Comments on: More “Me Hep C and the NHS” by Jonathan Gems http://www.ronmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2009/03/09/more-me-hep-c-and-the-nhs-by-jonathan-gems/ Ron Metcalfe's Weblog Mon, 24 Oct 2011 03:50:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: ron http://www.ronmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2009/03/09/more-me-hep-c-and-the-nhs-by-jonathan-gems/comment-page-1/#comment-87569 ron Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:10:10 +0000 http://www.ronmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2009/03/09/more-me-hep-c-and-the-nhs-by-jonathan-gems/#comment-87569 Hi Barry Yah, living with the virus does cause lots of various pains. Sorry to hear the stance your doctor is taking but the alcohol is bad news for a hepc liver. I have no doubt you know that alcohol does take its toll on your liver - and still will after treatment. Four years after successful treatment my liver still doesn't cope with alcohol very well. My liver suffered alot of fibrosis damage from the virus and while it has probably improved it is still not good. Tough as it may be it to do, it is time to have a long talk with yourself about what will best help your liver. The obvious answers are stop using alcohol and get treatment. Have you thought of getting some counselling help to talk about this with someone neutral? Wishing you well Ron Hi Barry
Yah, living with the virus does cause lots of various pains. Sorry to hear the stance your doctor is taking but the alcohol is bad news for a hepc liver. I have no doubt you know that alcohol does take its toll on your liver – and still will after treatment. Four years after successful treatment my liver still doesn’t cope with alcohol very well. My liver suffered alot of fibrosis damage from the virus and while it has probably improved it is still not good.
Tough as it may be it to do, it is time to have a long talk with yourself about what will best help your liver. The obvious answers are stop using alcohol and get treatment. Have you thought of getting some counselling help to talk about this with someone neutral?
Wishing you well
Ron

]]> By: Barry http://www.ronmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2009/03/09/more-me-hep-c-and-the-nhs-by-jonathan-gems/comment-page-1/#comment-87567 Barry Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:41:18 +0000 http://www.ronmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2009/03/09/more-me-hep-c-and-the-nhs-by-jonathan-gems/#comment-87567 Hi I have hcv and feel very bad, I'm in bad pain and am prescribed codeine phosphate which helps just a little, doctors refuse to treat me as I still drink although only a little as it helps with the pain but they don't understand that I would stop drinking straight away if I was offered treatment anything but this pain! please help! Hi I have hcv and feel very bad, I’m in bad pain and am prescribed codeine phosphate which helps just a little, doctors refuse to treat me as I still drink although only a little as it helps with the pain but they don’t understand that I would stop drinking straight away if I was offered treatment anything but this pain! please help!

]]> By: Joe http://www.ronmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2009/03/09/more-me-hep-c-and-the-nhs-by-jonathan-gems/comment-page-1/#comment-87477 Joe Tue, 26 May 2009 11:36:20 +0000 http://www.ronmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2009/03/09/more-me-hep-c-and-the-nhs-by-jonathan-gems/#comment-87477 Dear Ron I am a virologist doing research on Hepatitis C Virus and I've recently been trying to get a better perspective of the experiences of people within the patient community; us scientists can easily get trapped in an academic bubble which isn't particularly good. Consequently, I recently watched the Jonathan Gems film and then stumbled across your blog whilst googling for more info. I'm pleased to hear your treatment experiences have been better than those portrayed in the documentary and I agree that the agressive and negative angle taken by Gems may be counter productive. Furthermore, the 'scientific' information provided at the beginning of the documentary is mainly incorrect; I've literally no idea what a 'nanovirus' is and HCV certainly isn't one. Additionally, the suggestion that patients infected with genotype 1 HCV should manage their illness using complementary therapy whilst better drugs are in development is irresponsible if not dangerous - a 40% chance of clearance with IFN and Ribavarin is a darn sight better than a 0% chance with homeopathy! Then again, as you pointed out, the documentary's apparent scientific expert seemed to think that hard facts are best delivered topless! Not a good start. I'll now look back over your archives and read more about your experiences, in the meantime, if you or anyone you know wants to learn anything about the real science of HCV let me know. Regards Joe Dear Ron

I am a virologist doing research on Hepatitis C Virus and I’ve recently been trying to get a better perspective of the experiences of people within the patient community; us scientists can easily get trapped in an academic bubble which isn’t particularly good.

Consequently, I recently watched the Jonathan Gems film and then stumbled across your blog whilst googling for more info. I’m pleased to hear your treatment experiences have been better than those portrayed in the documentary and I agree that the agressive and negative angle taken by Gems may be counter productive.

Furthermore, the ’scientific’ information provided at the beginning of the documentary is mainly incorrect; I’ve literally no idea what a ‘nanovirus’ is and HCV certainly isn’t one. Additionally, the suggestion that patients infected with genotype 1 HCV should manage their illness using complementary therapy whilst better drugs are in development is irresponsible if not dangerous – a 40% chance of clearance with IFN and Ribavarin is a darn sight better than a 0% chance with homeopathy! Then again, as you pointed out, the documentary’s apparent scientific expert seemed to think that hard facts are best delivered topless! Not a good start.

I’ll now look back over your archives and read more about your experiences, in the meantime, if you or anyone you know wants to learn anything about the real science of HCV let me know.

Regards

Joe

]]> By: ron http://www.ronmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2009/03/09/more-me-hep-c-and-the-nhs-by-jonathan-gems/comment-page-1/#comment-87375 ron Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:53:06 +0000 http://www.ronmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2009/03/09/more-me-hep-c-and-the-nhs-by-jonathan-gems/#comment-87375 Hi phelpzie I checked your blog and can see your just starting out on your blogging journey. Diagnosed five years ago? Surprised we haven't bumped into each other earlier. And alot of ads on your site - you hoping to make some moolah from the dreaded virus? Good luck on that one. Wishing you well Ron Hi phelpzie
I checked your blog and can see your just starting out on your blogging journey. Diagnosed five years ago? Surprised we haven’t bumped into each other earlier.
And alot of ads on your site – you hoping to make some moolah from the dreaded virus? Good luck on that one.

Wishing you well
Ron

]]> By: phelpzie http://www.ronmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2009/03/09/more-me-hep-c-and-the-nhs-by-jonathan-gems/comment-page-1/#comment-87374 phelpzie Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:35:52 +0000 http://www.ronmetcalfe.com/blog/index.php/2009/03/09/more-me-hep-c-and-the-nhs-by-jonathan-gems/#comment-87374 Great work,take a look here for more advice on hep c <a href="http://hepchelp.blogspot.com/" title="hepc" rel="nofollow">hepc-help</a> Great work,take a look here for more advice on hep c

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