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LondonGirl wrote:
Dear lovely FixHepC friends, Just a (not so) little update.
Had bloods taken at new hospital (3 weeks into tx) am waiting for full results, but consultant emailed me with the short version :VL 515
Alt 22
Ast 24
BILIRUBIN 7
ALB 41
Vit D normal
Thyroid normal
Kidney normal
Platelets 144I have read with interest others are noticing sensitivity re sad things and I can report am the same !
I am easily moved to tears, wish to avoid the news, can’t stand shouting, stress etc…but the worst thing is if I experience any sadness it lingers and deeply and can send me into some sort of a depressive state. I have started asking myself hard questions about some naïve choices I made in the past re my choice of partners, there is some self-blame and if I am brutally honest, I need to try and find forgiveness in my heart towards some others. Hard. I am also extremely aware of the time I have spend barely ‘living’ since diagnosis and how my career and personal relationships / friendships have suffered and resentment to the total lack of support this condition offers, physically or emotionally.I heard some music recently that has affected me so deeply, the song wont leave my head, I wake up and there it is still going round and round – It is a beautiful, intense, sad song and just the kind of song I like, (also performed by a previous hepper and written by someone who had recently suffered a personal tragedy…
I feel I need to retreat somewhat at this stage of tx and my instincts are that this is caused by a physical thing, possibly the meds themselves as well as the thoughts and hopes we go through after waiting so long for treatment and the healing process . We will also need to be cautious at EOT I feel. Apart from that, I am pleased the VL is heading in the right direction, although now I wish I understood the ‘log’ thing (if anyone should care to explain in short, easy speak ?) I sort of get it, but then with VL 1157 down to 515 with in a week, is this a 1 log or a 2 log?
The other sx I feel I should rather reluctantly mention, is bowel movements and constipation, strange stools etc – Not my favourite thing to publically discuss (!) but after all, we help each other by mentioning no? I have read that taking a Magnesium tab can help – This is also interesting, as I stopped the magnesium during tx as wasn’t too sure if it was an actual ok ?
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I took a magnesium last night and it helped this morning (sorry if too much information! – I really do hate sharing this kind of thing)..Also interestingly, my lower back pain has returned quite badly – Is it all connected? I always suspected my lower back pain was digestive system, rather than skeletal / muscular – When I mention this pain (throbbing worse at night) I am met with blank stares from Drs – (Why?) This pain was what got me diagnosed in the first place, it was so bad, I couldn’t walk and has been going on for nearly 2 years, although I believe helped to the point of disappearing by previously taking magnesium and havin Epsom salt baths.
I am generally feeling loads better all this moaning aside
and waiting for consultants letter with full blood results and advise on when to take next VL test – as I am now past the 4 week mark and into bottle 2, but am thinking not to rush it, my consultant does tests in 3s, not 2s and 4s, can’t help thinking this is the sensible option after reading more and more about Vl testing from you lovely lot on this forum.Hoping this long rambling post is making sense
illy:' /> BIG 
to allThanks soooooooo much for this post LG
I’M EXACTLY THE SAME !
So my poop yep tick same (agree not the most ladylike topic more Benny Hill than my usual choice of letting off some hot air ) I am also going through self examination and cathartic purges of relationships that were less than ideal, my mood is easily triggered by small things which take me to significant life events that I thought I had dealt with.
My bones are hurting too and in the exact same body area, lower back hips and radiating to the knees.
We’re about four days apart in tx and seriously your blog is like my crystal ball.
I’m so hearing you
The songs are triggers too I am avoiding things that I associated with the time that I might have contracted this horrible illness, that’s tricky because I am not really sure how I got it, so all sorts of stupid thoughts are being fielded off by my conscious brain. Also, I am suddenly having little panic flashes eg, I went to the hysterical movie called “Sisters” last night and without warning a path report sheet flashed into my conscious from gawd knows where!!!!
This must all be part of our cleansing
I can’t rationalise this any other way
See how awesome your bloodwork is yet this unwelcome fake depressing niggle is popping up
All I can add to the support here is that I feel like hugging you and if we were closer just basically running amok down the beach and into the sea and going totally stir crazy together to let it all out bugger what the world thinks
I actually logged in to seek out anything about sore bones and went to catch up with you and BAMMM read what was like a mirror
Well hunny sending you big love from hot sunny Oz today
One thing I know about you is you certainly are not in any pity party you are a bright star and I totally think that these sx are chemical and also may well be this virus being slain
Hugs
ArielThank-you Flying Fox
Just looking up Pysyllium capsules
Ingredients : Psyllium Husks, Capsule Shell (Gelatine), Anti-Caking Agents (Magnesium Stearate, Silicon Dioxide).
