Coasting - Week 32 and 33
All quiet on the western front…..
Not a lot to report really as we head towards injection 34. I seem to have settled down pretty well after switching Interferons although it has to be said I am generally feeling very tired. Having said that its the sort of tiredness that you can take a deep breath, clench your fists and just push through.
Whilst on the subject of switching Interferons I know a few people are interested in the medical rational behind it…..truth is there isn’t one. The facts of the matter are that SVR rates for people who retreat are in the region of 10%, or to put it another way a 90% failure rate. The reason I switched was really to get it out the way, if I hadn’t I know I would have been pushing my consultant to retreat with no help from facts. I’ve never been one to let facts get in the way of what I want but I feel it would have led to some conflict with my consultant, I want to avoid that at this stage as I feel that I need to keep my powder dry, I have a strong suspicion that greater battles lie ahead for me and need to use my “get out of jail free” cards wisely.
So not a lot else to say apart from I have another PCR in 3 weeks time, its about my last chance to show undetectable, if not then it looks like Round 1 may just go to the virus. To be frank I have had no expectation of winning this round, I have just concentrated on doing my 48 weeks with 100% compliance, but I wouldn’t mind just one undetectable just for the feeling of putting the virus on its arse just once. Still a lot can happen in a few weeks in this game and I’m 100% focused on doing everything I can to try and help my body towards the undetectable goal.
In other news my 8 year old Daughter called me “sexist” the other day which to be honest I found devastating. It makes you question your whole parenting skill set to think that it would take your child 8 years to work that simple truth out.
This weeks inspiration…..
When I hear somebody sigh that Life is hard, I am always tempted to ask, Compared to what?
-Sydney J. Harris
Keep the faith, kill the virus.
May 2nd, 2006 at 6:54 pm
I just found this site, good work! I am on last quarter of my peg/rib. My last viral load was under 32. Then this one showed positive, but according to Doc, they ran qualitive pcr, instead of cummalitive. Which wasn’t what he wanted. So find out and he says of course it would show positive its much more sensative. So my panic subsided and I am breathing some what normally again. I have red palms for years, both specialist say don’t worry about it, then I read on line it’s last stages cirrocious. New Panic!
I think I also have had this disease over 25 years, no drug use, possibly a blood transfusion pre 85. Non drinker (now especially) I go through moments of panice and moments of doing my best to forget about it. I am faithful with shots and pills, my side affects haven’t been to bad, more emotional, then he gave me happy pills.
I am certainly babbling and I apologize just wanted to say, it is a good site, well done.
May 4th, 2006 at 8:08 am
Congratulations on the bit of gamesmanship with the doc. I like the “consultant” terminology. It’s an accurate description of the nature of a proper relationship in this day of literate patients.
I’ve been following your progress since I started (Friday, January 13 appropriately enough). I’m now at Week 16 but won’t have a viral load check until Week 24. That’s a bit of gamesmanship on my doc’s part. He said some insurance companies refuse to pay for treatment if patients fail to achieve a log-2 drop. He wants all his patients to get at least six months on the juice.
Good luck with the continued treatment.
May 8th, 2006 at 1:30 pm
Good luck with the next pcr Hep c boy. I still have you to thank for re-directing my anger from the doctors and the world in general to the virus, that really helped so much.
All the best to you
Teddy
May 12th, 2006 at 4:31 am
Hey this stuff is hard, my first treatment in 96 put me in the psych waed for a few days–they contacted yhe doctor
of all the stuff he was giving me when I was showing no thyroid to crazy high they took me off and the dr,disappeared from the clinic. 8 years later Itried again and dropped from 1,500,000 to under 600 after 3 months. stuff got so heavy I couldn’t even dial the phone fast enough before the operator told me to try again, platelets dropped to 40 hospitalized 3 times the last month almost lost it. I,m still here, some days are good others i stay in bed. I think the worst thing is doctors.
July 23rd, 2006 at 9:44 pm
I have written numerous times, but to no avail. Aren’t the responses supposed to get some type of feedback? I want and need support jsut like everyone else. My wife id quazzy ok with it, but it’s me with the infection. How can I change my lifestyle to fit the new onset of problems that may or will arrise.
August 24th, 2006 at 12:39 pm
Hi sorebones. I’m sorry that no one has taken the time to write you, so being in the same Hep C boat, I want to. I started PegIntron and Rebetol combination therapy on May 26, ‘06 so that makes…how many injections?
My insurance gave me a scare by telling me that they won’t pay unless I had dropped two “logs”, whatever that means, and luckily I did. One of the major side effects I have nowadays (having been through the crazies, the temper tantrums, all alone I might add, 7 weeks on LOA at home alone) is fatigue. I have travelling pains, myalgia, and I feel like I’m moving in slow motion, but I did come back to work on July 24th and have only missed one day since. Hang in there, buddy. And I thought menopause was bad.