Miss Desa's blog: "Hepatitis C Awareness"

Remember there is no vaccine or cure for Hepatitis C... For more info on Hep C, read my blogs. Hepatitis C Awareness Hepatitis C Myths and Facts and more.... Free clinics across America are growing in small numbers. Here are a few I have found. I will list more as I find them. Please feel free to do the same. RonadaAnderson@adph.state.al.us //334-206-7974 She is the Hepatitis C coordinator for the state of Alabama and a good start point to find a clinic in or near Mobile. Dr. Rudman at the Fredrick County Health Dept in Fredrick, Maryland, will send you to the Local Hospital for all your testing and liver panel. They will pay the cost of testing and all meds... Call for your appt at Fredrick County Health Dept, in Fredrick Maryland, and go there first. If you are wanting medication, through the Patient Assistance Program through ROCHE. Call this number... It is 1-866-247-5084, they do a phone screening to see if you tentatively qualify, then they will send you an application that you and your doctor will have to fill out and you will have to send them the application, also your most recent 1040 form (a copy), and your doctors script to you, and then they will verify what you have sent to them. If approved, they will contact your doctor to verify your script and then call you... The approval process takes about 3 days once you get everything to them. You can call to check the status of your application, each day. http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/cd/cdhepc-fs10.shtml Hepatitis C Clinics in New York City Public Hospitals (HHC) NOTE: All listed clinics will accept patients regardless of insurance status. Other public hospitals may also have clinics for patients with hepatitis C. Location Clinic Details Bellevue Hospital Center 462 First Avenue New York, New York 10016 Friday mornings 9am-12pm Call (212) 562-8625 for info Must have Bellevue doctor referral General Information number: (212) 562-4141 Call (212) 562-3291 for referral appt. Location Clinic Details East New York Diagnostic &Treatment Center 2094 Pitkin Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11207 Tuesdays &Thursdays 5-8pm General Information number: (718) 240-0400 Location Clinic Details Elmhurst Hospital Center 79-01 Broadway Elmhurst, NY 11373 Thursdays Go to walk-in diagnostic (8am-8pm)to get a referral &appointment General Information number: (718) 334-4000 Location Clinic Details Harlem Hospital Center 506 Lenox Avenue New York, NY 10037 Every Thursday morning Call (212) 939-2910 to make an appointment General Information number: (212) 939-1000 Location Clinic Details Kings County Hospital Center 470 Clarkson Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11203 Call for appointment General Information: (718) 270-1112 Location Clinic Details Metropolitan Hospital Center 1901 First Avenue New York, NY 10029 Friday afternoons 1pm Call (212) 423-6881 for info Need a doctor's referral General Information number: (212) 423-6262 Call (212) 423-6144 for referral appt The info on the Oklahoma clinic is here: Dr. Wendy Bartamen is a saint on earth. She provides a free clinic in Lawton. Treating any malady on a sliding scale. Hep C is included. Meds, Labs and treatment is also included. I recvd all this information from Tammy that works with Dr. Bartamen at the phone # Miss Debbie gave us. The clinic is called "Hearts That Care" located at 304 SouthWest A located in an old Car Lot in the ally across from the Library and very near to the Police Station. the Phone # is 354-9007 The clinic is open the First and Third Thursday of every month. The first day is an all day affair. They want you there at 10 a.m. There is a triage. At noon someone comes and gives out numbers. The numbers coincide with what time you will return that night. either at 5 pm, 7 pm or 9 pm. Bring with you your ID and last year's pay stubs and any tax information you can. Only the uninsured will be seen. For blood draws you will need to go to Dr. Bartamen's office. For everything else you will be at the clinic. ALSO they have a Hep C support group that meets at the clinic. They meet every fourth Thursday at 7 pm. Debbullan.org HepCaware.org Hepatitis C Educator/Patient Advocate Help & Education for Liver Patients (HELP!) http://www.santacruzpl.org/cid/public/full.php?id=341 http://myspace.com/help4hcv Facilitator, Hepatitis C Task Force of Santa Cruz County Member, California Hepatitis Alliance http://calhep.org Addiction Counselor, New Life Community Services http://nlcsonline.org

Thanks Phoenix for posting this.. I will pass it on... What i am about to post is something i copy and pasted from the internet.Something that a friend sent me..and when i read it all i could think is....WHAT????!!!!.I read it and was horrified that this goes on...so,in an effort to protect people i am reposting it on my journal for the benifit of anyone who is gay,bi,or knows someone who is gay or bi...if you know someone please pass it on...thanks... `Russian Roulette' Sex Parties Rise in gay fringe group's unsafe practices alarms AIDS experts Sabin Russell, Chronicle Staff Writer Friday, January 29, 1999 Printable VersionEmail This Article del.icio.us Digg Technorati Reddit Facebook Slashdot Fark Newsvine Google Bookmarks (0) Georgia (default) Verdana Times New Roman Arial MORE NEWS Bareback to death. Church lessons focus on homosexuality. (01-29) 04:00 PDT San Francisco -- In a Castro district apartment house, an $8 admission fee promises a night of communal gay sex. The only rules: no clothes, no condoms, no discussion of HIV. Two decades into an epidemic that has taken the lives of nearly 18,000 San Franciscans, a new homosexual subculture