Someone to talk to

[countryboy]

Hello,
I have been reading this board for several years but have never posted. I found out about 4 yrs ago that I have Hepc and have had it since the 70s. I am starting on my 3rd treatment. I responed but relasped on my second treatment after 48 weeks. I don't know all the medical terms but I do have cirrhoss(sp), Now I am taking infergen daliy with rebetol. I am in the closet as far as telling many people about hep c. I would like to have someone from this board to talk to over the phone. {shoot the bull}. I don't want to post my phone number or email so I dont know how to make the contact. Anyone have any suggestions?

I am married.52yrs old. I have a 9 yr old son. I like to go to church, hunt, fish and enjoy the outdoors.

Bottom line for this post, I am looking for a friend to talk to.

[Mister beagle bailey]

Sorry to hear your on your 3x treatment.  What are your stats, like geno type and VL(viral load)?  What meds did you use the first 2x's?

Beagle

[countryboy]

The only stats that I know are geno type 1. The first treatment was only a few months with pegintron and rebetol. It was stopped due to depression. The second treatment was the same meds. I was clear until I got my 6 month results after I had finished the 48 weeks of meds.

[simplehue]

I am very glad you posted. This is not something anyone should go though alone. And I understand not telling many. Some of the people I told didn't understand that if I looked ok, that doesn't mean I am doing ok that day. And with all the different symtoms I have, which changes some from week to week, It was hard for them to understand really what I was going though.

Now on the good side, this site with these people have validated what I feel, there is an understanding and feeling for me that I am not alone with what is going on with my body or my mind. That others kick this and I can too. It gave me hope, feelings of belonging to a community that " gets it" The support I needed to help me though this was here and it for you too.

With that said, I just want to welcome you, come back and visit us. And sorry to hear your having a hard run of this, thoughts with you . simplehue aka valerie

[Mister beagle bailey]

Sorry to hear that you relaped 6 months post tx.  I just don't know what to say but this I know, that there are some here on the forum who treated 3x's and finally cleared the virus.  So please don't give up hope and stay the course.  We are all here for you.  

Beagle

[NYgirl]

I sure hope that you are on some anti depressants right now - I did not want to go on them at all but the doctor heavily advised it and now I can see the wisdom.

You sure have had a TOUGH time so not fair. This disease just sucks - no way around that fact. But...in the "closet" or out we all understand how you feel here. That's why posting is so great it's almost cathartic. The more you pour out the better sometimes you should feel.

I hope that you get involved at least in here. We "shoot the bull" all day long even if it's to say "hi".  You see, there is support in that "hi" that a lot of people just don't get but we do.

Best of luck on this treatment.

[cuteus]

countryboy, I admire anyone who read here for 4 yrs and never felt like posting! At least you were getting some support, if indirectly, from all the numerous comments that have passed through. Good luck on this try, I hope the infergen is kind to you and you finally clear this virus for good.

[Dale_Ray]

Sorry about your ordeal with treatments. Hopefully this one will be the one. One of the nice people in here found out I was from the same area and has invited me to a local support group. I don't know if you have that option in your area or not. I'm a geno type 1A and on second round of treatments. this time I am at 21 of 48 and clear. The first time I did not respond. I hope you do get to feeling better.  I have one friend locally I talk to that is on treatment and he told me the other night (I'm 8 shots ahead of him) that everything I told him about sides was coming true. I told him maybe it would be better not to talk to me anymore ha!

[can-do-man]

Congrats on your news goof.

[fishdoc]

Hey, glad your a first time poster, if not treater.  I, personally am one of those that ABSOLUTELY cannot understand the people that read and don't post, but since I've been married to one for 25 years, I must not need to understand.  Phones are tricky, because we are scattered, literally, across the globe, and I notice when I post, all the yankees have gone to bed...I am in southern NM.  My personal opinion is, why have one friend (or cookie) when you can have thirty!!  Feel free to shoot the sh!t, shot the sh!tter, and in can mans case, just steersh!t, (he's a baby 48, not old enough to count as a bull yet)  And if your REAL nice to me, you may qualify in the next round for a cool fish hat!!

[can-do-man]

Hello and welcome, hope to see more of ya. As for that fishdoc shes just plain nuts. Shes has enough bull for all of us. Im sure you being a country boy you've done your share of fishing. But when was the last time you caught them and took them to a fish doctor? BTW, she has a pitch fork and has been known to use it. Good luck to you and just humor her

[Alady1620]

Have you looked for a hep c support group in your area?  It sounds like that would be a good option for you.  It really does help to meet people that are going through similar experiences.

