[...]

Is there an Edward Goldberg on your list on E 79th St?

Thanks for your suggestions, mate...thank you everyone who responded,
especially Grey--I really can't overestimate how much you've inspired
and supported me to not deviate from the chosen path and do this thing
ASAP (before my insurance is discontinued).

Some news...tomorrow, I'll see my PCP, and ask for a referral. The
doctor I've talked about before, Douglas Dieterich, the world-renown
hepatologist...I'm not going to go to him. I called his office, and I
can't even get an appointment earlier than May...totally booked. Since
time is a very important issue for me, I decided it's not a good idea
to have him treat me--and besides, it's virtually impossible to get
him on the phone, even if he's in the office. As good as they say he
is...well, I'd rather have a more personal Dr who'd remember me and
pay some attention to my Tx.

So...I was recommended two doctors who work for Beth Israel hospital
in NYC, Dr. Albert Min and Dr. Douglas Meyer. They teach as well,
under renown liver specialist Henry Bodenheimer.
Min specialises in treatment of Hep B and C, and is involved in
clinical trials that have to do with these two. Meyer is also treating
HepC patients; at school, he is "Medical Director of Liver
Transplant", and his specialty at the grad school is "Liver
Transplant, Chronic Liver Diseases", while Min is "Director of
Hepatitis Research", working on "Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C,
Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Liver Transplant".

I've been told that both of them are really excellent doctors, both
treat HepC. I spoke to the secretaries of each Dr (they are
colleagues, teaching together and seeing patients in the same office).
I was able to make appointment early next week. Both secretaries were
nice, informative, and empathic, despite my stupid questions.

I've a difficult choice to make, as both docs seem to be very
knowledgeable and experienced in the area, although I tend to lean
toward Dr. Min (Hep B and C is one of his specialties, although Meyer
is also an expert in the area). Oh well...it's a great weight off my
shoulder, knowing that I can trust whichever Dr I choose to treat me,
and not worry about not being able to reach him in an emergency, or
something.

(Btw, something that gave me pause...Dr. Min's secretary, after my
question about how long it would take to get me started on Tx, said
they'd have necessary test results back within a week or two...and
then she mentioned something about endo- and colonoscopy. I hope she
didn't mean that I'd have to go through that before starting the
Tx...do doctors do that, at all? I mean, shove tubes in all your
holes, before treating you for HCV?)

Unfortunately, I could only speak to the secretaries. But then, I
realised that I don't really know what to ask the doctor. I mean,
besides the questions about his approach to treatment in my case
(genotype 3a, has had for 7 years)--does he think biopsy is necessary,
and is 6 months enough. As usual, I welcome any ideas and suggestions
about what kinds of questions (specific and general) I should ask my
liver doctor-to-be.

I'll try to find any articles--maybe on PubMed, or something--by the
doctors. Dammit, they're both considered to be great experts in the
area, so it's a bit difficult to choose. But, I must do it before
tomorrow noon, when I get that referral. I curse myself for having
waited when I didn't have to worry about my insurance expiring, but...

I would like to hear some suggestions about what to ask the doctor on
my first visit.

Another thing...for the fatigue/lack of energy effect of the meds, is
a stimulant like Dexedrine (or perhaps Provigil) indicated? If I can
talk my PCP or the liver doctor into writing for something like that,
of course...I used to get Adderall for day-time sleepiness, but the
peripheral effects were really unpleasant. Since then, I've tried
Dexedrine that a friend gets every month, and it's much more
effective, and at lower amounts than Adderall. Does this apply to the
lack of energy during Tx at all? I'm not trying to get a legitimate
excuse to try to get a script for speed...really asking if
amphetamines (or Provigil) help.
Thank you.