Hi All

January 5, 2003

Hi Vicki,

I would love to see some of your canine photos. A woman just complimented me

yesterday on mine, in spite of the fact that " it is almost a cardinal sin to

shoot down on a dog in photos " :-) Kris

PS I can see where 20 years of being a paramedic would have wrecked your back.

Re: Hi all

> How long were you a paramedic? I assume...you got injured lifting on the

job. <

I have been in EMS since 1982 and while part of my back pain is from the

repetive lifting and stretching...the straw that broke the paramedic's back

(LOL) was slipping on some wet stairs.

****** Vicki Harkness ******

Paramedic...20 year career lost

Owner of: Sweet Dreams K9 and Casual Photography

January 5, 2003

> Let me get this straight--, and Raldeen have kids? >>

Yep. I have an almost 20 YO.....who left home once, and who came back

home! ACKKKK.....and a wonderfully sensitive 11 YO boy. WHAT in the world

was I thinking? Obviously, I wasn't <G>

> Please bear with me--I honestly believe that my cervical problems have

> cut blood flow to the brain, so if I make mistakes just think of me as

> good-intentioned but mentally impaired :-) Kris>>

HA! Just join the club

Ask me about my new MSM lotion for aches/pains!

http://www.scentsappeal.net

January 5, 2003

> I would love to see some of your canine photos. <

I would scan them to email...but I can't figure out how to do that.

Maybe that will be my goal when hubby goes to VA for a month...try to figure out

this blasted scanner and computer connection! LOL

January 5, 2003

> Let me get this straight--, and Raldeen have kids? <

I also have kids...but only the baby (and only boy) is still at home. ph is

11 years old. Then I have , , and Beth, a grand-daughter

named Felicity, and two step-children: and Meredith.

January 6, 2003

> I typed I graduated high school in 1982 >

I graduated in 1980

January 10, 2003

this note is from the one that caused all that controversy. i am so glad you

stayed. my history is exactly the same as yours. i was even told to see a

shrink. i had my biopsy to confirm aih. the only thing that you have and i dont

(i think) is the tumor. isnt fibromyalgia rotten. my diagnosis was brought

about like your, 1 doctor out of hundreds believed me and ordered tests. i thank

god for that doctor every day.

welcome

anita

>

> From: " carilynn1 <carib213@...> " <carib213@...>

> Date: Fri 10/Jan/2003 18:44 GMT

>

> Subject: [ ] Hi All

>

> I am new to the group. I actually joined a few days ago when all

> of the controversy was going on and was going to unsubscribe. I am

> glad that I hung in there and I did not.

> My name is Cari, I am 38 mother of 2 and finally after 20 years of

> going to doctor after doctor I was diagnosed with AIH. This was two

> days ago. I am very new to all this. I have my liver biopsy next

> week and will start on the meds after that. I have fibromyalgia,

> hypothryrodism, high cholesterol, a stomach ulcer from all the motrin

> the doctors gave me for joint pain, a pituitary tumor and raynauds.

> Not saying this to be a whiner just hoping that someone can give me

> some advice on any of these things. Since I am so new to all of the

> AIH stuff if anyone can give me some advice on how to handle the

> doctors and what to ask for regarding my treatment and the meds I

> would greatly appreciate it. The gastroenterologist is not the

> nicest man in the world and if I could just go in informed I think it

> would help. I am very frustrated with the medical industry. They

> found out I had AIH completely by accident. I went in for an

> ultrasound because of my gall bladder. I found a good doctor who

> actually believed I had something wrong and ordered a battery of

> blood tests. I am frustrated and tired...I never sleep. Does anyone

> else have this problem. I have had headaches all my life and now

> they are getting worse. I would appreciate any advice.

>

February 2, 2003

Beverly,

I had the 'Riba Rash' during tx. My GI told me the party line for

reducing the rash was to reduce the Ribiviran by one pill a day.

During my treatment I had to reduce by one pill twice, started with

1200 mg a day and finished with 800 mg. Ask your Dr. if this an

adjustment he has done before or would be willing to consider. I

used Gold Bond Medicated body lotion, green bottle, to help with the

dry skin. Get a couple of bamboo back scratchers to reach the middle

of your back. But be gentle and don't let anyone else use them, if

you break the skin you could pass the virus to someone else.

Glenn

> Hi Everyone, I got a question! I had a dry spot on the middle of my

> back that started around the time I began tx. I could not see it

> clear enough but now it is all over my stomach,legs, and arms. What

I

> though was dry skin is a rash, and it is itching bad, now the patch

> on my hand is swollen. I seen my doctor on Friday and he said he

> wasn't a dermatologist. I figure it was case by the tx and since he

> is the one to have me on tx he would know what to do for the side

> effects. I told him about hearing about atarax here in group. He

told

> me that it's a good thing I'm with a support group and see what

they

> recommend, he had no ideal. Then he wrote me the script for atarax

> 25mg, it put me out but the rash is still there and spreading. I've

> been waiting to find out if I change my doctor would my tx have to

> stop and then let the new doctor start it back up or if I can stay

> with the tx just change doctors. My last blood work was WBC x 10^3-

> 2.7, platelet x 10^3-112, RBC x 10^6-3.22. They took blood today

and

> I should hear something on Monday. I've try medicated creams and

> other over the counter medications. It wasn't until the second to

> last shot that I realized it was a rash and not dry skin. Let me

know

> what you think. Beverly

February 2, 2003

Beverly,

This is from the interferon. I had it something terrible. The ONLY

thing that worked for me, other than a drug, was liquid benedryl. I

still have scars from the terrible itching, but once I got the liquid

benedryl it really helped. Use that Aveeno like it's going out of

style, putting it on 2 or 3 times a day if necessary.

