It’s great that you’re feeling better @Jimbo165 and long may it last!
I broadened my medical knowledge today by having a gastroscopy- was very worried as they had classified me as “urgent “ down the cancer pathway so you can imagine how my mind was in overdrive!! Luckily all was well except for finding a hernia which was the cause of my problems. I might sleep a bit better tonight with any luck.
Keep up the good work feeling better and keep smiling 
Gillyj
Yes, @Gillyj yes, let’s hope that you sleep s bit better better tonight.
Really look after yourself
Good evening @Gillyj, welcome to the world of “internal plumbing of the human body”! I am very glad to hear that everything was and is well, other than your hernia and hope that that can be resolved soon and fairly easily too.
The very first gastroscopy I had, back in the mid 90’s, was done without any sedation other than the “throat spray”, but my subsequent ones, (3 going down) were done with a strong sedative that, last time, gave me some of the best sleep I’d had in years! The two “north bound” ones (Sigmoidoscopy’s) were done under a general anaesthetic, thankfully.
I really do hope that you will be able to sleep better now that the worry of what awaited you is over.
Thank you for your kind words.
As always, take care, stay safe, be kind to yourself, quaff plenty of ice cream to soothe your throat, and keep on smiling.
Best wishes,
Jimbo165
Hi @Jimbo165 - I think things have moved on since you had your gastroscopies- I’ve not been left with any ill effects except for a little sore tummy from the biopsy/ so no excuse for ice cream unfortunately 
. I decided to forego the sedation and just had the throat spray- I hate not being in control!! Actually I have to say the lady who did it was absolutely amazing and because she knew I used to nurse she kept on showing me all the pictures going into great detail/ all I wanted was for her to get on with it and get the tube out!
I’m glad I don’t need any investigations going the other way- not so pleasant!!!
Keep well and take care and thank you for your reply
Gillyj
Thank you @Erica - can’t say I slept massively better 
never do but I’m always optimistic that one night I will!
Gillyj
Hi @Jimbo165 @Gillyj and everyone on this thread. I thought i would do an update as my hospital doesn’t have pegasys interferon for me to pick up so they will give me Besremi. The email says the haematology pharmacist will meet me and talk me through the plan. Are they the same dosage? Assume this will be explained. I think the change is due to my change in frequency from 4 weekly to 3 weekly and the supply isn’t there for the extra one. I will let you know how i get on. I do have one pegasys in the fridge for next week (the day before i go on holiday) then the besremi will be used on my return.
Cx
Hi @Chrispy it sounds as if you have a way forward in mind.
Have a brilliant well deserved holiday.
Hi @Chrispy - I keep expecting them to tell me that I’m moving onto Besremi but so far they haven’t!
They talked about besremi at the conference I went to- it’s a lot more expensive than pegasys and has a longer effect so you don’t inject as often - that’s all I can remember! The pharmacist or haematologist will no doubt fill you in on it. There were a few people at the conference being moved onto it. Will be interested to hear how you get on with it.
Have a great holiday- get away from this dreary grey weather!!
Gillyj
thank you Gilly. I have a funeral to get through first which will be very difficult. I visited my friend in hospital up to the day before she passed and she did go peacefully but far too soon. I shall miss her greatly. I booked the holiday as i was finding it all very difficult to cope with. we are going on a cruise to the canaries that includes the carnivals in Tenerife and Cadiz so i am looking forward to that. Hopefully some blue skies too.
Good evening @Chrispy, and everyone else, I hope you are all well and haven’t been blown away by the strong and gusty winds today.
I’m glad that there is a way ahead for you Chrispy, and that the additional info that you need for your treatment is forthcoming when you return from holiday.
It is a bit worrying that the Pegasys shortage is still an “ongoing issue”(or, more accurately, an ongoing non-issue!).
Enjoy your holiday and fingers crossed that things improve for you when you are back home.
Best wishes,
Jimbo165
Oh @Chrispy my thoughts are with you.
I expect your friend passing away will leave a void in your life and you will miss her greatly. Nobody can take your memories away.
Be ever so kind to and really look after yourself
So sorry to hear that @Chrispy , really sad to lose a good friend like that. Great idea to be going away to take your mind off it a little and to enjoy some better weather!
