My good news at 8 months

Post treatment, almost 8 months, and I finally got the wonderful wonderful news.......HCV RNA not detected.......

The amazing wonderful thing although not as amazing as the news itself is that the test was done on the Monday, and the result was back by the Thursday......3 days? Now that's a record surely !!!!!

virus UNDETECTED as at 12 weeks post tx

Phew.....I kind of knew that having an ALT lower than it had ever been, was a very good sign....so I expected the good news I had today....but it was still a lovely surprise, and I feel very blessed.

xxxxx

14 weeks post treatment

As you can see from the picture, my hair is growing......

but UPWARDS !!!! Get down !!!

My tiredness and headfog have COMPLETELY gone, except for a sleepy period around 2pm; other than that my energy is normal again, I'm sleeping incredibly well, I dont get the kicks, except when I'm tired, and my skin is pretty much back to normal except for a sore spot on my left shin. I use Elocon cream once a week on that. I've put on almost a stone since last year, and it has GOT to come off !!! My tummy is f ...ing huge. I was a size 12 last year, when I should really be a 10, and now I'd be comfortable in a large size 14.

I had an ECG a few weeks ago, which was normal; I definately had chest pains during tx, probably due to my Hb, but this obviously hadnt led to a heart attack. However, not 2 days afterwards, my heart started behaving like a percussion group warming up. Very irregular! I didnt go to the doctor, because I was too scared to. A week later after daily constant irregular heart beat with no respite, my heart got back into its rhythm, and it's pumping nice and easy again. I put it down to my bloods coming back up to normal....but who will ever know.

I have my VESTIBULAR SCIENTIST appointment on Tuesday 13th May. The one for 9th April was postponed by the hospital the day before.

I noticed when I was tired a couple of days ago, my balance was worse. They definately seem to go hand in hand. Though I now think it's due to the Citalopram, which I dont intend to come off for a while. I'm feeling anxiety free for the first time in a LONG time.

I've left a message with my nurse at the Royal Free and I await the result of the PCR test today which I had 15 days ago. The ALT came back the same day, lower than it'd ever been (15), and that's a very very good sign. My HB is back 13, and probably rising still, and my bloods are all in normal range., except for the lymphs which are a bit low.

So I'm looking forward to the good news with fingers X'd....

Never been so fat !!! 10 weeks post tx

Oh dear !!! I thought it wasnt possible to put more weight on....thought I'd kept it on well during treatment....I certainly seemed not to be one of the ones who was "lucky" enough to lose 2 dress sizes during treatment. I stayed well covered, maintaining my already oversized size 14, when I should be a size 10. Trouble is, I've done what happens to everyone else AFTER treatment, and gone and put loads of weight on, so not content to be a size 14, it seems I'm now pushing for a size 16...Well I simply wont have it !!! (but seems I will) ...if only it didnt feel so uncomfortable, and of course all I can think about is what my Mum and Dad are going to think when they visit London in two weeks time....so i simply MUST go on a crash diet.

.....My Tummy feels SO massive !!!! I look 7 months pregnant.....None of my clothes fit. I guess it's the citalopram. They say ADs makes you a bit sluggish, and I'm not that ball of energy I was before ADs, all nervous and worried the whole time.

My appointment with the vestibular scientist has had to be moved, from April 9th to another day, because the doctor is off sick, and I'm now awaiting a new appointment. My dizziness is not as bad as it had been, but I'm definately still off balance, but I'm not convinced that ADs dont contribute to the dizziness further, although this dizziness was bad before I started ADs, before treatment, but while I was drinking, but continued after I gave up drinking, and it seems my brain may have been permanently affected. Anyway, I would be interested to see how I'd be without the ADs, but am not prepared to give them up yet.

Been visiting Clive, before and after his transplant. He's done so well....Text book success, and it makes me confused as to why I allowed my HepC to go on 5 more years after I was diagnosed, without going for treatment to get rid of it....I simply did not want to give up drinking alcohol, and I knew I had to stop drinking before embarking on tx, but it wasnt because I wanted to save my liver. It was because I felt f.....g terrible every day from drinking too much.

The question is though, am I able to not drink now my treatment is over ???? I had given it up 2 months before starting treatment.....Red wine just touches the parts nothing else reaches....but it also causes liver damage, and I could end up like Clive needing a liver transplant one day, but not being fortunate enough to get one. Am I stupid enough to start drinking again...??...it's a mental problem, and perhaps I should get back to AA meetings.

I go for my week 12 post treatment PCR. I hope it shows no virus....I hope I dont have a virus, but am I strong enough to abstain from alcohol......??

7 weeks post treatment

My PCR test from 2 weeks post treatment, was UND....hadnt had one since week 24 of treatment, so it was nice to know that the virus was still out of sight.

7 weeks post tx, and my energy has exploded !!!! I can climb the hill and do housework without ever feeling tired......

BUT I've put on weight !!! ABOUT 4 kgs. The itchiness has gone and returned, and the skin isnt broken like it was, but in places it's still spotty and pimply. I expect that to keep fading.

My Citalopram seems to either be too strong or too weak, as I started feeling edgy and butterflies in the tummy, like it was even before starting treatment. Still on 20mg. Dont know whether to raise dose or lower it. I'll give it a few days, and see.

My tonsils have shrunk !!!!

I looked into the back of mouth today (as I do sometimes), and I got the shock of my life.......My tonsils seemed to be gone !!!

All my childhood days, I've had tonsils like balloons......and during my adult days, they never reduced in size. But now...(2 weeks after treatment end), my tonsils look like anyone elses!!! - TINY !! What has happened?

I wonder whether this isnt the work of the interferon.

Last week I had my end of treatment PCR test, also the routine blood tests. Therese hasnt emailed them to me yet. I keep my fingers crossed. If my tonsils are anything to go by, I think my liver must be looking quite sharp !!!!

Friday....Saturday...that makes 2!!

Feel no different !!!! 2 days of no new ribavirins and no new shot of interferon.........took a photo, (below) and packed all my drugs and paraphanalia into a carrier bag.

Then, my period started this morning.......

I had a thought.......if my platelets are going to build up again, which they surely must now I'm off the medication, is there a greater likelihood of the blood clotting which might turn out to kill me ?

Then I took a Citalopram, had a cry with the frustration I was feeling at how often my husband comes into the kitchen, makes food, doesnt clean it up, then walks away and plays his guitar.....I'm left with the cleaning cleaning cleaning.....then the Citalopram kicked in, and I stopped caring.....