is emerging: Healthy men are seeking unprotected sex with HIV-infected men, for the erotic thrill of communion with the deadly AIDS virus. For years, AIDS experts have been concerned about the growth of a practice known as ``barebacking,'' where condoms are abandoned, usually based on assumptions that partners are both HIV positive or both negative. Now a fringe element, linked by the Internet, is taking it even further. Web sites are offering lists of ``extreme sex'' party sites where the prospect of becoming infected or of infecting others is part of the erotic allure. At a ``Russian roulette party'' set for next month in Houston, a posting seeks three healthy men to have sex with five other men. Four of those must be HIV negative, but the fifth is already infected with the AIDS virus. Only a tiny fraction of gay men are believed to frequent such venues. Even so, many veteran AIDS activists, who championed the ``safer sex'' ethic that has checked the spread of the AIDS virus since the mid-1980s, are disturbed by the trend. ``More than anger, I find it heartbreaking and tragic,'' said Daniel Zingale, executive director of AIDS Action of Washington, D.C., the nation's most powerful AIDS lobby. New research from San Francisco confirms that an increasing number of gay men are having sex with multiple partners, and without the protection of condoms. Yesterday, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that among men who have anal sex with other men, the portion of men who did so without condoms rose to 39 percent in 1997, from 30 percent in 1994. Rates of sex with more than one partner also rose, and of those engaged in the riskiest practices, 68 percent did not know whether their partner was infected with the AIDS virus. ``Groups of men engaging in high-risk sex with multiple partners, that is the kind of behavior that caused the epidemic to explode,'' said Robert Perez of the Stop AIDS Project in San Francisco. The practice of barebacking has been fiercely debated in the gay community for several years. But nothing is creating quite the stir as the lastest issue of POZ, a glossy monthly magazine brimming with ads for AIDS drugs, featuring a sympathetic portrayal of the barebacking phenomenon. The cover features a handsome gay model, Tony Valenzuela, resting naked atop a black stallion. While the story describes the plight of Valenzuela as an outcast in the San Diego gay community for publicly advocating barebacking, the photos and graphic images portray a glamorous, sexy new icon. ``The cover photo definitely turns him into a sex object. I understand people's criticisms,'' said POZ editor-in-chief Walter Armstrong. ``We wanted to provoke people. We're willing to take the heat for that.'' But AIDS Action's Zingale finds this ``bareback chic'' appalling. ``Anything that glamorizes putting your own health at risk is irresponsible and threatens to unravel all our progress,'' he said. POZ, which has a modest national circulation of 130,000 is not just trying to sell magazines, said Armstrong. ``It's not that we wanted to defend barebacking,'' he said. ``We wanted to try to give a fair, and considered, and nonjudgmental analysis of why this is taking place. . . . We want to see less condemnation of it as a behavior, and more discussion about why gay men are wanting to stop using condoms.'' The subculture of barebacking is explored in depth in a second POZ article ``A Ride on the Wild Side,'' by San Francisco free-lance journalist Michael Scarce. It uncritically explores the methods and motives of men who have rejected condoms and are having unprotected sex in organized venues. It includes a visit to the Castro ``Bareback House'' and an account of what goes on inside. Scarce, 28 years old and HIV-negative, describes a subculture of gay men who eroticize risky sexual practices, and in some cases, are embracing the prospect of becoming infected. Across a network of Web sites, gay men from Wichita to Rotterdam advertise group sex parties for barebacking men. Using street parlance, the Web sites describe the act of seeking HIV (``bug chasing''), or seeking to infect willing partners with the virus (``giving the gift''). Scarce, who has investigated the Internet phenomenon and is writing a book about it, said he has interviewed numerous ``inoculation party'' participants. The parties, he said, are not an Internet hoax or a fantasy played out only on screen. But he concedes, ``We are talking about a very small minority of the barebacking subculture.'' A former HIV prevention worker who now works at a resource center for gays and lesbian students at the University of California at San Francisco, Scarce said gay men need to recognize the appeal of unprotected sex in order to come to terms with it. ``We have to stop kidding ourselves that safer sex is hotter sex. It's just not. There is a particular appeal to barebacking because it is sexier. It is hotter,'' said Scarce in a recent interview. ``It amazes and impresses me that gay men value their sexuality, and that they find such meaning in it that they are willing to take certain kinds of risks,'' he said. ``That is an important and beautiful thing, although it can have harmful and damaging consequences.'' To Tom Coates, the director of the UCSF AIDS Research Institute, the implications of such thinking are saddening. The POZ article, he said, may ``legitimize barebacking'' and help break down the behavior changes that have protected San Francisco's gay community from the rampant spread of the virus. ``I am surprised at POZ not only for sensationalizing the movement, but for not presenting a balanced view. Nowhere did I see the word `responsibility.' As an HIV-infected man myself, I