Nita,

I've never tried to treat the hepatitus with any herb or oil. I've not only
been tested but I've undergone a complete evaluation for a liver transplant
that cost me $14,000 dollars out of my own pocket. I don't have any medical
insurance. And I don't qualify for financial aid.

15 years ago I felt some pain in my left side, I was a week away from
insurance coverage. I called a heart specialist, told him my symptoms and
asked if he thought I could wait a week. He said I'd better get in right
then. I did. It cost me the insurance coverage, but he was probably giving
the best advise--it's just one of those unfortunate things.

He sent me to a GI specialist who did an ultra sound and some more blood
tests. He said I had Chronic Hepatitus. My dad wanted me to get another
opinion, I went to this doctor and he had me go do a cat scan and wanted me
to do a biopsy. I questioned the biopsy because I had read that many doctors
were against them because they felt the trauma could worsen the condition
and even positive results really served no purpose since there was no
treatment anyway (this was long before inferon), and that a cat scan and
ultra sound were sufficient to measure cirrosis. So I spent the $500 dollars
on the cat scan. When the results came back the doctor told me they showed
no signs of cirrosis so I needed to do the biopsy (which I was against) So I
spent the $900 on the biopsy. When he pulled the needle out of my side he
said "This is a really ugly looking sample" The way he said it bothered me
and the nurse, who came back in later and apologized for him. Later I went
to his office for the results. He said the biopsy showed cirrosis. Then I
asked why it didn't show up on the cat scan. He looked at the cat scan
again, and stated that it did. So either he lied the first time, or he
didn't bother to read the report. As I was standing in his waiting room
paying my bill, I heard him say to someone "Who cares--he's just a fucking
junkie!" Later I called the doctor who did the cat scan and he explained
those results quite clearly. Had I had that information to begin with I
wouldn't have had the biopsy. Perhaps that would have been a mistake, but I
resented being manipulated and lied to.


That's round "one" with the medical profession. I'm afraid the story doesn't
get better. I am completely convinced had I stayed in the care of MD's
without researching things on my own, I would already have died. Doctor
number 4 had his license revoked for doing unecessary heart procedures on
his patients. He did one on my dad, whose heart stopped during the
procedure. Damage was caused to the heart, and he began showing signs of
Parkinson's within two months. Whether or not they were related I don't
know. When it was discovered I had type "C" instead of "B" nobody bothered
to tell me. I had one doctor poke under my chest and say I had less than two
years. That was six years ago. As I said before, one doctor tried to put me
on Steroids which has definetly been proven since to increase mortality in
cases like mine.

I've been on every machine they have at the hospital. You wouldn't believe
how many tests they run for transplant evaluation. And if you get a
transplant you end up property of the hospital--your going to spend more
time there than at home. You don't just get a transplant and walk away. A
success, I believe is considered two or three more years of survival.
Recently, they've put ex drug addicts and alcoholics on the bottom of the
list, so the chances are pretty slim you'll get one anyway.

I am going to check out the new drug another member mentioned.

David



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Parkinson's Information Exchange
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Nita Andres
> Sent: Monday, November 16, 1998 6:58 AM
> To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
> Subject: Re: New to the list / i smell another rat
>
>
> David, I would get tested and if positive for hepatitis C get
> treated.  AS I
> said I know nothing about the rest of the subject.  Sandal oil or
> what ever it
> was won't help. If it delays treatment it can hurt you.
>
> DAVID OLLER wrote:
>
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Parkinson's Information Exchange
> > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Nita Andres
> > > Sent: Sunday, November 15, 1998 2:44 PM
> > > To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
> > > Subject: Re: New to the list / i smell another rat
> > >
> > >
> > > A long, long time ago we had hepatitis A, and B and something
> > > called non A , non
> > > B. See Will Johnstons post.  That is  or was the treatment, I
> > > haven't looked in
> > > a long time. Never the less, I knew other nurses who got much
> better on
> > > treatment and none who got worse. The same for people who had
> > > contracted it from
> > > transfusions. Being afraid of MDs is common, but silly. A few
> > > needles and and a
> > > clinical depression can be helped, even advanced liver disease
> > > can be helped.
> > > Find a doctor you like and stop the excuses. You can get over Hep
> > > C most of the
> > > time,( nothing is absolute.) and and as miserable as it is it is
> > > possible to get
> > > over a clinical depression, you just have to get off the dime.
> > > Even a transplant
> > > beats dying. AS a clinical nurse and then an infection control
> > > nurse, I knew a
> > > number of people with all (one at a time or all at once) you do
> > > not get over
> > > being dead. by the way What color are you the whites of your
> > > eyes. Bye, Nita
> >
> > They are white, they've never been yellow. I've lost hair a
> couple of times
> > and bled from the esophagus once and was banded.
> >
> > David
> >
> > > DAVID OLLER wrote:
> > >
> > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > From: Parkinson's Information Exchange
> > > > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Nita Andres
> > > > > Sent: Sunday, November 15, 1998 10:20 AM
> > > > > To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
> > > > > Subject: Re: New to the list / i smell another rat
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I think you said that you also had hepatitis C, if so there
> > > is now a  good
> > > > > mainstream  treatment for it , which you should look into, don't
> > > > > ignore it I
> > > > > have nothing to say about the other stuff. Nita
> > > >
> > > > Are you talking about inferon? It has been two years since I
> > > last went for
> > > > an exam, at that time I was evaluated for a liver transplant,
> > > and inferon
> > > > was not considered due to the amount of cirrosis. Some freinds
> > > went on that
> > > > treatment and got worse. It appears to be controversial, or
> was at that
> > > > time.
> > > >
> > > > Originally I was diagnosed with type "B" (this was before they
> > > even had a
> > > > "C" classification) the different stories I've been told by
> different
> > > > doctors and the number on contradictions is a nightmare. One
> > > doctor tried to
> > > > put me on steroids, and stopped treating me when I showed him a
> > > report that
> > > > steroids increased mortality rates.
> > > >
> > > > Basically I'm afraid of doctors, and the depression I suffered
> > > when I was
> > > > going to them worsened my condition every time.
> > > >
> > > > David
> > >
>