Hepatitis B :: On Clinical Trial For TDF Vs. TAF
For those that recall, I've been on the clinical trial for TDF vs. TAF. It's a double blinded study which means I do not which drug I was on. I tried asking my doctor today about this and he just smirked a little at me and said "we don't know" but I suspect he does know and opted not to tell me as per agreement/contract. However, this does not change the fact that going forward, I will now be treated with TAF for the remainder of the trial which last 9 months.
Anyway, I decided to mention to him that this new formula was going through FDA approval and he was well aware. I asked him how long would it take for it to be approved and he said about 9 months. He's very confident that it will go through without any hesitation.
Naturally, I asked him a series of questions, such as what happens if my insurance does not approve the new formula or if the FDA approves it before the trial ends or it does not get approved at all. Here were some of the answers I was given:
-If FDA Approves it before the trial ends, I will finish the trial as they want to collect as much data as they can.
-If FDA does no approve, the trial will be extended
-It's possible my insurance may not cover the new formula, especially if it ends up being significantly higher in price than the old formula. If that is the case, they can look at getting me onto the old formula or if it came down to it, switching me to entecavir.
-Price wise, they'd look at getting me a copay card to offset any of the pricing down the line. Asked about this and was told "could be a couple of hundred a month but we'll do our best to make it cheaper".
-I also asked about clinical trials down the line with them, which they said they don't have anything at the moment but I should look into the trials that are being aimed for the cure.
Overall, not only am I concerned about switching to TAF now (in case I have any reactions or symptoms come back) but what concerns me the most is the fact that they are even thinking about switching me from Tenofovir to entecavir. To me, this does not even make any since since Tenofovir works a LOT better.
Now, I did get a result back of my Ultrasound. Unfortunately, I have a cyst on my kidney that seems to be growing but my last blood test seems to be fine with kidney function. I also have a polyp on my gallblader (gallbladder) which I have had for years now. More importantly, my liver: No abnormalities, perfectly normal.
On that note, I'll share my results going forward.. including the results from the blood being drawn today prior to TAF (which I should have in 2 weeks). For prior results, please see my old posts.
Please note, I am no doctor, I am a patient.... I know I get many questions via PM as if they are directed towards a doctor, but I can only answer so much based on my experience. Also, I have no way of getting TAF other than through this trial and do not know of any other way. Please feel free to ask anything you'd like. I'll answer my best and will give some feedback of the meds and how they are working for me down the line.
21 Year Old College Student - Diagnosed With Clinical Depression And Anxiety
I am a 21 year old college student who has recently just been diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety. This summer I was away in another state for an internship and the 2 1/2 months later I came back home. Shortly 2 days after I was starting to feel terrible. I wasn't eating or sleeping for 4 days straight. I was in tunnel vision, morbid thoughts, chills, shaking, had a panic attack, racing thoughts and had a panic attack. Depression and anxiety does run in my family, but I can't believe I have it. I'm so distraught and don't want to be on earth. It's not that I want to kill myself but I already feel dead inside-no emotion. I was put on Zoloft and Klonopin then after 2 weeks I asked to be taken off and to try a different medicine. So now I'm on WellButrin SR and a lot of the side affects have gone away, but I'm still nauseous, feeling "out of it" and having some thoughts about "why am I even here?". Old people scare me now because I think "I'm GOING To be there one day and ache and ache then die". What scares me the most is dying-when, where, how? Will I get cancer then die? has anyone else experienced anything like this?
View 2 RepliesChronic Fatigue Syndrome :: Doxepin Showed To Help In A Clinical Trial
When I was first diagnosed with CFS/ME, my specialist at UCLA prescribed doxepin, a tricyclic antidepressant. The target dosage was 40 mg, and I was able to tolerate 37 1/2 mg. I started out on a very low dosage, emptying out most of a capsule, and very gradually ramped up. I started feeling better almost immediately. I mean, way better. My doctor said doxepin was shown to help CFS/ME in a clinical trial. Just another treatment to consider...
View 14 RepliesDepression :: Clinical Depression (bipolar Disorders) Requires Lifetime Medication?
Is clinical depression such as in bipolar disorder ever get better on its own or does it require lifelong medications?
View 1 RepliesEye Care :: Styes - Come And Goes Every 2 Weeks
I'm always having a eye stye. It always comes back after a week maybe 2 weeks. I already tried antibiotics such as natravox 500mg, erythromycin (sorry I don't know the spelling), terramycin. One ointment I always used when I feel that an eye stye is going to pop up the tobrex an eye ointment It may disappear a week but after that it goes back again.hope you could help me for prescriptions to try some other antibiotics/ointment for fast healing.
