Bloodwork and results are in..boohoo

[ubotts]

 :'(My tcell went down to 161..ok i can deal with that..

My bloodpressure is high due to some of the meds, so now I have added one more pill to the mix..

Viral load is still undetectable..that's good..My cholesterol is good..

BUT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 My Hep C is kicking my ass..

My numbers went from 33/38 to 158/100..

So my Dr. said she would give me a sonogram before she does the biospy..just to see
what stage its in..

Know that my numbers are the highest they have ever bee.

I  know its not in the first stage..
                                                  Anyway..
With my tcells being so low and being co-infected , iam fucked.

ok..I am a tri sexual...Ill try anything once

I am not looking forward to injecting myself 2x a day 3x a week for 9 months.
Then wait another six months to see if it worked.

I was doing alot of research online, and It said if your tcells are under 200 it much harder to treat.....

I don't know what to do here??? 

The percentage is not very promising at all, and being so damn low in my tcells,
I wondering WTF do I do.

Right now I am on antibiotic's Levaquin 500 Mgs, but its not helping, so the Dr gave
me a 4day more supply, to see if I feel any better..
I was giving a phenomena shot that day...felt worst the next day..
                                       PLUS
I also found out that I had hepatitis A as well as C..
That was news to me..

I also got a hep b shot to prevent that from coming my way..

You get one shot in the arm, then a month later another..after 5 months you get the last one..

I did this 9 months ago , but they say it didn't take and here I go again..

My damn head is spinning from all this crap.......

 I am snipping at everyone who
even looks at me, and I have been a horrible person...that's not me..It must be
the damn Predisone..

.oops That's another thing I forgot to let you know..( 2 much crap to remember)

I was put on this because of my lungs..they were closing and the only way to open my values up was using Predisone.......which can make ya crazy....

I have so much on my plate, I think Ill call it a platter now.

I am a long term survivor, but there comes a time when you start doubting
the meds, the doctors, and your even your stamina.... know what I mean?

I am not looking forward to the inferon treatments at all.

My cousin who is not co-infected..just plain old hep c, went through this, was doing great and a year later it came back to bite her on her ass...

So you see, I dint know what to do...If it didn't work for her, why should it work for me especially with a low tcell count of 161.......and please spare me with the "everybody body works differently...true, but in my case, dont think thats going to help me one bit.

Please any advise you may have when reading this ..please feel free to help one confused
and losing my mind  women................
                           

[courage757]

That really sucks.  If you don't mind me asking what is the name of your id and hcv doctors names.  Are they from NYC? 

It's like a rollercoaster but do not give up.  There are so many of us that take it one day at a time.  I know I try to.  My Hep C numbers are high but I know my HCV doctor isn't going to give me anything.  The last treatment was with infergen??sp  shots.
My whole body and mood went downwards. 

I will be seeing my id doctor on the 15th of this month.  I will have my T-count done then.  He does it every 3 months.

The biopsy is the best thing to determine what stage your liver is.  I would go for it even if they decide not to treat you for it.  Unless you rather not know what shape your liver is in.  With your T-cells being low, the doctor most likely will not treat you for hep c. 

It seems like you are on so much medication.  When I was taking infergen I felt like a horrible person and did not want to talk to anybody--not event my ID doctor.  He had no idea how I felt. 

Don't give up.  I feel like giving up so many times and put the blame on everyone around me.  I am not a bad person.  In 1981 I was attempting to cross the street (which I don't remember) and my whole world turned around. 

Please hang on.  I will pray for you.  I need to stop thinking why me.  There is so may innocent children and people who get killed for no reason at all.

I am here for you.
ps:  You are not losing your mind

[Henritx]

Hi Ubotts,

I will had a few prayers of my own too.
I can only imagine the scarred feelings.
but  know you can find the courage to face this as well.

Just a thought, for yourself,
do you really have a choice in fighting the Hep C?

Best wishes -Hank

[BT65]

Hi Ubotts:

Wow.  I don't know what the Hep C numbers you posted mean.  But it doesn't sound good.  I'm sorry about your CD4 cells also.  What meds are you on for the HIV? 

I know a couple people who started the interferon treatments and had to stop because of feeling so shitty.  Then again, I know a few that successfully took them and are still Hep C negative.  Only you can decide something like that (well, with your doctor). 

I really don't know what to tell you to do, but I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.  You're handling so much right now.  Try to take it easy on yourself. 
Peace-
Betty

[ubotts]

What meds are you on for the HIV? 

I am on noviar truvada and zeyataz..I believe thats how u spell it.
For the longest I was on combiviar and Kaletra.....
Maybe I should of stayed on that combo..

These are new doctors, and they are from NJ not NYC..

I have some kind of infection going on thats why the doctor said my number will be low
due to too many white cells...........Iam ok with that.

As far as having a sonagram instead of a biospy..I figured if they could do it that way instead of using a needle and being uncomfortable, why not..
But if a biopsy is better and will give me a more acurate reading , then I will have that done to see what stage my hep c is in.

