Philzone.org Discussion Board: Archive 2004: Hep C Archive: Diary entry for Sunday, December 12th, 2004

I like to post my diary entries from different forums so maybe more people will get to know each other, and we'll become stronger together.

Okay, so here I am at the Phil Lesh hepC discussion forum. There are lots of very cool people here, and for those of you who were or are of counter-culture mind, this is cool space. You'll phind these pholks are phriendly, and good-spirited, some of the phinest pholk you'll ever phind, and you'd have to be a phool not to pheel it here.

So I'm on Pegasys and I'm pheeling great - at least for now. It could be Zadaxin - it kicks in like that. It helps with brain fog, too - I'm having spurts of unusual clear-mindedness - but they're still tempered with treatment insanity. If ZDX kicks in like last time, I'll soon feel ten years younger, especially if I get some Procrit.

I am extremely happy I did the switch from Infergen to Pegasys - I've never done anything even close to 30 mcg daily Infergen + Actimmune & within 10 days, my VL had gone from 7.7 million to 700,000, to 1.1 million. 30 mcg per day and your viral load goes up after a log drop. Still, I knocked off 6 million in 10 days, but I hope the upward swing is not a trend, especially after switching interferons. From the beginning of this treatment design, this is the part I have dreaded the most - the switch. I had planned this from the beginning. Within the last 2 weeks before treatment, I changed my mind twice. I decided to do just do Pegasys/Actimmune/Zadaxin/ribavirin from the beginning, but the idea of EVR overwhelmed me, and I had Infergen in my possession, so I decided on induction therapy. The thing I worried about - nonpegs get your viral load down fast, but they don't last long. The pegs take longer to kick in, so I was worried about a possible interferon gap between Infergen and Pegasys. I knew I couldn't handle both at the same time, so I stopped the one and started the other. That's a quick update on my treatment.

Now, if I had done it the other way - if I had said, Forget the Infergen and started with Pegasys, right now I'd be saying, "I should have started with the Infergen." So I had to pick one of two wrong decisions. This is the tense and interesting part, and the suspense is overwhelming - I want to know if my viral load is going down, but it might be too soon to check a PEG and what if the gap between Infergen and Pegasys causes temporary response problems. So I need to go to the doc to get my cell counts checked, but I don't want to see another VL yet because the last one showed an increase and I want to give the peg at least a month.

This is driving me outta my fucking mind. I hate waiting for viral loads, and ultrasounds scare the hell out of me. So I want to resist the temptation to ask for VL.

Now that I've switched from Infergen to Pegasys, is my viral load going up or down?

Then I have periods of time when I'm relaxed and I almost forget I'm on treatment and I wank my Strat and all is cool. It's a rolee-coaster psych out freak voyage into a world of pegylation and you all know the theme to the Twilight Zone, which now rings from the church bells down the street - well that, and Helter Skelter. The beagle next door is trying to draw me into a debate on the evolution of cats, and the damn thing wouldn't shut up, going on and on and on about how I should quit smoking and stop wearing the glitter eye shadow and turning the garbage cans over and next thing I know I'm standing naked in my jail cell, discussing my so-called, "ribavirin defense" and how likely was the jury - I mean, I could have done Judy Garland in a tuxedo for the courtroom while the church bells ring Hotel California.

And of course I'm back on the Gaviscon and I'm starting to like it so much, I'm sneaking it when I don't need it. It starts off chunky and turns mucoid when it mixes with your saliva and then you swallow it with a glass of water. It's like a giant foamy melting living gummy worm going down my esophagus.

I'm not having any doody problems so far, and the FedEx woman says that's a good sign.


http://www.mkandrew.com

""This is driving me outta my fucking mind""

Mike.. I think id this were a thread of its own it would end up having to most posts ever.

Thanks for sharing. It helps.... and I'm not even on this freakin stuff........

Ummmmmmm.....

BTW Daniel who his Mike, and is he somewhere in the room? All I know is that I think Miles has come upon something here.
In between the lines I read a good bit of realism mixed in with just a touch of humor and some good "ole" scarcasm thrown in for good measure! Of course a good bit of truth always helps in making a point, and seeing how that he's included that as well......well; what can you say, he's well on the way to a best seller at least!!

Oh, just for curiosity sake, there Miles......in your diet, which brand of mushrooms to you find to be most effective? Knowing that Reiki are good, and even shiatake are good for the liver.....I might even begin wondering if psyilosybyn shrooms aren't something to ponder for tx relief (LOL)!!

Seriosly, you sound like you know your shit, at least as much as the next person, which is more than me. I'm just having fun taking my sweet old time "kicking this freakin Dragon's Ass"..... and I will savor the last moment when I take a sword and peirce it through the Dragon and claim VICTORY!!
May we all experience the jubilation of victory and the freedom over disease in oor lives.
God Bless the Philzone.....and all who participate at this site.

>I'm not having any doody problems so far, and the FedEx woman says that's a good sign.<

You'll know you are in trouble when the Dittie Diaper delivery truck is following the FedEx truck to your door. What's your secret to this success....buttplugs? Does the kind FedEx woman insert them?

