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.
I WAS TOLD IN JAN. 07 THAT I HAD HEP C AND OF COURSE I FREAKED LIKE EVERYONE DOES. I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE DISEASE EXCEPT WHAT I HAD HEARD IN CASUAL CONVERSATIONS. I DECIDED NOT TO DO THE TX AND WENT BACK TO THE DR.TO TELL HIM(like I had a choice)AND HE STARTED EXPLAINING EVERYTHING TO ME SO WITHIN A WEEK, I HAD CHANGED MY MIND. I FELT LONELY, SCARED, UNEDUCATED, DOUBTFUL AND DEPRESSED. I STARTED MY TX IN THE MIDDLE OF JAN AND INSTANTLY THE FATIGUE STARTED IT'S DESEND. SHOT DAY WAS THE ABSOLUTE WORST FOR ME B/C I WOULD GET MORE FATIGUED WITH EACH SHOT. I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WERE SITE'S OUT HERE TO HELP ME UNTIL I FOUND D.S I JOINED UP RIGHT AWAY AND WAS WELCOMED SO FAST WITH FRIENDS THAT KNEW WHAT I WAS GOING THRU. I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME IN BED. I WOULD STAY UP UNTIL 3 AM AND NOT HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY TO GET UP AND I LOVED MY BED. I DIDN'T SHOWER FOR DAYS AT A TIME JUST HAD NO ENERGY TO DO IT. GOD BLESS MY HUBBY'S HEART FOR HAVING TO SEE ME EACH AFTERNOON WITH MY HAIR STICKING OUT ALL OVER AND JUST GRUNGED OUT.
MY TX WAS INTERFERON AND RIBAVIRIN FOR 6 MONTHS ALONG WITH THESE VITAMINS---BILBERRY-SUPER B COMPLEX AND ZINC, WHICH I'M STILL ON TODAY. THE VERY FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS HOW MUCH I CRIED, I HAD NO CONTROL OVER IT AND WAS SLINGING SNOT EVERYHERE.ONCE AGAIN BLESS MY HUBBY'S HEART, THIS IS HIS FIRST MARRIAGE AND MAN DID HE PICK A WINNER OR WHINER AT THE TIME...HE HELD ME, PRAYED WITH ME, WASHED MY EYES, I WAS A MESS. THEN THE DR STARTED ME ON CYMBALTA 30 MG X 1, THAT HELPED A LITTLE AND IT WASN'T LONG UNTIL HE HAD ME ON 60 MG X 2, AM & PM. NOW I'M LEVELED OUT. THEN THE PAIN STARTED AND HE PUT ME ON OXICOTIN 20 MG X 2 AND XANAX 1 MG X 2 FOR ANXIETY. I FINALLY GOT TO A PLACE WHERE I COULD HANDLE THE PAIN AND DEPRESSION AND THE ANXIETY OF THE WHOLE TX. BUT STILL SHOT DAY WAS THE WORST, BUT I MADE IT THRU.
FINALLY MADE MY LAST SHOT THE END OF JULY, HALLELJAH!!! I WAS ELATED TO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANYMORE AND BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF MY BED AND GET MY LIFE BACK ON TRACK. DIDN'T HAPPEN!!!
I WAS STILL HAVING PAIN. AN ALL OVER PAIN THAT JUST WOULDN'T GO AWAY AND SEEMED TO GET MORE PAINFUL EACH NEW DAY. MY JOINTS HURT, EVERYONE OF THEM, THEN MY MUSCLES STARTED THE SAME THING, WITH EVERY JOINT ACHE CAME A PAIN WITH IF. I WAS STILL SEEING MY DR WHO IS AN INTERNIST AND ON MY NEXT APPT, I TOLD HIM HOW I WAS HURTING ALL OVER AND THAT THE PAIN WAS INCREASING EVERY DAY, NO FEVER JUST A BAG OF PAIN. HE TOUCHED ME HERE AND THERE AND TOLD ME, " I THINK YOU HAVE FIBROMYALGIA! I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE WORD MEANT. NONE AT ALL. HE NEVER SAID THAT THERE MAY BE A CHANCE OF "ANYTHING." HE INCREASED MY OXI TO MORE TIMES A DAY, B/C FIBRO IS ALL ABOUT PAIN...
I WENT HOME AND STUDIED JUST LIKE I DID FOR THE HEP C TX...WOW, IT SAID THAT I HAD A DISEASE THAT THEY COULD NOT DX NOR CURE AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE AND JUST LEARN HOW TO HANDLE THE PAIN B/C IT WOULD PROGRESSIVLY GET WORSE...RIGHT BACK TO SQUARE 1..
