I'm apparently free of the Hep C virus, but I still tired much of the time (although I otherwise feel better).
My doctor says the fatigue is caused by liver damage caused by the Hep C virus. She also said the liver will gradually heal a bit, providing I take good care of myself.
Be patient with yourself. Riba takes at least 6 months to leave the body according to Roche. And you've had a double whammy with the pneumonia which by itself can leave you weak for months. Keep drinking lots of water and rest. Know that you will get better with time. It took me 18 months and I didn't have pneumonia.
Hi. Don't worry about the antibodies. If the virus hasn't shown four month after you finished Rx that is a very good sign. Me, I finished Rx Oct.2nd 2008 and still have some flashbacks I think. However, my mental status improved dramatically about 6 months after Rx. I recommend many walks in fresh air. Hope you feel better soon.
C.
I will hope you cleared the virus. Please let us know for sure when you find out. I've had pneumonia only once in my life. That was the only time I have been able to quit smoking and I quit for over six months (I know I was stupid to start again) because the pneumonia was so hard on me. I could not get my energy back. My doctor said it would take up to six months, and she was right. This all happened about two years before I even found out I have hep C, though it was there all along. It's only been four months for you? Maybe you're still suffering the after effects of pneumonia. Six weeks is a long time to suffer with that and your lungs will take time to recover. I hope you have cleared hep C. Give yourself a chance to recover the energy. And as with all things, I think believing it will happen helps it along.
Carol
Your doc is wrong - HCV antibodies not only "can hang around for months after the virus is gone", but simply will stay in your body forever. If you cleared the virus and your PCRs keep coming back with UND or not detected, then you are fine, you cleared the virus, regardless of what your antibody tests show.
I don't have any sign of the virus but I still have antibodies. Doc said the virus can hide and the antibodies can hang around for months after the virus is gone, so bottom line I don't know yet, will be retested in Feb. I stopped tx after 8 months because I had pneumonia for 6 weeks and after that some kind of infection every month. Just could not take it any longer. Thought I'd bounce back right away and am really down and out that I still feel so bad.
I finished my tx a month ago. I think I feel more tired now than during the tx. My doc said it was usual, and that for some patients it takes longer than a year to recover from sx. I look forward to my 3 months PCR now...