Hepatitis C Support Group
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral disease which can cause liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. Many people with HCV infection have no symptoms and are unaware of the need to seek treatment. Hepatitis C infects an estimated 150-200 million people worldwide.
Hi Everyone! It has been quite a journey since Tx ended (Geno 2b, 12 wks Sov/Riba - no Cirrhosis)! Those first 2 weeks were almost depressing, as the Riba left my body ... and I found I missed keeping my log sheet of meds, so I started a new one to keep track of other things, like getting off Norco & Soma, and when I walk & when I do stretching exercises, which I'm finding really keeps me on track with doing all the things every Ortho & Pain Mgmt doc has told me for years - you have GOT to exercise, more than just walking. I really got a talking to in mid-August by a new Ortho re: my hip pain, and he stressed firmly that I had to start back doing my stretches, and the importance as I (we) age, to do them DAILY!
UGH! I'm such an obstinate person that it took me until Aug 28th to start them ... and I am already seeing quite an improvement in the way my body is responding - I can already stretch further (many are Yoga moves) and feel stronger when I go on my almost daily 1-2 mile walks.
The "chicken skin" rash came back a little bit this past week on my right elbow, where it had begun about 5 wks into treatment, so that brought back out the bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar & Vit A oil (I "needle" prick the capsules) being squeezed on, as well as the Colloidal Oatmeal to seal the deal, and it cleared up in 2 days.
Sooooooooooo, I felt SO good this morning that I took no Norco this a.m ... only 1 Soma and a Tylenol (titrated off Norco in only 3 days, but I only took 2 per day and was taking 1/2 when pain wasn't all that bad.
Lots more details, but am short on time today - just wanted to let y'all know that for those whose health has not gotten too severely affected by the Hep C, like myself (other than all my many orthopedic probs due to the way HepC ravaged my joints & speeded up the Arthritis process), I have to tell ya - I've got a much clearer head - no more brain fog or fatigue at all - and I'm doing more each day than I ever used to be able to do!
I'll be 61 on the 25th and I feel like I'm 42! I know I feel so much better than I did during my entire 40s, that's for sure!
Thank you all for your support, and I'm sorry I'm not here as often anymore - I'm doing more traveling & as Winter sets back in here on the Coast of Oregon, I'll be checking in more frequently probably after Nov 1st. I just feel like I have a WHOLE LOT of catching up on life to do - but word of caution - don't try doing it within those first 2-3 weeks after Tx ends, esp if Riba is in your mix. Be gentle with yourselves, and STRETCH and WALK .... daily ... for me, there's no choice, cuz I'd be headed into a wheelchair long before my time, otherwise!
Woot Woot!
UGH! I'm such an obstinate person that it took me until Aug 28th to start them ... and I am already seeing quite an improvement in the way my body is responding - I can already stretch further (many are Yoga moves) and feel stronger when I go on my almost daily 1-2 mile walks.
The "chicken skin" rash came back a little bit this past week on my right elbow, where it had begun about 5 wks into treatment, so that brought back out the bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar & Vit A oil (I "needle" prick the capsules) being squeezed on, as well as the Colloidal Oatmeal to seal the deal, and it cleared up in 2 days.
Sooooooooooo, I felt SO good this morning that I took no Norco this a.m ... only 1 Soma and a Tylenol (titrated off Norco in only 3 days, but I only took 2 per day and was taking 1/2 when pain wasn't all that bad.
Lots more details, but am short on time today - just wanted to let y'all know that for those whose health has not gotten too severely affected by the Hep C, like myself (other than all my many orthopedic probs due to the way HepC ravaged my joints & speeded up the Arthritis process), I have to tell ya - I've got a much clearer head - no more brain fog or fatigue at all - and I'm doing more each day than I ever used to be able to do!
I'll be 61 on the 25th and I feel like I'm 42! I know I feel so much better than I did during my entire 40s, that's for sure!
Thank you all for your support, and I'm sorry I'm not here as often anymore - I'm doing more traveling & as Winter sets back in here on the Coast of Oregon, I'll be checking in more frequently probably after Nov 1st. I just feel like I have a WHOLE LOT of catching up on life to do - but word of caution - don't try doing it within those first 2-3 weeks after Tx ends, esp if Riba is in your mix. Be gentle with yourselves, and STRETCH and WALK .... daily ... for me, there's no choice, cuz I'd be headed into a wheelchair long before my time, otherwise!
Woot Woot!
i have long since lost track of my exact end date and since my doc has been out of town nearly thru my entire tx ( he is back now but i have not seen him though at least he is now the one advising my nurse again)
plus i don't know what my BW on 9-11 showed yet....he ordered an extra viral load /RNA one for me since the one prior had not shown the best results
but it is funny you mention kind of missing the tx
b/c i have this odd unexplainable feeling already ( i have at least a couple weeks or more to go)
that i will indeed, miss it in some way. kind of like a relative you don't really want visiting you but you will miss when they go away.
lol
maybe you understand, based on your comment , i think you might.
i've gotten used to feeling the way i feel on tx.............not that it is a good feeling but it's been my new normal all summer you know what i mean?
i know, i am strange.
but also even though the tx makes me feel at times, quite lousy or mostly fatigued/wiped out.........i do think the fact of the HepC getting killed is making me feel bursts of positive feelings and energy.
i am now getting back my neck/upper chest rash........but it's not like i have never had that b4 the tx.
it is a sensitive area and the Lexapro i take initially made it break out there.
anyway am in a hurry already spent too lnog on computer -though i want to point out to the new people or the ones thinking of dipping their toes in the water, that if we feel like we will miss the crazy tx meds, it must not be that bad !
am i right ;)
I'm looking at 2 surgeries coming up btwn end of October and Dec/Jan time-frame (it gets tricky where I live, as I have to drive 2 1/2 hours for surgeries/specialists, etc. - all new to me due to my move one year ago now to So.OR Coast) due to roads btwn here & Medford get snowed in at times (right now, there's a huge fire & last week I drove twice over there thru at least 35-45 minutes of heavy smoke) ... whew - just learned this morning about the total loss of a town down near where I used to live, and the Hot Springs resort just outside of it. Harbin Hot Springs is totally gone. I'm zonked out today in sadness over this, but have to get ready for a trip this week over to Ashland for fun, and another next week for my bday down to CA, and taking donations/supplies with for those who have lost everything - Thousands without anything in that region.
Anyway,
I'm so grateful now I'm well enough to do such things & have the presence of mind to be able to think & DO for others again, as the Hep C really had me wiped out toward the end (depression, bodily aches, etc).... and coming back to life ... well, it's not without its own costs, but surely worth the price!
I am now one year post treatment and I also understand "missing the schedules, etc" It was a routine in our lives.
BUT in the long run, I am like a new person.....Yes right now I have some kind of normal virus, but to wake up without all that body pain, oh it feels so good. I have to force myself to get outside and walk and I do that.
I have to exercise my mind and body. I read back also on my journals, and I can't believe the state I was in (body and emotional)
I was so excited when the Hep Doc called yesterday to tell me I am still undetected after 1 year - I am on CLoud 9 and regenerized.
I can live life again - I am so happy....