Re: Introduction/Diet? HOW did you quit smoking?????

[Guest guest]

-- how were you able to quit smoking? It's the 1 addiction I've

never been able to shake. It dawned on me the other day ( while I was

smoking,) that here I was worrying about what the Hep C is doing to

my body and am I going to die from it all while I'm SMOKIN!!! Like

the cigs aren't gonna kill me. I know they are VERY hard on my liver

as well...Hope things start going better for you. I did read before

that being overweight( I am by about 30 lbs.) adversely affects tx.,

especially if it's " belly fat " ...Debbie2- In

HepatitisCSupportGroupForDummies , Newton

wrote:

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> Subject: RE: [HepatitisCSupportG roupForDummies] Introduction

>

> To: HepatitisCSupportGr oupForDummies@ yahoogroups. com

>

> Date: Friday, December 12, 2008, 9:16 AM

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> Thanks!  I guess I'm not too bad off! 

>  

> I've lost 120 pounds since the first of the year, and

> the doc says that greatly improves my chances of a successful

treatment.

>  

> m

>  

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> From:

> HepatitisCSupportGr oupForDummies@ yahoogroups. com

[mailto:HepatitisCS

> upportGroupForDu mmies@yahoogroup s.com] On Behalf Of Newton

>

> Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 7:47 PM

>

> To: HepatitisCSupportGr oupForDummies@ yahoogroups. com

>

> Subject: Re: [HepatitisCSupportG roupForDummies] Introduction

>

>  

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> Welcome back, my name is and joined group in August of

this year.

> I have HCV, ESLD, encephalopathy.  esophageal varices, etc

found out

> 16 months ago after gall bladder surgery. Am a alcoholic but

clean for 15

> 1/2 months and ex smoker for 5 months. Bloodwork looking good

right now.

> Won't treat HCV until I lose 40 pounds which I insist is fluid

but what do

> I know. Anyways thats a litle bout me and again welcome and I

myself don't

> know what I would do without this group.

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> 'Be kinder than  necessary

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> because everyone  you meet is fighting

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> some kind of battle.

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> 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

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[Guest guest]

>

> Debbie2.....

>  I quit drinking 16 months ago and that was a lot more rough than I

thought it would be but I just stopped. With smoking, it was myself

talking to myself again LOL...

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