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Start in 3 days
Hi Guys,
I start my treatment with peg-intron/ribavirin in 3 days. My biggest concern is what to expect in the first 4 weeks? I also want to know if your hair falls completely out or just thin. I don't have much hair but it's a good grade! In addition, please tell me what else I have to look forward to.
I start my treatment with peg-intron/ribavirin in 3 days. My biggest concern is what to expect in the first 4 weeks? I also want to know if your hair falls completely out or just thin. I don't have much hair but it's a good grade! In addition, please tell me what else I have to look forward to.
Hi again Vibrant,
Congrats on getting started. Now that you mention the backache, I remember I had that, too, and it felt like a truck was rolling over my back.
People vary in response to the shot. My awful one was the first shot (forgot to take my Tylenol) but after that, I didn't have much of a reaction within the few hours of taking them. Others had no reaction to the first shot and felt hit by them later on in tx (treatment).
Some lucky people never felt much of anything but that's unusual, I'd say.
Maybe try a hot water bottle or electric heating pad for the backache, alternating with a cold pack.
TTYYL
Susan
Congrats on getting started. Now that you mention the backache, I remember I had that, too, and it felt like a truck was rolling over my back.
People vary in response to the shot. My awful one was the first shot (forgot to take my Tylenol) but after that, I didn't have much of a reaction within the few hours of taking them. Others had no reaction to the first shot and felt hit by them later on in tx (treatment).
Some lucky people never felt much of anything but that's unusual, I'd say.
Maybe try a hot water bottle or electric heating pad for the backache, alternating with a cold pack.
TTYYL
Susan
Hi, die-hard Laker fan,
So Bryant struggled through a horrible shooting night in the clenches of Boston’s fierce defence but the Lakers won a second consecutive title, anyway!
It was close, though...and it must have been a crazy evening for you.
What a turnaround - Boston leading by 13 points in the third quarter.
So now you're all set to start treatment and your team has its 16th title in its 50th anniversary season. Not bad, girl.
Phil Jackson said: “I don’t know we would have won this thing without these fans. That was tough sledding out there tonight.”
An auspicious start to your treatment, so good luck tomorrow. Just hang in, day by day, and ask away.
The first four weeks can be a big adjustment, just getting used to and remembering to take your meds properly. If you're insulin-dependent, you already have good habits set in place, managing your insulin.
TTYL and safe driving to your first treatment. If you're having your first injection there, get yourself home afterwards. I didn't for a few hours and felt it hard about six or seven hours after the injection. I totally forgot to take the Tylenol my nurse had told me to take, so I had a whole lot of shaking going on after the first injection but never again. So take the Tylenol if she recommends it. And drink water.
Good luck and good night.
Susan
So Bryant struggled through a horrible shooting night in the clenches of Boston’s fierce defence but the Lakers won a second consecutive title, anyway!
It was close, though...and it must have been a crazy evening for you.
What a turnaround - Boston leading by 13 points in the third quarter.
So now you're all set to start treatment and your team has its 16th title in its 50th anniversary season. Not bad, girl.
Phil Jackson said: “I don’t know we would have won this thing without these fans. That was tough sledding out there tonight.”
An auspicious start to your treatment, so good luck tomorrow. Just hang in, day by day, and ask away.
The first four weeks can be a big adjustment, just getting used to and remembering to take your meds properly. If you're insulin-dependent, you already have good habits set in place, managing your insulin.
TTYL and safe driving to your first treatment. If you're having your first injection there, get yourself home afterwards. I didn't for a few hours and felt it hard about six or seven hours after the injection. I totally forgot to take the Tylenol my nurse had told me to take, so I had a whole lot of shaking going on after the first injection but never again. So take the Tylenol if she recommends it. And drink water.
Good luck and good night.
Susan
Okay guys...I'm getting ready to watch the Final of the Finals! (Lakers v Celtics) I ama die hard Laker Fan and would not miss this! I leave at 6 in the morning to travel (2 Hrs. away) for my first treatment/visit for hep-c. i will let you guys know what happens (by Saturday I hope) Thanks to all of you for welcoming me in and I will keep you posted.
Thanks for the tips and comments. No, my hair is my least concern, what I'm really more concerned with is that I am a diabetic and I'm already on insulin. How will that affect my treatmentts? Anyone.
Welcome to the forum Vibrant!
My first shot was very difficult but they have eased up after about three shots. Also just the first was severe. I became anemic at TW 3 (treatment week) and still am anemic at TW 16. My hair has just started to thin so GreatBird is right on with that timing.
My best to you in your treatment. There is a wealth of information here for all your experiences for the next year. You can search side effects and such at the upper right corner. Plus posting will always bring help......everyone here is very helpful. They are a great group!
My first shot was very difficult but they have eased up after about three shots. Also just the first was severe. I became anemic at TW 3 (treatment week) and still am anemic at TW 16. My hair has just started to thin so GreatBird is right on with that timing.
My best to you in your treatment. There is a wealth of information here for all your experiences for the next year. You can search side effects and such at the upper right corner. Plus posting will always bring help......everyone here is very helpful. They are a great group!
I'm in week 27 of my 2nd treatment and my hair was already thinning to begin with. It has thinned out more but I still have something to comb.
I wouldn't worry about hair loss too much. It's supposed to grow back after treatment.
Vik
I wouldn't worry about hair loss too much. It's supposed to grow back after treatment.
Vik
good luck with your treatment and welcome. First shot real bummer, after that only a bit bad for me. It has it's ups and downs and you never know what your tx will be like based on others experience.