Thanks for the updates on your tx. With your wacky and great attitude you'll do just phine.

Miles, Great post. Your' "ribaviron defence" had me rotflmao. Give the Pegysus some time. They usually don't do a check for 12 weeks.
PEACE, Mark

It was the dog talking that had me ROTF....

Well then Fido got up off the floor, and he rolled over and he looked me straight in the eye
And you know what he said?
"Once upon a time, somebody say to me"
This is the dog talkin' now
"What is your, conceptual, continuity?"
"Well I told 'em right then", Fido said
"It should be easy to see
"The crux of the biscuit
is the apostrophe"
Well you know, the man that was talking to the dog
looked at the dog, and he said
Sort of staring in disbelief
"You can't say that"

> It's a rolee-coaster psych out freak voyage into a world of pegylation <


Hell in a Bucket

Well I was drinkin' last night with a biker
And I showed him a picture of you
I said, "Pal get to know her, you'll like her
Seemed like the least I could do.
Cause when he's chargin' his chopper
Up and down your carpeted halls
You will think I am dressed up quite proper
Never mind how I stumble and fall.

You imagine me sipping champagne from your boot
For taste of your elegant pride
I may be going to hell in a bucket, babe
But at least I'm enjoying the ride, at least I'll enjoy the ride.

Cause you're a sweet little softcore pretender
Somehow, babe, it got as hot as it gets
With her black leather and gold spike suspenders
And your chain, your black whip and pets.

Well we know you're the reincarnation
Of the infamous Catherine the Great
And we know how you love the ovation
And the scene that it seems to create.

You imagine me sipping champagne from your boot
For taste of your elegant pride
I may be going to hell in a bucket, babe
But at least I'm enjoying the ride, at least I'll enjoy the ride.

You analyze me, tend to despise me
You laugh when I stumble and fall
There may come a say when I'll dance on your grave
Unable to dance I'll still crawl across it
Unable to dance I'll still crawl
Unable to dance I'll still crawl
Unable to dance I'll crawl.

Great post..I talk with my own creatures and they back. I already saw shrink and told him I was crazy and happy with my situation...didnt need him to tell me what I have known for 56 years.

What is procrit? Zadaxin...
Since I am awaiting the start of Pegassys I do not know what all their potent potables are.
I would be much happier on vitamins and minerals.
I am calling their support to find out what I can take. I canot imagine no vitamins for a year.....but

Hang in there Mike my neighbour!!!!
Michele I did a google search on those substances and hopefully I type these addresses good. EMOTW
Xadaxin http://www.scicloneinternational.com/zadaxin.shtml

procrit
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/epoetin.htm
http://www.procrit.com


Peace to all Rob

When I'm in doubt of my dos and don'ts I try to get a medical opinion. That's one of the bummers of tx but for example I had about ten questions for my gastro so last night I made a list did a walk on visit.This cleared up a lot of my questions.I take a multi now and some extra C but I check with the gastro first.A list helps.Peace Rob

Hey Now Miles...good to hear from you..I hope to be joining you soon on the Pegasys combo with Co-peg and Amantadine. The Amantadine really isn't helping my liver...last load 12,000,000..but I feel better taking it. It's an anti-viral with neuro-transmitter effects so my Gastro says....why not. Some studies show this triple therapy has some bennies and this will be my second round so why not?...Take care and keep us posted....peace...mack

Youse guys might be rolling on the floor laughing about the ribivarin defense, I'm actually using one (that little battery "issue")and the lawyer thinks it may well work...

Jim

Jim, LMFAO. Do you use the same attorny Kramer used to use? what was his name...Jackie somethin? Oh yeah that's NY and you're in Chi.

Jeff,

I am not joking. A few weeks after the cute doc told me that I should stop taking the meds, I cleaned an asshole's clock over a minor traffic incident. My lawyer is using ribi-rage as my defense, should we need to present one. The joker didn't show up at the last court-date, but the judge gave the prosecutor a continuance. Here's hoping he doesn't show up in January for the next appearance.

Jim

Battery
by Metallica

Lashing out the action, returning the reaction
Weak are ripped and torn away
Hypnotizing power, crushing all that cower
Battery is here to stay

Smashing through the boundries
lunacy has found me
cannot stop the Battery
Pounding out aggression
turns into obsession
cannot kill the Battery
Cannot kill the family
Battery is found in me
Battery
Battery

Crushing all deceivers, mashing non-believers
never ending potency
Hungry violence seeker, feeding off the weaker
Breeding on insanity

Smashing through the boundries
lunacy has found me
cannot stop the Battery
Pounding out aggression
turns into obsession
cannot kill the Battery
Cannot kill the family
Battery is found in me
Battery
Battery

Circle of Destruction, Hammer comes crushing
Powerhouse of energy
Whipping up a fury, Dominating flurry
We create the Battery

Smashing through the boundries
lunacy has found me
cannot stop the Battery
Pounding out aggression
turns into obsession
cannot kill the Battery
Cannot kill the family
Battery is found in me
Battery
Battey, Battery, Battery

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