take that responsibility very seriously,'' said Coates. Scarce dismisses the highly respected AIDS expert as part of an ``old guard'' whose vision of HIV prevention is grounded in the experience of Baby Boomers devastated by the epidemic. This vision of a generation gap within the gay community permeates much of the discussion of barebacking and the shift to riskier sexual practices. Surveys show younger gay men are more likely than their older peers to engage in unprotected sex. To younger gay men such as Scarce, AIDS has become interwoven as part of gay identity. ``AIDS and gay culture are permanently tethered to one another, and not necessarily in a bad way,'' he said. Such talk, in the view of some veteran AIDS activists, dishonors the dead, and makes not only for bad public health policy, but disastrous gay politics. ``How sympathetic will be the public, which has coughed up a lot of money for services and research, if we don't have responsibility?'' said Coates. Rene Durazzo, program director for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, said the POZ article provides a service in bringing discussions about barebacking into the open. ``We have to be challenged how to understand the complex nature of that issue,'' he said. ``We need to give men opportunities to talk about it and make their own decisions.'' The long history of AIDS in San Francisco, he suggested, shows that the city's gay community has acted responsibly and will continue to do so. ``In this city,'' Durazzo said, ``men have made good choices around HIV and their sexual lives. They are making complex decisions how to stay safe. If they were making bad choices, we would see an enormously escalating epidemic.''

CLINTON AND HCV LETTERS Current mood: Growly You may have heard or read about the misuse of syringes, spreading disease. HCV is being followed the closest, as it is easier to transmit. (hmmm.. comment from the peanut gallery: So why is there more funding going to HIV than HCV. There are 3 times more cases of HCV than HIV.) Vegas Clinic May Have Sickened Thousands By KATHLEEN HENNESSEY (Associated Press Writer) From Associated Press March 05, 2008 6:50 PM EST LAS VEGAS - Nearly 40,000 people learned this week that a trip to the doctor may have made them sick. In a type of scandal more often associated with Third World countries, a Las Vegas clinic was found to be reusing syringes and vials of medication for nearly four years. The shoddy practices may have led to an outbreak of the potentially fatal hepatitis C virus and exposed patients to HIV, too. The discovery led to the biggest public health notification operation in U.S. history, brought demands for investigations and caused scores of lawyers to seek out patients at risk for infections. Thousands of patients are being urged to be tested for the viruses. Six acute cases of hepatitis C have been confirmed. The surgical center and five affiliated clinics have been closed. "I find it baffling, frankly, that in this day and age anyone would think it was safe to reuse a syringe," said Michael Bell, associate director for infection control at the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of the infected patients is retired airplane mechanic Michael Washington, 67, who was the first to report his infection. On the advice of his doctor, he received a routine colon exam in July at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada. In September, he started to get sick. He was losing weight fast. His urine turned dark. His stomach hurt. By January, it was clear what had happened. Washington describes his virus as a "creeping death sentence" and worries that others will hear his story and think twice before getting preventive care they need. In letters that began arriving this week, patients who received injected anesthesia at the endoscopy center from March 2004 to mid-January were urged to get tested for hepatitis B and C, and HIV. Because all three viruses are transmitted by blood, they could have been passed from one patient to the next by the unsafe practices at the clinic. The mass notification is the result of a health district investigation that began in January when officials linked an uptick of unusual hepatitis C cases to the clinic. Health officials say they are most worried about the spread of hepatitis C, which targets the liver but shows no symptoms in as many as 80 percent of infections. Hepatitis C results in the swelling of the liver and can cause stomach pain, fatigue and jaundice. It may eventually result in liver failure. Even when no symptoms occur, the virus can slowly cause damage to the liver. Officials estimate that 4 percent of the patients already had the virus when they entered the clinic, compared with 0.5 percent for hepatitis B and less than 0.5 percent for HIV. Hepatitis C also is easier to transmit than HIV, they said. "You put the two together and hepatitis C is really our big concern," said Brian Labus, senior epidemiologist at the Southern Nevada Health District. Health inspectors say they observed clinic staff using the same syringe twice to extract anesthesia from a single-dose vial, which was then used to treat more than one patient. The practice allows contaminated blood in a used syringe to taint the vial and infect the next patient. Of the six patients so far diagnosed with acute hepatitis C, five received treatment at the clinic on the same day in late September. Since 1999, the CDC counts 14 hepatitis outbreaks in the U.S. linked to bad injection practices. The largest outbreak occurred in Fremont, Neb., where 99 cancer patients were infected at an oncology center from 2001 to 2002. At least one died. The doctor involved in the case