NP called husband this afternoon to tell me that my hemoglobin is a bit low and that's what is going on with the shortness of breath. It's not bad, but I noticed it.
Beginning viral load is 549,540
I had my four week viral load done and my whole treatment seems to be based on this four week viral load.
I am very mixed up after talking to my NP here are my options when I get the results of last week’s tests and I am thrown for a loop because NP said my four week tests will determine the following:
If I have a one log drop I’ll have to stop
If I have 1-2 log drop I’ll have to treat 72 weeks
If I have 2 log drop “but still measure” then I have to treat 72 weeks
If I have 2 log drop and “not measure” I will have to treat 48 weeks.
If I continue I will not get another viral load test until week 24
I expect the rules to change as I go along with this NP as they were certainly changed when I received the hand written options listed above from her last week. It hardly seems fair that so much is determined by a four week outcome when other places in the world wait until the eight or 12 week outcomes to determine stopping or length of treatment.
Let’s hope I misunderstood, but it’s written on a piece of paper here and it appears these decisions are made after my four week VL test.
Shot number five Friday Oct 19.
I did a bit better this weekend when I didn’t hold back on the extra strength Tylenol. According to NP I am only allowed 2000 mg in 24 hour period. I was skimping on them prior to this weekend and I just took them every six hours for the first day and got along much better. It’s my new plan.
I was horizontal most of Saturday and Sunday I felt seedy. I notice I have very little energy on the weekends so my major work around the house has to be broken up into chunks on week nights when I am feeling good enough to do the necessary cleaning of bathrooms.
I am avoiding one of my friends as she will be relentless with figuring out what is wrong with me. She is busy with a major thing in her own life and that will probably take the heat off me until the middle of December then I’m on my own with her and it will be difficult to hide that I am not available on the weekends to do stuff with her.
I had to use the cold excuse this weekend and had to miss a major yearly party.
Ironically, my voice is gravelly as if I have a cold and I think it’s all out exhaustion from the meds. They all think I have a cold. I can’t use that excuse for 43 more weeks.
Also, I do notice a bit of trouble catching my breath when I exert myself so my bloods must be dropping. I’ll know after these recent blood tests.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007
4th Shot
Uneventful night but woke up with a “take a headache” feeling. I did nothing all day and rested.
Last Thursday was a bad one. I know not to push myself too much because it made me ill. Managed to get into a heated discussion at work with a whining co-worker and it shocked the hell out of her when I came up fighting. LOL This riba has kind of empowered me.
Had my blood tests done on Friday and managed to get a different clerk. She asked the same questions as the other clerk so my pals on the forum were right. The blood lab clerks are asking standard questions because of the type of tests the NP is requesting.
I will NOT give them any information about my treatment. It’s none of their business.
Anyhow, one vein collapsed (my one good one!) and the lady had to stab me again. It was hard to get it to stop bleeding so I expect the bloods will show something this week. I bruised badly where I had the needle stick.
Last Thursday was a bad one. I know not to push myself too much because it made me ill. Managed to get into a heated discussion at work with a whining co-worker and it shocked the hell out of her when I came up fighting. LOL This riba has kind of empowered me.
Had my blood tests done on Friday and managed to get a different clerk. She asked the same questions as the other clerk so my pals on the forum were right. The blood lab clerks are asking standard questions because of the type of tests the NP is requesting.
I will NOT give them any information about my treatment. It’s none of their business.
Anyhow, one vein collapsed (my one good one!) and the lady had to stab me again. It was hard to get it to stop bleeding so I expect the bloods will show something this week. I bruised badly where I had the needle stick.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin Cheesecake
1 cup ginger snap cookie crumbs
½ cup finely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons butter, melted
250 g package cream cheese
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
14 oz can pumpkin
160 ml (small) can evaporated milk
½ cup sugar
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
Combine first three ingredients; press on bottom of spring form pan 9”. Combine softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Add egg and mix well. Pour over crust. Chill while preparing pumpkin mixture. Combine remaining ingredients. Mix well. Carefully ladle over cheese mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour and 30 minutes or until set. Loosen cake from rim of pan. Cool before removing rim of pan. Chill. If desired garnish with whipped cream.
