24 Week Post-Tx Blood Draw

I am currently working on my 25th week of post-tx and early this morning I went to have my 24 week post-tx PCR done. I was reluctant to do this as I know I now give up the control of my battle with Hepatitis C. Once I give up the blood and put it in someone else’s hands it ends my battle and I know it will be the luck of the draw with the nasty little b@stard.

Being newly diagnosed and pushing myself into a whirlwind of aggressive treatment and being left the shell of the person I was following the treatment puts an ending to what I could do to try and take control back.

I gave up the blood and it’s now in someone/something else’s control.

I got up very early and sat with my coffee and watched a beautiful sunrise. I had every green traffic light getting to the lab. That never happens on the stretch of road to the hospital. Smallville lab technicians quizzed me to death in depth about what a HCV PCR was and what type of treatment it entailed. They had to refer to two different reference books to determine what test to order, what vile to use...I was irritated, annoyed and worried at the same time thinking that they’d screw up and I’d have to come back in seven to eight weeks of waiting only to find out that they did something wrong and I have to be retested to wait another seven to eight weeks for those results. Hey! It’s happened to others! They were clueless.

Working on week 24 post treatment

This is not a whining post. This is a post to keep track of how I feel 24 weeks past treatment.

I still get the infamous “non existent” liver ache. Yesterday it was noticeable and the throb was vague to OUCH a good part of the day. This throb is not consistently there day in and day out, but it’s there and always in the background of my recovery days.

I struggle with my joints and I am not as spry as I was prior to tx. My knees seem to be the worst only because I need them the most. I struggle with mobility and every action I make I notice a bone ache somewhere within the action. If I inadvertently tap a joint (knuckle, elbow) the ache will throb with the minor touch to the joint. Opening a new jar of goodies is excruciating as my wrists only have so much mobility until the pain sets in to let me know who’s in control.

I struggle to get myself up out of a chair. Getting up off the floor is a major struggle and something I can barely do if I don’t have help. My legs and hips do not have the strength recovery to support my body weight so I know I’m not ready for any structured exercise. I just don’t get up out of a chair gracefully.

I was taking Tylenol every morning to get going and since I have started a new vitamin plan suggested by KK on the forum I have noticed an improvement. It’s not gone, but I do not take the Tylenol in the morning as the extreme stiffness works itself out through the morning.

I try to be proactive with moving and digging into daily work and procedure, but it’s slow going with recovery regarding the joint pain. I do wonder if I’ll ever get back to being my old self.

Contacted the nurse practitioner through email several weeks ago and she indicated that my joint pain was not normal and to contact my doc. Blood tests were done the 19th week of tx and I am happy to have received the results that I don’t have rheumatoid arthritis. I am thankful.

My ALT was 17 and my AST was 33. I cannot read too much into it as I didn’t have high readings prior to tx. However, they were much higher than this (my ALTs seemed to run high 30’s and my AST was around 58 to 108)

My thyroid is on the edge of being high 5.05, but I am hopeful that it will level out as the month’s progress. I did gain back all my weight and I do look healthy compared to what I looked like last year this time. However, this might explain my lack of energy and endurance. I am good, but I should be much better 24 weeks post tx.

White blood cells are still a tad low 3.7 and I am hopeful this won’t be an issue when the swine flu makes its second and third waves of destruction.

I am currently reducing my antidepressant, citalopram. I am taking .5 mg a night and I seem to be getting along very well on this dose. I have been blessed with an increased tinnitus and the howl/buzz is louder than ever. I do hope it's from the decrease in anti-d.

I am also taking ¼ of a sleeping pill which does the trick. I’ll wean off them once I wean of the citalopram. I’ll continue on this dose of citalopram until I get the results of my six months post tx PCR. If I don’t clear, I’ll probably have to stay on it for a longer period of time.

Ironically, I should be going for my six month post PCR this morning before 9 a.m. (Smallville hospital rules) and for some reason I’m not going. I have it planned for next Wednesday morning July 29. Somehow I think that it gives me control of the unknown for another week. Once I “give up” the blood it’s all in someone else’s hands.

Working on week 23 post treatment

I am surprised how quickly the time has passed since I stopped tx. This week I celebrate my 54th birthday and I cannot help reflecting back to my last two birthdays. My 52 birthday arrived and I was dealing with being newly diagnosed, recovering from a liver biopsy and facing treatment. I can remember the uncertainty and thinking “maybe by this time next year I’ll be finished tx.” The days dragged until I had the biopsy results and dragged more until I was given an exact date to start tx. September 21, 2007.

My 53 birthday was a day of struggling to breath, extreme exhaustion and looking forward to nearly seven more months of tx. The extension of six extra months wasn’t in my plan, but who can plan with Hepatitis C treatment? It’s like rolling dice and you can either be lucky or unlucky.

Turning 54 was a relief! I have completed 72 weeks of tx and on my way to recovery from the scourge of injecting and ingesting anti-viral drugs. My day was normal and I spent it with my immediate family. Chocolate cake was the highlight of my day. Friends called and emailed from near and far with birthday wishes. It was so wonderful to feel loved and to have such a hellish two years behind me.

Getting close to my six month PCR. I intend to go the 29th of July.

Completed Week 21 post treatment

I really believe that my energy is returning. I’m not so licked at the end of most days. The skin problems that were very evident during and following tx are all but a memory. It took a long time for my eyelids to stop flaring up with an itchy red looking rash. It was weird. My lids looked as if they were scalded. It flared up for the longest time following tx.

My hair is starting to thicken and I have many spiky hairs sticking up on the top of my head. It is a relief to see some volume to my hair. Debating on colouring it.

I am back to my “fighting weight” and look much healthier than I did at the end of tx.

Mentally, I’m doing very well. I have reduced my anti-d a tad and I intend to start taking it every other night starting next week. I have a forward attitude and my brain fog is lifting. I do have some moments, but I get through it.

The joint pain is an issue with me these days and I did get to my MD to get my blood work done. I’m waiting on the results and in the meantime I have started taking vitamins that I could be possibly lacking. I am happy to report that they seem to be helping.

It’s slow going to recovery and I’m starting to get near to the date when I can have my long awaited six month post treatment PCR. I intend to go the last week of July.