acknowledged reusing syringes and settled scores of lawsuit. But he never explained why the syringes were reused. Bell said such improper procedures appear to be more common in outpatient surgical centers like the endoscopy center. Unlike hospitals, such centers often do not have employees whose sole responsibility is to monitor and educate staff on best practices. In Las Vegas, clinic staff told inspectors they had been ordered by management to reuse the vials and syringes. Labus described the practice as an unwritten, but long-practiced policy. Investigators were told the practice was an attempt to cut costs, according to a letter of complaint from the city, which revoked the facility's business license Friday. Five other facilities affiliated with the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada also had their licenses revoked. The clinic's majority owner, Dipak Desai, a political contributor and member of the governor's commission on health care, has refused to comment on the allegations. He released a statement expressing concern for the patients and assuring the public the problems had been corrected. He later took out a full-page ad in Sunday's edition of the Las Vegas Review-Journal insisting that needles had not been reused and that the chances of contracting an infection at the center in most of the last four years were "extremely low." Of the thousands of people who have rushed to be tested, many will get positive results, Labus said. More than 15,000 people already have called the health district for information. But it takes a more sophisticated test, a complete evaluation of risk factors and a clear pattern of infection to determine whether the virus was caught at the facility. Plenty of lawyers are wading into the mess. Television ads called "health alerts" are soliciting clients. At least a handful of class-action lawsuits have been filed. On Tuesday, the office of Las Vegas attorney Ed Bernstein was buzzing with phone calls - nearly 1,000 a day, he said. Bernstein said he represents about 1,200 patients at the facility, eight who have tested positive for hepatitis C. Washington, the infected airplane mechanic, is one of Bernstein's clients. His wife, Josephine, a registered nurse, wonders how any health care professional could be so reckless: "To maximize profit? For what? What are you going to save?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Senator Clinton Calls on FDA to Address Hepatitis Risk Linked to Multidose Medication Vials Washington, DC Today, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton called on Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach to address concerns about recent cases of hepatitis B and C in New York linked to use of multidose vials, which are used to administer multiple doses of vaccines or medications, often to more than one patient. In New York, despite the fact that all health care providers are required to undergo infection control training, more than 60 cases of hepatitis B and C have been linked to use of multidose vials since 2001. These infections raise health and safety concerns that must be addressed, said Senator Clinton. It is critical that the FDA take seriously the heightened risk associated with multidose vials and encourage the use and production of cost-effective alternatives. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert Heimer Subject: Re: Clinton and HCV letter This focus on multi-dose vials actually seems misdirected. If the administration of vaccines and other medications using multi-dose vials is linked to transmission, the real culprit has to be re-use of syringes in administering doses from these vials. The vials can get contaminated only if a contaminated needle is inserted into the vials. Moving to single use vials may have the unintended consequence of increasing the cost of vaccines and other medications and making their administration less likely...all the while being no safer if syringes are still being reused. So, the proper answer -- buried in the Clinton letter -- is to advocate for single use syringe and proper training for medical staff who administer vaccines. The latter is not difficult. For a recent research study, we created teams of lay vaccinators who were clearly instructed never to reuse syringes. We never learned of any breaches in this protocol. Let's try not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. ----------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ken Fornataro Subject: Re: Clinton and HCV letter I couldn't agree more that money to properly train injectors about syringe use (and make clean needles available at least as easily as alcohol and cigarettes) would decrease the transmission of many diseases, especially HCV. There has to be a way to propel incidents like this into action. Demands for a couple hundred million to start for Hepatitis education, testing, PCR testing, vaccinations by trained staff, and coverage of a full course of treatment for those who opt to do so would be a good start. I hope none of the 40,000 people exposed have to figure out how to pay for the care and treatment they need - because help in that area practically doesn't exist. Ken

