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Vitamins During Tx for Sx and Liver Detox etc?
I want to go out tonight and get the RIGHT vitamins that could help me with the sx and also one's that could help with detoxing my liver and my immune system etc. Anything that can help me with this disease! I start tx next week.
I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread where we could find all the relevant information in one place. I know I've asked before...but some people in here are too weak to go reading every single thread to find the right info.
I was thinking tonight of getting at least C, E, Selenium, Garlic and Zinc. I worry about the multi cause of the iron (which seems messed up cause of the worry of anemia but...)
Can anybody help list what would be beneficial and why?
Thanks so much to everyone. The more knowledge I have the more I feel like I can beat this thing!
Debby
PS I am not talking about vitamins INSTEAD of treatment..just in conjunction WITH treatment.
I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread where we could find all the relevant information in one place. I know I've asked before...but some people in here are too weak to go reading every single thread to find the right info.
I was thinking tonight of getting at least C, E, Selenium, Garlic and Zinc. I worry about the multi cause of the iron (which seems messed up cause of the worry of anemia but...)
Can anybody help list what would be beneficial and why?
Thanks so much to everyone. The more knowledge I have the more I feel like I can beat this thing!
Debby
PS I am not talking about vitamins INSTEAD of treatment..just in conjunction WITH treatment.
as I mentioned in the other thread, my hepatologist suggests vitE, zinc, and Biotin(for hair loss)
Tnguy had a list of things to do/ask in preparation for tx, other folks suggestions were mixed in also, a few months ago:
"A few of the more important things to ask are:
- will you rx Neupogen and Procrit proactively (i.e. - before needing to reduce or skip dosage)?
- what happens if I am a slow responder (i.e. - you have a 2-log drop by week #12, but are not fully clear)? will I then be a candidate for extended tx?
- how often will I have PCR's done? how often will regular bloodwork be done?
- how will I receive these results (i.e. - phone call, in-person, snail mail, etc.)?
- who will be overseeing my day-to-day care during tx?
- how often will I be seeing the doctor, nurse practitoner, etc., during tx?
- who do I call in case of an emergency?
- and be sure to tell them you would like copies of every test result.
Other things to do:
- call up your pharmacy and make sure that they can get Neupogen and Procrit in a very timely manner (i.e. - on short notice). If the time arises when you need one of these, some doctors will want to cut dosage right away - not even leaving a few days to get the meds. The more things you can have set up in advance, the less surprises along the way.
- call up your insurance companty and make sure that they will cover Neupogen and Procrit.
TnHepGuy"
"I would add that you should discuss also with your doctor about seeing an eye doctor before treatment as well. Some people develop optic nerve damage (low chances of about 1-3%) which usually is not permanent but the eye doctor should see you before treatment to establish a "baseline" of what your optic nerves look like to compare with how they look as you progress on treatment. I had eye concerns before treatment and have not developed any problems but get checked every 3 months for insurance. As Michaelt suggested read as much as you can, educate yourself about potential sides. Those that you concerned me the most are the ones that I asked my doctor about. Also critical in my opinion is WHAT the doctor will do if your red and white cells drop too low....and IF he is willing to check your thyroid on a regular basis....there are many ways your doctor can help you with your "quality of life" as you proceed through this journey of fighting this virus. My best to you and don't worry too much....all these sides can be very frightening but my personal experience has been my fears of the sides before were greater than what is presently happening at week 18/48...not a walk in the park but it is doable. My best to you and keep us posted how it goes with your doctor.
Scott"
"I encourage folks to discuss those things that might come up during treatment just to put 'em on the table, get assurances from the doc that she is cognizant of 'em and is prepared to detect and treat if needed;
Treatment induced depression.
How will we address my pain/discomfort if I have any?
What will we do if treatment causes me to become anemic?
How have you dealt with reduced Quality of Life issues for people on treatment?
Can you help me if I have sleep problems caused by treatment?
etc.
