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.

426 Members

21,304 Posts

0 Online

moineau 07/14/2009

Like most of you know, this is my 2nd time around on tx. I'm getting a way faster result this time and I'm trying to figure out why. First time through they told me to have food before the Riba because it helps reduce nausea. Well, I have a rubber stomach. Nothing makes me nauseous... so most of the time I just popped my Riba's with nothing. When I start tx the 2nd time, the nurse says: "don't forget to eat something with the Riba... or your body won't absorb it properly".. Huh??? What's this about "absorbing"? So this time, I eat something with the Riba-love every time. Now it hits me like a baseball bat in the forehead. And the viral drop is way faster. Just a theory. What do you guys think? Does it matter?

oOoREBoOo 07/14/2009

I eat with my shot, and with my pills. The one time I didn't eat with my shot, I was OUT. I was so sick. I think the food makes the drug ease into my system. IMO....

deleted_user 07/14/2009

I agree, it certainly makes sense. Now my body tells me when I need food and I always feel better right after eating.

deleted_user 07/14/2009

sumbitch, jack, i done the same thing thru 3 tx's. i figured that much ribavirin WAS a meal. didnt know anything about absorbtion. im fighting to retreat a 4th time but this time i want disability. you cant freakin do masonry work on daily infergen, its too rash.. thanks for that input..

deleted_user 07/14/2009

Moineau, I have heard that that is absolutely true and I have lived by it during my treatment. In fact, I think even the Riba product information suggests that the food taken with riba should have a fairly high fat content to help even further with the absorption.

moineau 07/14/2009

you're right, cap. 6 of those guys is a meal...supersized. kary i'm not sure i can take that much more absorption. if i slide a couple of fried eggs down with the Riba I think it'll be the end of me. thx for the ideas.

Trissa01 07/15/2009

I think it is simply your time to slay that pernicious dragon.

deleted_user 07/15/2009

Doc told me to eat food with fat when I take riba. For better absorption.

deleted_user 07/15/2009

my va nurse didnt dispense much advice. i like her personally but its well-known at the va that shes an airhead.

deleted_user 07/15/2009

It was explained to me that the Tx has an a immuno-stimulant effect. So on some levels, everything is pushed in to a higher gear the including metabolism. This requires more energy with regular nutrition via food which facilitates absorption and excretion of the drugs. This kinda made sense for me, so I've tried to be very mindful of this throughout tx so far.

Trissa01 07/15/2009

When I was in lock-down for the drug trial, they ordered my meals. Breakfast was a disgusting fatty greasy sausage patty & egg & butter. So the fat protein thing rings true to me, but I never eat that kind food.

deleted_user 07/15/2009

Ptriss, I never ate that type of food either but when I started TX my appetite completely changed and the things that I normally liked and ate (chicken, veggies, etc) suddenly made me gag and shiver. So, in order to keep my weight up I had to eat whatever it was that I could manage to get down.

It has turned out that I have eaten more fatty foods over the course of my treatment for two reasons -- one - because of the riba thing - and two - because sometimes it's all I could manage to eat.

Once treatment is over, I intend to get back to my excellent eating habits because I do NOT like knowing that I am eating fatty crap (even though it goes down okay). :)

deleted_user 07/15/2009

some meds are absorbed better with food, others on an empty stomache. Riba needs food. But I agree it is definitely your time to slay the dragon

daytaker 07/15/2009

The other night didn't feel like eatting much so I just ate a apple and took the riba and like you said it was like someone hit me with a bat in the head. Won't make that mistake agian.

Join the Conversation