10-12 servings
1 cup ginger snap cookie crumbs
½ cup finely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons butter, melted
250 g package cream cheese
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
14 oz can pumpkin
160 ml (small) can evaporated milk
½ cup sugar
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
Combine first three ingredients; press on bottom of spring form pan 9”. Combine softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Add egg and mix well. Pour over crust. Chill while preparing pumpkin mixture. Combine remaining ingredients. Mix well. Carefully ladle over cheese mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour and 30 minutes or until set. Loosen cake from rim of pan. Cool before removing rim of pan. Chill. If desired garnish with whipped cream.
10-12 servings
Third Weekend
I gave myself the shot around 8 p.m. Friday night. I was concerned as a bit of the meds leaked out onto the band aid. (not much) However, I knew that I had my shot by the way I felt on Saturday.
Slept OK with no major sides, however, all day Saturday I was zapped. My bed looked better than anything else all day. I forced myself to get up and watch tele for a bit. The thing that irritates (oh oh…is it riba rage) me the most is that I am trying to keep this a secret and the people who know that I am going through this are trying to make themselves feel better by down playing my side effects. They are making up reasons why it’s not the meds. That perplexes me.
I have noticed is that I seem to have a “frog in my throat” and my voice is shaky and I feel like I constantly clearing it. I expect that it’s a side.
The weight is starting to drop off and husband is insisting that there is something wrong with our scales. All I can say is that I asked him to weigh in with me the very first week and he has been weighing in with me every Friday morning and his weight has not changed. However, it took three weeks for him to admit that I am losing weight. Good Grief! My dress pants are hanging off “me ass”!
I am eating better than I have eaten in years. I am gorging on fats (YUCK) and the weight dropping off right now. I expect it will level out soon. I wonder if the meds stimulate your metabolism. I am not active like I used to be and I’m eating like a tank and I didn’t eat like this before so it has to be the fact that the meds rev up the system to burn the calories and fat.
I have a feeling that one of my bosses at work is looking at me oddly. I am not showing the zip that I usually have and I think he may have noticed. I’ll have to buck up and put on a brave face at work.
Major Thanksgiving meal planned for here today.
I hope I don’t feel like I felt last Sunday.
I have a wonderful Harvest Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe if anyone wants me to post it here.
Slept OK with no major sides, however, all day Saturday I was zapped. My bed looked better than anything else all day. I forced myself to get up and watch tele for a bit. The thing that irritates (oh oh…is it riba rage) me the most is that I am trying to keep this a secret and the people who know that I am going through this are trying to make themselves feel better by down playing my side effects. They are making up reasons why it’s not the meds. That perplexes me.
I have noticed is that I seem to have a “frog in my throat” and my voice is shaky and I feel like I constantly clearing it. I expect that it’s a side.
The weight is starting to drop off and husband is insisting that there is something wrong with our scales. All I can say is that I asked him to weigh in with me the very first week and he has been weighing in with me every Friday morning and his weight has not changed. However, it took three weeks for him to admit that I am losing weight. Good Grief! My dress pants are hanging off “me ass”!
I am eating better than I have eaten in years. I am gorging on fats (YUCK) and the weight dropping off right now. I expect it will level out soon. I wonder if the meds stimulate your metabolism. I am not active like I used to be and I’m eating like a tank and I didn’t eat like this before so it has to be the fact that the meds rev up the system to burn the calories and fat.
I have a feeling that one of my bosses at work is looking at me oddly. I am not showing the zip that I usually have and I think he may have noticed. I’ll have to buck up and put on a brave face at work.
Major Thanksgiving meal planned for here today.
I hope I don’t feel like I felt last Sunday.
I have a wonderful Harvest Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe if anyone wants me to post it here.
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