Some of these things can be discussed in general terms, but some people will have special concerns due to the condition of their liver, other health issues, current medications, etc.
Read through all the horrible and nasty potential side-effects of treatment and discuss the common ones and those that scare the p*ss out of you. If the doc doesn't bring it up, discuss the possibility of thyroid problems and how it will be monitored.
That's what comes to mind, for now. God bless!
Tnguy had a list of things to do/ask in preparation for tx, other folks suggestions were mixed in also, a few months ago:
"A few of the more important things to ask are:
- will you rx Neupogen and Procrit proactively (i.e. - before needing to reduce or skip dosage)?
- what happens if I am a slow responder (i.e. - you have a 2-log drop by week #12, but are not fully clear)? will I then be a candidate for extended tx?
- how often will I have PCR's done? how often will regular bloodwork be done?
- how will I receive these results (i.e. - phone call, in-person, snail mail, etc.)?
- who will be overseeing my day-to-day care during tx?
- how often will I be seeing the doctor, nurse practitoner, etc., during tx?
- who do I call in case of an emergency?
- and be sure to tell them you would like copies of every test result.
Other things to do:
- call up your pharmacy and make sure that they can get Neupogen and Procrit in a very timely manner (i.e. - on short notice). If the time arises when you need one of these, some doctors will want to cut dosage right away - not even leaving a few days to get the meds. The more things you can have set up in advance, the less surprises along the way.
- call up your insurance companty and make sure that they will cover Neupogen and Procrit.
TnHepGuy"
"I would add that you should discuss also with your doctor about seeing an eye doctor before treatment as well. Some people develop optic nerve damage (low chances of about 1-3%) which usually is not permanent but the eye doctor should see you before treatment to establish a "baseline" of what your optic nerves look like to compare with how they look as you progress on treatment. I had eye concerns before treatment and have not developed any problems but get checked every 3 months for insurance. As Michaelt suggested read as much as you can, educate yourself about potential sides. Those that you concerned me the most are the ones that I asked my doctor about. Also critical in my opinion is WHAT the doctor will do if your red and white cells drop too low....and IF he is willing to check your thyroid on a regular basis....there are many ways your doctor can help you with your "quality of life" as you proceed through this journey of fighting this virus. My best to you and don't worry too much....all these sides can be very frightening but my personal experience has been my fears of the sides before were greater than what is presently happening at week 18/48...not a walk in the park but it is doable. My best to you and keep us posted how it goes with your doctor.
Scott"
"I encourage folks to discuss those things that might come up during treatment just to put 'em on the table, get assurances from the doc that she is cognizant of 'em and is prepared to detect and treat if needed;
Treatment induced depression.
How will we address my pain/discomfort if I have any?
What will we do if treatment causes me to become anemic?
How have you dealt with reduced Quality of Life issues for people on treatment?
Can you help me if I have sleep problems caused by treatment?
etc.
Some of these things can be discussed in general terms, but some people will have special concerns due to the condition of their liver, other health issues, current medications, etc.
Read through all the horrible and nasty potential side-effects of treatment and discuss the common ones and those that scare the p*ss out of you. If the doc doesn't bring it up, discuss the possibility of thyroid problems and how it will be monitored.
That's what comes to mind, for now. God bless!
I love this thread it has so much good stuff in it.
I am going to try to make sure that I take the riba with a meal with some fat...even if I have to eat bacon or whatever. I totally think it makes sense to me...plus i am very thin to start and don't want to lose too much weight if possible. that is one of the doc's biggest concerns with my treatment.
I have a list of questions for my doc WHEN he finally calls me:
1. will i have a 4 week pcr?
2. procrit?
3. treatment if slow responding?
4. vitamins / food restrictions?
I go to a medical group in a very upscale area (although we are actually the poor guys in town). Supposed to be a very good place. I think half of the problem is that I didn't have the right questions in place when he was talking to me...but if he won't call me back now that I have more knowledge how can I ask him?
