Thanks for your kind words. Sometimes I think that treating HCV patients also leads to rapid aging! but worth it all when we win! DTD
Dr. D: Tanx! I am pretty pleased about it, Dr. Gish's nurse said when i when UND in week two she thought it was a sure thing. I'm thinking...jeepers, then WHYYYYYY 42 weeks? (Wry laughter ensues). Thanks for the service you are doing...you don't have to do this and it probably tugs at you some along with your regular practice...but do know that it is much appreciated.....i lead a lot of support groups here in vegas for the endoscopy folks and your kind of caring and personal involvement is rare. especially because there is so much stigma/shame associated with the disease. At this point, having been through all we go through ...i'm like....way out in the public eye and i don't give a rat's butt anymore!
You are a good guy, Dr. D.....to use a trite phrase, you have many jewels in the crown you'll wear in heaven.
Meki:
Actually, your idea about "time stamping" is intriguing....if you know about that disease progeria, (you know the kids who get old when they are six or something), it sounds a little bit like interferon is the instigator of rapid "aging" of whatever potential for disease process you have in your body, genetically or otherwise...... Jeez, how cosmic a thought....but it actually makes sense.
Deb
Congrats on your SVR! DTD
Dr. D - that's kind of my theory too... That the INF kick starts what was already genetically designed.
It's logical - after what I've seen progress...
In a way - I'd say that perhaps the interferon ages some mechanism or time "stamp" inside the body... Perhaps by 10 or 20 years.
Whatcha think of that?
LOL!
Hey Deb - love you! Congrats on SVR.
Meki
Thanks, Dr. Dietrich. I am taking placquenil and following CRPs and ANAs for improvement in them. Also, I just found out yesterday that I am SVR...my six month post tx PCR is UND.......it's been a wild ride.
Meki: No neuropathy for me and placquenil seems to work pretty good for the joint stuff. the plan is to keep tracking the crp and ana for another six months. at one year post, we'll have another look. The bowel stuff i will have an appt. tomorrow for.
deb
It sounds like you have some autoimune phenomena that the interferon kicked off. These are the kind of things that would have happend anyway often but get accelerated by the interferon. We know for sure that thyroid antibodies before treatment result in thyroiditis with interferon. That was something that those patients were going to get anyway but the interferon caused them to arrive sooner. Get them treated! DTD
Check his answer to my questions deb...
He had some problems answering some of the questions...
How ya doin'? I haven't seen you recently.
Just FYI - Neuropathy is what they advised that I have --- and they gave me ULTRAM 200 ER... which are amazing medicines... I've been able to live my life for the last week.
And well. So perhaps they could help you?
Anyhow - wanted to know how you were. Hugs darlin'
Meki