Hi Brendan, and everyone, and a happy Easter hols to you and yours.

That is great news Brendan.  After your long, long stint on tx it must be fantastic to be building up your strength again.  Early days but happy days I should think.

Take care, keep on keeping on.

cheers, Jill xxx

Gidday Everyone,

Hope everyone's having a good Easter holiday.

Ty:-  I'm really glad all your liver counts have dropped backed to normal mate, as suggested when you were on tx, that was just a sx for you, more or less, and them coming back to levels that are normal is good news in regards to how tx has gone too.

Hope the report on ya' ticker are OK, and have fun with the weights.

Jill:-  My back is still causing problems but being able to get back into the gym and the weights and getting into the exercises set by my trainer has allowed me to do much more before the pain really kicks in.  It's still early days in getting the full support system back in place to give me the most benefit, so I'm happy to plug away and keep building on it.

I hope everyone else is going well and post-tx is treating you all kindly.

Cheers,

Brendan.

so pleased for you TY, you always on here with support and kind words  im so happy that things going in the right direction and you getting your energy back fab news

you take it easy

xxxxx

That sounds great Ty, what an amazing improvement in your ALT!  I know you`re had some very high readings during tx and I can understand you worrying, I know I would have done too. 

Yes, it`s fantastic to be off tx - it`s only now that I realise just how bad I was feeling, especially the last few weeks of tx which I found really hard going.  I`ve still got to get off AD`s at some point but I`ll do it when I`m ready. 

I hope those antihistamines are doing the job with the itching.

Hi Greg, hope you`re doing well.  There really is life after tx!  Keep it up, you`ll get there.

All the best, Jill xxx

Hi Jill,

     My ALT went down to 37 on a scale of zero to fifty!  It went up to 218 when I first started tx and my doctor even called the second week of tx and asked me if I was drinking, lol.  It slowly fell down to 117 the week before treatment ended. 

     Brendan told me not to worry about it, but I was a little concerned that my liver was not going to heal after I finished tx, especially when plenty of people on the forum were saying that their numbers improved pretty quickly after they started the shots.

     All my bloods improved, also.  They are still on the low side, but I can tell that my body likes being off tx and they are improving.  Yes, it is nice to feel energy again!  Take care, ty

PS - Thanks Greg, I guess I'll hear about the heart later in the week.  Because the problem was caused by having too much iron in my blood, now that the iron is gone, the initial report today looked good.

Hi Everyone,

Just sticking my nose in for a sec, just going to say well done Ty on your ALT results and best of luck with your heart tests. Everyone else hope the post tx is not too bad and getting better every day.

Cheers
Greg

Hi there Ty, great news about your liver.  What`s your ALT now then, if you don`t mind me asking?  Good luck with your heart tests, fingers crossed for you.

I taught myself some mind over matter techniques some years ago when I had a lot of pain in my legs.  It seemed a better way to go than living on painkillers, and it still comes in useful. 

Sounds like you`re getting there - isn`t it great to start being able to pick up your life again?  I`m walking a bit further every day and generally doing more.

Take care, Jill xx

Hi Everybody, 

     I'm glad to hear that the post tx'ers are improving, it gives me hope for getting back to normal.  I have been just reading the posts for a few days bacause the antihistimines I'm on made me really brain fogged, lol.  I think I'm getting used to them now and they do seem to help a bit with the itching.  I understand what you mean Jill, about the mind over matter, it does seem to help! 

     My skin is slowly going back to normal, it's not quite as dry as it was.  I never could find that Curash Powder, Brendan, so I may just try plain corn starch.  But, then I would need to put some sort of lotion over it, it's that dry here. 

     Oh well, I'm back lifting weights a little and that's the thing that keeps my head on straight, lol.  Take care, ty 

PS - I forgot to mention that my liver numbers all went back to normal on my test last week.  The first time in a year that they've been in the right range.  Tomorrow I go to the heart doctor to see if that's better.  It should be improved because my iron is still low.  We'll see...

Hi Brendan, so glad you`re making such good progress with getting your stregth back.  How`s your back now?  Hope that improves as your core muscles get back into shape.

I did read your post about the Curash powder thanks, but actually the itching for me is so much better anyway and the body powder I`m using has brought it down even further.  I only really itch a bit in the evenings now and can almost control it with `mind over matter`.  It was driving me nuts at one time!   In fact I`m feeling a lot better generally.

Hope your hair all grows back nicely.

Take care, Jill xxx 

Gidday Everyone,

In regards to the flu-like symptoms, I had an at best low grade flu-like symptoms for the most of my tx and it appears to have slowly got better in the 10 weeks it's been since I stopped tx all together.  I do still have the odd day when things seem like it's back in the middle of tx, but they grow less and I seem to be improving my fitness and gaining success at rebuilding my core muscles.  But as I say, until a few weeks ago it was no returns for what seemed at times senseless exercise, but from previous traning etc; I knew it would pay off, so kept at it, and have resisted slinking off.

There's still a long way to go and most of last week I didn't want to get out of bed, but resisted the temptation and got up and glad I did. It's little steps with even smaller gains, but I'm finding with the correct guidance, what had been a lot of pain for little gain is now starting to yield some recognisable results.  I'm still wasted in the mornings and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday last week I just didn't want to budge, but I did and really enjoyed a BIG sleep-in this morning as my reward.  I reckon pansying around will only be playing inti the virus' hands so I'm taking on post-tx like I did tx.....take no prisoners! VIRUS KILLER

I know, as Elizabeth says, it all seems like some sort of bad dream some times, but we all know that crap played with our heads. I find by putting into practice the self discipline methods I learnt from some of the best coaches when I was playing, really helps in sticking to the task.

