Anemia is not such a bad thing...

[alice]

Anemia and Hepatitis C Treatment,  January 24, 2012
 
In opposition to what seems logical, research demonstrates that becoming anemic while on Hepatitis C therapy is not such a bad thing.
http://www.hepatitis-central.com/mt/archives/2012/01/anemia_and_hepa.html

So all my anemic pallies, HANG IN THERE!!

alice

[Nookster]

Whew,
Thanks Alice, that reassuring news and perfect timing for me.  I've been dragging my beat-up carcass around for the last few days cussing anemia every chance I got in between breaths.  

[banarep]

this has been know since I was in treatment, back in 09.  Thanks for posting this again.

[alice]

what with all the anemia and dose reductions going around, I figured it was timely 

[Steph]

Is that link working for you guys? I get a Not Found error.

[New York Sue]

Not found also.

[runningbrit]

Hi Alice, for some reason my mac computer won't let me reach that link, but there have been severals articles by my doc, Mark Sulkowski, on how anemia may mean the drugs are really working.   However, I am a little nervous because he has reduced my dose of PEG to 135 and RBV to 600 with the "promise" they he will get them back to normal when the anemia settles.   I am UND at 4 weeks but a little nervous with the dose reduction.   I will see what he has to say after my six week labs are back and ask whether or not EPO can be used.  I do feel pretty much like crap.   And what is with the muscle stiffness/pain in my neck (feel like those muscles are turning to stone), shoulders, upper back and arms.   Also swollen glands in neck.   I know you are not a doc but you do have some experience.   Any thoughts.

Thanks for posting Alice...now, about those push ups
Lynda

[Rattler]

Here is another link to the same data which works.

http://hepatitiscresearchandnewsupdates.blogspot.com/2010/12/anemia-in-treated-hcv-patients-bodes.html

[Steph]

Thanks, Rattler.

[Trinity]

I prayed for anemia this treatment and by golly I got it.  HGB dropped 5 points which put me in the 9's.  Anemia is a good thing number wise but not so good living with it.

Trinity

[LivinLife]

ahhhhhhhh a lovely shade of pale we are.  Even my freckles are pale!   

[hangingin]

Well if anemia is a good thing, I must be elgigble to win a cupie doll!  8 weeks of procrit finally got it above 8.  Hey, if it promotes SVR, I may quit the procrity, ha.

[Rattler]

yeah, it's cool to be anemic !
lol

seriously Hangingin, you were under 8 !

I'm walking around (slowly !) with Hb 8.6.
I don't want to go any lower.
Hope you can get off the Procrit soon. My doctor here in Germany does not use the drug and believes the sides are often too great.

Rattler.

[LivinLife]

OMG Rattler, I got down to 8.6 and couldn't breathe walking to the bathroom! 

[alice]

Darnit! They just posted that article on their blog yesterday and it's already broken but it's the same data essentially in the link provided by Rattler. And Mark Sulkowski was the lead author of the research published.

http://hepatitiscresearchandnewsupdates.blogspot.com/2010/12/anemia-in-treated-hcv-patients-bodes.html

Yeah, anemia might be a good thing tx-wise but it ain't no fun when you're dealing with it..
Last August, I went camping when I was 8.4... I thought I was gonna DIE! What was I thinking?!?! Speaking of painful experiences, I need to go do some pushups! 

heh heh heh ain't this fun?

alice