How Can Hepatitis C Affect My Liver? Tell Me More About Treatment The liver is the largest organ in the body. Located in the upper right side of the abdomen, it acts as a filter to remove toxins (harmful substances) and waste products from the blood. A healthy liver filters blood at a rate of about 1.5 quarts per minute. That's 540 gallons of blood a day! The liver also stores nutrients, such as certain vitamins, minerals, and iron, and plays a role in making and controlling the amounts of certain chemicals and proteins in the body, such as cholesterol, hormones, and sugars. It helps the body digest food by producing a substance called bile, which is stored in the gallbladder. The hepatitis C virus attacks liver cells and uses them as a host to reproduce itself. When the body attempts to fight the virus, it sends lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) to the liver, which results in inflammation (swelling). This inflammation is a normal response to infection, but over time this process, and certain chemicals released by the lymphocytes, can damage liver cells. When the liver cells are damaged, they cannot function well and may die. Some of these cells may grow back, but severe injury may lead to fibrosis (a buildup of scar tissue on the liver). Fibrosis slows down the liver's ability to circulate blood and remove toxins. Treatment may help prevent further damage or reduce progression of the condition. However, the longer treatment is delayed, the more likely significant and permanent liver damage will occur. Over time, hardened scar tissue can replace large amounts of normal liver tissue. This condition, called cirrhosis, seriously impairs the liver's ability to function. If your liver is damaged, there are some important steps you can take to keep the undamaged cells as healthy as possible. You should talk to your doctor or healthcare professional about your specific situation, but, in general, the following steps can help: Avoid alcohol. The liver treats alcohol as a toxic substance and works to filter it out. In a person with hepatitis C, alcohol significantly increases damage to the liver. It is especially important to avoid combining alcohol with acetaminophen (a nonprescription pain reliever). If taken together, these substances can cause additional damage to your liver. Eat healthy foods. When the liver is damaged, your body may not get all the nutrients it needs, and you may feel weak or tired. You may also lose your appetite. It is important, therefore, to meet your daily nutritional needs so you can maintain your weight and energy levels. Drink plenty of water. Water is a vital substance for all of the body's functions. It helps to remove toxins and process important nutrients. Drinking extra fluids may also help reduce side effects while on therapy. However, it may be necessary to reduce your fluids if cirrhosis has developed and your body is retaining too much fluid. Reduce salt in your diet. When liver disease is severe, signals are sent to the kidneys that cause them to retain both salt and water. The salt acts like a sponge, causing fluid to build up in the body. A low-salt diet and restriction of fluids can help reduce fluid buildup. Get vaccinations against hepatitis A and hepatitis B. In people with hepatitis C, infection with another strain of hepatitis can cause further damage to the liver. Though there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, a simple series of shots can protect most people from infection with the hepatitis A and hepatitis B viruses. Talk to your healthcare provider about vaccinations. Although hepatitis C can lead to scarring and inflammation of the liver, treatment may help by reducing inflammation. .

Liver Panel Overview Sources A liver panel, also known as liver (hepatic) function tests or LFT, is used to detect, evaluate, and monitor liver disease or damage. It usually consists of seven tests that are run at the same time on a blood sample. These include: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) an enzyme mainly found in the liver; the best test for detecting hepatitis Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)an enzyme related to the bile ducts; often increased when they are blocked Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) an enzyme found in the liver and a few other places, particularly the heart and other muscles in the body Bilirubin, two different tests of bilirubin often used together (especially if a person has jaundice): total bilirubin measures all the bilirubin in the blood; direct bilirubin measures a form that is conjugated (combined with another compound) in the liver Albumin measures the main protein made by the liver and tells whether or not the liver is making an adequate amount of this protein Total Protein - measures albumin and all other proteins in blood, including antibodies made to help fight off infections Other tests that could be requested along with the liver panel are gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH), and prothrombin time (PT). When are these tests ordered? One or more of these tests may be ordered when symptoms suspicious of a liver condition are noticed. These include: jaundice, dark urine, or light-colored bowel movements; nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea; loss of appetite; vomiting of blood; bloody or black bowel movements; swelling or pain in the belly; unusual weight change; or fatigue or loss of stamina. One or more of these tests may also be ordered when a person has been or may have been exposed to a hepatitis virus; has a family history of liver disease; has excessive alcohol intake; or is taking a drug that can cause liver damage. Many patients with early or mild to moderate liver disease may have few if any symptoms. Liver disease may be first detected through routine blood testing that is performed as part of a physical. This testing usually includes a group of 14 tests called the Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP). Most of the tests found in the liver panel (all but the direct bilirubin) are included in the CMP. When liver disease is detected with a CMP blood test, it may be monitored over time with follow-up liver panels.