As far as hair goes, say 4 or 5 years ago before HepC started dragging me down, I had a head of thick curly hair, which during tx turned into a scragly thin straight head of crap.  Now since I stopped tx my beard has returned not as heavy but it thickens and is getting back to what it was, and my hair has started to grow but is still thin and I too lose hair, but not at an alarming rate, just more than like I'd consider normal.

I'm glad that cornflour body powder is relieving things for you there Jill, that commercial brand I mentioned on the other thread has pretty well removed my itch problem although it does return on hot sweaty days and I've been using a Rexona Sport 48 hour  guard spray that providing you don't hold the can too close or put too much on, also seems to have solved my problem.  But I have to agree the that Curash powder works a treat and is so smoothing to apply, cleared up most of my problems in a matter of weeks, that's not a guarentee it'll work for everyone, nothing ever does, but if you itch like I itched you'd try it.

Anyway, I got to crash so I hope this finds everyone slowly but surely getting there, and if not, for God's sake, reach out and ask.

Have a goodun guys

Cheers,

Brendan.

Hi foks, I`ve got another post-tx question - how long does this hair shedding last for??  I`ve taken to tying it back during the day (it`s now shoulder length), so I don`t get so much on the floor.  Six weeks post-tx and it`s as bad as ever.  What`s going on?!

As for the itching, I`ve been using a lovely soft cornflour-based body powder all over for a couple of weeks now and it really seems to be helping.  It could just be clearing up anyway, who knows, but I thought I`d mention it.

Elizabeth, it`s good to hear you`re feeling better, those walks sound lovely. All the best of luck with your blood results and hope your sleeping starts to improve soon.

Take care folks, Jill xxx

i hope you feel better soon CG , i am 12wks post tx, now due for the first test and yes its important to keep the head in a happy place .. i try tho some times i get anxious ..much better each day ..walking in the country along the train tracks and stubble in the paddocks.

hard to make sense sometimes its all  a bit of a dream ......awoke at 2/3 am at night .

yeah we are pretty tough this tx is not for the faint hearted LOL...it must be the irish in me .

elizabeth xx

Elizabeth, I can relate I'm just a few weeks off TX, headaches were something light for me on SX but now getting clusters and mental fog seems worse then when on TX. Please try to keep your head in a good place. We are tough people at our core.

Cloudguard

Thanks everyone xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi Everybody,

     I too have had some re-occurance of sx, but they don't last long.  Sometimes that cold feeling comes back and somtimes it's that "crummy feeling.  I don't seem to have any pattern to my sides, they seem to come and go randomly.  I'm not on AD's, just sleeping pills at night and antihistimes during the day.

     I have some ringing in my ears, but I'm a rowdy rocker from way back and that might have taken it's toll, lol.  It is interesting how I feel awesome on some days and not so much on others, I guess it's the wonders of post tx!

     My skin is generally smoother which I hope means that the itching will improve or go away.  My energy is completely back on some days and other days it's as if I'm on tx.  I don't worry about that though because the tiredness doesn't last very long.  I am on a very powerful antihistime from the doctor that controls itching.  It seems to work, but it makes me a little spacy.

      My hair is much softer, but thinner.  I'm still going to cut it and then let it grow back when I get up the nerve to go in to the hair clipper shop...  All in all, I'm improving slower than I would prefer, but then I knew that would be true no matter how fast I got better!

     I hope everyone improves as quickly as possible and we can get back to living our lives as joyously as possible,  ty

Hi folks, yes Elizabeth I`ve been having those fluey feelings some days too - I keep thinking I`m going down with something.  Tired, achey, eyes burning, head all fogged up.  It`s mostly if I`ve done more than usual the day before.  Because I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome too it`s difficult to sort out what`s going on  as the sx overlap. 

Hi James, I have noticed my skin feels a bit softer generally since stopping tx, although it`s still quite wrinkley in places. That could be my age though! Still having outbreaks of itching.  

 Hi Annie, it`s good to hear from you, and great that your energy is so much better now. Gives us all hope!  Enjoy getting out in your garden.

lots love to all, Jill xxx

Hi Elizabeth and James,  It takes a long time for the sx to wear off, I'm still getting 'flash backs' from the interferon injections occasionaly. I think that our immune systems are left very weak in the first few months after tx, that was my experience, anyway.

On the up side, I've also noticed how much my skin and hair have improved. My hair has re-sprouted, thick and glossy, and my skin is soft, not like an aging reptile! It took about 3 months post-tx for this to start happening. It feels great as well to have some ENERGY! I can now do 6 hours work (of the easy variety) in the garden most days, unthinkable even a couple of months ago.

I hope you will both make a swift and full recovery, and that the remaining sx disapear soon,            Love Annie xxxxx

Symptoms are ( hard to expain actually )heady ,snuffles,mildly achey , coldish ,just as you would feel it you were getting the flu..but you never do it just goes away and comes back again...strange/.. mine is early morning and late evening...i have a theory that it is the AD'S .check zoloft flu symptoms.

and of course we know the other possibility but try not to go there Lol...

James i didnt get ribo rash i am happy to say, but my hair is quite soft now,on tx it was so dry.

elizabeth

worried...........

has anyone been getting flu type symtoms post tx??

elizabeth