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neo
03-31-2005, 21:21
i have been drug free since july 1993,alcohol free since oct 1994,ciggerette
free since feb 1985,2 years ago i was diagnosed with an incurable illness
my blood work i got back today was shocking.it looks like my liver is slowly going down hill .i caught hepatitis c probally
from a one time iv drug use at a party 1977,i have taking very expensive herbs for my condition almost 2 years,i still feel great,i refuse to let this keep me down,gotta keep hiking:cool: neo

hikerjohnd
03-31-2005, 21:51
i refuse to let this keep me down,gotta keep hiking:cool:
And this community would be less without you and your sage (get it - herbs, sage :D) advice! Don't let the bastards get you down!

whitedove
03-31-2005, 22:06
((HUGS)) Neo,
Keep on hikin'!!!

Mountain Hippie
03-31-2005, 22:24
You have already fought and won three battles that many lose. While it can be disheartening to have to face a new one, rememeber how you won the first three and you will be sucessful this time as well. Refuse to lose! :sun

AbeHikes
03-31-2005, 22:27
You're never done until you give up. Don't. You sound like a pretty tough hombre to me.

Jack Lincoln
04-01-2005, 03:10
You are not going anywhere unless God ordains that you do so... We all love you here and wish you the best that life has to offer. You will get better!

Peace to you, my brother......


Jack Lincoln

ffstenger
04-01-2005, 04:32
I work in a hospital with two coworkers who contracted Hep-C in the line of duty (on the job) and they both have been treated successfully and have no
" ill " effects from the disease. You sound like a very strong person, so dig down deep inside for strength and welcome the support of others who care, and you too can beat this. A positive attitude has an amazing effect on recovery, I've seen it hundreds of times, you gotta have a strong will to survive !!
Chin-Up ! :sun Showme

SGT Rock
04-01-2005, 04:34
You're too tought to die that way.

hikerjohnd
04-01-2005, 07:47
You are not going anywhere unless God ordains that you do so...
In the spirit of promoting cheer -

I hate to fly. Everytime I get on a plane a friend has to remind me that I'm not going anywhere until it's my time. I always stop and think to myself, "well what if it's the pilots time?" I mean I could get to heaven and St. Peter would look at me and say, "What are you doing here?" and all I can respond is, "I'm with him! I don't know what I'm doing here - I have a ticket for Nashville!"


Ok it loses a little when written down so read it out loud - it really is funny!

Anyway Neo - Keep smiling - laughter really is the best medicine!

smokymtnsteve
04-01-2005, 09:58
Hang in there Neo...I become infected with HIV back during a 1983 blood tranfusion..still kicking

In addtion to yor herbs have U explored new pegalyted-interferons to treat.

these new P-interferons have some great results in lower hepC viral loads.
look into it.

neo
04-01-2005, 11:56
thanks everybody

i am reformating my battle plan,i feel great,the rest of my blood work

comes back next week,just gotta get my liver enzyme count down

my alt was 246 last year,it is 315 now normal range is 4 to 40

my trigycerides were 272 now they are 746, maximum for this is

200.happy trails to all,i will see every body at trail days:cool:

smokymtnsteve
04-01-2005, 12:00
neo Ihave had triglcerides in the 1200 range...I'mstill here

the alt numbers are very high,,,

silymarin?

my dental hygenist has hep C ..has for years..he got good response from the P interferon..

neo
04-01-2005, 12:36
neo Ihave had triglcerides in the 1200 range...I'mstill here

the alt numbers are very high,,,

silymarin?

my dental hygenist has hep C ..has for years..he got good response from the P interferon..
back in my drinking days when i was in drug and alcohol treatment 1987
and 1990 my triglycerides were 1500+they would drop to normal within a few weeks after no drinking,my viral load was almost clear last year,i believe this is
something toxifing my liver,i tested neg for hav,hbv,and hiv,but hcv got me
been drug free since july 93,alcohol free since oct 94,i was near death when i quit drinking,all my other chemistry and blood counts perfect,i have only been
sick 2 times in over 20 years,i had the flu in febuary 1996,and an intestinal bug in dec 1993.i believe i contracted hcv from a one use iv druggs at a party in 1977,i used a dirty needle with a room full of junkies,boy was i stupid
basically i am bullet proof and unstoppable,but thats onther story,thanks again steve:cool: neo