Enjoy it and have a good rest
Gillyj
How are you feeling @Jimbo165 ? Still better on the energy front? Or are you back on the treatment again? Hope you’re doing ok @Erica ?
Very windy and grey down here in Sussex- looking forward to the clocks going forward and lighter evenings.
Look after yourselves everyone
Gillyj
Good evening @Gillyj, and everyone else, and thank you for your kind enquiry. I am indeed back on the treatment, and this week’s Hydroxy capsules will have all been taken a little later this evening. My energy levels are still pretty rubbish and the week of work I have just completed hasn’t helped in that department either as I’ve managed to do 7 hours of overtime in the 5 days of work!
Sadly the headaches have resumed along with some very achy joints, which is a new sensation for me.
And Flip Me, but it has been a very windy (and wet!!) afternoon today, here in the Midlands.
Take care, stay safe, be kind to yourself and keep on smiling.
Best wishes,
Jimbo165
Oh @Jimbo165 I’m sorry to hear that! Do you have to do the overtime? Can you say no? Do you think they might try a different drug next time you see the haematologist?
Keep your chin up and keep smiling
Gillyj
Hi @Gillyj, the overtime isn’t compulsory but I have been the only HGV driver this week while my colleague is on annual leave. Normally the company gets an agency driver to cover, but they were unable to do so this time. And I don’t like to let the customers down. I’m also rubbish at saying “no”!
I’m not sure what will happen at my next appointment on the 14th of March, 4 days before my “Significant Birthday”!
Oh I am almost always in “chin up” mode and I tend to plod on regardless, usually out of spite! 
TTFN
Jimbo165
There is distant hope @Jimbo165 I learnt to say ‘No’ when I was just over 70 yrs old.
Oh, I am definitely smiling!!
Good afternoon @Erica, @Gillyj and everyone else, I hope that you are all well and haven’t been caught out by the change in the weather.
Well now, first off my apologies for my recent “Comms blackout”, things have been a wee bit busy of late.
I have just returned home from today’s visit to LRI where I also had my 5th and final blood sample taken for an Aspirin based clinical trial that, as it turned out, had been commissioned by the Consultant that I saw today and also on my last visit!
The upshot of my blood results, coupled with the “issues” that I have had on a the larger doses of Hydroxycarbamide, is that I am now on the Besremi injections, 1 x 125mcg every 4 weeks PLUS the Hydroxycarbamide capsules 5 times per week, Mon-Fri.
Currently, my next appointment is on the 6th of June, when I have offered, energy levels permitting, to “storm in” through the doors, in homage to D-Day!
As the keen reader will have noticed, I have a Significant Birthday looming in a few days time, and one that will celebrate my having achieved 60 circumnavigations of the sun. My activities on the day will include (another!) funeral as well as a meal out with Daughters No3 and No4.
As always, stay safe, take care, keep smiling and be kind to yourselves.
Best wishes,
Jimbo165
Wow, @Jimbo165 you have got a lot going on.
Also a change in medication, see how that goes.
The 6th June sure is ‘D’ Day.
Oh I am the keen reader as I have got your 60th birthday down as Tuesday, but I am not sure if that is the exact date.
Not another funeral to go to.
A meal out with 50% of your offspring sounds a good percentage to me.
However my percentages would be skewed as I only have one son.
Oh, staying safe, taking care, keeping on smiling and being ever so kind to myself here
Hi @Erica, you are most assuredly correct with Tuesday as “the day”. I was determined to be at work on the day, proudly displaying my “!'m 60 today” badge but, sadly, a very good friend’s wife passed away on the day I was at my aunt’s funeral, so i will be there in support of my friend now. I believe that pancreatic cancer was to blame in this case, and was very rapid towards the end, which is not unusual with that particularly nasty one. My friends were and are both in their 80’s and the poor man is totally devastated by his loss.
On a happier (I think!) note, I am having a meal out on Sunday too, with all four daughters, their respective partners and all 6 grandkiddiwinks! I think that will be quite an ordeal, ahving to be nice top that many people at the same time! 
As always, take care and stay safe, and smiley, and being kind, although I suspect that that last one is your default setting in much the same way that mine is being (allegedly) humourous.
Best wishes,
Jimbo165