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Starting treatment - any preparation tips?
Hi,
I am starting Peg-Intron and Ribavirin next week and wonder if any of you have any tips on what preparation could help?
I have got back up for the school run, shopping etc, but wonder if anyone had any tricks that helped them physically prepare.
Also, I am going to be on 90 (somethings???) of the peg and 800 riba, and I am around 130lbs, geno1b with low viral load - (so trying for the shorter course if clear at 4 weeks). This dosage sounds quite low compared to others, anyone have any ideas about this.
thanks in advance, and hope you are having a warmer day than me ( -5 this morning!! ) xx
I am starting Peg-Intron and Ribavirin next week and wonder if any of you have any tips on what preparation could help?
I have got back up for the school run, shopping etc, but wonder if anyone had any tricks that helped them physically prepare.
Also, I am going to be on 90 (somethings???) of the peg and 800 riba, and I am around 130lbs, geno1b with low viral load - (so trying for the shorter course if clear at 4 weeks). This dosage sounds quite low compared to others, anyone have any ideas about this.
thanks in advance, and hope you are having a warmer day than me ( -5 this morning!! ) xx
she doesn't even know I decided to tx..LOL I made the decision on my way home from TO after talking to my husband, so your theory about her wanting me to treat is way off base...She said I could wait another 4 years and get another bx and see where I stand then, but my common sense tells me that if I wait another 4 years I am then going to be 58, now given the odds of responding going dramatically down once the age of 60 is reached, I can't wait that long...And, compounded with that, if I waited the 4 more years, and my liver progressed I am facing a double whammy, age and damage...And make it even worse case scenario, I am now 58, worse liver damage, and NO new drugs, I am basically screwed...I am now facing a life threatening illness and going into the converntional treatment of a drug combo that can do potential long lasting damage and only a possible 25% chance of clearing the virus! My name is vegas but I don't want to take that gamble on my life...
They (the clinic in TO) have been told they will be part of the Phase III Vertex trials and that it will NOT happen for another 2 years...Now, if the trial goes into effect in 2 years, can it be possible to have the drug hit the market in 3 years? I honestly do not think so...But, I may be wrong, and I hope I am..No one has been more of a watch and wait advocate than me, but sometimes we have to put our fears aside and rely on the numbers, nunbers never lie, kalio will agree to that being an accountant, and my numbers say I can enjoy a 60% chance now, or a 25% chance later, which would you pick?
You can afford to wait, you're not as old as I am....
*dippers*
They (the clinic in TO) have been told they will be part of the Phase III Vertex trials and that it will NOT happen for another 2 years...Now, if the trial goes into effect in 2 years, can it be possible to have the drug hit the market in 3 years? I honestly do not think so...But, I may be wrong, and I hope I am..No one has been more of a watch and wait advocate than me, but sometimes we have to put our fears aside and rely on the numbers, nunbers never lie, kalio will agree to that being an accountant, and my numbers say I can enjoy a 60% chance now, or a 25% chance later, which would you pick?
You can afford to wait, you're not as old as I am....
*dippers*
Congrats on making the decision to treat. Probably the hardest part of all. I'm a year and 3 mos post tx, former 1A and still undetectable. Here are some things that worked for me:
1. Drink tons of water.
2. Get a humidifier.
3. Put together a contact/support list with all your friends, family and Dr's info.
4. Keep a file with all your lab reports, insurance stuff, etc.
5. Monitor your sides closely and work with your GI to manage them.
6. Treat yourself to massages or whatever type of pampering you like.
7. Humor, humor, humor.
8. Light exercise like yoga classes, walking and lots of stretching.
9. Post here frequently so we can know how you're doing.
10. Most of all, keep your eye on the prize.
I see you will be starting on peg-intron. I found that Pegasys was easier to use and had far fewer sides. You may want to check into it.
Best of luck to you and keep us posted : )
Gail
1. Drink tons of water.
2. Get a humidifier.
3. Put together a contact/support list with all your friends, family and Dr's info.
4. Keep a file with all your lab reports, insurance stuff, etc.
5. Monitor your sides closely and work with your GI to manage them.
6. Treat yourself to massages or whatever type of pampering you like.
7. Humor, humor, humor.
8. Light exercise like yoga classes, walking and lots of stretching.
9. Post here frequently so we can know how you're doing.
10. Most of all, keep your eye on the prize.
I see you will be starting on peg-intron. I found that Pegasys was easier to use and had far fewer sides. You may want to check into it.
Best of luck to you and keep us posted : )
Gail
Forsey: You are going to do just great. Your teeth are going to be fine. Your hair is going to be fine. Your going to be fine. And your going to put this behind you. C'mon down to the river baby!
Veggie: I got my approval for procrit at 11, and was using it at 10.5. That held for a while then I started a downslope that triggered an upped dossage of procrit. The drop turned around in the low 7's. I think 7.0 was the bottom, but I can't seem to dig up that week's paper. I'm taking 1,200 riba at 165 lbs. I also started high Folic Acid not long before the turn-around.