THEY HAVE A SITE HERE ON D.S. FOR FIBRO AND I'VE BEEN THERE SINCE I WAS DX'ED AND IT'S A GOOD SITE MOST OF THE TIME, BUT WOMEN WHO SUFFER WITH PAIN EVERYDAY OF THEIR LIVES CAN BECOME QUITE BITCHY AT TIMES. THAT'S WHEN I COMING RUNNING BACK OVER HERE B/C THIS IS HOME STILL TO ME AND I STILL TO THIS DAY GET THE COMFORT, LOVE AND THE SUPPORT I NEED HERE. I REALLY DIDN'T MEAN FOR THIS TO BE SO LONG.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WILL HAPPEN TO YOU BUT IT MIGHT AND IF IT DOES, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I WILL BE HERE TO GIVE YOU EVERYTHING THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME. IT'S A HORRIBLE LIFE, BUT IT'S A LIFE STILL AND IT IS WHAT WE MAKE OF IT. I'M STILL GLAD TO BE HERE EVEN THRU THE PAIN. I'M HERE FOR A REASON AND A SEASON AND I'M HERE TO GUIDE AND LOVE YOU.
P.S. I FORGOT TO TELL YOU ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY BED. I LAID THERE FOR 7 MONTHS AND CRIED OUT TO GOD ONE NIGHT, "GOD, IF YOU DON'T GET ME OUT OF THIS BED, I'M GOING TO DIE HERE." I FELT IT IN MY SOUL. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE FOREVER TO GET OUT OF THE BED BUT WITH GOD'S LOVE AND ASSURANCE I WAS OUT IN ONE WEEK. IT WAS HARD AND I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT W/O GOD RIGHT BESIDE ME, BUT HE DID ANSWER MY PRAYER. I'M STILL UP TO SEE THE SUNRISE EVERYDAY NOW AND I THANK HIM EVERYDAY FOR ANOTHER CHANCE.....LOVE...HELEN
MY TX WAS INTERFERON AND RIBAVIRIN FOR 6 MONTHS ALONG WITH THESE VITAMINS---BILBERRY-SUPER B COMPLEX AND ZINC, WHICH I'M STILL ON TODAY. THE VERY FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS HOW MUCH I CRIED, I HAD NO CONTROL OVER IT AND WAS SLINGING SNOT EVERYHERE.ONCE AGAIN BLESS MY HUBBY'S HEART, THIS IS HIS FIRST MARRIAGE AND MAN DID HE PICK A WINNER OR WHINER AT THE TIME...HE HELD ME, PRAYED WITH ME, WASHED MY EYES, I WAS A MESS. THEN THE DR STARTED ME ON CYMBALTA 30 MG X 1, THAT HELPED A LITTLE AND IT WASN'T LONG UNTIL HE HAD ME ON 60 MG X 2, AM & PM. NOW I'M LEVELED OUT. THEN THE PAIN STARTED AND HE PUT ME ON OXICOTIN 20 MG X 2 AND XANAX 1 MG X 2 FOR ANXIETY. I FINALLY GOT TO A PLACE WHERE I COULD HANDLE THE PAIN AND DEPRESSION AND THE ANXIETY OF THE WHOLE TX. BUT STILL SHOT DAY WAS THE WORST, BUT I MADE IT THRU.
FINALLY MADE MY LAST SHOT THE END OF JULY, HALLELJAH!!! I WAS ELATED TO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANYMORE AND BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF MY BED AND GET MY LIFE BACK ON TRACK. DIDN'T HAPPEN!!!
I WAS STILL HAVING PAIN. AN ALL OVER PAIN THAT JUST WOULDN'T GO AWAY AND SEEMED TO GET MORE PAINFUL EACH NEW DAY. MY JOINTS HURT, EVERYONE OF THEM, THEN MY MUSCLES STARTED THE SAME THING, WITH EVERY JOINT ACHE CAME A PAIN WITH IF. I WAS STILL SEEING MY DR WHO IS AN INTERNIST AND ON MY NEXT APPT, I TOLD HIM HOW I WAS HURTING ALL OVER AND THAT THE PAIN WAS INCREASING EVERY DAY, NO FEVER JUST A BAG OF PAIN. HE TOUCHED ME HERE AND THERE AND TOLD ME, " I THINK YOU HAVE FIBROMYALGIA! I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE WORD MEANT. NONE AT ALL. HE NEVER SAID THAT THERE MAY BE A CHANCE OF "ANYTHING." HE INCREASED MY OXI TO MORE TIMES A DAY, B/C FIBRO IS ALL ABOUT PAIN...