View 1 RepliesEye Care :: Black Floater In My Eye
I noticed a black floater in my eye a couple months ago and it seems to be fading now so i haven't been worried about it. But a couple weeks ago I noticed, very occasionally, mainly when i'm looking at a computer screen, this pinhole flash of light in the same eye as the floater. Again, its not often at all, some days i don't see it, and it's mainly when looking at a screen. I just saw the eye doctor not too long ago because i was having my first ocular migraine and they dilated me to make sure that's all it was and she said everything was fine at that point.
View 1 RepliesEye Care :: Retina Detachment
My eye doctor saw something strange about my retina so she sent to a retinal specialist. After a 3 hour thorough exam he stated to me that sometime ago I had a detached retina and since I didn't notice, it healed itself. He stated that this do not happen often when a retina will heal itself. I have some damage but nothing very serious. There is a tiny blind spot when I look up but that is all. I feel very blessed that it healed because this should blinded me. Does anyone know if this has happened to anyone they know? I do have to be seen by the specialist every 6 weeks for a while. But considering the alternative...I have been blessed.
View 2 RepliesEye Care :: Detached Retina
I fell off a 2nd story Building onto a concrete driveway, my L-1 was compressed 40%, my L-3 and L-4 disk was chruched along with the L-5 and S-1. My question is: I hit my head hard landing on the concrete driveway, bleeding and leaving a bump and my vision in my left eye started to have black dots and finally a Detached Retina.
Was this Detached Retina from my Fall?
Eye Care :: Floaters And Buggers
Went to eye doctor last week and found my retina fine and saw a floater. It's awful won't go away. I have tried to ignore it but I get more nervous trying. Does anyone else get anxious due to these buggers?
View 2 RepliesEye Care :: Floaters When I See Sideways
I have a question about floaters I dont have the clear ones I only see the black strongly ones about nearly 2 months ago I got the bug then the flu and then severe anxiety 4 around the 1st 4 weeks my eyes just felt blurry and out of focus but in the last 2 weeks the floaters have come I mostly only see them when i'm out in the sun or look sideways I can look at my tv and phone screen without seeing them I had a ct scan it came up clear and have been cleared by the optometrist twice in the last month my questions are will they go away if it's sinus related as the ct scan revealed bad sinus and I didn't see the floaters before this spring I also cant look at the white walls ambi stuck with this is it the sinus and will it all clear with the weather and if not can I expect to get worse
View 2 RepliesEye Care :: Too Many Floaters - 7 In Just 48 Hours
Floaters: I got one 10 yrs ago in my right eye. one tiny speck. It's never gone away. This week I got another one in my left eye. then within 48 hours I got about 7 more. It's a little frightening. It's wayyyy too many and it's interfering with my vision because where before they were in the peripheral vision, the additional 7 are straight in front. Before I see my opthamologist...does anyone have any experience with this?
View 14 RepliesEye Care :: Flashes/ Floaters
I have been having some concerns with my vision to start off I have myopia and astigmatism, but recently I had noticed a flash of light. It happened when I was sleeping, so I'm not 100 percent sure if it was part of a dream or if I really saw it. I also noticed that if I turned my heart really quickly from right to left I would see what looked like a gold light around my eye that last for maybe a few seconds. I was super worried at that point and went to see my eye doctor as soon as possible she didn't see any tears or any signs of a detached retina but did notice that my vision prescription had changed. To be on the safe side she suggested I go see an opthamologist in a few weeks. I of course was too worried to wait a few weeks so I made the appointment right after my eye doctor visit.
The opthamologist checked my vision and told me my eyes were healthy and everything looked fine. She suggested that the flashes could be caused by ocular migraines and told me unless I am seeing tons of flashes, floaters, or dark curtains over my eye then its okay to see a few. I was very relieved with the news, but I still am worried something is wrong. I thought I saw some flashes today in my peripheral vision and my vision seemed a little off. My vision seeming off is most likely due to needing new glasses. I noticed some of the possible flashes today when I was in an area where there is bright lights. Could really bright lighting/sunlight causes eye flashes or my vision to act weird?
I also use my smart phone quite a bit and notice it when I'm using my phone for extended periods of time. Could that cause flashes or vision issues? and could having too much caffeine cause vision problems? I don't really feel like going back to my doctor every time I see flashes, but I just worry if I don't maybe it could be something serious. I have just been stressing and having awful anxiety about it even though I was just told my vision was fine literally a few days ago.
Has anyone else experienced this? Thank you if you took the time to read this I know its super long lol. I'm just not sure what to do I mean maybe I'm just being paranoid or just letting anxiety get the better of me.