You also need to make VERY sure that drug you are taking isn't going

to be contraindicated by the interferon or that it is going to cause

you any liver problems. You should take a Topical Steroid and not an

oral one.

Be sure to let us know about that WBC when you get the results. It

needs to be no lower than 3.0. If it hasn't come up, your dr needs to

adjust your dosage of possibly both drugs. (peg and riba)

LeighAnn

April 4, 2003

Hi Vivian, I am having it April 28. Why are you still waiting for a date?

Once we talked about it yesterday I went right back to the sec who does the

scheduling and got a date. If you want you can email me personally. I have

done nothing but read and read all about the fusions..I already had a

laminectomy last Jan so at least spine surgery isnt new to me but I am still

a bit nervouse about it..

April 4, 2003

Hi Vivian, I am having it April 28. Why are you still waiting for a date?

Once we talked about it yesterday I went right back to the sec who does the

scheduling and got a date. If you want you can email me personally. I have

done nothing but read and read all about the fusions..I already had a

laminectomy last Jan so at least spine surgery isnt new to me but I am still

a bit nervouse about it..

April 4, 2003

Hi Toni, No I had a lumbar one.. I am glad that your not in pain and I think

its great that you dont need surgery. Do you need to do anything special with

your neck to prevent any pain. Will the stenosis get worse or stay the same?

April 4, 2003

Hi Toni, No I had a lumbar one.. I am glad that your not in pain and I think

its great that you dont need surgery. Do you need to do anything special with

your neck to prevent any pain. Will the stenosis get worse or stay the same?

April 4, 2003

> I saw the surgeon yesterday and we decided to do the L4-L5 fusion. <

Hey ...when are you having yours done? I am still waiting for mine to be

scheduled. Having the fusion in the L4/5 area also.

Let me know how to prepare and what to expect please???

The list is great for info and support, especially when you have a doc like mine

who doesn't like to educate his patients.

Good luck!

Vivian H.

April 4, 2003

> I saw the surgeon yesterday and we decided to do the L4-L5 fusion. <

Hey ...when are you having yours done? I am still waiting for mine to be

scheduled. Having the fusion in the L4/5 area also.

Let me know how to prepare and what to expect please???

The list is great for info and support, especially when you have a doc like mine

who doesn't like to educate his patients.

Good luck!

Vivian H.

April 4, 2003

Hi and everyone!

Did you have the laminectomy for a cervical problem? I am trying to get

some info about cervical problems. I feel like I shouldn't even be on this

board, since everyone on here has had surgery or needs to have surgery. I

have been told by two different doctors..one a neuro, the other an ortho

spine specialist that surgery for me would be prophylactic and not

recommended. I only had one episode of pain, which is why I had the MRI to

begin with. It was in January and since then, I haven't had any episode of

pain. I also have full range of motion in my neck and full strength in both

arms. I do have moderate to severe stenosis at four levels according to the

MRI. In other words, my MRI is worse than my body is. I am not going to

get the surgery, since it appears that it would be considered unnecessary

and the risks of surgery outweigh the risks of not having surgery.

Paralysis isn't on my schedule this year...but apparently it is a

possibility. This sounds pretty insane. Anyway, has anyone on here had

surgery that was not experiencing pain or weakness? I have pretty much

decided to not have it, but I'm still checking out going to Dr. Jho in

Pittsburgh. If anyone can shed any light on this..I sure would appreciate

it. You all seem to be dealing with more than I can even comprehend...if I

were having nerve compression, I would have scheduled surgery yesterday.

But I'm not having pain, and prophylactic surgery seems dumb, so I am in a

quandary as far as my next step other than to talk to Dr. Jho. Thanks for

whoever can give me any info. I feel like I should apologize for feeling

ok. I hope no one minds my coming here. , you sound so great..I think

of you often. These medical people sure can screw you up. I wish that I had

never had the damn MRI...then I wouldn't know about all of this, and

ignorance would definitely have been bliss:} The doctors are saying..ok,

you might become paralyzed but go have fun and enjoy your life. When you

can no longer function or you are paralyzed..whichever comes first, then

we'll talk:}

Toni

At 09:46 04/04/2003 -0500, you wrote:

>Hi Vivian, I am having it April 28. Why are you still waiting for a date?

>Once we talked about it yesterday I went right back to the sec who does the

>scheduling and got a date. If you want you can email me personally. I have

>done nothing but read and read all about the fusions..I already had a

>laminectomy last Jan so at least spine surgery isnt new to me but I am still

>a bit nervouse about it..

>

April 4, 2003