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469210 tn?1219188128

Seeing Stuff

Okay, here we go again...

Now, WHO is seeing stuff that isn't there, like bugs and people. Now, I'm a sane, responsible person, but it's freakin' me out, for real.

Also, I find that I get weak real easy and feel like I'm gonna faint sometimes.

I think I was fooled because nothing really bad happened the first two weeks..now little things are cropping up here and there.

I wonder if these chemicals are hurting my BRAIN.  OMG, I'd rather die early than lose my intelligence and sanity. Really, I'm not joking.

I'm scared, guys. I don't feel right.
24 Responses
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217229 tn?1192762404
Rock on Kelle - that's what we need to hear.

Glad you posted on your doc...

We just care about you ---- This stuff is hard HARD hard on some folks and can really damage others. It has NOTHING to do with personality or mind over matter... or anything.

It has to do with genetics and how your body can handle the poisons put into it.

Some folks can totally "LOSE" it on this treatment... So remember - keep a journal --- have someone OFF of treatment watch over you --- and check in on you daily.

It may get tiring --- but there may come a time for some folks that they slip into psychosis - and it's not noticeable to them...  

So it's a very serious thing --- and no one was trying to hurt your feelings or "talk down" to ya... We wouldn't do that to ya sweetie --- We are more worried as heck that something could be happening inside of you --- and that's scary for us.

Yanno?

So super big hugs - and glad yer doc is "in the know".

Don't you dare be embarrassed about these things ---- OK?

I'm soooo very glad you brought this up here --- so that others searching for this answer --- they can catch themselves and report it as well.
Meki
Helpful - 0
469210 tn?1219188128
P.S. Liver enzymes are down after first 2week CBC.
Helpful - 0
475300 tn?1312423126
I also had hallucinations once on tx.  Mine was a very "nice" one tho.  I can't remember the country bands name "brain fog STILL 6 weeks post tx" but the video was in the open outside and all the people were just having a great time dancing in the fields, looked like older car bench seats, a bonfire and a great looking Paint horse.  Well I was laying on my couch looking out the back windows and my log wall just kinda morphed away and there was a bunch of people that I could see in the yard, a nice bonfire & my 3 horses saddled and ground tied.  We have 10 acres behind the house. I almost enjoyed it excepy for the fact that my legs were so shakey and I couldn't hardly talk right.  This happened on a saturday night, hubby called the old gastro (who is a jerk anyway) and I forget what he said.  Hubby took me to the er and thankfully the doc was sort of familiar with odd side effects.  I was there for about 4 hours got IV fluids and was fine.  I was already on paxil and still am.  I also had 2 other er visits for the weakness in the legs and the inability to talk right and my muscles seemed to be like jelly, arms & legs, one time I was severely anemic, but it was right after 5 phlebotomies in a 10 week span, started my shots the next week.  I had to crunch the days to fit everything because of a high deductable ins.  

Denise
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Yep, I can relate.  When I was on Interferon I began having serious hallucinations.  Told my doc immediately and she cut my interferon in HALF on the dosage.  The doc said that if the hallucinations didn't stop pronto, I would have to consider  pulling out of treatment.  Luckily, the lower dose did work, and all the hobgoblins slunk back where
they came from.(where ever that is)

Good luck!  Your doc will help you, thats what we pay them for.
Erin
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
In all fairness, you DID come in looking for information and you ARE talking about hallucinations.  That's pretty dang serious and you got some serious responses from people expressing great concern about you.  Your post seemed to reflect a surprising lack of concern about it yourself so the responses seemed more designed to get you to take action on this because it seemed like you were blowing it off.  

It's good that you're getting bedrest and getting back on track. Then get down to the business of getting through a treatment with very powerful drugs and work towards your cure. Keep your sense of humour, you'll need it.  Take it as a good thing that people care enough to give you the information you asked for and tell you what it seems you need to hear so that you can get through your treatment with success.