Fatigue and Hepatitis C Chronic fatigue, the most commonly reported symptom of Hepatitis C infection, affects between 65 and 75 percent of those diagnosed with the disease. Learn what factors contribute to excessive tiredness and lack of energy associated with Hepatitis C, and discover what steps you can take to help manage fatigue. by Nicole Cutler, L.Ac. Although Western medicine has yet to find the reason behind the excessive fatigue associated with Hepatitis C, research has uncovered several contributing factors: · Poor sleep and lack of rest · Drug and alcohol use · Stress and depression · Other diseases · Chronic pain · Lack of exercise · Poor nutrition · Not drinking enough water and fluids · Impaired immune system · Certain medical treatments (such as interferon therapy) The following four reasons likely play a part in HCV-related fatigue: 1. Energy Storage - Understanding the liver’s role in energy production clarifies how HCV can result in fatigue. One of its many physiological functions, the liver is intimately involved in supplying the body with energy. In addition to its well-known responsibility for filtering the blood, the liver also converts food into glucose, storing it for later use. When the body needs energy, the liver releases stored glucose to provide fuel for creating a burst of energy. By producing, storing and supplying the body with glucose, the liver is a key player in preventing fatigue. A liver unaffected by disease releases glucose between meals, or whenever the cells need nourishment and energy. While a healthy liver maintains a steady level of energy throughout the day, one hampered by advanced disease and scarring has a reduced ability to produce glucose, and less space to store it. 2. Interferon - In addition to being the preferred drug treatment for HCV, interferon therapy causes fatigue. This drug is synthesized to match one of the immune system’s naturally occurring interferons. Part of the protection mechanism against infection, interferons are proteins that help the body recognize a foreign substance. Interferon is believed to cause flu-like symptoms, including fatigue, which typically disappears once the treatment is over. 3. Ribavirin - As those who have undergone treatment with ribavirin are aware, this medication can cause anemia. A condition where the body does not have enough oxygen-carrying red blood cells, anemia causes substantial fatigue. All the cells in the body need oxygen from red blood cells to maintain their health. During HCV therapy with ribavirin, additional medications may be administered to prevent anemia from occurring. 4. Neurotransmitter-Immune Dysfunction - The continued, long-term response of the immune system to chronic Hepatitis C contributes to fatigue. The release of neurotransmitters (chemicals in the brain) is part of a healthy immune system response. When the body is physically or emotionally stressed, the immune system activates, causing the brain to release the appropriate substance for self-protection. Liver disease causes a chronic, uncontrollable stress to the patient, weakening the immune system and decreasing the release of certain neurotransmitters. In a study led by Steven M. Kerfoot of the Immunology Research Group at the University of Calgary in Canada and published in the January 2006 issue of Hepatology, researchers determined that certain types of liver damage are associated with an immune response affecting the central nervous system. The researchers found that rats with a specific type of liver disease had decreased levels of hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), an essential neurotransmitter for activating a stress response. Implicated as a cause of clinical fatigue, scientific studies have found a defect in CRH in people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Managing Fatigue Fatigue is a very real and problematic symptom of HCV. While certain lifestyle factors can reduce its impact, most people with Hepatitis C must learn how to manage their fatigue. Being informed about the detrimental effects of alcohol, drug use, poor sleep, dietary habits and a highly stressful life can empower the individual to make positive lifestyle changes. In addition to making healthful lifestyle decisions to reduce fatigue, these changes will also support the liver and strengthen the immune system. By stepping outside the confines of Hepatitis C’s possible causes of fatigue, scientists have teamed with nutritionists to develop a novel approach to this problem. Through evaluating how to best support the body’s production of energy on a cellular level, researchers found that the energy-producing parts of a cell, the mitochondria, function best when their membrane is fully intact. Combining several nutritional ingredients capable of restoring the mitochondria membrane, NT Factor has been proven to improve energy levels. While taking an all-natural nutritional product for energy restoration must be discussed with a physician, this effective approach has helped many exhausted Hepatitis C sufferers. In addition to traditional healthful lifestyle approaches, balancing daily activities can help manage fatigue. The following are some helpful tips: · Try to avoid overloading your day with a busy schedule by prioritizing necessities. · Work at the time of the day when you feel your best and arrange to do things then. · When possible, conserve your energy by sitting down to perform activities you typically do while standing. · Rather than trying to sleep when you are fatigued, rest or do a lighter, easier activity since you will regain more energy from this sort of break. · Pace yourself by including