6 Months...Great News

Virus Negative at 6 months. Thank you God. I can now honestly say...it was worth it!

To Anonymous

I think my blog is a very honest account of my experience undergoing treatment. I would be happy to communicate with you directly if you would like to send your email address. Best of luck with your treatment..I am happy to be of help if I can

June 2nd 2012

I am feeling great less then three months post treatment. I am back to all of my activities, i feel great gained 6 pounds have energy and am sleeping well! This month I go for my 3 month blood test. My doctor has indicated that this is a very important marker. I just pray that Gods plan is that I am able to be cured. I believe I am. I will keep you posted....

3 weeks post treatment

First of All I want to say Thank You to Anonymous for your comment today.i am glad I was able to lift your spirits!

I ended treatment on March 20th! YEAH!

Yesterday I went to the gym for the first time. It felt so good to move my body for the first time in a very long time.
Each day I feel better and stronger.
My last viral load was still negative. I had blood work done this week and will get the viral,load results at my appointment this Tuesday. I have every reason to believe it will continue to be negative.
I am so grateful for the support that was given to me through treatment.

I am so happy to start getting on with life. I look forward to doing anything and everything!

If you are going through treatment.....hang in there! I f I can do it you can too.

March 8th

I am not sure why I haven't felt like blogging this time around. For awhile I just felt too sick. Now I'm just tired....I am actually physically tired and mentally tired of thinking about hepatitis C.
it has consumed my thoughts and the treatment has dictated my actions for almost 2 years.

I will be done with this course of treatment on March 20th. I have every reason to believe I will be successful in clearing the virus for good.

I have had such wonderful support this time around from my doctor and nurse and a small group of friends that I choose to talk about it with.

I can't wait to get on with my life. I joined a new gym yesterday and can't wait to try every exercise class they have to offer (i know I have to start very slow) i just feel there is so much to look forward to...tennis.....summer.....the beach all things are possible with good health.

January 21st

I can't believe it's been almost a month since my last entry. Things are so ugh better now. I a back on the ribavirun and interferon. I completed 11 out of 12 weeks of Incivek.
My hemoglobin has finally started to increase, at last blood work it was 9.5

I believe I am over the worst of it and I only have about 8 weeks to go.
Everything is looking very positive and I am very grateful.

Dear Anas

I wish your Mom well....yes fatigue is one of the strongest side effects of this treatment. She will need a lot of rest.
I will keep her in my prayers.
Have a blessed holiday season.
Cristine

Srarting week 12

After 4 weeks on procrit, my hemoglobin continues to drop. The doctor has discontinued the Incivek. I got a full 11 out of 12 weeks. She has also discontinued the Ribavirun and interferon for one week to give my hemoglobin a chance to increase.
I feel just awful.
I am of course concerned that the virus will come back with no medication....I am trying to keep the faith and praying the treatment will be a success.
I have to admit that not having to eat the 20 grams of fat 3 times a day is a pleasure.

Week 10

I am just entering my eleventh week. Only 2 more weeks of this hateful Incivek. Although I just had my 3rd shot of pro-Crit my hemoglobin continues to go down 7.3 yesterday.
My doctor is decreasing my ribavirun and withholding it for 4 days.

I had another near passing out and vomiting experience this morning. It totally wipes me out. Physically this is much harder then last time.

I just want it to work....honestly that is all I care about.

For the first time today I really got scared and concerned that this may not work. I have generally been very positive but today was a bad day. For some reason I have this dreaded sense of complete loneliness today. As they say....this too shall pass.

December 5th

Last week I started Pro=Crit to increase my hemoglobin. i will take my second injection today. It takes awhile for the hemoglobin to rise....I look forward to more energy. Had an embarrassing
experience at Bloomingdales yesterday. My neighbor took me so I could purchase a gift. I nearly passed out while paying and projectile vomited all over. I will have to wear a hat and big sunglasses next time I go. All kidding aside, it was quite scary. Only 3 more weeks left of the Incivek. Yeah!

This time around is so much easier emotionally....Thank God....I really appreciate that

Week 8

Just had my 8th injection. I will be very happy to be over with the Incivek part of this treatment. Eating 20 grams of fat 3 times a day has proved to be a challenge as I have no appetite at all.

I have to admit it is so far going quickly....I am sleeping so much so the day goes quickly when you nap so often : )

I'll get through...I think my head is in the right place.

