started my tx yesterday

[donna11]

HI EVERYONE, WELL I FINALLY STARTED MY TX YESTERDAY  AND I AM VERY SURPRISED TODAY THAT I REALLY DONT FEEL BAD AT ALL, JUST FEEL LIKE I HAVE A MILD COLD. MY NURSE SAID SHE DIDNT ANTICIPATE MY HAVING TO MISS WORK THROUGH THIS AND DONT BELIEVE WHAT I READ ON THE INTERNET. THE ONLY THING SHE SAID WAS IN 2 MONTHS I MAY EXPERIENCE MOOD SWINGS.SO I AM JUST WONDERING BECAUSE I FEEL GOOD TODAY DOES IT TAKE TIME TO GET INTO YOUR SYSTEM FOR OTHER SIDE AFFECTS OR MAYBE I WILL BE ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES. HAVE  A GREAT DAY AND THANKS FOR YOUR ANSWERS.

[Isobella]

I have to say that that is the one thing that threw me for a loop early on.  As prepared as I felt I was to do this (haha)....the sx we have absolutely no control over is the way our blood levels react.  By week 5 my hgb had dropped from 14.4 to 10 and my anc was .6.  I was able to dodge a riba reduction, but not a peg reduction.  (clinical trial, so no rescue drugs)

My new motto is---someone's sneeze could be my next disease---lysol, don't leave home without it =)

For me-there are 2 types of fatigue.  The first is "I'm tired....goodnight" followed by a nice long nap.  The second is "I'm tired"  and then I resume whatever I was doing, after which I am still tired, but feel better for having resumed what I was doing.  LOL!

Listen carefully to what the body tells you and you will be able to figure this all out in no time.  But most of all take good care of yourself...lots of TLC.  It will help.

It can be smooth, but it's always best to be prepared for when it isn't.

All the best
Izzy

[Trinity4]

As other have indicated, sx are different for everyone so your reaction to the meds will be exclusive to you.  However, there are a few constants, which everyone seems to experience.  One of them is extreme fatigue or interferon induced fatigue.  It doesn't happen overnight, it's a cumulative process.  As the interferon and ribaviron build up in the body, the effects of the medications become more pronounced.  Addionally, our red and white counts become low throughout tx and can drastically effect how we feel.  I'm in week 34 and still extremely fatigued.  I work everyday and manage to get through the fatigue with alot of lifestyle adjustments, but that's me.  Someone else with the same side effects may not be able to work.  Attitude is very important as everyone has suggested and each person has different tolerance levels both physically and emotionally.   My ANC is borderline and may be starting Neupegen anytime (increases white count).  I have experienced several severe respitory infections because my body doesn't have the ability to fight off infection like it did prior to tx.  You may not experience any of those things, but prepare yourself and my creed thoughout tx has been expect the unexpected.  Good luck with your tx.
Trinity

[Rockerforlife]

Doctors prescribe drugs...period....thats their job...nothing else...SAD BUT TRUE..."METALLICA"

[Lady Lauri]

.....A word to the wise - don't believe everything you hear from your nurse! ....

I have to agree with the girls on that one! Can't count how many 'mistakes' we've seen here from them and Dr.'s. I researched everything with the caution to check more, decide what I thought was correct, etc. My highly educated, head trial nurse once said to me.."well, many can work on tx, you should be able to"...I asked her "and when did YOU do these drugs?". I corrected them a few times (actually info. from here) and even told them a thing or two that they had to look up, check out. Not that you shouldn't take some advice, just when in question, check it out. There is SO MUCH combined info. here and endless research behind most of it and if it's incorrect, someone else will say it, (nicely:) I'd have flushed these drugs by wk 5 had I not been on here as they gave me little info. on what I'd be going thru, to know what I was feeling is 'normal'.

Much as we'd all like to say that 'you'll be fine' after shot 1, that's just not the case. There is just no way to predict how one will do ahead of time. It does take time for the drug levels to build up, have more effect. This is NOT to say you'll do terrible, you very well could breeze thru, just to prepare you in case. When others have asked about working, I always say it's best to prepare for if you can't , as I did and I couldn't, but many do. Being prepared for the worst makes the 'not so bad' better ;)

So, so far so good. Many also feel bad 1st shot. Take it one week at a time and TLC yourself as much as possible, when needed.

Also true on so many remedys here. I kept the rash at bay my whole tx, from tips here, nothing my Dr.s told me. Same with nausea tips and so on. If you get the side, post it, someone will have some tips.

Good luck ahead, you'll get thru it, LL

[meakea]

Congrats on starting your TX.  It's always a huge step to get that first one over with.  