regular breaks in your day. · Pass on large, heavy meals in favor of smaller, more frequent ones. · Since hot temperatures can be draining, take warm showers. · Establish a pre-sleep routine at night to wind-down and prepare your body for sleep. If you have HCV and are fatigued, you are not alone. Fortunately, you do have options. Reclaim your energy by supporting your liver and immune system through healthful lifestyle changes and be sure to discuss nutritional supplements containing NT Factor with your physician. While the power to rid yourself of HCV may be just beyond your grasp, you do have the ability to help your body overcome fatigue. References: Piche, T, et al., Fatigue is associated with high circulating leptin levels in chronic hepatitis C, Gut, 51, 2002. www.eurekalert.org, Understanding Fatigue in Chronic Liver Disease, AAAS, 2007. www.hcvadvocate.org, Easy C Facts, Hepatitis C Support Project, April 2005. www.hcvadvocate.org, Hepatitis C and Fatigue, Peter Hauser, MD, Hepatitis C Support Project, 2007. www.healthlink.mcw.edu, Hepatitis C – Or Its Treatment – Can Cause Fatigue, Julie L. Mitchell, MD, MS, Medical College of Wisconsin, 2007. www.hepatitisc.org.au, Fatigue and HCV, Hepatitis C Council of NSW, March 2004. www.hepnet.com, Fatigue as a Symptom of Liver Disease, Mark G. Swain, MD, Schering Canada, Inc., 2007. www.hepnet.com, Understanding how your Liver Works, John Lauerman, Schering Canada, Inc., 2007. www.natap.org, Fatigue, HCV/HIV Coinfection, Transmission, Disease Progression & Interferon, David Bernstein, MD, National Aids Treatment Advocacy Project, 2007. www.webmd.com, Managing Hepatitis C, WebMD, Inc., 2007.

EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF OUR FOURTH ANNUAL RUBBER DUCKY RACE SPECIAL THANKS TO CAREY & TROY GLADDEN AND FAMILY OF RHOME TEXAS FOR HELPING US CONFIRM THE DUCKY CONTESTANTS AND WINNERS! THE GRANDPRIZE WINNER IS MRS. AMY EDELHAUSER PRINCETON, TEXAS Mrs. Edelhauser receives the grand prize of a glider ride for two! Two second prizes of hand made Scandinavian Door Harps are awarded to Jan Tetrault of Reedsport, Oregon & Denise Reese of Honey Grove, Texas 20 1G flash drives are awarded to the following supporters: Alice Edelhauser WINNING DUCKS: 13, 14, 17, 18 I was very happy and surprised to hear I won a prize, but more important than that, I was glad to hear of the money raised for Hep C Awareness. I hope and pray that more money is raised each year to fight this horrible disease. I watched my son, Darin, suffer with this disease, the treatments, and other ailments caused or related to Hep C for nearly two years before his death December 12, 2007. Because of that I pray each night for better understanding, better treatment, saved lives, and for all those suffering now. I am pleased and honored that Darin was remembered at the event. He wanted to help in the fight against Hep C, but our Lord wanted him in heaven. God bless everyone waging this war. Sincerely, Alice Edelhauser Eddy Rotella WINNING DUCK 75 I would like to thank all of the wonderful people at Debbullan Inc, for their unselfish and never ending support and awareness for Hep-C. Through their great cause and organization, they have reached thousands of people to not only raise awareness, but to also spread Hep-C awareness and support to so many others. When I was first asked to join as a friend and supporter to Debbullan Inc, I was not aware of how many thousands of victims were affected by Hep-C. I was also not aware of how these thousands were told to keep quiet, and had no voice in the media, communities, or support from our Government and from Congress. There were not many clinics or hospitals that would even consider treatment or knowledge about the disease to these silent victims. Through organizations like Debbullan, the silence is getting closer to a roar throughout the World. Through the much needed help from sites such as MySpace, Fubar, and many others, Hep-C awareness is being talked about, and awareness is being raised after so many years of silence and lack of knowledge about the disease. Through the many efforts of Debbullan Inc, and with the help and support of musicians, friends, supporters, websites, and from victims, Hep-C is now being talked about, and awareness and support is growing by the day. I am very honored to be a part of Debbullan's tireless and ongoing strives to raise awareness and support, and I hope that very soon Hep-C will be talked about Worldwide, and given the much needed press and media that is deserves so much. Along with support from our Government and Congress for treatment, medical insurance, supplies, and much needed knowledge and funding to all of it's victims, Hep-C will no longer be the "Silent Killer" any longer. Sincere Thanks and Gratitude to Debbullan Inc, and it's supporters for their very Unselfish and Tireless efforts, I commend you All. Much Respect, Gratitude, and Thanks Always, Eddy Rotella www.myspace.com/eddythebrat CHECK BACK FOR MORE MESSAGES FROM PRIZE WINNERS LIKE: Denise Reese of Sherman, Texas WINNING DUCK 27 Rand Baker of Palm Springs, California WINNING DUCKS 40, 41, 43, 46, 50, 51, 52, 53 Margenine Dennis of Arlington, Texas WINNING DUCK 60 Andrew Wallace of Colleyville, Texas WINNING DUCK 66 Kim Koontz of Grapevine, Texas WINNING DUCKS 67, 68, 69, 70 Mike Stewart of Marysville, Ohio WINNING DUCK 81 OUR MOST SINCERE APPRECIATION IS SENT TO ALL OF THE SUPPORTERS OF DEBBULLAN INC. RETURN TO DEBBULLAN INC. To question information presented on this website contact Nancy Ann Gelzinis, President, Debbullan Inc. Debbullan Inc. is a Charitable 501(c)(3) Corporation All content © 2004-2008 Debbullan Inc.

