Aa
Drug/alcohol free prior to tx
The nurse I talked to said most doctors want you to be drug and alcohol free for 6 months to a year before tx. I had an eggnog with rum in mid December but that was only about an ounce of rum and it made me ill. As far as drugs go, what kind are they talking about? If its the harsher IV variety, I haven't done IV since the 70's and it's been over 10 years since I've done anything other than marijuana.
Which is my next question. Is marijuana included in that drug-free mandate? That's gonna be tough, because that's about the only thing that makes me feel halfway functional.
What was the timeframe for any of you folks who've been through tx? 6 months or a year? Geez, I could die by then.
Which is my next question. Is marijuana included in that drug-free mandate? That's gonna be tough, because that's about the only thing that makes me feel halfway functional.
What was the timeframe for any of you folks who've been through tx? 6 months or a year? Geez, I could die by then.
theres no incentive for the drug companies to back smoking pot...so of course the studies are going to lean in a way to keep pot illegal..they have for 50 years..i don't think smoking loads of it is great but a little is fine...and i would think useing a vaporizer would make it very safe.....billy
All;
There have been some interesting statements made in this thread and for some reason the subject of alcohol always seems to bring them out. It seems that many of us tend to use this issue to grandstand our own beliefs rather than present factual data, which is usually all that is requested to begin with.
This applies to all of us, and I certainly include myself in this category, but it reminds me of the following adage:
<<>>
Good day to all—
Bill
There have been some interesting statements made in this thread and for some reason the subject of alcohol always seems to bring them out. It seems that many of us tend to use this issue to grandstand our own beliefs rather than present factual data, which is usually all that is requested to begin with.
This applies to all of us, and I certainly include myself in this category, but it reminds me of the following adage:
<<>>
Good day to all—
Bill
Hi HeeB,
I’m trying to piece together all your info; have you been diagnosed with Hep C by antibody test only, or has it been determined that you are positive with a viral load? That is, tested positive for serum HCV RNA?
A primary care doctor typically does the screening; and once the diagnosis is in place, or appears inevitable, he or she will refer you to a Gastroenterologist or Hepatologist. If a Hepatologist is available to you , by all means take the referral. They specialize in diseases of the liver. A GI doc on the other hand has a broader scope of work and covers pretty much all the guts :o). There are plenty of good GI’s out there too; don’t turn one down if he comes with good recommendation.
You’ve found a good place here to get some education about your disease. If you haven’t already, take a look at the following site:
http://janis7hepc.com/
More information here than even a liverlover can stand :o), and it’s easy to navigate. Just click on any item of interest in the blue box.
Keep asking questions and good luck to you in your travels-
Bill
I’m trying to piece together all your info; have you been diagnosed with Hep C by antibody test only, or has it been determined that you are positive with a viral load? That is, tested positive for serum HCV RNA?
A primary care doctor typically does the screening; and once the diagnosis is in place, or appears inevitable, he or she will refer you to a Gastroenterologist or Hepatologist. If a Hepatologist is available to you , by all means take the referral. They specialize in diseases of the liver. A GI doc on the other hand has a broader scope of work and covers pretty much all the guts :o). There are plenty of good GI’s out there too; don’t turn one down if he comes with good recommendation.
You’ve found a good place here to get some education about your disease. If you haven’t already, take a look at the following site:
http://janis7hepc.com/
More information here than even a liverlover can stand :o), and it’s easy to navigate. Just click on any item of interest in the blue box.
Keep asking questions and good luck to you in your travels-
Bill
For me it is why roll the dice? Thanks for the clint hint was bugging me all day!
So much of all this is a guess, and so individual.
I to had a hard time with alcohol long before I found out, I loved wine, then I noticed after a glass or two of red wine, I would wake up the next day with a horrible hangover! 2 glasses? Come on I am Italian!
The very thought of alcohol on tx, is enough to make me gag! I can barely get water down some days!
That answers the clint question, I am nto that lucky and want no regrets!
I was never a big drinker, so just sort of tossed it up to getting older and not used to it any more.
Pot I have not smoked for so long, I would be a paranoid mess! But said that I would if i was on chemo and it helped. Though my luck i would get busted! lol..
So much of all this is a guess, and so individual.
I to had a hard time with alcohol long before I found out, I loved wine, then I noticed after a glass or two of red wine, I would wake up the next day with a horrible hangover! 2 glasses? Come on I am Italian!
The very thought of alcohol on tx, is enough to make me gag! I can barely get water down some days!
That answers the clint question, I am nto that lucky and want no regrets!
I was never a big drinker, so just sort of tossed it up to getting older and not used to it any more.
Pot I have not smoked for so long, I would be a paranoid mess! But said that I would if i was on chemo and it helped. Though my luck i would get busted! lol..
I've done my time on these alcohol/drug threads, lol...but one thing that always really puzzled me, don't other people get sick from alcohol once they are chronic with hepatitis? particularly symptomatic? I remember, years ago, maybe 1991...I would drink a glass of wine, and it didn't work for me anymore...meaning, it wouldn't give me a little buzz and a sense of fun and well being anymore...it just made me feel sick...now, I wasn't over drinking or anything, but I enjoyed a glass of wine with dinner now and then...so I tried to drink a glass of wine again...same deal...it made me feel kind of sick...kept on experimenting till I finally just gave it up.