Just a bunch of trial and error going on...I am hanging in there though.
Somedays are better than others. and today I feel good..
I thought all this over and did more reseach,,,,,,,,,,,,we shall see what the next step
will be..

Thank you all for your support and concern.. :-*too you all...

[Ann]

Hi Ubotts,

You might not have to wait until your CD4s go up. An excerpt from a recent article:

The results of two studies are at odds regarding whether or not people coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) must have high CD4 counts if they are to respond well to HCV treatment. But the new data, published by separate research teams in the January 1 issue of the Journal ofAcquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, suggests that people with lower CD4 counts may not have to wait until HIV treatment improves their immune systems before they can safely initiate HCV treatment, a concern given the potential for more frequent and severe side effects among patients with low CD4 cell counts undergoing pegylated interferon treatment.

Read the whole article.

I am not looking forward to injecting myself 2x a day 3x a week for 9 months.
Then wait another six months to see if it worked.
                      

That doesn't sound like standard interferon/ribaviron therapy. The current therapy is pegylated interferon, which only has to be injected once a week. Everyone I know, including myself, who did the interferon since 2002 or so injected once a week. The old therapy was injecting three times a week. The therapy is also supposed to last for one year when the person is coinfected - not nine months.

I wasn't told I had the "all clear" until my hcv VL remained undetectable for two years. We still check on it once a year or so. The year I spent on interferon/ribaviron therapy was the worst year of my life - but the result was worth it.

Good luck Ubotts!

Ann
xxx

[BT65]

What meds are you on for the HIV? 

Trizivir and Sustiva.  I'm continuing to keep you in my thought and prayers.  Hang in there, sweetie.

[ubotts]

Thank you Ann for bring me up to date on how they use the medicines now and its
possible to have this done without a certain t cells count.........

I am going to re read this article again.

I was the one who thought it was 2x a day for 3 weeks...Yep that was the way it used to be...I like the one shot deal alot better.

I know I will feel and pretty much look like crap,but if it works, its all worth it..

If not, at least I know I gave it a try.
Thank you for your opinions and concern......... :-*Luv this forum

[Ann]

Hi Ubotts,

You can get up-to-date on the current and up-and-coming hcv treatments by visiting this website: http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/

Ann

[BT65]

Ubotts, you just hang in there sweetie.  I'm praying for you and sending you positive energy.

[ubotts]

Thank you for the Link Ann..
I will definetly educate myself more,by reading all links pretaining to hep c wih hiv...

NOw they also found out I have hep a...Never would of known..guess I was exposed
awhile back, but thats not a killer, so i am not sweating it.

I have started to redo my hep B shots.........Had them done but they say it didnt take.

hopefully, this time it will..

Thanks again for your time and patience...............

[ubotts]

thank you all for showing your concern and taking time out to tell me what to do..
Prayers are appreciated....
I am going to look into the link you sent to me Ann..thank you ..

Today I go for my ultrasound and a mamogram..
Monday is the biospy...oy ve.......

[BT65]

Please let us know how those tests come out.  I'm overdue for my mammogram.  The last time I had one done, they ended up doing a needle biopsy on a lump I had.  Which really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. But the doc knicked a blood vessel, and they had to put a really small metal clip in my right breast.  It's still there.

[ubotts]

Well my mammogram came back good..

I went to my Dr's yesterday, and saw my new therapist for the second time..
She placed me on Zoloft, and I am feeling a bit better...

At my last visit, I was told about having high blood pressure, so they put me on pills for that, then they sent me to a nutritionist and she told me what I could eat and what not to eat being i have hep c...NO RED MEAT. just chicken turkey and lean pork.. Plus my tcells dropped to 161 and I had to go back on Mephron Suspension..yellow goo.

Plus other things..Then they are trying to schedule when I start my hep c treatments,
So all of this overwhelmed me for awhile...

I was crying for nothing at any moment....Didn't realize I was in a depression, so the Zoloft was definitely needed...Believe me I did want to have to take any more pills then I already have to...

But I am OK now...so far so good...oh ha..they also wanted me to have a pap smear, so I was like (damn) getting undressed for it, but then the nurse came in and told the doctor, she has 10 Patience's out there waiting, so I got away with the pap smear  ::)Thank god, guess they will get my ass next time.. well not my ass but ya know..

[BT65]

Ubotts, thanks for the update.  Please let us know how things go.

[aztecan]

Hey Ubotts,

Wow, you've been going through a lot lately. I am glad things are at least mellowing out a bit for you.

I can't add any advice to what's already been said, so I will just let you know I am keeping you in my thoughts and sending lots of positive energy your way.

BIG HUGS,

Mark

[sharkdiver]

Hey Ubotts
Been thinking about you,

you've been on my prayer list, just so you know 

Take care,
Sharkie
(who is just about to start his nightly prayers a la Nepali shaman style)