Hepatitis C: The disease no one's talking about Hepatitis C: The disease no one's talking about http://www.statesmanjournal.com ALAN GUSTAFSON The Statesman Journal The disease is a 'silent epidemic' that is getting little public attention, state official says Ann Shindo takes to task the federal government for failing to confront hepatitis C in Oregon and across the country. "Remember when Reagan didn't say AIDS? That's where we are with hep C," said Shindo, the coordinator of viral hepatitis prevention for the Oregon Department of Human Services. "It's (like) 1988, pal, and no one's talking about hep C. "We have four times as many people nationwide living with hep C as HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) and we have no federal funds and state funds to address this epidemic." The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 2 percent of all Americans, more than 4 million people, are infected with hepatitis C. It kills about 10,000 people per year. Each year, there are anywhere from 20,000 to 30,000 new infections, according to the federal agency. Often called the "silent epidemic," hepatitis C can hibernate in the liver for decades, often taking 20 to 30 years before symptoms surface. Shindo said an estimated 65,000 Oregonians have hepatitis C, and most of them do not know they are carrying it. For some, it's a devastating, potentially lethal time bomb. "The reality is, someone may be clean and sober for 25 years, then find out they have hep C, and it dramatically changes their life," Shindo said. "That's a very common story. It can detrimentally impact peoples' lives to the point of losing their jobs, losing their homes, and becoming homeless." Hepatitis C is spread mainly by exposure to infected blood. The most common way it's transmitted is by the sharing of needles by drug users, which accounts for nearly 70 percent of new infections. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. The virus wasn't identified until 1989, and testing wasn't available until 1992. For unknown reasons, the majority of people with hepatitis C won't develop severe symptoms or need treatment. But about one in five among the chronically infected will develop life-threatening complications, such as cancer, cirrhosis and liver failure. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplants in the U.S. Of the 18,000 Americans waiting for a transplant, an estimated 40 percent to 60 percent have hepatitis C. Further complicating matters is the "tricky business" of treatment, Shindo said. Antiviral medication for hepatitis C is expensive, often causes severe side effects, and fails to eradicate the virus in about half of all patients. Treatment generally is not recommended for those without liver damage. But regular monitoring is seen as crucial for everyone with hepatitis C. Educating a poorly informed public about the harsh realities of hepatitis C poses an uphill fight, Shindo and other activists say. "It's a highly stigmatized disease," Shindo said. "People believe, 'Oh, it's just drug injection drug users who get it.' " In Oregon City, a nonprofit advocacy organization called the Hepatitis C Caring Ambassadors Program is trying to pump up the volume about the "silent epidemic." As it stands now, Lorren Sandt, the program director, said "most people don't know what hepatitis C is because there's a lack of education and awareness. Also, there's a shortage of testing that is available within the public health departments." Shindo holds the news media partly to blame for widespread lack of know-ledge about hepatitis C. "I think there's a lot of mythology and just cluelessness around this epidemic nationwide," she said, "and part of the reason for that is there's been a lack of media coverage and a lack of funding for folks like me to get out there and address all the high-risk folks that need to be addressed." Shindo's job is funded by the CDC, which pays for hepatitis C coordinators in nearly all 50 states. However, states only get enough funding to cover the cost of the coordinator's salary, leaving most coordinators with little or no budget for programs and services, such as testing and education. "I'm the program," Shindo said. "We have no federal or state funding for hepatitis C screening or education. We can't even afford billboards to put up the information regarding who should be screened." agustafs@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6709