, and am happy to report it's working. At least I'm now able to walk with more ease and can tolerate touch and light massage, as the key is to aim for full movement and full sensation.
Everyone is right on it about the B vitamins. I somehow developed a B-12 deficiency--still trying to figure out why--which definitely triggered neuropathy during tx. I've been prescribed weekly B-12 injections, followed by a year of monthly shots, and after only two of them I can already feel a difference. Suppression of intrinsic factor, which is necessary for B12 assimilation, can be autoimmune in origin, or even a response to toxicity. Chemo and anti-viral drugs are notorious for triggering neuropathy.
Your friend is lucky to have you, and I hope that in a couple of years you both will be feeling well enough to climb the heights together.
Bostongirl: Tell me everything! Are you doing any physical therapy? What is the dreaded Neurontin like? And how are you feeling in general?
this was found in the Projects of Knowledge listserve (if someone finds it interesting or relevant)
"I recommend continuing treatment to 48 weeks in HCV genotype 2 or 3
patients
who still have detectable virus at week 4 based on the recent papers by
Dalgard (Hepatology 2004), Von Wagner (Gastro 2005), and Mangia (NEJM
2005)
in which patients like these had between 29% and 56% SVR for treatment
stopped at 24 weeks.
I think the longer duration of treatment may reduce the chance of
relapse.
This is more relevant in a patient with advanced fibrosis, high viral
load
at baseline, greater than 5% fat in the liver biopsy, or insulin
resistance,
like this one.
Marcelo Kugelmas, MD, FACP"