water

[big bloc]

I am on tx for 2 months with some side effect I think I can handle so far. I drink 100 oz of water day nothing else [coffe in morning]. should I take in more? or less?

[jmjm530]

Sounds like a normal treatment reaction. Your two-point drop in three weeks is borderline in terms of whether you need any helper drugs (Procrit) soon.

I needed Procrit when my Hgb dropped three points in a few weeks very early in tx, even though the absolute hgb level was only around 11.5.

What you want to do is try for weekly CBC's until your hgb stabalizes. If you start to feel a lot worse -- and you see that 3 point drop in a short period -- it's time to talk to the doc about Procrit no matter what the absolute hgb level is.

The good news is that the body will eventually acclimate to lower hgb levels, just like what happens when you go to the mountains. And if you're young and healthy -- strong and hearty :) -- have no heart problems etc -- then letting nature take it's way is always an option.

Near the end of treatment my hgb was 11.5, I was power walking several times a week, and felt pretty decent or as decent as you can with these drugs.  As I mentioned before, earlier in tx, hgb 11.5 put me in the ER as I could hardly cross the street by myself.

All the best luck.

-- Jim

[amirtracy]

My dr. has me take my 2nd dose of riba 6-7 hours after my morning dose @ 8am to help with insomnia. So i take it around 3pm and so far so good. maybe that will help.  tracy

I just did shot 6 and it seems every week has been different. I think I'm lucky in that it hasn't been debilitating yet but i defininetly feel "wierd" alot of the time. I feel medicated. But i haven't had the rash or the rage of alot of the sx's i've read about. Food doesn't taste the same but i don't think i've lost any weight dammit. my hgb is 11.5 now and i get tired easily but like nygirl says, it's doable...(knock on wood---I do that alot now)...

[can-do-man]

any suggestions? Doc tried ambiem 10, but after 4 hrs awake, and that stuff on 4 hrs gives you a hangover ontop of the normal, he tried something else, can't remember now what. So he said today we'll try valium 10 and see. Heck i've tried counting sheep, money, even hooters two by two. Which BTW was the most fun.

[GoofyDad]

Dudes. You boys need to sleep. Better living through chemistry and all that. Your body needs its rest!

[can-do-man]

hey guy, that hgb is still good, not much drop for  5 weeks you might get lucky there. and oh how i can relate to the insomnia, never did sleep buch more then 6 hrs a night. Bt last few weeks 4 hrs and that about it. That where my fagtigue is coming from. Hope all keeps going good for you

[dyce]

Ha beagel , got my cbc's result yesterday ,hmg was 13.5 from base 15.5. This was after 3 weeks on the meds. I can feel the 2 point drop cause I'm fatigued more easily now, spacey ,but not real bad or bad enough to stop me. I've been working and getting some exercise but have slowed it down alot since starting tx. No dog traing , weight lifting just walking and doing stretching exercises now.Also been eatin red grapes and drinkin the red grape juice . Heard before red wine was good fer the blood,so maybe the grapes will help. The rest of the cbc's are in normal range.

  There's no doubt , the riba is rough on the body, so far no riba rash, but insomnia is one sx I could do whithout and after 8 hours at work it wears me out. The pegasus makes me feel like I got the flu and seems to hit the hardest sun and mon after doin the shot on friday nite which tonite I do shot 5 so here we go again.

Hope all are well, Dyce