neo
04-01-2005, 12:38
back in my drinking days when i was in drug and alcohol treatment 1987
and 1990 my triglycerides were 1500+they would drop to normal within a few weeks after no drinking,my viral load was almost clear last year,i believe this is
something toxifing my liver,i tested neg for hav,hbv,and hiv,but hcv got me
been drug free since july 93,alcohol free since oct 94,i was near death when i quit drinking,all my other chemistry and blood counts perfect,i have only been
sick 2 times in over 20 years,i had the flu in febuary 1996,and an intestinal bug in dec 1993.i believe i contracted hcv from a one use iv druggs at a party in 1977,i used a dirty needle with a room full of junkies,boy was i stupid
basically i am bullet proof and unstoppable,but thats onther story,thanks again steve:cool: neo
the flu was 1986 not 1996:cool: neo

smokymtnsteve
04-01-2005, 12:40
I hate waitin on my bloodwork...need to get out from infront of this puter and head over and pick up my latest cd4 count fromthe draw on WEdnesday.

neo
04-01-2005, 12:55
I hate waitin on my bloodwork...need to get out from infront of this puter and head over and pick up my latest cd4 count fromthe draw on WEdnesday.
yeah i know,i am still waitng on my hcv viral load count drawn on tuesday
my viral load dropped from 2.72 million to 635,000 last febuary after 2 months of
dr lee,s treatment and i still had 3 months go ,i believe i dropped kicked the virus
but there are still toxins in my liver:cool: neo

Alligator
04-01-2005, 13:15
There have been good results with the interferon in treating hepatitus C. I think it was a year long treatment and around 50% cure?

SMS, have they introduced the peglyated interferons outside of experimental uses? I read about these several years ago and was hoping that their use becomes more widespread.

smokymtnsteve
04-01-2005, 15:52
yes ..it is approved now...in combination with ribivarin

tx response is somewhat dependent on your viral genotype

neo
04-01-2005, 16:23
i am geno type 1a ,10% cure rate,a guy i work with tried it twice,no response he just got sicker ,interferon side effect are real bad,but the permanant damage it causes is worse,with a genotype 1 a 10 percent change is not good enough odds hepc is a very slow virus i probally have had it 28 years now,i have supressed the virus,now to detox my liver,i hike 20 to 25 miles a day,not bad for a section hiker thats hits the trail and takes off,i really appreciate the fellowship of white blaze,thanks every body,you people here mean a lot to me:cool: neo

neo
04-01-2005, 16:26
yes ..it is approved now...in combination with ribivarin

tx response is somewhat dependent on your viral genotype
there are a few people i know in my hepc chat supports room that are coinfected they have both hcv and hiv,but they are still living and hanging in there,thanks again steve:cool: neo

napster
04-01-2005, 16:36
In 97 I got this letter from the Red Cross stating "THIS IS NOT ABOUT AIDS IT SAYS IN BOLD LETTERS" however the report says that I gots a humanlymphotrophic illness and at 20 the most more years to live....some sorts of rare tropic lukeimia..Well I had western blots and everything pertaining to blood tests ran ya could imagine..All came back good.....In Nov of 2000 I busted my L-5 S-1 spine and a few mo choice spots.. Had surgery in March of 01..Then my pops pass on to GLORY in April 01 the following month..October I was on Springer spreading ashes with a broken heart and healing broken back...I started at Max Patch and went south...come back home to find my ole lady friend gone "A Register Nurse" Sure as hell thought she would of understood of all bodys....Anways mets me a good hearted lady later on whome had to commit me to the state mental hospital from a med reaction to methadone cheap a$$ drug that all I could afford at the time...Also the very place where I used to work before I busted me spine only I was'nt going home at 3:30 this time or gettin paid...how humbling can ya get? The marriage was tested thru the fire and for sure we are soulmates only she"s not fit or able to hike.We spent a year at the mission homeless.Me mom pass to GLORY June of 04. My hearts still bleeds and my back talks truth better then any weatherman.I truly believe that we never are made to bear mo then we can stand least we find a way out. Im also looking for hiking partner to do Damacus to Hotsprings or what the well ever. Timming is flexible.Im somewhat into herbs myself.Study them for some time..Mostly Stalking Wolfs books.You will be well Neo..the wilderness is a place of healing..Do NOT give room to pity! It will steal ye healing.

