Bambi Effect
Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement - it was great to hear from you!
Apart from the obvious benefit of tx and being 'negative' at 3 months, it has also transformed my little stubby eyelashes into the most wondrous things. Sam at HepC UK says it's the 'Bambi' effect - well, I just can't wait for the legs to start growing!
My red blood cells are running a bit low at 9 and so it's not surprising that I'm feeling jiggered most of the time. I've had an especially 'fatigued' week, sometimes even struggling to drive the 5 mins into town. A hepper friend here (who successfully completed her tx last year) advised me to have wheatgrass tablets to boost the red blood cells and I think I'll give it a go today. My Prof has said right from the beginning that a normal healthy diet should be more than adequate but I'm right off greens at the moment so I need a bit of help. Anybody else taking these? My friend used them throughout her tx and maintained a red blood count of 12 so I am tempted.
I did manage this week to meet up with a lady who runs DASH (Drugs and Support Helpline). This group have picked up the responsibility of running with the HepC Awareness Week October 1st and she's having meetings with other Isle of Man government representatives to decide what to do. She's invited me along to respresent our new support group (Manx Liverty). She was extremely helpful even providing me with the names of trusts here on the Island who are doling out funds to the needy groups like ourselves. Whether or not DASH is the right place to be directing all Heppers is another question but one that I will deal with in a separate posting. I think I am going to have to tread lightly and diplomatically on this one. I managed to get my hands on the official government brochure directed at newly diagnosed heppers. There isn't a single mention of people being infected other than via drugs or sex and the only support on offer is from Drug Clinics, GUM or AA. These brochures are not widely distributed and are not evident at GP's surgeries where, I think, they were supposed to be (perhaps fortunately).
A friend is coming to pick me up this morning and take me for coffee and 'catch up' so I'd better get a move on. It takes me longer to put on my mascara these days.....
Apart from the obvious benefit of tx and being 'negative' at 3 months, it has also transformed my little stubby eyelashes into the most wondrous things. Sam at HepC UK says it's the 'Bambi' effect - well, I just can't wait for the legs to start growing!
My red blood cells are running a bit low at 9 and so it's not surprising that I'm feeling jiggered most of the time. I've had an especially 'fatigued' week, sometimes even struggling to drive the 5 mins into town. A hepper friend here (who successfully completed her tx last year) advised me to have wheatgrass tablets to boost the red blood cells and I think I'll give it a go today. My Prof has said right from the beginning that a normal healthy diet should be more than adequate but I'm right off greens at the moment so I need a bit of help. Anybody else taking these? My friend used them throughout her tx and maintained a red blood count of 12 so I am tempted.
I did manage this week to meet up with a lady who runs DASH (Drugs and Support Helpline). This group have picked up the responsibility of running with the HepC Awareness Week October 1st and she's having meetings with other Isle of Man government representatives to decide what to do. She's invited me along to respresent our new support group (Manx Liverty). She was extremely helpful even providing me with the names of trusts here on the Island who are doling out funds to the needy groups like ourselves. Whether or not DASH is the right place to be directing all Heppers is another question but one that I will deal with in a separate posting. I think I am going to have to tread lightly and diplomatically on this one. I managed to get my hands on the official government brochure directed at newly diagnosed heppers. There isn't a single mention of people being infected other than via drugs or sex and the only support on offer is from Drug Clinics, GUM or AA. These brochures are not widely distributed and are not evident at GP's surgeries where, I think, they were supposed to be (perhaps fortunately).
A friend is coming to pick me up this morning and take me for coffee and 'catch up' so I'd better get a move on. It takes me longer to put on my mascara these days.....
4 Comments:
Hi Tink
Hb of 9 is low, I'm not surprised you're tired! I've also had this effect - but they lowered my dose when I reached 10.2 and after 3 months on one less rib per day it went up to 11.1. However of course when I upped my dose again, my hb went down again.
Im now on epoetin which has helped loads but is so expensive. Not sure about wheatgrass, but worth giving a go for sure. Am surprised your prof said a normal diet should be fine - it seems that different departments say different things. I was advised to take multivits, and also an iron supplement as my iron has been low. I wasn't happy taking iron so just have this tonic I get from holland and barratt (14mg per day).
Hope this helps
Lu
By
lu, at 2:45 pm
Thanks Lu! I've been taking the wheatgrass/barley grass tablets for a few days now and I'm certainly feeling better. I have more energy and don't feel quite as 'low'. Anyway, I'll keep it up until my next blood tests in 2 weeks time.....
bye
By
Tink, at 10:45 pm
Hi Tink,
I think that 9 is around where they start with epoetin here - hope that you are feeling okay, with some increased energy.
Have also recently benefitted from the llama lashes - definitely a treatment highlight! Laughing at your description of increased time required for masacara application.
You sound as though you are doing well generally, and have certainly maintained a hugely proactive approach to dealing with life during treatment. Is admirable!
Sue
By
Sue, Toronto, at 3:32 pm
i see all you brits munching on the wheat grass
is that were the term "mad cow" came from ?
j/k
bruce
By
en, at 2:01 pm
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