More sides (thrush!) and thinking of shortening treatment for Type 3. Advice?

[Algernon]

Week 11/24.  The sides are really getting to me:  anemia (now on procrit and anemia improved), headaches, hair loss, all the usual stuff.  And, now, upper respiratory infection (on antibiotics) and thrush (really disgusting and painful--I can barely swallow water).

Some of you seem like real experts (trihepguy, jmjm, you know the crew) and I really want your advice.  Recent research on Type 3 seems to be suggesting that durations shorter than 24 weeks may be sufficient.  I'm thinking of quitting at 16 weeks and crossing my fingers. I think it might work.  If it doesn't, my liver is in decent shape and I'll wait a few years for something better.

Stats:  Type 3a. one doc said stage 1, another said early stage 2 (same slides).  VL 16.5 mill.  Undetectable at 4 weeks (<10).  48 year old female, weight 112, in good health (or at least, I was before treatment).

Please advice this desperate woman. Thanks.

[NYgirl]

He really needs to understand how bad how totally HORRIFIC drinking anything during treatment is.

From what I understand - for EVERY ounce of alcohol you have in your body the INTERFERON DOES NOT WORK for the time that it takes your body to clear that ONE ounce! And who only drinks ONE ounce at a time? Certainly I could NEVER have done that.

During that time - how EASY it would be to have a viral breakthrough!!!!!!!!

Is it worth it?  Same thing on stopping early I mean it might be easier but...if he DOES start replicating virus...would taking a few weeks off treatment be worth that?

Not to me.

That is just my opinion about shortening especially SINCE he's been drinking.  Also does he realize how much DAMAGE the liver does in conjunction with the virus? It's NOTHING LIKE ANOTHER PERSON  HAVING A DRINK.  Together these two things MAGNIFY it.

Please keep encouraging him to not drink. That is the worst thing he could possibly doing right now. I'm surprised the doctor hasn't stressed this over and over.

(And believe me I'm quite an alcholic who would love nothing more than to go visit my friend Mr. Smirnoff and stay with him for a LONG LONG time but alas I KNOW that I cannot and my life is worth more than his).

[Upbeat]

Sounds like you may have just picked up a bug.  My throat always swells when I get the bug and its very painful to swallow anything.  As strange as it sounds the only thing that has ever worked for me is steroids. Really great for reducing the swelling. If you see a Doc ask him. If it is indeed the flu you picked up those antibiotics are useless.
                                                    Ron

[NYgirl]

Can the THRUSH be from the antibiotic? That's is the ONLY time I ever get that when they put me on erythromycin (sp) or something like that.

it might just be an every day infection and the antibiotics are causing the mouth problem?

[NYgirl]

Well we've all been there with these sides I can tell you that.  It's not easy at all - and sometimes I too feel like giving up. When I had the drastic anemia problem I didn't know HOW I was going to make it through but I would have done anything TO.

I don't know the statistics on shortened treatment for a 3 (I am a 1A and 1B) but try to keep one thing in mind - your treatment is ALREADY shortened from what someone like me will have to do and you don't want to have to ever do it again!

If you can possibly hold on - the longer the better at making sure it does not come back. But that is just my opinion.

I just don't want to have to ever do this again and I have no idea right now when I will be done so it's rather nerve wracking to say the least. I wish I had a date.