Same boat here Wes. Try to cut out as many complex carbs as possible, breads pastas etc. They are super sugars!
Try a meal replacement of a whey protein shake made with milk. Just one replacement a day can make a big dif and yes the extra weight is really going to aggravate your joint pain

Sorry to hear about your pain Mosrite. Yeah, I already don't eat that stuff, and I can't digest milk, it makes me sick. Any other ideas, I appreciate what you told me anyway. Thanks.

I don't really have an answer as far as weight loss, but I too used to take Lyrica and it did cause weight gain for me also. I don't know how because I don't think it made me eat any more. The extra weight did come right back off when I stopped taking it though.

I keep dropping lbs. Have little appetite. But when I do eat, crave sugar!!!! Oranges are in season right now and raisins are always available and cheap. They help w/ my sugar cravings (usually) and good fiber! Also fruit smothies w/ yogurt and/or banannas instead of milk particularly during the summer. Ahhh summer! :)

Hey Nealy - I'm not allowed to eat seville oranges or grapefruit while on tx. Does that apply to all tx or only the clinical study I was on?

You can get veggie protein or soy protein powder and mix it with something else.
Are you lactose intolerant? You can get lactose free milk or you could use a drink powder like Crystal Lite. Fruit juice and Gatorade type drinks have a ton of calories.
You just have to cut back a lot on carbs (sugars, breads, cereal).
It's really the Akins diet pproach
http://www.atkins.com/program.aspx

After 9 months of TX I was wiped out....I really believed because of joint pain that I had RA. Went and had tests and came back negative. I had all type of sides. I am 54 and stage 3 and progressing. On trial with telaprevir and virus came back at week 36. I stayed on tx until week 44. All that said I truely thought I would never be the same physically. At times all I could do was cry and lay in bed overwhelmed with depression and pain. I made the decision that i was going to get "physical" no matter what. Last Jan. i started back at Gym with a trainer. Very painful for months but I did not give up. Focused on what I ate and continued to drink tons of water.

13 months later I am at Gym 4 times a week and getting ready to run 5k's again with 9yr old daughter. I pray daily ,attend 12 step meetings,give back where i can,work very hard at trusting a God I can not see(most of the time) and focus of health. This is only body I am getting and I treat it like that.

I am hopeful and willing to begin tx with protease inhibitor Bocepavir when it comes out. I see Dr as directed and on no type of drugs at present(planning on staying that way)

Don't give up and be a victim of this situation in your life. Don't quit fighting...this is your life you are talking about. Seek all the outside help you can. Do not limit yourself on where you get it. I will pray for you. God Bless and good luck,

Bill

Thanks people for your comments. I ride my bike when possible and am getting along with that. I drank grapefruit juice all through tx. Maybe that's why it didn't work. I read it was ok though for the drugs I took. My main problem is that my feet swell up when I walk. It's very painful.

Hey Wes!!! Just out of curiosity, did you have your thyroid tested during and post-tx? Tx can definately make your thyroid underactive (hypothyroidism). While on tx, my TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) was 5 times normal. My blood pressure was very low and I felt like I was honestly in slow motion. I was started on synthroid. My TSH went back to normalpost tx, but often it does not. It can't hurt to bring it up to your doc. Best of luck!

Yeah gagem, my thyroid was ok. My tests usually come out ok except pos for hep c 1A.

I do water aerobics it is great no strain no pressure. I actually work up a sweat in the pool. We do indoor so it is all year round.

I actually saught out this group with a similar questions. Lyrica is for the aches and pains? I take Osteo Bi-Flex seems to make it less but never non unless I take 800 mg ibuprophin. I have n idea if these are harmfull to my liver and is there alternatives?

Wes, i dont know what to advise you about the pain, as i have chronic pain myself and get no relief even with perscribed meds, but check with msclo on the thyroid issue. My TSH is normal, and was all through tx, but there are other components to look at when dealing with thyroid issues. T3..T4..T6...... if i'm correct. I'll go look for the link he sent me and post it here for you.

ok Wes......here's the thyroid link I told ya I would get...........

http://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/thyroid/thyroid-gland-function