RE: Introduction/Diet

[Guest guest]

Thank you and you were not rambling and you should be very proud of your acomplishment !!!!When I first found out I was sick, I lost like 20 pounds and my friends that I was going to die any minute. Then after taking medication that the dr's have prescribed for awhile, I felt better but then started to gain weight including ascites, like crazy. Now I did quit smoking at beginning of July and went on an ice cream binge for 2 weeks but then stopped. When I saw hep Dr at end of October he said no tx til lose weight. I went for a TP eval in August which they said I was a great candidate but then was denied because of finances and the Hep Dr also said I would have to lose weight for tp consideration also. All the weight is in the belly looking like I was (very pregnant but worse) all the time when I was going in and getting drained for the ascites all the time

and it is getting worse. Dr cut back my spirolacton from 300mg to 200mg a day and that is not helping.Anyways thanks again for advice and again CONGRATULATIONS !! 'Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. From: Matchinsky <mmatchinsky@ gmail.com>

Subject: [HepatitisCSupportG roupForDummies] Introduction

To: HepatitisCSupportGr oupForDummies@ yahoogroups. com

Date: Thursday, December 11, 2008, 7:13 AM

Hi, my name is . I was a member of this group before,

but had subscribed to too many groups, and cut this one. I left one

of the groups I kept because of a disagreement; a mod was providing false

information and insisting it was accurate. My position was and always

will be that one should trust their doctor, but if you find you can’t, then

it’s time to get a new doctor. They’re only human and they make

mistakes but they have the real-world experience (and full background

information) to make decisions. Of course, it’s important to provide

that background information. Medicine should make sense, and if it

doesn’t, ask questions or get a second opinion! I am 53 years and married to a wonderfully supportive woman who only

happens to be a pediatric nurse. She does look out for me

though. She attends all of my appointments, since my memory is at

issue. I am also a recovering addict and did anything and everything

for 20 years. When I finally went to treatment, I was injecting

cocaine, which I am sure is how I contracted this virus. I’ve been clean

and sober for 20 years now. For over 10 years I worked as a substance

abuse counselor and went to school, culminating in a Master’s degree in

Addiction Psychology. I’ve also taught psychology at the local

community college. My disease has progressed to Late Stage Liver Disease (LSLD =

cirrhosis, but my liver isn’t in immediate danger of shutting down) and I

have developed hepatic y,encephalopath which is doing permanent

neurological damage. I can’t work anymore. My memory is shot,

the fog is terrible and I’m losing my sense of balance, so I walk with a

cane. I can walk about a block, maybe two small ones, but that’s

about it. Stairs are a killer. In September I was

hospitalized for 5 days due to the encephalopathy. Currently, I am undergoing my third treatment. This time around

I am doing Infergen, which is a daily injectable form of interferon.

My second treatment was cut short by the insurance company. I was

supposed to go 72 weeks, but they stopped it at 52. After several

weeks of fighting with them, I was approved for the full 72 weeks.

So, I’ve been on treatment almost 2 years, with only a short break

in-between the two treatments. As my hemoglobin tends to drop, I am

also on Procrit. I have great doctors, including a hepatologist and internist. I’ve

had trouble with psychiatrists (I have mental health issues as well) but

recently the insurance company approved for me to go see the shrink I’d

seen for many years, but had to stop because of insurance (he’s not

in-network). I’ve applied for SS disability, but was turned down

twice. They said that since I had my arms and legs, I couldn’t be

considered disabled! My attorney is appealing this decision, but my

understanding is that we are now waiting for a hearing with a judicial judge

which could take up to 2 years. Our money will not last much longer,

so this is a source of stress as well. Well, I guess that’s enough for now. Even typing this much

wears me out, though I can work a mouse without too much trouble. J Matchinsky

[Guest guest]

Hi, Oddly enough, no one at the Transplant Clinic has mentioned my weight. I'm 5'8 & weigh about 200 lbs. I've always been overweight but they haven't said anything, they've been more worried about my paltry 5 or 10 cigarettes a day!SuZie & Sir SpYke the Fluffy - that's right, I'm not fat, I'm FLUFFY! If it's true that we're only here to help

others then what exactly are the other people here for?