Self Injecting - Is it Hard?

[NYgirl]

I just found out that when I start my treatments later this week I will have to learn to do the self injecting on my own.

I've never done anything like this and am not sure that I can (chicken little is my new name).

Has anybody had any trouble? How did you get over it? Is it hard to do?

Please let me know how I am going to do this. I'm just freaked out as it is about being worried about starting the tx and now this made me even more scared.

Thanks guys.

[NYgirl]

It says HCV Genotype, LIPA 1a/1b.  What does it mean I have both?

God I have so much to learn. I am so confused it's just overwhelming to me at times...remember how you felt before NEGATIVE NEGATIVE NEGATIVE!!!!   :)

What are the AST and ALT numbers? Is there a like tutorial on here anywhere that explains all this stuff? I dont even know what to compare my numbers to that is the problem if you know what i mean.

The doctor is so casual he's like ah it's no medical emergency you can wait till next week and I was PISSED hey if you had G2-S2 hcv doc you would want to have started it last week!

No emergency to him but sure is to me!

(Thanks C for your help you know, big time you guys just are awesome)

[cuteus]

low viral load is supposed to be a good thing for most. You are a combo person? infected with 1a and 1b? darn! there are a few here that are both, Susan400, vicki, and who else?

Michaelt; I remember that one! so that was you? yes, that was a stressful time! so they believed it to be a false positive, eh?  I was trying to remember the other day who that happened to.

DA; yes, I can certainly understand the reason behind some of it, but(;-}) I wish for him to add something like "pt is  now testing negative" because "pt is hep c active" does not really apply unless is for the antibodies, quite technical stuff for sure. I agree about the  statement at the OR, Universal precautions should always be in place anyway, it was uncalled for.
the procedure is working so far, epidural, I think that is why Monday, does not feel like a Monday at work. Is nice to be pain free.
End of the week....marked it on the calendar!
check this thread, where they both posted: didn't we have a list with people's numbers and stuff? got to find mine
Lab Test back, need help on what this means. - ZROBERTO: 08/31/2005

[BronxRican007]

I'm an active duty military tough guy and I was literally shaking the first night...and the second...and the 3rd--you get the picture!

It's not easy for me but I can do it because I have to. Otherwise I run the risk of accidently infecting a loved one with a needle *****.

I always pull out the instructions and follow them to the letter and I always feel that I may have done it wrong. But when I wake up in the morning and feel like s$%t...well, I know I got it right and the medicine is working.

Like the commercial slogan on TV, "You can do it; We can help!"

Good luck and get well soon!

Bronxrican007

[NYgirl]

Hey Cuteus I got some numbers here! (But she forgot my biopsy report and everything else they are so lazy just sent the bloodwork)

Says
AST 212
ALT 203
Type 1a/1b
IU/ml 568,000
PCR 5.75

I dont know what any of it means but it seems like the IU # is pretty low (from what I've seen of others).

I have to go read a bit now and try and find out what's going on. I wish they weren't so horrible...I can't start treatment until NEXT Friday now because I have to see the opthamologist first - why didn't they tell me that before!!!!

I WANT TO START KILLING THESE CRITTERS OFF NOW!!!!!

[MichaelT]

Oh, I'm sorry if I gave the wrong impression. I'm three years post-treatment and my PCR earlier this year shows still virus-free.

I was all set to retreat after a false-positive on my 6 month post-txt PCR, but another 2 PCRs (different tests, different labs) were negative.

I was just reflecting upon my experiences starting treatment after reading the post about injecting. My cognitive impairment was fairly severe at times and I remember it was particularly bad at the time I started treatment - hence the difficulty in figuring out how to operate the damn redi-pen. Give me a syringe, a spoon, oops, I mean a syringe and a vial of interferon any day over that nasty pen (apologies, overlapping flashbacks, there).

It is funny how things go in cycles. I had to train my wife to give injections to her mother starting with powdered interferon and interleukin-11 and adding water, swirling, etc. By the time I started treatment, interferon was premixed or in a redi-pen, then along comes pegylated interferon and we are back to powdered form, now it is not... it is all too weird.

[donAlfonso]

Regarding your post in the earlier thread (I'm too lazy to go back there), I certainly understand your feelings, after all you have endured. But (oh how I hate the word "but") I think I can understand the reluctance of medical staff to readily accept that you are cured, considering all the awful diseases out there.  And even you are willing to cop to a 2% chance of relapse, which by the way sounds high to me.  I thought after 6 months it was more like .5% or even less.  However (a sneaky way of saying "but" again), the doc who reminded staff to take extra precautions was way off base.  Staff need to take the same precautions with every patient when it comes to exposure to blood.  His statement and attitude I certainly find offensive, and I hope you do speak with him about it.

I had prostate cancer in 2002, had successful surgery, no signs of spreading, and my PSA has been 0 since then.  But every time I go to the transplant center, they want to see a recent PSA, and remind me that if it the cancer returns I will be taken off the list.  I am not officially cured until 7 years have passed.

As for my PCR, last week I told my doc my theory of being cured as long as I don't have results that prove otherwise, He thought that was pretty funny, and called my bluff by offering not to call me when he gets them.  In the end he agreed to call the MINUTE he gets them.  I'm hoping to know by the end of the week, but it may take even longer.  I certainly will post ASAP.

BTW, I am feeling better, some days I don't even take a nap, and a few days ago I had the thought that maybe I'm not retarded (the jury's still out on that one).  Haven't seen any posts from Giddyup/Whoa or Majneni since the march, hope they're ok.  Was the procedure on your back successful?  Finally, don't let the bastards get you down. You know you've won!

dA