Post interferon treatment.

[Donnaleeflea]

I just completed 11 months of triple therapy ( brocepravir) interferon treatment, and was unsuccessful . This Is the second time in treatment, the 1st time was interferon with riboviran only.  
I'm so depressed, over this no one cares and the post treatment after effects are awful , not to mention now that the liver is raging with the virus again. Everybody just expects you to get on with it all
Because their line of thinking is "well let's face it, you did it to yourself) . My eyesight is really bad now , my joints ache so bad, I look like I've aged 15 years, and have no energy or motivation . Sleep ?? Forget it, and I'm so depressed, I don't like living like this anymore. How do you get past this and what can I do besides the pointless counselling from people who have no idea if what I'm talking about . Can anyone help, I'm really distressed by this, after I received my results after 11 gruelling months of illness to only find out it didn't work , I honestly have had thoughts of ending it.

[Idyllic]

11 months? Were you ever UND?
Those meds are so harsh. I am so sorry you treated with them and did not clear the virus.


Anyway the important thing is to come here often as the meds clear your system. You can learn about what is coming down the pike.

It can take a while to bounce back - and it might feel like it is never going to happen but it will.

[dontworry_behappy1]

Many illnesses are associated with hepatitis C.  Hepatitis C treatment seems to trigger weakness in your body.  Below is a link to what Hepatitis C is associated with.  

http://tai.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/05/27/2049936115585942.full.pdf+html

[pooh55811]

I am very sorry that treatment did not work for you (twice). Many on this forum treated and relapsed so people do understand.

The new treatments are not Interferon based. Most people who failed treatment on Interferon are having success with the new treatments (Harvoni and some others).

As far as your current symptoms:

Interferon can affect the eyesight. Have you seen an Opthamologist? If you have not seen an Opthamologist about your eye problems, please see one ASAP. Be sure it is an Opthamologist (NOT an optician or an optometrist). Tell him/her you were on Interferon and Ribavirin and are now having problems with your eyesight.

Please see a Psychiatrist about your Depression. Interferon can cause Depression. Depression can be treated with antidepressants. If you cannot get in to see a Psychiatrist soon, talk with your PCP and see if he/she will prescribe antidepressants for you or get you in to see a Psychiatrist on an urgent basis. Depression may be causing many of your symptoms and, if you can treat the Depression, many of your symptoms may disappear.

Interferon can damage the Thryoid Gland so please have your doctor run a Thyroid panel to see if Interferon has damaged your Thyroid Gland. A damaged Thyroid Gland could cause many of your symptoms.

Also, ask the doctor to check your Vitamin D level. If the Vit D level is low, the Vit D needs to be replaced and your Vit D level brought up to normal. Most people are Vit D deficient. A low Vit D level also negatively affects Hepatitis C treatment.  

It is unclear how long it has been since you finished treatment. Keep in mind that Interferon and Ribavirin can stay in your system for up to 6 months (or longer). So it takes time (months) for the side effects to gradually disappear. It can be a year or two before you get rid of all of the side effects.

If the joint aches and pain and the fatigue continue, please see a Rheumatologist to evaluate you for Autoimmune Disorders. Both Hepatitis C and Interferon can trigger Autoimmune Disorders.

Please get the appropriate help so that you can heal. After you are feeling better, then you can look into the new treatments and treat again. As I stated, the new treatments are very successful and you would most likely be cured with them. They are also much easier to do than the old treatments and have very few side effects (comparatively).

Also, keep in mind, it really does not matter how you got Hep C. The point is, you have it. It is a disease. It needs to be treated without judgement. No one should be judging you or admonishing you over how you got Hep C. If your doctor is doing that to you, then you need to find a new doctor who will be unbiased, treat you with respect, and treat the disease without judgement.

Best of luck.

[dontworry_behappy1]

When you said what you treated with.........I knew you were an Aussie : )
Hang in there ...better is coming with real success.

Stay connected and let us know how your doing.

[dontworry_behappy1]

The difference is that this disorder has a name and can be a diagnosis.

[Donnaleeflea]

Absolutely makes sense, Doctors deny it though .

[Donnaleeflea]

Ps please forgive type o's .

[Donnaleeflea]

Hello, I'm in Australia, our government haven't
Hasn't passed the newer drugs under the PBS,
Which makes it affordable, so I have to wait until
they do. My professor gas already advise me that
If and when they pass it, I will be on a triple therapy
Of the newer drugs for 6 months. Geno type 1a.
So sick of it all.

[dontworry_behappy1]

Welcome to the forum.   Here is a link to a disorder that looks very much like
something that happens to those taking heavy drug/medication therapies.

                      Medication Induced Depressive Disorder

http://addictions.about.com/od/aboutaddiction/a/What-Is-Substance-medication-induced-Depressive-Disorder.htm

This is a diagnoses in the medical field.

Hope this is helpful

[hepc4Sandi]

So sorry to read of your rsults. What genotype are you? Why weren't you able to get Sovaldi or Harvoni? Of course you are depressed and have every reason to be! If you are abe to have access to one of the newer drugs, they are so much easier to tolerate. If so, take time to recover, and hopefully be able to do the shorter, easier treatments. In the meantime find out if you can take an antidepressant to get you over this hump. You are not the only one to relapse, hang in there.