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5909323 tn?1376917435

Triple Therapy Side Effects

Hi!  I'm looking for some help for my husband.  He is in week two of the Triple Therapy with Incivek and is having some pretty bad side effects.  So, if anyone has any advice, it would be much appreciated.  I'll list them below...

1.  Diarrhea & painful BM's - wasn't sure if he should take Imodium because it could make #2 worse
2.  Lots of hemorrhoids, sometimes bleeding - has been using preparation H, suppositories prescribed by doctor, diaper rash ointment, witch hazel, etc.  They don't seem to be improving.
3.  Nausea - Dr. prescribed Zofran - this seems to help, so no need to respond to that one.
4.  Depression - on and off
5.  No appetite and this makes it hard to ingest 20 g of fat (especially first this in the morning!)
6.  Headaches
7.  Muscle aches & pains
8.  Chills

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!
9 Responses
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5909323 tn?1376917435
Hi!  I have found this previously and it is very helpful - the only thing that concerned me is that this person is not using Incivek so therefore, I do not know if all of the side effects are common to the triple therapy rather than the combo treatment.  

Thanks!
Helpful - 0
5909323 tn?1376917435
No rashes yet, thank goodness!  His hands seem to be getting a little dry and flaky though - is that a bad sign?
Helpful - 0
5909323 tn?1376917435
Thanks for your advise!  We appreciate it!
Helpful - 0
5909323 tn?1376917435
Thanks so much for the advice!
I'm going to get him some Immodium today!!!!!!
Helpful - 0
4333925 tn?1359102442
A LOT of good advice.
   But for #5 eating was the worst for me and what helped was ensure with a cup 1/2 of whole milk. It was easy to get down when I didn't want to put any food near my mouth.
As for #7 a lot of warm baths with epsome salt not everyday but also it took away some of the pains I had to a certain degree. And depending on what stage he is I also took ibu 600. Yes, they say it is not good for your liver but I was a stage 0 in the beginning. Its also good to ask your treating doctor
Helpful - 0
4113881 tn?1415850276
I just posted this on a different thread but in case you dont see it I will post again. Three women put this page together while treating...I thought they did a very nice job talking about side effects and how to deal with them. The sides your husband is experiencing is on there A to Z list. I will cut and paste there intro but you will have to go to the link to see the content as its too much to copy here.
_______________________________________________________
"The Combo Survival Guide from A to Z"

By: Trishamn, Lacey & Freyja

Since there are so many of us out here suffering from combo/interferon/HCV related ailments, we've taken all the advice we have gathered and put it all together in a simple guide in alphabetical order by ailment.  We also try to explain (when and where we are able) why these sides are occurring (i.e.: plaguing us), and what has helped us and other people on treatment deal with these "mild, flu-like symptoms for a few weeks"-har har har!

The following is a list of possible side effects that you may experience on Interferon or Intron A and Ribavirin combination therapy.  We have put down a long list of the most troubling symptoms.  That does not mean that you will get any of them, and hopefully nobody will get all of them!

If you have any sides/remedies that we have not covered we may consider adding them on a case by case basis.  In this way, we can help each other in ways that the drug companies and doctors can't.  Also, for those of you not on treatment, some of these tips might help you also since many of the combo sides are also symptoms of the Hepatitis C infection itself.

We are not doctors (although we are intelligent women and Freyja [pronounced Fray-aa NOT Free-jaa] is a former pre-med student with 6 years under her belt), but merely patients like you just trying to find the best ways to get through the next 48 weeks with our bodies, families and sanity intact.  We are not suggesting that you take our advice over any given by a physician, homeopath, nutritionist, or anyone with a medical degree.  These are only suggestions given with the best of intentions, along with our own wicked, twisted brand of (drug induced) humor.  

Lord knows, we need a laugh when we are on this stuff!

http://www.hepcsurvivalguide.org/comboguide.htm#Top

_____________________________________________________

Hope the link was helpful

ABN
Helpful - 0
4950316 tn?1394184585
Hi there.
Yep, get onto the anal stuff ASAP. It can be a real deal maker or breaker. I found Proctosedyl ointment really good.
As for eating, I also had Greek Yoghurt on hand. 1 and a half cups is 20grams. Icecream is another that is easy to get down, especially last meds at night.
And during the day, smoothies if he's really struggling, but an egg has 5 grams of fat, an avocado has 20grams. I'd have 2 eggs on toast spread with 1/2 an avo.
2tbs peanut butter is 20 grams. I'd make a peanut sauce and have with steamed or baked vegies. 2 tbs olive or any other cold pressed oil, also has 20 grams of fat.
It's hard, coz what I would want to eat one day, I couldn't stand the next. I tried to have some high fat meusli bars around for the days I couldn't stomach anything, but try to have at least one solid meal a day. Part of the anal stuff is the fast moving Incivek. It goes in like an army, and comes out like one.
Eating the fats 20 minutes before having the pills is imperative, and I believe if you can get more good fats in, then do so. It seems to make the Incivek less painful on its way out.
  


