Treatment for Hep C

[ranice]

My husband started treatment this weekend with ribrivan and interferon.  He has been really sick.  Chills, body aches, not eating, swearing he can't do this.  How long does it take for the bad feeling to go away.  This was his first shot.  He has to give himself shots every Saturday.  Is there anything that can help with this pain.  He liver is in stage 4 so we are scared to take anything.  Any suggestions.  Thanks so much!

[can-do-man]

Being cirrhotic our platelets do run low, i started treatment with them in the low 80's.......... I would have to think you are doing the right thing as it only will get worse

[ranice]

Thank you for letting me know about your second shot.  I hope my husband has the same results.  We hope to start incivek if his blood counts hold up.  Best of luck to you.  

[ranice]

The third drugs were mentioned but they said they wanted to wait until his first blood draw to check his blood count.  His platelets are already very low.  We have been to both transplant hospitals and the first one refused to even treat him with drugs due to his platelet count.  So I hope we are doing the right thing.

[coeric]

i will do my third shot tomorrow.  the first shot was much worse than the second.  after the first shot i felt like i had a mild case of the flu for 5 days.  after the second shot, there were hardly any side effects.  i am experiencing cirrhosis and am taking incivek.
eric

[can-do-man]

Wondering then if he's going to be on one of the new PI's which increase the odds of clearing quite a bit, Incivek which he should already be on or Victrlis which has a 4 week lead-in.

[willbb]

sorry...spell check not functioning    meant   "for many the 1st shot is the worst"    and  "the next shot may not be near as bad"

[willbb]

sorry to hear  hubby is struggling ,,however as Cando mentions ,for any the 1st shot is the worst. Symptoms hopefully dissipate as the week goes on and the next shot may not b enar as bad.
The Standard care currently for Geno type 1"s is Interferon ?Ribiviran and  either the drug Victrealis or Incivek.
Were either of theses third drugs mentioned to him and was there a reason why they were not added. They increase the chances of success considerably over the old treatment of just Inf.?Riba  alone.
Is he treating with a knowledgeable gastroenterologist or hepatologist as this would certainly be advised due to his advanced stage of liver damage.

Good luck...
Will

[ranice]

He is geno type 1.  

[can-do-man]

For many the first shot is the worse, people who are cirrhotic are limited to what they can take. My doctor told me to take tylenol but not to exceed 2000mg a day....... Curious on what geno type he is since you only mention riba/interferon.

Let him know it does get better and being stage 4 he really needs to stick with it......... Welcome here and best to you both.