Hi Magalinda

Thanks for writing.

I am on Incivek, ribavirun and interferon entering week 8. I haven't had any itching just one rash that has cleared. I am just really tired and weak from anemia.

This is my second time too 48 weeks last year without Incivek and 24 weeks this time around. I wish you well in your treatment...keep me posted.
Cris

Week 7

Things are getting a bit more difficult. As I am writing his I have my 2nd fever of the treatment thus far. My last hemoglobin was 10 and white count 1.8

Life really is about perspective though isn't' it. I received a call from a friend today who told me she was recently diagnosed with stage 3 Ovarian Cancer.

I honestly hung up the phone with her and thanked God for my disease the new drugs and my prognosis.

She though like me is very strong...we are survivors...I know she can beat her cancer. I am happy that this experience has given me some perspective to be able to help her through. We can help each other.
I told her about my blog and she wants me to teach her how to set one up.
Today I am extremely grateful.

Thank you

I forgot to thank Sharon from Australia for reaching out....please keep in touch!

November 7th

It's about 8pm and am just coming off a terrible day. Tonight is my 6th injection. I have a lot more nausea this time around and I am exhausted which makes me think my hemoglobin has dropped some more.
Emotionally I am in a much better place then last round (so far anyway).

I could honestly sleep all day and night.

I just needed to complain a bit...tomorrow will be better.

November 2nd

I got great news after only 13 days of treatment my viral load was Non-detectable.

After this last blood work my hemoglobin has dropped and I am feeling signs of anemia. I just had my 5th injection last night so today I do feel quite fatigued.

I want to thank those of you who have commented on my blog, it really helps so much to hear from you. If anyone would like for me to correspond directly, please provide your email address. I think we can really help one another.

So far the biggest symptom is fatigue, still working and able to accomplice most of my daily activities. If I didn't have to work this would be much easier but it is probably best to have something to do.

Week 2 October 10th

I had blood work done. My rash has become worse so the doctor prescribed a stronger cream. My white count dropped to 3.8 and my hemoglobin actually went uo to 14.9. I thought that was a good thing but the doctor explained I was dehydrated. I need to drink more water.
A bit queasy but not nauseas.
THE BEST NEWS.. After only 6 days on the protocol my viral load dropped to 53!!!! No zeroes attached
53.....it's amazing
Tired and napping quite a bit but really not too bad (yet) : )

And so it begins...week one

October 4th....first day of treatment.
This treatment is 24 weeks. First 12 weeks with weekly injections, ribavirun and the new drug Incivek. After week 4 my viral load has to be 1,000 or less or treatment will not continue. If I am successful the following 12 weeks the Incivek stops and the other 2 drugs continue.
On September 13th my Viral load was in the 900,000 range. Each week I will have blood work and see the doctor.
when I injected that evening it all became very real to me. By the end of the week I had a rash under my arms (expected). The doctor wants me to call the office with any side-effects.
An over the counter cortisone cream should do it. So far so good. A bit fatigued and insomnia but I am sleeping after being prescribed Klonopin. Thank God...the insomnia last time around was torture.

September 12th

I had my first visit with my new doctor at the hepatitis center. I am so excited that she feels I am a good candidate for the new protocol. What a difference it makes going to a doctor who specializes. I feel I am in such better hands now and that my symptoms will be managed.
One of most frustrating experiences with the last doctor I used for treatment was that neither he or his staff had any knowledge or empathy of the myriad of symptoms that come along with this treatment.
If i could make one suggestion to anyone contemplating treatment it would to be to see someone who specializes in hepatitis C. A routine gastroenterologist is not adequate.

Once all of the approvals go through for the medication I will start...the sooner the better.

Some disappointing news

I had my three month viral load post treatment and found out the virus had returned. My count was 330,000.
I was so disappointed...I knew something was up but I was really hoping that my thyroid medication just needed to be adjusted.
I was feeling very fatigued.
I hung up the phone that morning extremely disappointed but by the end of that day I had an appointment set with a new doctor at the hepatitis center in Hackensack.

I know the new treatment is available and I was just hoping I would be a candidate. I didn't want to go on treatment again (who would) but I had about 5 or 6 weeks of feeling terrific post treatment and I really want that back.
I will do whatever it takes to be healthy!