Now, at the time, I didn't know I had this at all. I didn't even know what Hep C was. I just tried a few more times, and I came to the conclusion that wine didn't agree with me anymore. Nor did beer. So I just gave it up.
Come to find out I had hepatitis about 10 years later, so I didn't want to take it up again anyway. But I really think my body was telling me something, in retrospect. I'm just wondering has this has happened to anybody else? I mean, I felt sick when I would drink, even one glass. I know Mikimoe told me something similar.
As far as the other stuff on this thread...I'm sure Merry was just trying to help...but yeah, I don't know that you can quantifiable *numbers* calculations on these issues...there just have been a lot of studies indicating that a lot of booze is bad for people with hep...jeez, being on these boards long enough will tell you that much...how many people have we all seen on here who were boozers who came in with cirrhosis and high stages of liver disease? I know I've seen loads...yeah, there are always exceptions to this, but I've always thought about that Clint Eastwood statement myself as regards to these issues, do you feel lucky? And yes, there are people who go to high stages who've never had a drink...this plays out all over the place...
Said this a million times, but my own doc's advice seems sound to me...if you have hepatitis...*one* drink on a special occasion probably won't hurt...*but no routine drinking*...no drinking on treatment cause God knows you already have a load of chemicals coursing through your system, why would anybody want more then necessary? Especially routine drinking...why would anybody chance nullifying the meds? After treatment and svr...then a person can go to moderate drinking again...depending on liver damage of course...
If a person wants to routinely drink with hepatitis or treatment, it's on them and it's a free country...but it's not something I would do....
As far as pot, I have seen studies on this too...but it's not something I think anybody could quantify with numbers calculations either...we're all different...maybe some people can smoke more then others, etc, etc...depends on your particular body, etc..but I've seen where it can add to fibrosis levels, and not just with 7 joints a day as some people have indicated. And it would probably depend on the strength of the pot...strong stinky indica is different then a lot of pot....But who knows? Don't think that our mouths and bodies are made for a combustible substance anyway, it's a mouth, not a BB-Q pit, lol...and the scillia on the lungs, etc...But do I think a joint now and then is really bad? depends on the circumstance I'd say...if people need it to get through chemotherapy, then probably it could do a lot of good for some people..to help them stay on treatment. This plays out differently on everyone.
Now, at the time, I didn't know I had this at all. I didn't even know what Hep C was. I just tried a few more times, and I came to the conclusion that wine didn't agree with me anymore. Nor did beer. So I just gave it up.
Come to find out I had hepatitis about 10 years later, so I didn't want to take it up again anyway. But I really think my body was telling me something, in retrospect. I'm just wondering has this has happened to anybody else? I mean, I felt sick when I would drink, even one glass. I know Mikimoe told me something similar.
As far as the other stuff on this thread...I'm sure Merry was just trying to help...but yeah, I don't know that you can quantifiable *numbers* calculations on these issues...there just have been a lot of studies indicating that a lot of booze is bad for people with hep...jeez, being on these boards long enough will tell you that much...how many people have we all seen on here who were boozers who came in with cirrhosis and high stages of liver disease? I know I've seen loads...yeah, there are always exceptions to this, but I've always thought about that Clint Eastwood statement myself as regards to these issues, do you feel lucky? And yes, there are people who go to high stages who've never had a drink...this plays out all over the place...
Said this a million times, but my own doc's advice seems sound to me...if you have hepatitis...*one* drink on a special occasion probably won't hurt...*but no routine drinking*...no drinking on treatment cause God knows you already have a load of chemicals coursing through your system, why would anybody want more then necessary? Especially routine drinking...why would anybody chance nullifying the meds? After treatment and svr...then a person can go to moderate drinking again...depending on liver damage of course...
If a person wants to routinely drink with hepatitis or treatment, it's on them and it's a free country...but it's not something I would do....
As far as pot, I have seen studies on this too...but it's not something I think anybody could quantify with numbers calculations either...we're all different...maybe some people can smoke more then others, etc, etc...depends on your particular body, etc..but I've seen where it can add to fibrosis levels, and not just with 7 joints a day as some people have indicated. And it would probably depend on the strength of the pot...strong stinky indica is different then a lot of pot....But who knows? Don't think that our mouths and bodies are made for a combustible substance anyway, it's a mouth, not a BB-Q pit, lol...and the scillia on the lungs, etc...But do I think a joint now and then is really bad? depends on the circumstance I'd say...if people need it to get through chemotherapy, then probably it could do a lot of good for some people..to help them stay on treatment. This plays out differently on everyone.
Thanks all for your input on this thread and others. It helps me a lot in making choices and in understanding. I made an appointment today to get my liver blood tests etc done. I figure I better get a clue on how it's functioning before I go much further. The VA thing may take a while and I'm trying to do all the things I need to do that I can somewhat afford to do now.
So in picking a doctor. Should I just go with an MD for now or hunt down a gastrowhatever doc?
So in picking a doctor. Should I just go with an MD for now or hunt down a gastrowhatever doc?
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