This is a list from Pooh.
Greek Gods yogurt is higher in fat (and creamy) than most yogurts (regular, not low fat)
2 ounces Cheddar or Havarti cheese (look at the labels, there are others)
Cream cheese
Brie cheese
Peanut butter
1 avocado
Bagel and cream cheese
Brautwurst
liver pate
Ice cream
Eggs, bacon, buttered toast (check the labels for amount needed)
Scramble eggs with cheese (check labels)
Some meats are high in fat ... read the labels
Add heavy whipping cream, butter, mayonnaise, oil to boost the fat in other foods.

You didn't mention rashes. I hope that's because he hasn't any. But IF he does, get onto those straight away. They can spiral out of control and be as bad as the anal stuff, or worse.
Let us know if he has any rashes or itches, and some one here will advise the best way to deal with them.
Good luck.
Helpful - 0
5432782 tn?1368806956
Hi I'm sorry to hear about your husbands rough time with the side effects. I just finished 12 weeks of incivik . I had very simaler sides only had chills off and on. As for the hemmeroid issue Pooh is right keep your stools firm, if not thi can get very painful. I also tried Preperation H did not work so well had to go to DR to get something stronger. As for the rest off the side Pooh has some really good information , and I used it a lot to help get me through. This is a great forum to ask questions there is so much knowledge here from people who have gone through it. So if you need anything just ask Pooh ha so much to offer
Thanks
Mike
Helpful - 0
1815939 tn?1377991799
Welcome to the forum.

I was on Incivek and had some of the same side effects as your husband. I will tell you what worked for me.

1.  Diarrhea & painful BM's - wasn't sure if he should take Imodium because it could make #2 worse
-----------------------------------
The main thing here is to keep the stools firm. I used Imodium at the first hint of a loose stool coming on. I did not take it every day, but I took it immediately when I felt a loose stool may be in the making (intestines feeling weird). It worked exceptionally well. As long as I kept the stools quite firm, I had ZERO problems with painful bowel movements. If the stools got even remotely soft, or worse yet, loose, then I had severe pain, like crapping shards of glass or razor blades. It was agony. But keeping the stools very firm (not like rocks, but very firm) solved that entire problem. Once I figured that out, I had no more problems with that side effect.

2.  Lots of hemorrhoids, sometimes bleeding - has been using preparation H, suppositories prescribed by doctor, diaper rash ointment, witch hazel, etc.  They don't seem to be improving.
-------------------------------------
Most of my problems with hemorrhoids were solved when I firmed up the stools. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but firming up the stools pretty much solved the hemorrhoid problem too. I did use some Preparation H suppositories and cream for the itching. When I got rid of the diarrhea, the hemorrhoids pretty much cleared up and the raw cheek problem cleared up too. If his do not clear up when the stools are nice and firm, then maybe something like Annusol supp. would work better than Prep. H. Annusol are prescription and they contain some steroid and tend to work better than Prep H. One tip is to be sure to keep the cheeks spotless. He can use Huggies baby wipes with aloe and/or shower after every stool, but the cheeks and anal area need to be kept very clean. Every little piece of feces will aggravate him. (I advise Huggies as the generic ones burn the butt.)

4.  Depression - on and off
-----------------------------------
It would be advisable for him to talk with his doctor about the depression. These medications can cause depression and he may need to be on an antidepressant. He may want to see a psychiatrist for treatment. The thing is, antidepressants do take a few weeks to kick in and work, so he should address this with his doctor ASAP. The medications have warnings with them about the depression they can cause, sometimes severe, so getting on top of this depression ASAP is imperative.

5.  No appetite and this makes it hard to ingest 20 g of fat (especially first this in the morning!)
----------------------------------------
Has he tried Greek Gods yogurt. It is very creamy and tastes like pudding. It contains a lot of fat and is very easy to get down. I always had it every morning and every night along with toast and other easy to eat foods. Also, 2 ounces of Cheddar cheese or Brie or Havarti have 20 grams of fat.

6.  Headaches
------------------------------------
I used Tylenol for headaches, usually one to two 325 mg tabs as needed. I also slept with one of those Gel cold packs in my bed and I used to put it on my forehead if I got a headache during the night, which I almost always had one every night. Up to 2000 mg of Tylenol a day (in divided doses) is usually safe for people with liver disease, but he should ask his doctor first.

7.  Muscle aches & pains
8.  Chills
----------------------------------
I never had chills but I did have a lot of muscle aches and pains. I usually took some Tylenol when I did my injections and also the following am. If the aches and pains were bad enough, I took Tylenol for them, but mostly I just lived with them.

I am hoping these suggestions help. I am sure others will pop on and respond too. Best of luck to you husband.
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