Starting tx

[chiara104]

Hello all, I'm new to this forum. Found out I had HCV a few months ago and will be starting tx very soon due to extensive damage to my liver. Wondering if anyone can suggest ways to get ready for tx... Hoping to make some friends on this forum.

Chiara

[Douglas Dieterich, MD]

I always tell my patients to get in as good a physical condition as possible. If you  are overweight, diet and exercise. We usually recommend Sugarbusters or SouthBeach diets to help get the fat out of your liver and reduce your insulin levels. If you can you may want to reduce your schedule some for the first month or so of treatment when the side effects are worse. Other than that no magic, just common sense. Good luck with your treatment!

[chiara104]

Sorry about my last post, I know it doesn't belong in this forum... I thought this was going to appear in my profile by way of introduction... no idea how it got into the Expert Forum! I'll get the hang of it sooner or later!  :)

Chiara

[geterdone]

Working, Yes it is due able but it will be a rough ride especially in the beginning when the meds are hitting your system all at once. The first 12 weeks will be the hardest because of the chemical changes going on inside and the effects of them. If you have received your meds, Read the Pamphlet provided with each drug and the associated Side Effects and the correlation of each sx because this will tell you what to expect in the first 12 weeks while dosing up to max concentration level in your system. I worked through 53 weeks of treatment in a physical demanding job and it was not fun but due able, good luck on your journey, chiara.

jasper

[chiara104]

Hello and thanks for your suggestions! Don't have much time to get in top physical condition as tx starts soon ... do you think it's worth delaying tx by a few weeks to lose as much fat as possible? Also, are most people on tx able to keep working?

Chiara

[meki]

Chiara.... Actually your comment is probably more directed at the Forum - which you won't find on this expert section.

Med Help --- has a Hepatitis C Forum --- A hepatitis C Social Forum - and a Hepatitis C EXPERTS forum.

In the C Forum - we discuss medical cures, ideas, questions - theories on developments, clinical trials and advice - plus other things.

In the C Social Forum - we're more personal --- as in what we talk about - We interact more on a personal level - more like a chit chat area.

In the Expert Forum we ask Questions of Dr. D --- cause he's a Doctor who specializes in Hepatitis C treatment and also experienced Treatment himself.

So you're in the Experts forum --- and it's very nice to meet you --- hopefully you'll pop over to the other forums to introduce yourself - and you'll take a little bit of time to read through the posts and get to know each of us --- and learn a lot about your disease.

There are a ton of threads going back for the last three months that will tell you all about what are some good ideas about starting treatment and stuff.

Just start browsing - and then start participating - it's really great to have you here!

Meki