Bottoms up, Kelle.  (Water, that is. :)

Trish



Helpful - 0
469210 tn?1219188128
Well, first off, I'm not some kind of half-wit who thinks her reactions and the answers to them are FUNNY. (jim). I am a very intelligent woman and am somewhat insulted by that post.

Now, for the doctor. I did finally talk to him today and he said that we may need to discontinue the meds. We are going to continue tx the rest of this week followed by the injection on Friday. If it happens again Sat and Sunday we have a problem. I will say that I haven't been sleeping well and I only have the weekends to cram my entire life into since I work everyday.  I think I was exhausted Saturday and Sunday and am stretching myself too thin. I stayed home today and am on bedrest for the next 24 hours so I can get back on track. I have fell off the water wagon and need to get back to drinking it regularly. I was feeling really good when I drank tons of water. I do think that sleep is so very important to mental health and wellness, so I need to stop staying up late on the weekends watching movies.

Thank you all for your help.

Helpful - 0
388154 tn?1306361691
I´m familiar with thinking you gonna faint and absoloutly no power some times had it all the time exept for a couples of days of feeling stronger( thank God) every week first tx.
That was on peginteferon ribavirin tx 24weeks.

Now i´m doing 48w with pegasys copegus higher doses aswell but not at all the same  weaknes as on the other meds.

Got more problem with my eys this time though, itching unpleasant felling behind the eye balls. I´m gonna take shot nr 17 this week had only had this unpleasent eye sensations 5 times maybe, and always after taken a shot.
not AFTER all the shot though, and it usually fades away in a couple of ours.

Yes and i have seen the dog several times when it even hasn´t been in my flat but in my daughters flat a block away.
But it comes like quick flashes don´t stay there if it had i would have been really worried
and immediately phoned the hospital for advice and help.

And thats although I`m not at all unfamiliar  of hallucinations had my share of them back in the old times,(early 70s mid 80s) due to doing magic mushroom, LSD, no sleep and to much speed.

Kind of recognized that R glass experience woke up memories from them speeding days, tragic but also funny in away now afterwards.

Stay in touch and listen to the wise and experinced advises you already have been given on this thread.

God Bless
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
"I closed my eyes, and told myself it wasn't real", boy how many times did I tell myself that in the beginning when dosing up. I did not mention a lot of things that took place back then but hind sight is 20/20 get it checked out asap!

jasper
Helpful - 0
217229 tn?1192762404
Kelle - seriously - they are NOT supposed to happen. You really should be at your doctors or telling your doctor immediately when they happen.

Pegylated Interferon has been PROVEN to give some people psychological problems which can include hallucinations.

Not only have you advised that you saw something yesterday - you continue to see things after posting.

Sweetie - TELL YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY.

Discerning between an "it's ok" it probably won't happen again - and "I didn't notice it until it was too late and I jumped out the 4th floor window to get away from it" is serious.

VERY SERIOUS.

These meds can and do mess with your mind. And there is NO SHAME in it.

None.

Please - PLEASE - PLEASE call your doctor or nurse - or Emergency room and advise them that you are seeing things - even if it's something you can handle right now -- you might NOT be able to handle it later.

Meki
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I think you missed the point of the good advice given to you here. Hallucinations on treatment is not common, it's not a laughing matter,  and should be reported to your doctor right away.

-- Jim
Helpful - 0
183955 tn?1296403445
(Blushing as I write this)
When I first started treatment, one night I woke up in the middle
of the night and thought I saw a mouse crawling around my ceiling.
Now mind you, I do not have mice, and I couldn't imagine one
crawling around my ceiling, so I knew it couldn't be real. I closed my
eyes, and told myself it wasn't real, and it went away...it happened
once again after that, with the ceiling full of all different bugs...I did the
same thing and they dissapeared. I never told anyone what happened,
but I did ask my Dr. for an antidepressant the next week...lololol...they
never returned.
And if you tell anyone I will deny it to my grave!
So there!!!!!