"ME & U"
04-01-2005, 17:10
Can I add??

Saches said "death is universal, every man dies...not every man truely lives"

May peace come to us all in our times of death and until then may we who are hikers have the wits to strap the stats, #'s, concerns and everything else that goes along with the gig to our backs and take a long-ass hike! In my mind I find myself and only there will I find my undoing.

I say screw the negative and look for the positive!
Worry as you may, and we'll all worry too. It's our nature.
Think funny thoughts!
My heart and soul goes out to all in need and if you ever need a shirt let me know!

Rainman
04-01-2005, 17:40
Hey Neo, I'm new, you don't know me, and I got into this thread a little late. Nevertheless, I gotta say, anybody with the courage to display this kind of honesty obviously has the courage to hike the next elevation life brings. When you overcome this little rise in the ground, think of the view you'll have. I'll try to look you up at Trail Days. You have my prayers.

Catsgoing
04-05-2005, 11:10
thanks everybody

i am reformating my battle plan,i feel great,the rest of my blood work

comes back next week,just gotta get my liver enzyme count down

my alt was 246 last year,it is 315 now normal range is 4 to 40

my trigycerides were 272 now they are 746, maximum for this is

200.happy trails to all,i will see every body at trail days:cool:
I also have Hepatitis C.... I am 52 years young! Did treatment x3. One was a study which I call The Treatment From H**L. 1994 1999 & 2003 had biopsy and treatment. Which I failed all treatments. I was told that doing Cholesterol test was not an accurate test to do with liver problems. The only true test is to get a biopsy done. Have you had one? You can just have a fatty liver and it isn't the HCV for the cause of your high levels. I am being evaluated to get on the transplant list and just learned that my fatty liver if it was treated or I stayed on actigal / Viokase since my first biopsy in 1994 I wouldn't have cirrhosis. We are all different on how Hepatitis C effects the body. I also did for herbs for 2 1/2 years 1996 to 1998 and it only masked my blood work. I thought I was cured. I stopped the herbs and within a month my blood work matched the damage that my biopsy showed. I only believe in milk thistle because it has been studied by real doctors. Vitamin E and a few others that real doctors have done studies on with people having Hepatitis C. I am not sure about treatment. I am 1 b. But have met people who are still negative after treatment for 1 a and 1 b. Now they are having problems with people with geno type 3 and treatment. Geno 2 seems to cure with treatment most of the geno type 2 are transfusion patients.

I have read a lot of your posts and you are a very strong person. You will be ok Neo and my prayers are with you! Get a biopsy done if you haven't had one. It is the only true test to see what is really going on inside that liver... It could just be a fatty liver and viral counts are just a marker to say Yep we have Hepatitis C. It doesn't mean how sick we are!! Remember that........ Stress can cause it to go up and a good hike even though it is great for our hearts and muscle is stress......... So, if you just did a great hike before you viral count it may be up or it might be down.... I have had Hepatitis C since I was 16 years old. I have done a lot of research... My goal is don't focus on the virus just keep on doing and your one of the lucky ones you show no fatigue. There are days I can't get moving and every joint hurts. But! I move since I live in Florida I hike along the beach.... My Best To You! Put your money for herbs in the bank and buy new ultra light gear..............

Catsgoing
04-09-2005, 22:06
:datzI went from 9 million something viral count to non detectable @ 12 weeks. Stayed zero until my 42 week and viral came back @ 730, thousand. What it is now ? I don't know they where suppose to do another after 6 months of going off treatment.

I am sure I see doctors more often than you! I have met 1a and 1b's that are still negative and they used the first interferon that was out.

:confused: Maybe it's time to try the real thing and see what happens. You have insurance and YOU NEED A LIVER BIOPSY DONE>>> I am not a doctor but if anything I would do is a biopsy. My labwork has never been way out of range so my liver biopsy and my blood work don't match.

Your a grown man with children get at least a biopsy done so you know where you stand and why your lab work is still high and stop assuming whats going on inside you.