I am going to try to make sure that I take the riba with a meal with some fat...even if I have to eat bacon or whatever. I totally think it makes sense to me...plus i am very thin to start and don't want to lose too much weight if possible. that is one of the doc's biggest concerns with my treatment.
I have a list of questions for my doc WHEN he finally calls me:
1. will i have a 4 week pcr?
2. procrit?
3. treatment if slow responding?
4. vitamins / food restrictions?
I go to a medical group in a very upscale area (although we are actually the poor guys in town). Supposed to be a very good place. I think half of the problem is that I didn't have the right questions in place when he was talking to me...but if he won't call me back now that I have more knowledge how can I ask him?
Wow what great info.
I am actually cutting and pasting it into word.
I am having my eyes examined on Monday which is why I wont be able to start tx till next Friday (darn).
I do weigh 125 and will find out why such a lose dose of Riba and ask if he can prescribe me more. Although now I have already been approved by the insurance company for just that dose. DARN! I wish I had a chart to send him showing how much I need and why I need more. I mean I haven't lost any weight YET so give me more! If the Riba makes the difference I need more I need to figure out a way to convince him of this.
I will have to call and leave a message. I need an argument on why I need more than the 4 pills.
I am actually cutting and pasting it into word.
I am having my eyes examined on Monday which is why I wont be able to start tx till next Friday (darn).
I do weigh 125 and will find out why such a lose dose of Riba and ask if he can prescribe me more. Although now I have already been approved by the insurance company for just that dose. DARN! I wish I had a chart to send him showing how much I need and why I need more. I mean I haven't lost any weight YET so give me more! If the Riba makes the difference I need more I need to figure out a way to convince him of this.
I will have to call and leave a message. I need an argument on why I need more than the 4 pills.
I find the best thing with doctors is to negotiate from an informed/assertive viewpoint.
I rarely would ask my doctor why I'm only being prescribed 800 mg/day. That invites an answer that you probably don't want, but more importantly it allows the doctor to formulate an argument that you have to rebut and he has to defend.
I would say something like, "The NP mentioned I'm slated for 800 mg/day, which I understand is based on some of the newer weight-based studies. However, I know a lot of doctors still prescribe the manufacturer recommended 1000mg/day dose. I'm really eager to get rid of this virus and would like to try the higher dose initially, especially in light of newer studies showing how important ribavirin is especially during the first 12 weeks. If I can't tolerate the higher dose, we can always make an adjustment later."
In other words, know where you're going in the conversation. Then all he has to do is say "OK" which is the easiest thing for him to do and therefore the most likely.
-- Jim
I rarely would ask my doctor why I'm only being prescribed 800 mg/day. That invites an answer that you probably don't want, but more importantly it allows the doctor to formulate an argument that you have to rebut and he has to defend.
I would say something like, "The NP mentioned I'm slated for 800 mg/day, which I understand is based on some of the newer weight-based studies. However, I know a lot of doctors still prescribe the manufacturer recommended 1000mg/day dose. I'm really eager to get rid of this virus and would like to try the higher dose initially, especially in light of newer studies showing how important ribavirin is especially during the first 12 weeks. If I can't tolerate the higher dose, we can always make an adjustment later."
In other words, know where you're going in the conversation. Then all he has to do is say "OK" which is the easiest thing for him to do and therefore the most likely.
-- Jim
I take my riba with a half pint of whole milk for no other reason than I like milk. On weekends, I drink about 1 1/2 gallon of milk.
Jim, I am going to call right now. I'll even say that I've been doing what they asked and been trying to "gain some weight" so I would prefer to be on the higher, company recommended dosage in light of....as you said. It can't hurt to try. I am not going to be feeling good about 800. I really am not.
sunspot - I love milk too. I drink more milk than most people do in a week in a day LOL.
sunspot - I love milk too. I drink more milk than most people do in a week in a day LOL.
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