My Friend Needs Help

[cornsqueezer]

My friend lives in Lewisville thats right out side of Dallas Tx. she has no insurance and not much money does anyone know where she can get help. All she has had done is the test for Hep c.They wont let her in a clinical trial without a GI and the GI's she has talk to wont let her pay her bill out they want it up front. She said they act like they dont care.....My doctors office said they would let her pay it out and fill the paper work for the free meds we were trying to get something closer to where she lives,any help would be appreciated........one other thing does anyone know if it is mandatory to have a liver biospy to get in a clinical trial,she does not have money for a biospy. Thank in advance for your responses.
Debra

[Mary4now]

this is OLD,,,,,,

[Mary4now]

Try to get the biopsy so you know what your dealing with, you can make payments.
I am in a study that paid for my biopsy and they work with a GI, I did not have to "have one"
I then found a primary that took me on for $80.00 visit so that I could have a primary.
Keep looking,  some of the new studies are introducing some good drugs to battle this virus.  find out what kind of shape the liver is in though.  I had to wait 2 years for the study to come to my neck of the woods.
good luck, keep calm,,,, keep looking

[layla]

Welcome and I am so happy to hear you are well and in such a wonderful state! I've missed you here but nontheless wish you the best and much happiness and glad to see your life ismoving in a great direction for you and your family. Thanks again for all the info you helped me with when I started tx. I missed you. LL

[layla]

I have a friend and she had the same thing happen after tx. It was her thyroid. She is hypothyroid and takes pills now and it stopped faling out. Mine is coming out allot now and my thyroid test are still high but I am just finishing tx this week. Maybe you should get a thyroid test? LL

[sher_]

Cindee ++++ Is all that pain from the Hep or Tx ? Billy has a very physical job {architecural antiques} so he lifts alot of iron, mantels, stained glass, stone etc. He has always had mild aches but in the last year he is complaining about his joints alot more and he's not a complainer. I'm sorry girlie girl you have all that pain.

Derail ++++ Thanks for the welcome back and it's great to talk to ya! I have been following your case on both sites.

Befud ++++ Thanks ! Great talking to you the other night .

[derail]

Hi cindee good to hear from you again dont know if you got my answer to your question about still feeling crapo. the answer is yes
Befuddled you surely are I was ROFL with you new theme song It explains the zanieness How's the shark doing. Iguess its terminal EH?
Sher howdy I'm another one of the crazy Canucks here Warning any similarity on this site to actual people is purely coincidental Only the names have been changed to confuse the authorities Remember Membership has its privileges esp during periods of xtreme laughter you can DEPENDS on that
Ringer got your EM  I'll update you later.
Does anybody know what time it is?
its howdy doody time
I double dosed my flashback this AM ,if you didn't notice
Daryl

[cindee]

Hey girl! Well I wish your hubby the best on his tx. My doctor hasn't told me the meds I will be on yet. I think maybe he's studying my bx and bloodwork. I really don't know. But as soon as I find out I will let you know. I am doing okay...sleeping about 13 hours at a time. I was also diganoised with fibromyalgia and tissue damage. Sometimes I walk with a cane. But only in the house when no one is around! Vanity! But I do have to use it to get up when I am laying or sitting. My knees kill me all the time. I am on 45mg of morphine 3X's a day. it helps some, but my pain doctor wants to leave some lea way incase I need more pain meds when I start the trial study in Oct. But life goes on and I will NOT GIVE UP until this nasty ole' virus is DEAD! Hope you have a wonderful week-end, and I'm glad you are back! Much love and many prayers, Cindee

[jonihs]

Erin, hoe lovely to see your name today. You have been missed!!!


Befuddled-that was so totally appropriate, my husband is still chuckling and humming it. Thanx

[jonihs]

For the last 2 weeks my hair stopped falling out, but today I noticed it's falling out again. I'm 2 1/2 mos. post tx. Has this happened to anyone else?

[DH Bill]

I believe it is below 1.5 that they become concerned plus they also look at other things like neutrophils (spelling?) my wbc went down then came back up. Take control and educate yourself such as carbonbased.com and learn what the numbers mean. Not that I don't trust doctors but I don't after 48 weeks of tx.

[Katsch20]

Thanks for the quick reply.

