June
2002
Support Group Members Interact (No Guest Speaker) -- June 19

We will share our concerns, strengths and ideas.

Upcoming Agendas:
Meeting Agenda:
6:30 p.m. (sharp) - Theme Song: I Will Survive
6:35 - 6:45 announcements
6:45 - 8:15 give and receive support
8:15 - 8:45 (or earlier) questions/answers 'til we adjourn

July 17 -- Dr. Lorenzo Rossaro
August 21 -- To Be Announced
September 18 -- Dr. Gish
Quarterly Business Meeting -- 5:30 p.m. June 19

Immediately prior to our June meeting, the volunteers of I Will Survive will meet to conduct their quarterly business meeting.
All are welcome -- especially if you are willing to become an active volunteer.
More News
Our Meetings: Our Meetings: 3rd Wednesday of every month; at SCC (Sutter Cancer Center) classrooms 3&4 , 2800 L St (kitty corner across from the 2-story parking structure at 28th & L St. and across L St. from Sutter Hospital)
Contact Us: Phone number: (need volunteer)
Our Web Site> www.sacmall.net/transplant/hepc.html
Email: dck@innercite.com (include "I Will Survive" in subject line or your message might be delected before being read).

If you want to be included on our mailing/emailing list and you can afford to include a donation, make it to "I Will Survive, The Effort", P.O. Bx 2180, Loomis, CA 95650 for:
$24 if you want the Newsletter by U.S. mail
$15 if you get the Newsletter from the website (if you wish, each month we'll email a link to you)
$ 0 if, right now, you can't afford to pay dues. In which case "I Will Survive" will mail monthly Newsletters to you. Please contribute to the "Donations" Box at the meetings as you are able.

From the May/June 2002 Hepatitis Magazine:
...Comparing the rates of infection in the USA to those in China, 1.4% vs. 3.8% are infected with HCV (4 million vs. 48 million). 0.5% vs. an astounding 10.3% are infected with HBV; that is to say 132 million Chinese are infected by hepatitis B (almost 1/2 the total population of the USA)! That is why the relative importance of HCV compared to HBV is reversed in the 2 nations.
...Sexual transmission of HCV: Dr. H.P. Monsour, Jr., hepatologist @ the Texas Liver Center states "If you look at some studies, you can see HCV RNA in semen and saliva. But is that enough to be infective? I tell the patient this: I cannot...tell them that they cannot acquire hepatitis C while having sex because there are documented incidences. But the chance of transmission is low". What chances exist, he says, would be limited to rough sex where skin tissue in the area of sexual contact is damaged.

From the May/June 2002 Hep C Connections:
...When consulting with your doctor, always talk about your symptoms rather than your disease. Never say, "My hep C has gotten worse". Rather, "...I've now developed..." Never presume that a new symptom is due to your existing condition(s) until this is proven.
...A study investigating the effects of cigarette smoking on the liver was conducted in an area known to have high rates of HCV and HBV. 4% of people free of HCV and HBV have elevated ALT levels. HCV patients who smoke almost double (and drinking alcohol does double) the risk of being in the 31% of HCV patients with high ALT levels. Those HCV patients who smoke a pack or more a day and frequently drink alcohol elevate the risk of having high ALT's by 7 times compared with those HCV patients who do not drink nor smoke. HBV patients who smoke do not have an increased probability of having high ALT levels.
...NAT (nucleic acid testing) can detect tiny amounts of HIV or HCV. This is a great advantage in newly infected patients cutting off 57 days of incubation before HCV can be diagnosed.
...With 79,000 people awaiting organ transplants, the American Medical Assoc. is designing a pilot program to test the effects of various organ donation motivators including payments of money.
..."In essence, our state prisions (Oregon) have become an incubator for hepatitis C. Prisoners...need to be educated on how to prevent spreading the virus..."
...The hep-C coalition (www.nationalhepatitis-c.org) reports success among its singles who have used the website to find "soul mates".
If you have no money or insurance call:
Sacramento Clinical Trials
Schering's Commitment to Care 1-800-521-7157
Infergen's Safety Net Program 1-888-508-8088
Roche's Patient Assistance 1-800-443-6676
Dr. Gish, et al, call: Pacific Hepatology, (916) 443-0503
Dr. Pimstone UCD Med Center, (916) 734-1557
Dr. Rossaro UCD Med Cntr, call: Katherine Suggett (916) 734-8696



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