Eye Care :: Seeing Starbursts After YAG Laser
I am 39 and recently underwent cataract surgery and had Restor Lenses placed. I also had the LRI done at surgery time to correct astigmatism (in both eyes). Well the LRI corrected the astigmatism in my left eye but not my right. My vision isn't as sharp in my right eye also. I was having a lot of glare in my right eye so I had the YAG laser procedure due to a secondary cataract in that eye. I have noticed I have a lot of Starbursts in that eye now. It's really frustrating and I am nervous because in 2 weeks I am having LASIK done in my right eye to correct the "off vision" and fix the astigmatism. I am scared that these starbursts will never go away/ or get worse.? It makes Concerts or night driving bothersome. It's almost like a different version of my cataract. I paid $4,800 for both eyes... and have been thrilled with results of left eye...just not with my right?
View 4 RepliesEye Care :: Paniful Muscle Cramps Above Right Eye
I am a 14 year-old male. In the past few days I have been experiencing somewhat painful muscle cramps above and slightly to the left of my right eye (the hotspot is eyebrow level, situated between my right eye and nose bridge). These cramps/pains are getting worse and I am getting a bit worried. I am hoping this is not serious or permanent, and want to know all I can about this from professionals or nonprofessionals.
View 3 RepliesEye Care :: Horseshoe Tear In Retina
A week or so ago I was at my daughter's who happens to work for an eye doctor. I laughing said, I thought it was a hair in my face but there isn't anything there. She said OH Mom that's not good. That evening I started seeing flashes in the corner of my eye. She told me to call her Boss who told me that this was most likely Posterior Vitreous Detachment which is common when you age but told me what to look for if anything changed. Within two days things certainly started changing. He had me come in and I had a horseshoe shaped tear. The next day I had retina surgery that don't let them tell you doesn't hurt, because it does!
Because of this tear, I now have a macular pucker and cataracts I didn't have before. Also I still have flashes and a lot of floaters.
They repaired the tear but I have lost the normal sight in that eye. I have a blurry spot in the center of my vision that looks like when your glasses are dirty. Let light hit my face and oh my goodness! Out of trial and error I realized if I put on my amber sunglasses that it helps cut the glare.
Has anyone had their vision return after developing a Macular Pucker? They say that the floaters should go away in six weeks. I sure hope they are correct.
Men's Health :: Post Circumcision Care For Men?!
I just had my penis circumcised about 15 days ago and its been healing great. I am 21 and was suffering from tight foreskin and painful sex, which is the reason. The dried blood has slowly been coming off and today, most of it came off.. and i noticed that the corona on top of the head is kind of attached to the shaft of the penis. I have recently been applying petroleum gel since about 5 days and noticed this today.. and it does have a mild pain when i turn my head away from the shaft (downwards). Does this mean that my skin that was cut off, accidentally connected to the penis head corona itself??
The circumference of the penis head does have white stuff that looks like puss but this is suppose to be the self dissoluble sutures/stitching. Everytime i shower, the remaining white stuff washes off and new one forms. I already approved this with my doctor, multiple times.. it is only dissolving stitching that makes it look like the way it looks..
Eye Care :: Floaters And Blurred Vision
Suddenly today I noticed that I seemed to have a film over my right eye and I was experiencing floaters. I had multifocal lens replacement surgery a couple years ago. Everything went well. It was the best thing I had done. I wore glasses since I about 7. I had a couple small floaters before the surgery but only saw them now and then. I had put some oil on my face earlier today and was wondering if some had gotten into my eye , would it have caused this to happen? I put saline drops in my eye and visine thinking this may have been the cause. trying to rinse out my eye. It did not help and am getting worried that something may be wrong. What worries me is that it came on sort of fast and has been the same all day. I also have been under a lot of stress lately, working long hours. Would really like some advice on what to do.
View 1 RepliesEye Care :: Elevated Optic Nerves
I am a sixty year old female and went for my annual eye exam. I was told by my optometrist my left eye optic nerves were elevated - OS>OD. Also has irregular Mac. OS. She had her nurse call and make an appointment for me to see an Ophthalmologist tomorrow. I had a Brian MRI in December and the report reads. "There is nonspecific mild focal areas of bilateral supratentorial which is commonly secondary to chronic microvascular ischemia. MS seems less likely, but cannot be excluded".
I have intermittent headaches only on the left side and at times feel nauseous. Should I be concerned?
Eye Care :: Ocular Pressure In BOTH My Eyes Is 19?
I am a healthy 52 year old man and just had my annual eye exam. The ocular pressure in BOTH my eyes is 19. I know the range is 10-21, but 19 is on the
high side of the range. Should I even be remotely concerned?