Interesting . Will read more
Edit :
Pysllium : http://www.healthline.com/health/psyllium-health-benefits#1Sounding interesting, but not sure re the dietry benefits, having just got some weight on
Also, there’s a comment below which says:“Do not take it with any supplements or any medication because they will also be trapped and eliminated by the psyllium fiber”
So I’m not really sure about that one while on tx. Thank-you for the info though, interesting
Ariel
running amok down the beach and into the sea and going totally stir crazy together to let it all out bugger what the world thinks
Sounds wonderful
– It has been dark all day here today – spooky ! I need sun sea and air like never before !I totally think that these sx are chemical and also may well be this virus being slain
Yes and you know, that damn virus ‘reaches the parts that others can’t’ (name that ad?) – No doubt including brain, heart and backside too
Hope next week is more like the last few weeks and this recent purge deals with those little ******** quickly and efficiently for us both !
On the yogurt and fruit, back to the Magnesium as an after dinner treat
hey Magpie –
I find walking is the best thing for back pain and sadness.
You are most very likely right, except it’s dark, cold and extremely windy here – I need to walk, hopefully tomorrow
If you get an opportunity watch a movie called The Way. Its about the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
Ooh, going to look that up now, many thanks. I have read quite a few books on El camino. It’s one tough ‘walk’ ! Good for your daughter, I have always wanted to do this and some friends of mine are doing it. I have to say though, there’s no way I could manage that right now. That’s one helluva trip in more was than leg ache
It would be amazing to feel up to that – Here’s to it heh I’ll be more like a stroll around a city park ha ha . Swimming is good, must try harder Thanks for all your responses ladies, they are much appreciated and aso, I love hearing from you all
I think we need to create a whole poop thread somewhere because I’m very interested to know if people found their digestive issues resolving after treatment.
Great idea FF, we could call it ‘The Poop Scoop ‘
but seriously, you read so much conflicting advise re these issues, it may well be helpful and good ‘fodder’ (sorry!) for research. We don’t seem to get much help from Drs re this, they all see to go extremely quiet on this subject for some reason. I would also like to know if these issues improve after treatment, I sincerely hope that is the case.
magpie wrote:London girl your tests are great, so happy for you and thankyou for the post.
Sharing helps everyone.
I find walking is the best thing for back pain and sadness.
If you get an opportunity watch a movie called The Way. Its about the Camino de Santiago in Spain. My daughter is walking it in June so I was interested in the movie. Might even consider walking it myself!Great Movie Magpie, it was very profound – although some could watch it and not take in the soul-searching aspects – it was such a beautiful and honourable journey the father took. It made me wish I could go and do it! It was reminiscent of the movie, ‘Eat, Pray, Love,’ taking a physical journey in order to make a spiritual one.
Congrats LG on your latest blood results
Well LG, I could quote you again and Debs and Ariel – OMG! You described EXACTLY how I’m feeling. Hey, if ever you want to discuss GI probs (gotta love autocorrect trying to put the word ‘probe’ after GI ) re your ‘stools’ I’m not too embarrassed
Alternating diarrhoea, constipation and pale ‘floating’ stools
hmy:
I take Inner Health Probiotics daily to help with these issues. Constipation – I eat extra fibre e.g. fruit, greens; if that fails I take ‘Super Greens’, tablets – they contain Spirulina, Chlorella, Barley Grass and Wheat Grass – also comes in powder forms to mix in smoothies etc. Great source of protein and heaps of vitamins, excellent for vegans. I’m not taking it daily, only for constipation, 3-4 tablets and plenty of water.Of course you could try the old remedy of drinking Epsom Salts in water but only if you can control the gag reflex!
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I have continued with the Magnesium through Tx because the lower back pain, muscle spasms, leg cramps at night etc., are all improved by taking it. When I’ve not had enough money and gone without I really notice these symptoms hit back.As you say, travelling about and eating out can mess you up, so try and take probiotics with you. Many have to be kept in the fridge but there are varieties for travelling.