Donna
Helpful - 0
469210 tn?1219188128
I'm sorry, but I laughed out loud at your post. Especially after reading everyone else's.  Yeah, it's wierd, it happened again this afternoon after I wrote. I was walking from my bedroom down the hall towards the kitchen and when I walked past the living room, I thought I saw something dart under the couch! Like a black shape ran under there. I thought it was my dog. I froze in my tracks and my heart pounded b/c it scared me and I called her name (that's her in the picture/profile) and she was outside.  

I haven't slept well this weekend - I wonder if that could be a cause.

Yes, unfortunately they have not been pleasant, fun holograms...I wish it were. Would be more fun and not make me feel like I'm losing my mind.
Helpful - 0
206807 tn?1331936184
I never had hallucinations but for a while I was having problems discerning between dreams and reality. I once called a Sub-Contractor to discuss how he was going to correct the problem of installing a Waste Water Tank that didn’t meet the Specifications. He asked me if I lost my mind. I realized it was dream I had the night before. I just played it off by telling him my office sent the wrong paper work to me. I haven’t had the problem since my Dr. put me on Elavil.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Let me rephrase the question, when do these hallucinations start, with in a couple of hours after the INF shot, does it trail off the next day or does it lingerer for a couple of days but in a mild state or just start and just stop? From what I gathered from your profile you just did your third shot and your body and brain are going through some pretty drastic changes while these drugs are reaching maximum concentration. The weakness your feeling is the result of the meds building up in your system and will continue to do so for the next month or so. I agree with jmjm and meki about getting the hallucinations checked out with the doc if they should continue.

Jasper
Helpful - 0
217229 tn?1192762404
Huh Jasper?

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
When does happen after the interferon shot?

jasper
Helpful - 0
217229 tn?1192762404
See --- even Jim agrees...

Hightail your butt to the docs.

But you better come back and let us know what happens...

And heck -- if you've got a cute cabana boy with some extra oil or something on a nice breezy summer day...  Well - send him my way --- hallucination or not. LOL!

Meki
Ps. Hope you're ok
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
"Hallucinations" is listed as a "MOST SERIOUS SIDE EFFECT" of the treatment drugs and you should contact your treatment doctor IMMEDIATELY.

-- Jim
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Wish it wasn't people or bugs you were seeing.  A new Porche in the driveway or a big pile of $100's would be a lot more fun.  I do agree with the above though, call your doc cause it ain't right seeing things that aren't there.
Trinity
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Listen to Meki ! ! !
You need medical attention if you're seeing
people.

Floaters look like bugs floating in you perepherial vision...not people.

I agree with Meki.

If you're seeing people call you doctor or go to emergency.

Rosebud
Helpful - 0
217229 tn?1192762404
Like as in --- put down the mouse...

Pick up the phone...

Call the doctor's office and tell them:

I'm currently seeing things - I'm on Combo Treatment for Hepatitis C - Pegylated Interferon Alpha 2-a and Ribavirin.

About 5 minutes ago I just saw someone standing there - And I'm seeing bugs.

I'm not taking any other medications - I've never had hallucinations before - Do I come to your office or do I go to the emergency room.

Write it down - call friend or family members to come and get you --- And go.

Helpful - 0
217229 tn?1192762404
Yeah --- Sooner is the proper terminology...

MORE LIKE CALL THEM NOW...

N - O - W

Understand?

Meki
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I got floaters too, but irf you're seeing people
maybe you should speak with your physician
sooner rather than later/

Rosebud
Helpful - 0
217229 tn?1192762404
I got floaters --- a couple of others got floaters --- things in your vision...

Out of the corner of your eye stuff -- ok cool - could be a floater...

But if you're seeing your great - great - great grandma standing there on her broomstick -- Or you are seeing bugs that do not exist --- yanno --- king sized bugs or something way off the wall - then honey - get ye to the docs NOW.

Hallucinations are NOT funny - and if you're having them - there could be something VERY wrong.

There is a very slim chance of psychosis or pyschological issues that can happen on INF treatment.

GO SEE THE DOC IF YOU ARE SEEING THINGS THAT YOU KNOW SHOULDN'T BE THERE.

Understand?

Meki

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