The only treatment I would never do again is a STUDY.... That was bad and I was lost in the system.........

Good Luck :mad: I don't want to see you on the transplant list........
And I never drank or did drugs like everyone. I was The Mom I drove and did the pinch's of what was left over..

April 23, 2005 coming up real quick...... Did you get the ring yet?

Caleb
04-10-2005, 00:18
Good Luck Neo. Recovery is an interesting road all by itself even without the additional physical things you're going thru (I've been clean since 83) but you obviously have the good habit of honesty and reaching out for support when things get tough.. so just KEEP ON TRUCKIN brother..you may not always be able to pick your sunshine but there WILL be sunshine.

Whenever sh&IT gets me down I try to remember my buddy Wilson from my treatment days. He was an old grizzled colored guy with TB who ALWAYS had a smile on his face. One day I said "Wilson what you smiling for?" He said 'I'm smilin cause I ain't picking beans'. I didn't really understand the fulllness of what he meant until I heard his story: Apparently the year prior he had gone down to his neighborhood store (somewhere in South Georgia) to buy some sardines and bread but wound up drinking with some winos. At some point a van pulled into the parking lot and the whole bunch of them were coaxed inside by offers of more wine. The next day they all woke up (hung-over) in the middle of a bean field in Alabama, and for several weeks they were all forced to pick beans at gunpoint.

So smile buddy. At least you ain't pickin beans. C

Tha Wookie
04-10-2005, 01:09
Some people say this treatment is BS, but others swear by it: have you tried any of the Beck Machines? They are supposed to kill pathogens in the bloodstream. I really don't know anything about your illness, but I have heard positive feedback about the electronic pulse generator.

Any way, I'm not going to tell you to stay strong, because I probably don't even know what real strength is comparitively. All i can say is that I'm sending you positive, healing energy, and I hope to see you on the trail someday.

peace, love, healing light

Nightwalker
04-22-2007, 21:14
i am geno type 1a ,10% cure rate,a guy i work with tried it twice,no response he just got sicker ,interferon side effect are real bad,but the permanant damage it causes is worse,with a genotype 1 a 10 percent change is not good enough odds hepc is a very slow virus i probally have had it 28 years now,i have supressed the virus,now to detox my liver,i hike 20 to 25 miles a day,not bad for a section hiker thats hits the trail and takes off,i really appreciate the fellowship of white blaze,thanks every body,you people here mean a lot to me:cool: neo

My best friend died in '04. He had Hep C, but was totally healthy. He always talked about how hepatitis was gonna kill him, but he died in his sleep from congestive heart failure. You just never know...

I know that this is an old thread, but I hope you are doing well, bro.

Frank

Programbo
04-22-2007, 21:47
Aww..I hope all goes well for you and that you find whatever treatment works the best...We are all much richer for having you here with us.
I can relate to the high trigycerides and other things liver related..A number of years ago I was self medicating for Hormone Replacement Therapy with drugs I was buying overseas (Yes I know that`s as stupid to do as it sounds)..Anyway I was feeling really bad and about that time my company was offering life insurance..I applied for it and as part of the screening they gave you a urine/blood test...Well like a week later my results came back and some of my readings were thru the roof (Like you mentioned normal is 4-40 and mine was like 400 or something)..The guy from the insurance company called me and said.."I`m sorry we can`t offer you any insurance at this time and it might be a good idea to go see a doctor NOW!"...LOL....Well I stopped taking my HRT drugs for a few months and was feeling all better and thinking I had figured out what I did wrong I started up again..Bad move..3 months later I was clinically dead..Massive heart attack..Luckily the paramedics were able to zap me and restart my heart and I am now free to be here bothering you fine people.
Anyway as you can see from the posts you have a lot of friends here and you are in everyones thoughts so don`t hesitate to share with us all what is on your mind at any time...It sounds as if you are one tough Hombre so I am sure you will be on the trail for years and years to come!

Programbo
04-22-2007, 21:51
I know that this is an old thread, but I hope you are doing well, bro.Frank

Hey this IS an old thread :eek: ...When I saw it on the side with the NEW posts I assumed the whole thread was new :rolleyes: .Sorry for being so late in wishing you well.