[dyce]

Welcome aboard, feel free to post there are alot a good folks here. Fishdoc is a good lady , so don't woory, it's cando and I under her pitchfork radar.

Dyce

[Dale_Ray]

Hey:
I spoke with St. Francis Hospital today and they are not showing anything on their schedule for the meeting we talked about. Do you know if it is a hospital event or a Roch Lab meeting? I've hit a brick wall on this with the Hospital. Thanks, Dale

[fishdoc]

Yeah, but I offered yall a free fish hat... who could ask for more?  Ya know when you always smell like dead fish, you have to buy friends..;)

[can-do-man]

Ok dyce quit sucken up. We both know that fishdoc is one crazy lady.

P.S. fishdoc, you know theres things out there to help with that fishy smell don't ya.

[dyce]

Ha can , it's the survival instinct in me. I know I'll send her a coonhat. Wait a minute coon eat fish, yikes what have I done , I'm gonna have to get some pitchfork armour!

Dyceman

[Pdilly]

I completly understand.  I just found out I have Hepatitus C.  I was so shocked.  I have no idea where I got it either.  I do know in 1998 I was negative and I first tested positive in April 2005.  Doctor did not mention it to me until I had another positive just 3 weeks ago.  Anyway both time the numbers were boarderline.  From what I am reading here that really makes no difference.  I do have an appointment in 2 1/2 weeks with the specialist.  I am planning to get a biopsy and everything else done so I can see where I stand.  I did not think I had any symptoms but since I have found out it seems like I am feeling every gas bubble etc.  Not sure if I need to be worried or not.  I have only told a handful of people.  I don't think alot of people would know how to react and I need more infomation before I say anything.  This forum has been a help.  I just hope like everyone that I can get treatment and it works.

[can-do-man]

Welcome, Try not to worry to much until you know your geno type and your bx. Results. Our minds play tricks on us and we think every little pain is the big one. Before you decide to tx or not to tx. make sure you understand as much as possible. Just don't jump right into anything. Good luck to you and come back often. Your geno type and bx. should weigh in what you should do.

[fishdoc]

Hello again!! I spoke with my son the PA. SEnt him my blood stats, and asked him "if there isnt a reason, why do I feel like death warmed over, barely?"  He had an interesting comment.  He said you are injecting high doses of cytokines, which is essentially what your body produces to fight massive infections.  So just assume you have an active flu infection for a year, and think about how you would feel fighting that for a year.  welcome to interferon therapy.  I guess I feel better knowing the why, just wish I could take a pill/shot/bath and fix it!!  Just thought yall might chew on that one too... interesting perspective from a snot nosed kid ( snooks age!!)

[can-do-man]

Sounds like your son got his brains from dads side of the family.

[fishdoc]

I cut and pasted our list from today, sent it to him and told him "I'm making new friends on the internet... looks like we have a lot in common!!"  He may have got dads brains, but he has EXACTLY my sense of humor.....

He actually got in trouble in school in the OBGYN class, because some girl was eavesdropping on the (BTW) top three in the program and he commented "time for the vagina monologues".  she went straight to the colonel, yada yada, turns out if she could have gotten the three kicked out, she would have then been #2 in the class, which has a great deal to do with where you get stationed....no sense of humor at all!!

[can-do-man]

says....just wish I could take a pill/shot/bath and fix it!!

There is pill= cyanide

Shot= that 9mm you got

bath= hold your head under water for ten minutes.

If i can be of any more help, just ask me. :)

[strator]

Welcome. This place is way more than I ever expected from an online support group. Support, great info and suggestions of options, the experience of people that have been on both sides of the door, drama, honesty, inspiration and one thing that abounds here sometimes, humour. I've noticed I never feel alone when I'm laughing. The perserverance, encouragement and stories here help us to step up to the daily rigors and worries but I think it's the genuine laughter that I find here that really helps us when it's time to heal. If your worried about anything, before you let it rent too much space in your head, know that somebody else here has more than likely already been through it, and they're sittin someplace typin a post to let you know it can be gotten through. Maybe not easily, but the other side of our worry and fears is generally pretty attainable. The roads a little easier when you know there's others that have traveled it, maybe waitin down the road for us with a smile.
Stay close, stay well,
Don

[jakeone29]

How could you read posts here and never post yourself.. Im in my 15th week of treatment and just got my 12 weeks results back yesterday ..
1.1 million vl down to 14,744vl// not a zero but down enough to keep me on tx . My nurse told me about this site yesterday and this is my secound post. lol  hang in and hang on .