Veggie: I got my approval for procrit at 11, and was using it at 10.5. That held for a while then I started a downslope that triggered an upped dossage of procrit. The drop turned around in the low 7's. I think 7.0 was the bottom, but I can't seem to dig up that week's paper. I'm taking 1,200 riba at 165 lbs. I also started high Folic Acid not long before the turn-around.
Good Luck, it sounds as though you are really getting prepared. Tylenol is acetaminophen...so whatever you have that contains that would do. Also, your equivalent to gatorade is what you call lucozade. Again, good luck & you will do fine. I promise you the anxiety beforehand is worse than anything else on tx!!! England Forever!
Hi, I don't want to besmirch anyone's doc, or anyone's opinion for that matter, because in the end, they are all just opinions...but I go to a pretty well respected hep doc myself that sits on all these boards and does all these consultations with different drug co's...and he told me that there is really no one that can predict when these meds will become available on market, because there are too many variables beforehand that haven't happened yet, and no one can see into the future...
he said the fact that it did get fast tracked and has done so well so far does bode well, why wouldn't it?, he said if anyone was going to squeeze his head for an estimate, based on certain factors to continue to go well, and they have learned from past drug trial mistakes in formulations......he said 3 more years....that doesn't take into account that the phase III trials will be here way before this happens...so to me it's like all things re Hep C, until this stuff actually happens, it's all speculation and your doc is way, way on the conservative side of things which is her perogative, she also prob wants you to treat now which is understandable...
But there are so many, many grey areas with this disease and these treatments, future and present, and if all the docs and researchers are so conflicted about it themselves, with so many opinions....as is quite evident, all we can do is study as much as we can, see all the different opinions, then decide for ourselves which are the better plans and theories...
my only problem is (and I don't include you in this Veg, because I know you and I don't think this is your case) is that some people will form grudges and grievances with certain people, and forget the objectivity or principal of a sitution in order to "win" arguments for ego gratification....meanwhile there are people who are non-responders and relapsers who need objective info on these new drugs...as much as there is...and I just wanted to point out that 7 years down the line is a very, very conservative estimate, to say the least, I haven't heard that from anyone I've spoken too...respectfully, to your doc and anyone else who feels this is more the case....
he said the fact that it did get fast tracked and has done so well so far does bode well, why wouldn't it?, he said if anyone was going to squeeze his head for an estimate, based on certain factors to continue to go well, and they have learned from past drug trial mistakes in formulations......he said 3 more years....that doesn't take into account that the phase III trials will be here way before this happens...so to me it's like all things re Hep C, until this stuff actually happens, it's all speculation and your doc is way, way on the conservative side of things which is her perogative, she also prob wants you to treat now which is understandable...
But there are so many, many grey areas with this disease and these treatments, future and present, and if all the docs and researchers are so conflicted about it themselves, with so many opinions....as is quite evident, all we can do is study as much as we can, see all the different opinions, then decide for ourselves which are the better plans and theories...
my only problem is (and I don't include you in this Veg, because I know you and I don't think this is your case) is that some people will form grudges and grievances with certain people, and forget the objectivity or principal of a sitution in order to "win" arguments for ego gratification....meanwhile there are people who are non-responders and relapsers who need objective info on these new drugs...as much as there is...and I just wanted to point out that 7 years down the line is a very, very conservative estimate, to say the least, I haven't heard that from anyone I've spoken too...respectfully, to your doc and anyone else who feels this is more the case....
Hi,
Glad you decided to treat and all the advice given to you is right on the money. My only question is why your only getting 90 (?) of the Peg. I'm geno type 2B, viral load before tx was 318,000 and my Dr. has me on 1200 of Peg and 800 Riba. My treatment will be for 24 weeks and Sunday will be shot #5 with 19 to go. I would ask the Dr. why only 90 on Peg, you need to ask questions, it's very important to know all about our treatment and be very involved in all that goes on. I have learned that from all on this forum and it really helps to understand all that is going on with your body.
Good luck and you will make it. All on this forum are of great help, much knowledge, and they really care. We are all here for you.
The Beagle
Glad you decided to treat and all the advice given to you is right on the money. My only question is why your only getting 90 (?) of the Peg. I'm geno type 2B, viral load before tx was 318,000 and my Dr. has me on 1200 of Peg and 800 Riba. My treatment will be for 24 weeks and Sunday will be shot #5 with 19 to go. I would ask the Dr. why only 90 on Peg, you need to ask questions, it's very important to know all about our treatment and be very involved in all that goes on. I have learned that from all on this forum and it really helps to understand all that is going on with your body.
Good luck and you will make it. All on this forum are of great help, much knowledge, and they really care. We are all here for you.
The Beagle
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