I WENT HOME AND STUDIED JUST LIKE I DID FOR THE HEP C TX...WOW, IT SAID THAT I HAD A DISEASE THAT THEY COULD NOT DX NOR CURE AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE AND JUST LEARN HOW TO HANDLE THE PAIN B/C IT WOULD PROGRESSIVLY GET WORSE...RIGHT BACK TO SQUARE 1..
THEY HAVE A SITE HERE ON D.S. FOR FIBRO AND I'VE BEEN THERE SINCE I WAS DX'ED AND IT'S A GOOD SITE MOST OF THE TIME, BUT WOMEN WHO SUFFER WITH PAIN EVERYDAY OF THEIR LIVES CAN BECOME QUITE BITCHY AT TIMES. THAT'S WHEN I COMING RUNNING BACK OVER HERE B/C THIS IS HOME STILL TO ME AND I STILL TO THIS DAY GET THE COMFORT, LOVE AND THE SUPPORT I NEED HERE. I REALLY DIDN'T MEAN FOR THIS TO BE SO LONG.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WILL HAPPEN TO YOU BUT IT MIGHT AND IF IT DOES, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I WILL BE HERE TO GIVE YOU EVERYTHING THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME. IT'S A HORRIBLE LIFE, BUT IT'S A LIFE STILL AND IT IS WHAT WE MAKE OF IT. I'M STILL GLAD TO BE HERE EVEN THRU THE PAIN. I'M HERE FOR A REASON AND A SEASON AND I'M HERE TO GUIDE AND LOVE YOU.
P.S. I FORGOT TO TELL YOU ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY BED. I LAID THERE FOR 7 MONTHS AND CRIED OUT TO GOD ONE NIGHT, "GOD, IF YOU DON'T GET ME OUT OF THIS BED, I'M GOING TO DIE HERE." I FELT IT IN MY SOUL. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE FOREVER TO GET OUT OF THE BED BUT WITH GOD'S LOVE AND ASSURANCE I WAS OUT IN ONE WEEK. IT WAS HARD AND I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT W/O GOD RIGHT BESIDE ME, BUT HE DID ANSWER MY PRAYER. I'M STILL UP TO SEE THE SUNRISE EVERYDAY NOW AND I THANK HIM EVERYDAY FOR ANOTHER CHANCE.....LOVE...HELEN
-
theatre and I are there already. I'm having a very berry tea with crackers, cheese and cherry tomatoes and she's having a joint with some beer and we're both on really comfy recliners on thick pile carpet. we need some help with the decor if anyone is around??
-
I'm trying to exercise daily. I was doing fairly well until I sprained my ankle 2 weeks ago but now I'm getting back on the horse. Today I walked over a mile with my arm weights that are about 22lbs total. I was out of shape and it was hard on my arms. I also did my 30 situps. I'm also going to drink a lot of water and try to eat healthy. I do tend to have a sweet tooth but I'm cutting...
First, tx is not perfect; many types of meds are not. They cure one thing but often there are residual happenings related to the meds. It's like 6 of one, or half a dozen of the other.
If you don't do tx, you run the risk of the virus ruining your liver and we have only one liver.
Then if you do tx, you run a different risk of those residuals afterwards. Some get them; some do not.
So much in life is a gamble; you roll the dice and get what you get.
I don't ever regret what I do; I do try hard to weigh each side before choosing though.
Anyways, on to foods.
I searched "foods to avoid with fibromyalgia"
http://www.fibromyalgia-diet.ws/avoid.html
http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/QA/answers-Foods_to_avoid/
http://www.annecollins.com/fibromyalgia-diet.htm
http://www.finerhealth.com/Lecture/sld006.html
http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/3425/
There. From the looks of alot of these articles and sites, certain foods will definitely contribute to flareups, so just like with tx and drinking water, one can lessen their symptoms/sides just by making some changes in their diet.
All we can do is find ways to live with the results. I hope that the sites can give you some suggestions on foods and hopefully you will be able to lessen your pains. Good luck.
Lucy, if you look at the list of all the things that could go wrong or happen to you from this tx, you have to know that it is a crap shoot. Man, if all of us got all of those things, nobody would survive. There are so many people, including drs who really don't know a heck of a lot about hep. It's no surprise to hear that your dr did not mention this possible side.
Yes, it's scary to look at the list of possible sides, but to me it's scarier to sit back and let the virus continue without my fighting.