Looking for good doc in Tucson.

[moondog52]

I'm so sick of this battle ... who out there gives"health care" I see people walkout of my GI or Hemo's ofice do better and better, while I feel close to the endgame. I'm a 2B'r UND after 4 weeks. So I respond great .... problem is platelets now WBC, RBC's etc are low. THIS TIME, shot 14 is tomorrow, platelets have held at 30 until now.  

I can't find a hepatologist here from Tucson that want to help me *fight* to finish the  last 10 shots
of this program. Only one is from Phoenix made it clear he believes in transplant then treatment
cuz he has little faith in treatment. They want me to talk to him again.

[granitekonig]

Wait a minute.....you are geno2b and und at 4 weeks and you're complaining? You should be happy! Get some procrit and finish it up. You're almost there!

[Jannie179]

The best docs in tucson for HEP C is either Dr. Mezher at Adobe Gastro or Dr. Wilson at El Rio.   There is a new Hepatologist in town down at St. Mary's Plaza named Dr. Iftikar.  He treated Hep C at a VA for a long time.  

[moondog52]

Just as a follow up, I actually had my Peg-Interferon/Ribavirin treatment by a hematologist/oncologist, Dr. Katakar, with followup treatment by Dr. Zarkoob of the same office group.

IMO, there is a severe lack of knowledge in general in Tucson for TX of this disease, and that it requires far greater micro management than any of the GI's I met were willing or capable of doing. But these oncologist/hematologists did that and responded to my research and questions admirably.  

I had made 2 attempts during 2007 but platelets dropped below 30k so fast I  to stop. so I took a "break" for 8 weeks and was able to go 18 weeks before my plats went below 13k and I had to stop again.

But I was SVR (<50 IU/ml, <1.70 LogIU/ml) after 1st 4 weeks again and have been all of this year. Soooo ... the dragon is gone (or sleeping as it does with TB which I'm told most Asians have).

I've still got a damaged liver I'm working on via a natural remedy path, but that is another story. The chemo almost killed me ... and full recovery (to the best I am able with my liver)  will be a slow process. If I was younger I think that  would be better and faster ...

This is not necessarily a recommendation.  It was horrible and I had good ins and long term disability. I was "lucky" to be a 2B geno type.    

Best of luck to all who suffer from this "unrecognized" epidemic, and Happy Holidays to all!

moondog52 (still keeps on going ... and going ... )

[Upbeat]

Only one hepatologist in Tucson.  He is at the U medical center.  Takes forever to get in to see him

                                                                                                                   Ron

[officejet12]

I too have hepititisc. I really like my dr here in Tucson His name is gary goldstein. call him, youll kike him. He is a gaterologist. He also is a liver specialist. thanks  Deanna Cox  from officejet12