What?

[mikesimon]

I know there have recently been a lot of people complaining about long term sides from TX but I cannot specifically recall spinal issues as one of them.
Any help would be appreciated.
Mike

[newleaf09]

Yes, yesterday medhelp forums were 'jumping', could not find a post I had just written, went back and forth between social and C several times then it went back to normal.  I usually have problems with the 'time since posted' getting stuck at one minute on social but yesterday was especially weird. I always like to blame solar flares.

[merryBe]

I haven't heard about that either, but I suppose if we think about it...
a lot of folks have weight loss and bone loss as well.
Bone loss and cartilage shrinkage kinda go hand in hand so some effects to the spinal cord may occur at least in that subgroup that shrinks.

I kept an eye on my calcium and took extra D during tx, and my doc was surprised I had no bone loss...but then, I'm on HGH also. For us older people though, I think it's not uncommon.
also, remember that RA is one of the listed sides of tx. Chiefly I think this is because it's hard for the body to seetle back into normal immune response after so much extra INF for so long. It's bound to take time for balances to be restored.

also, it's a concern that the RNA is compromised by the riba, meaning the possibility of cells sort of forgetting their set point is more common. With histamine reactions as well as auto immune stuff, the cells forget when to or how to turn off the immune response. When I did PT it wasn't uncommon to see folks with severe systemic pain from ONE auto accident...fibromyalgia type pain. The mechanisms are yet understood but even young people can end up in body wide pain from the one event, so months of chemo can also cause this type response.

One way I've been trying to cope with things is to try to "reset my system".
For instance, for my RLS, trying a few days of Requip only to reset my dopamine receptors, rather than just accepting a life time of a drug.
Sometimes all it takes is a short course of something to settle down symptoms and allow the cells to regroup.

One member in here tried my method, and got off a very strong drug and is doing fine.
Yet a lot of time folks won't try the PT or a more natural method, and that sets them up for lifetime dependence that may not be necessary, and with liver disease are seldom a good idea.

[nygirl7]

Well Michael it makes as much sense as anything else that goes on around here these days.

But honestly I'm surprised this forum wasn't replaced the the STD forum - they have way more freedome to discuss whatever they want (except God and Govt of course).  Could have saved some trouble!

[mikesimon]

It was here and gone in a flash. All of a sudden this board was a spinal degenerative board - or something like that. I posted and then it was back to Hep Social.
In a flash.
Mike

[newleaf09]

Have not come across that (spinal) in all of my reading.

[mikesimon]

I'm back. That was strange. This place is full of..................surprises.

Mike