I’m also finding walking is very therapeutic lately. I’ve noticed I’m able to walk 2x p/d now, whereas previously I was in so much pain and fatigue in the am, I couldn’t do a walk.
I had a massive meltdown yesterday and was stressed out and crying – haven’t been this bad for awhile, all my emotional stuff catching up with me – so, I stopped what I was doing and took my son and our dog off. Even though it was wild weather, strong gusty winds and spitting rain, we’ve had storms on and off for 1 1/2 weeks now.Wow, it was so cleansing and emotionally I was a lot calmer when I got back. Totally weird because I HATE the Wind – it usually makes me very cranky and irritable.
Yes, things are changing within…a lot of soul-searching, reassessing my life, reviewing regrets, trying to just ‘let shit go’! It is hard there’s a lot to forgive and I’m really beating myself up with a lot of ‘what ifs.’
It is a grieving process, finally having a chance to be virus free and ‘healed’ and looking at how its affected my life – 35 years having this. I feel so very isolated, abandoned – my family and friends back ‘home’, haven’t contacted me to see how I’m doing – and very alone on this journey. It still amazes me how no-one wants to talk about this ‘virus’ and they’d rather ignore me than confront it.As I’ve said before I couldn’t do this without the support and opportunity to vent anything and everything here and not ‘feel’ judged.
Thank you all and I feel so much better knowing others are feeling the same – although I don’t mean I’m glad others are feeling alone and depressed etchmy:
Lots of to you all
QLD Australia ☀️
G3a HCV 35 yrs Tx naive
Started Sof/Dac 13/01/16Dec ’15
AST 70
ALT 89
GGT 124
Fibroscore 8.5
F1-F2
13 Feb’16 VL UND
AST 24
ALT 26
GGT 50HI guess they go quiet because they don’t have a clue. Hep C sufferers haven’t been listened to, and their experiences are not officially recorded or validated
FFox, In a word ‘Yep’ – It’s discrimination, the way I see it.
If you get an opportunity watch a movie called The Way. Its about the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
Getting this lined up to watch now Magpie
It was reminiscent of the movie, ‘Eat, Pray, Love,’ taking a physical journey in order to make a spiritual one.
There’s another one for my list, thanks Chejai. I am such a fussy movie fan, preferring Independent, but you do get the occasional good ‘blockbuster’.
Thanks for your good wishes re bloods too. My instincts are, the med blew away the majority of ‘easy’ ones and now they’re fighting the stubborn ones and I a suffering sx more as a consequence. Also meds building up tiny me. Have woken up sneezing, but not a cold, heavy eyes. sinus’ head feels ‘ full of gunk’ this morning. Going for a brisk, breezy walk after watching this film. (I also hate wind!)
Alternating diarrhoea, constipation and pale ‘floating’ stools
hmy:Than-you for that Chejai, it’s good to know I’m not alone, have never really suffered from bowel probs, but thinking maybe I have without knowing, a build up inside the bowel ….Either way, I don’t like it much!
As you say, travelling about and eating out can mess you up, so try and take probiotics with you
I know a medical herbalist with scientific degrees etc etc They say you shouldn’t take Probiotics ‘willy nilly’ and you have to get the right ones, balance them correctly and for you as an individual and add with other things. They also do the poop test and send it to Germany for a thorough diagnostic. Think I’m going to go for this EOT. The Germans are so up on bowel and digestive function, apparently some even having ‘see trough loos’ so you can keep a eye on your poop!
I had a massive meltdown yesterday and was stressed out and crying
Thank-you again, it seems a few of us, particularly the women (or maybe we discuss it more?) are going through this mid tx.
I read a very interesting article today, saying depression can be brought about by an inflammation & inbalance in gut flora :
“Chronic inflammation appears to be a significant underlying factor causing symptoms of depression” : http://ow.ly/XVwuF
As I’ve said before I couldn’t do this without the support and opportunity to vent anything and everything here and not ‘feel’ judged.
Thank you all and I feel so much better knowing others are feeling the same
Dt and LG
Sinuses : tick agree here sniff sniff
Lucky though it’s been warm and I am close to the ocean so I just get in amongst it and that annoying fluey sx is controlled, but yep agree another sx glad you mentioned it Thankyou xxx
bit of a club aren’t we
Thanks for the updates LG X
Re movies bit of a score here, Monty Pythons Holy Grail is on TV! Big laughs
Well back to the Knights ha!
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