Finished 42 weeks of peg-interfuron and was virus free at the end of treatment. Yeah, yeah, hair loss, memory loss, weight loss all of the above. 12 weeks later, I tested with a viral load. Was crushed.
I waited 8 years before taking peg-intron again. cirosis starting to worsen, red and white counts bottomed out, diarria every day, really sick.
Changed Dr.'s and he put me on pagasus and reduced the amount of ribaviron. The Pegasus had fewer side effects and by reducing the ribaviron, the diarria stopped. Be sure to ask your Doctors if you are feeling too sick.
Make sure you are taking a low dose of anti-depressant. Just smooths out the bumps. Said I wanted to feel all of it this time, so I didn't take an anti- depressant, and in 12-14 weeks have pretty much screwed up my life, marriage and my job. These drugs are nothing to take for granted. They will twist your head!
I have also found that each week is different, the symptoms of week 2 will not be week 3 and so on. The biggest thing I can tell you is plan your shot: takes me 8 hours after the shot to be in full swing.
I take my shot Saturday night at 10pm, hot shower and bed.6 am Sunday morning the clown parade starts and will go for a couple of hours until I can get a grip. The rest of the day, I am figity, but feel ok.
To stop severe weight loss, non-alcholic beer seems to have kept me ok this time, but be very careful if alchohol was a problem.
If I can help, let me know
Fist 2 shots are important. After a few shots your body will adjust to Interferon. (I did my 3rd shot yesterday ... (will post results tomorrow, but so far first shot was the bad one)
The water was most difficult part for me. So I started 2-3 weeks before day of treatment, it took me 2 weeks to adjust.
Good luck
I will do my second shot tonight. I am a bit spacey, but I think no one notices but me! To be honest, I felt this way before treatment. I think our lives are too full of details. The biggest effect from the Ribo that I have noted is "sweats".I am drinking lots of H2o. Every now and then I am so parched water doesn't seem to help.
Thank you Elizabeth
I found it. I think it should help.
Full link as a reference:
http://www.beincharge.com/bic/framework/skins/default_default/pdf/beincharge_weekly_diary.pdf
i'm right in there with u, it seems like i'm always forgetting 2 take my riba. i think 1 of the reasons is it makes me real sick 2 my stomach. but i have had some memory loss with these treatments. the side effects very with each person. my side effects r real bad right now. kinda sucks. what i did was i have this diary 2 keep track of everything i take, the side effects, my appts. my test results, just everything. u can print them off @ www.beincharge.com. u'll see it in there it'll say diary. it's just 4 people with hep c, that r taking the treatments. good luck & god bless.
Thanks you,
Got lab results
You may want to buy a pill case that holds a whole weeks worth of pills. Fill it once a week, and you will not have a problem remembering if you took pills. It works for me...
Glad to hear your sides are few...good luck to you!
Donna