[ringeding]

hey erin....nice to see you post....congrats on the wonderful news....you must so want the next few weeks to speed by.  hope you manage to rest enough before the delivery....wishing you all the very best!!
kimberley

cuteus...hi sweetie....yup things pretty much back to normal and full speed here...had to between gigs drive my daughter up to a camp in the Muskokas on tuesday night. she was hired to teach flat and white water canoeing and kayaking, as well as lead 3 day tripping groups, portageing etc.  then i turned around and drove all the way back, so haven't really stopped much lately.(nor slept)i still after all these years, even though she now 'works' at summer camps instead of being a camper...i still cry when i see her off and stash goodies in her bags as well as a little note from mommy...made it back yesterday and missed one shoot, but back at it tonight....hope you are well my friend....

hugs
kimmy

[TnHepGuy_]

'dh bill' is right in that most doc's will intervene with Neupogen when WBC's are in the 1.5 range. Though there is wide latitude - some doc's go sooner and some will let the number go even lower. And, as 'dh bill' mentioned, another factor in putting a Hep C patient on Neupogen is the ANC (Absolute Neutrophil Count). Most doc's intervene when ANC is in the 750 range - again subject to individual choice. There are studies out there showing that having the ANC drop to 500 isn't a concern for Hep C patients. (see <a href="http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/About_Hepatitis_pdf/1.1_Hepatits_C/Neutropenia.pdf">Neutropenia during combination therapy of interferon alfa and ribavirin for chronic
hepatitis C</a> - which is authored by some of the top Hep C docs).

Here is a paper on <a href="http://www.ccjm.org/PDFFILES/hepadOng.pdf">Managing the hematologic side effects of antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C: Anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia</a>



TnHepGuy


http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/About_Hepatitis_pdf/1.1_Hepatits_C/Neutropenia.pdf

http://www.ccjm.org/PDFFILES/hepadOng.pdf

[ringeding]

opps forgot the most important thing...(brain fog never leaves!) i wish i had a real name to go with 'couchpotatoe' so i could try and see if i could find out how they were doing, but i am about as far away from vancouver geographically as i could be, its on the west coast of canada, derail and i are on the east.....i pray that her husband is in good hands, and hope that she will be getting some good support there.  i did manage to hook her up with some great contacts and numbers for hep C support in vancouver and victoria...i guess at this point we can only pray for them...wish i could do more

kimmy

[cornsqueezer]

Thank you for your help ,its just sad and hard to believe how hard it is to get help with no insurance. I feel bad that I can get help, but I haven't been able to, for my friend. Erin I will try the doctors you mentioned.


Honey... I'm sure everyone on this board would do the same for their friend but thank you for the nice comment.As for my tx I'm doing ok I guess I've been having some pain in the back of my eyes last 2 days dont know if its a sx are not.

Be Well......Debra

[britgirl]

Could it be your thyroid? When that happened to me, hypothyroidism was the cause.

[sher_]

Thanks girlie girls for the welcome back!

Cindee Billy starts his first treatment this fall in a trial..Pegacy vs Peg Intron sp? Hes a 1a  Vl. 13 mil, up 6 months from 9 mil. We have no insurance as we moved back from Mexico and were in the process getting insurance when he had a simple blood test and you know the rest! Thank God for this trial or he was going to wait.He is a grade1 stage 0 but is 52yr.old.Indy and Rev's post convinced him he needs treatment now.

Ringer  You lucky woman Lyle Lovett tonight!!

Erin Cant believe it is only 2 weeks for your baby! Are you just waddling around in the heat? Good that you moved back up north bet your family just cant wait for this baby huh?

[sher_]

PS I watch the forum and I knew you werent responding and My heart ached for you. You are in my thoughts and I am cheerleading for you.

[Indiana]

WOW!!!  GOOD TO SEE YA GAL!!!  I WAS BEGINNIN TO THINK YOU HAD LEFT THE PLANET!!!
Got one in the "oven" eh? hahahaha That is Soooo awsome!!! Hopefully you're done movin across the country now so you can settle in amd be MOM. Do we get to change your name to GIPAMOM soon? hahahaha  We have to come up with "something".
I made it through my tx with "most" of my sanity due in a BIG way to YOU. I take this opportunity to thank you from the deepest part of me for that. You were my Angel when I needed one.
I wish you all the best as you go through this "Magical" time of life. Take your time and enjoy every second.
PLEASE come back and let us know ALL the "stats" on the baby and MOM. Pics are welcome over at Hot Heps when you get a break.
When do we all gat our bubblegum cigars????
Take care sweetie.............

[MajNeni]

Hi, Erin,
Glad to have you around, and best wishes for an easy, happy birth.  Please let us know how that turns out!  
Maj Neni

[cornsqueezer]

That was a good one LOL!!!!!!!!! your crazy but I like you and I enjoy all your posts.
Be Well, Debra

[Katsch20]

Sorry to break in...At what point does one begin w/ neupogen? My WBC is critically low at 2. Dr. says wait for lab test in 4 weeks, but I am not sure about that. I have 3 germy little kids under age 5... always sick. i've been an procrit from week 7... feel crappy and always run down. Am I being paranoid? or proactive. I just can't afford to get sicker. katch

[honey1616]

Erin,,,Congratulations on the new baby soon!  You have been greatly missed and we could use your expertise so much!!

[DH Bill]

Your back! and you were missed!!!!!!!!