Dave
Dave
No comments other than, may hair loss will be the most you have to endure and we will be here for you. May the force be with you.
Hello and welcome!
I didn't feel much the first four weeks of treatment. I have lost about 2/3 of my hair, but I am almost finished (week 45). My hair has also been growing out straight the last few months when it is usually very curly. My scalp was pretty scaly for awhile there in the winter, but is a bit better now that the humidity has returned. My worst sides have been rage issues and a fever that lasted for about 7 months (which went away with ibuprofen by the way).
I have been lucky and this treatment has not been too bad for me. I have continued to work full time and have a little bit of a social life throughout it all.
Best of luck to you - you can do it!
I didn't feel much the first four weeks of treatment. I have lost about 2/3 of my hair, but I am almost finished (week 45). My hair has also been growing out straight the last few months when it is usually very curly. My scalp was pretty scaly for awhile there in the winter, but is a bit better now that the humidity has returned. My worst sides have been rage issues and a fever that lasted for about 7 months (which went away with ibuprofen by the way).
I have been lucky and this treatment has not been too bad for me. I have continued to work full time and have a little bit of a social life throughout it all.
Best of luck to you - you can do it!
Hair loss seems to start somewhere between weeks 16 and 24. I lost almost 1/2 of mine. The weird thing was I lost the frizzy hair. What I was left with was fine straight baby hair. I've been out of treatment for a bit more than seven months and--although it's been growing back for months now--it's just finally being curly again. So far no frizz. I have my fingers crossed.
I would also like to welcome you to the forum, i also felt lousy after my first shot and then after that it had its ups and downs.... After a while you kinda roll with it, i was a geno 1 i but am svr now that also had issuses with being type 2 diabetes.
I agree with Bill1954 post, he always gives great advice, just don't look at his hair and go OMG!!! but it does seem to thin quite a bit for most......... Best to you.
cando
I agree with Bill1954 post, he always gives great advice, just don't look at his hair and go OMG!!! but it does seem to thin quite a bit for most......... Best to you.
cando
I have been on the TX for 4 injections now and the worst SX was some slight body aches and a headache. Also slightly more tired than normal. Good luck
Hi there again,
And welcome to the discussion group, Vibrant. Boy, where to begin :o)? There’s a lot to talk about. I’ll try to answer your questions as best I can.
Hair tends to thin, rather than fall out in clumps like cancer chemo. Some don’t lose much at all, others thin to maybe 30-40-50%? We’ve had gals in here that have bought wigs, to give you an idea. The women will hopefully chime in later with their thoughts on this matter.
The first injection might be a little um… challenging. Be sure to take a couple of Tylenol (acetaminophen) an hour or so before the first shot, and try to sleep through the first night if you can. I didn’t have too many issues during treatment once I got going, but others have reported getting pretty ill from this stuff. It really varies widely from person to person.
Do you know what genotype you are, and perhaps how much fibrosis/scaring of the liver? It’s usually staged F0-F4, with F4 being cirrhosis.
I see you are African American? Hopefully, your doctor has counseled you to odds in terms of treatment success, etc? for some reason, a person’s ethnicity plays a role in interferon therapy, and African Americans have a poorer response profile than Asians or Caucasians.
Are you being treated by a GI doc, or a hepatologist?
And finally, diabetes; are you type 1 or type 2? I’m type 2, and my blood sugar was frilly well managed prior to HCV treatment. I ended up requiring insulin to maintain reasonable blood sugar values, but now that I’m done with therapy, I’m back to managing the diabetes with oral meds, diet and exercise.
That’s enough to start with; again, welcome; and feel free to ask questions, etc.
Take care—
--Bill
And welcome to the discussion group, Vibrant. Boy, where to begin :o)? There’s a lot to talk about. I’ll try to answer your questions as best I can.
Hair tends to thin, rather than fall out in clumps like cancer chemo. Some don’t lose much at all, others thin to maybe 30-40-50%? We’ve had gals in here that have bought wigs, to give you an idea. The women will hopefully chime in later with their thoughts on this matter.
The first injection might be a little um… challenging. Be sure to take a couple of Tylenol (acetaminophen) an hour or so before the first shot, and try to sleep through the first night if you can. I didn’t have too many issues during treatment once I got going, but others have reported getting pretty ill from this stuff. It really varies widely from person to person.
Do you know what genotype you are, and perhaps how much fibrosis/scaring of the liver? It’s usually staged F0-F4, with F4 being cirrhosis.
I see you are African American? Hopefully, your doctor has counseled you to odds in terms of treatment success, etc? for some reason, a person’s ethnicity plays a role in interferon therapy, and African Americans have a poorer response profile than Asians or Caucasians.
Are you being treated by a GI doc, or a hepatologist?
And finally, diabetes; are you type 1 or type 2? I’m type 2, and my blood sugar was frilly well managed prior to HCV treatment. I ended up requiring insulin to maintain reasonable blood sugar values, but now that I’m done with therapy, I’m back to managing the diabetes with oral meds, diet and exercise.
That’s enough to start with; again, welcome; and feel free to ask questions, etc.
Take care—
--Bill
I answered your other post, but I forgot your question about the hair falling out. At 8 weeks mine hasn't started falling out yet. I don't know when that usually starts. My head does itch a lot lately though.
You are going to be doing a good thing for your liver.
Congratulations!
You are going to be doing a good thing for your liver.
Congratulations!
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