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950299 tn?1253466522

type 3a

what is the stage value everyone is discussing, I'm pre-treatment with 1,003,000 /ml and some cirrosis post upper tract g.i. didn't get the biopsy for some reason
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548668 tn?1394187222
I only lost a little (2 kgs) but worked hard making sure I ate a decent morning and afternoon tea, supper as well as bkfst lunch dinner;  it was quite hard work.

My mouth was sore, but I used biotene non-alcoholic mouth wash (sometimes 4-5 times a day) and never actually had an ulcer.   Didn't have a lot of energy but didn't try to do too much either, except walking around the block with the dog.

I think the docs are more cautious in biopsying a patient with cirrhosis;  someone else may correct me on that.  

Sanity?  Many of us have got through the tx and retained our sanity.  It can help to go on AD's prior to tx and some docs recommend it.   I actually feel more sane for the places tx took me, and more confident in my ability to cope.  (I had to learn new things, like asking for help, and asking to be left alone).   Good luck with your tx.
Helpful - 0
691935 tn?1421027090
The low platelets may be the reason they are not giving you a biopsy at this time.

I got mouth sores for a few days, recently.  But my hb dropped to 8.7 - may be why.  I have only lost 10 lbs that I didn't need anyway.  My appetite didn't decrease except things don't taste as well.  It's odd that a person can lose any weight as you can hardly move to burn anything.  I'm also on 1/2 dose of antidepressant.

Welcome to the forum this is a great knowledge & support group. Good luck on treatment.

Helpful - 0
717272 tn?1277590780
Only lost 12-15 lbs., got appetite back towards end.  Never had nausea, only occasional insanity which got controlled by 1/2 dose of antidepressant and never resurfaced.  No mouth sores till the end, when WBC got too low for a while. The no energy was always there but never unsafe since they used rescue drugs for that and poor WBC, You just do it and as you get into the mindset, you accept it and ask the doctor for help managing all the side effects.  Honestly some folks have very few.

You will be getting extra bloodwork to monitor the low platelets, because yours are awfully low.  Think of it this way: platelets will just keep getiing lower and lower (not good) until you successfully treat the disease.  Afterwards they will slowly rise up and maybe even go normal forever.
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276730 tn?1327962946
Yes still crazy after all these years.. Seriously was somwhat off the wall during tx..only lost 12 lbs ate like crazy never lost my appetite.No energy at all beacuse my HGB bas hovering at 10 all throut tx and the last month 9.8 was out of breath alot.
I lost my hair too....
The constant water drinking helped me alot.
Im the BIGGEST BABY there is and made it thru 55 long weeks!
You will see you get use to it and get adjusted to the feelin after awhile.
The biggest key for me was to have patience. WHich normally my patience level is at ZERO.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was spared the mouth sores and partial insanity, and although I lost about 35 lbs, I have since found 20 of them again.  I'm not looking for the other 15 and I hope they do not find me.  I had appetite sometimes, nausea occasionally and no energy.  I had bad hemolytic anemia and took the rescue drug, procrit, most weeks (40 of 48) and lost a lot of hair, most of which has grown back.  But what I mostly got was SVR (Sustained Virologic Response) which is what we're all aiming for.

If your CT scan revealed cirrhosis, well that is what I was first told, but biopsy came back a bit less drastic - only stage 2/3.  I am genotype 1a, so a biopsy was a must, but I'm not sure that g3s get biopsy.  I think they just treat g3 without biopsy.  Also, SOC for g3s is 24 weeks, not the 48 that g1s must do.

Good luck with your tx.  The bloodwork is not so bad, there's a lot at first, but after the first month of tx it tapers off a lot.  You will have regular CBC and Liver panels, and should have PCRs at weeks 4, 12, 24 and EOT, at least.  

Its not so bad.  Ok, its pretty bad but you can do it, even though it *****.  I get to keep my liver, and that makes it all worthwhile.  Hang in there.  We're here for you.

jd

Helpful - 0
950299 tn?1253466522
thanks guys, I was 562 alt, 272 ast, platelet count 86, so an upper tract gi and cat scan revealed the cirrosis, don't know why no biopsy yet as I haven't been back to that dr yet, seems like a waste of drugs not to get a chunk of liver while they had me where they wanted me. My veins suck so it is really going to be tough getting all the blood work with the tx when they set it up. Also does anyone not have mouth sores, nausea, partial insanity, loose 30 or more pounds, no appetite, no energy during tx?
Helpful - 0
276730 tn?1327962946
You would need a liver biopsy to fing out your stage. I had a biopsy and was informed it was stage 2.
How did you get diagnosed with cirrhosis?
Welcome to the forum and wish you the best of luck with tx.
MANY knowledgeable people here and we have all gone thru tx.
So ask away!!

Charm
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
When I first learned I had liver troubles, a surgeon saw liver damage on a CT scan, and referred me to a GI doctor with a diagnosis of cirrhosis.  The GI doc did bloodwork and biopsy and it turned out I was stage 2/3, grade 2/3 - no cirrhosis yet.  Perhaps that was a general diagnosis from imaging, as you have not had a biopsy.

Anyway, welcome to the forum and good luck on treatment.
Helpful - 0
148588 tn?1465778809
Stage refers to how far your fibrosis has progressed. Cirhosis would mean stage 4 out of 4, but not sure how that was diagnosed without a biopsy.
Helpful - 0
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