As everyone else has said, your first day is not an indication on how it's going to go but, then again, it might go just that well for you.  Just don't panic if you have a bad day because, after a bad day, there is usually a much better day.  They come and go.

I took shot No. 11 last night and I am still working full time.  I modified it a bit though because I had vacation time to use.  Instead of taking my 4 weeks vacation in a lump, I spaced it out so that I am taking one day a week off.  I can't hold vacation over to the next year so it's a "use it or lose it" deal so I'm using it this way.  It has worked out pretty well for me.

I've had some crummy days but it seems that a good day will pop up to erase the crummy days and it's kind of back and forth like that.  So...if you get a bad day, don't despair...it will get better.

Best of luck to you.  Are you a 24 or 48 weeker?

[Marcia2202]

You might end up like Rocker on tx. He just started last week and is already going whack.  Okay, jokes aside.

Congrats for staring treatment. My first shot was also quite meaningless. Everybody reacts differently though. Some never get the depression, personally it hit me week 2, but was corrected within 6 days with a low dose of AD. Am now in week 13 and am fine. Severe fatigue and extreme weakness is my problem. Just a little rash started this week and no mouth sores.

I tried to be prepared for the worst and to hope for the best.

Only time will tell.

Good luck and we will be here to pull each other through this

God Bless, marcia

[Rockerforlife]

Dont believe anything you read here...we are not real people,...we are the robots from outer space,,,we will take over the world soon...and all the nurses will be ours.

[charm27]

Good Luck in starting yout tx. I wish you a non-eventful journey. However,,, dont pay that much attention to what the nurse says--she hasnt gone thru this tx. Many have a doable time, others find it much more difficult. She said dont pay that much attention to what you read on the internet. Well...we all are living proof of interferon therapy and all have our stories, you can believe us when you are ready.
Welcome there's a good group of people here that will always be here for you to help and answer questions.

Wishing you the very best.
Charm- I just finished 52 weeks of tx yesterday.

[jdwithhcv]

Stay positive is good advice.  Be prepared is also good advice.  I was pretty sure when I began treatment that some of it was going to be rough.  I think that helped me a bit, I didn't panic as much as I might have done because I knew enough to expect some side effects along the way.  I hope you have a really easy time, but don't hesitate to tell your nurse about bad side effects if they happen to you.  Forewarned is forearmed. I wish you all the best.

Seems like some of us have been told "you'll be fine" and then were taken by surprise.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/634098?personal_page_id=442&post_id=post_3438163

[sunqueen]

It's going to be fine. Stay positive and be ready for any side effects you may get. It hits all of us with various intensity.  I had to get a few accommodations for work, in order to be able to do my job. Most of the time I missed was for a bad UTI and for a cold that wore me out.  I still may take a few weeks near the end  of tx to take stock and regroup.

Treatment is an ordeal but it's doable for many of us. Best wishes for easy sides and eventual SVR to you!  

[jdwithhcv]

Glad to hear that you have treatment underway with no problems thus far.  If you are genotype 1a you will have 336 days of treatment, so get ready, the first day is not an indication of what may follow.  I hope its smooth sailing for you.  A word to the wise - don't believe everything you hear from your nurse!  As Izzy told you, unless she has treated herself its hard to really relate.  Good luck!

jd

[Isobella]

Welcome to tx =)  

Your first days sound like mine did.  I was thinking....is this it?????  Hopefully this is an indication of a smooth journey for you.  It has been for me. I am in week 16-triple therapy for 12weeks with SOC/telaprevir or placebo.

I don't know if I could agree with "don't believe what you read on the internet" because I have found that although I have not had nearly the rough time that you will read about here sometimes, the remedies for sx have proved invaluable.   So, I am trying to say not so much don't believe as don't expect maybe---don't expect to get all the horrible sx you may have read about but learn from the ppl that have had them and can advise on how to deal with them.  Because unless your nurse has treated.....it is impossible to really relate.

For instance, I was fully aware of the importance of drinking enough water because of what I learned here.  Biotene, lip cracks, yogurt, shittake mushrooms, Aveeno, anti-d's, atarax....all that information has helped me to get on top of any problems before they had a chance to become too bad.  

I did hit an emotional wall at 7 weeks, but it was merely a bump in the road thanks to Zoloft.  Once again, if I had not known to anticipate it, it would have been worse

I have had a relatively easy time of tx so far (knock on wood, lol) so I know it is possible--and I do hope to same for you.....for all of us.  

Now, go kill some hepper buggers, lol!!!!

Isobella