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Hepatitis C (Expert Forum)
2nd day: combo & back pain
Questions posted in the Hepatitis C Forum are answered by medical professionals from The Mount Sinai Medical Center.
2nd day: combo & back pain
by bw__0, Jan 20, 1999 12:00AM
The prescribed dose is 5MU's daily for the induction period
of a month, along with 1,000mg daily of the Ribavirin. After the
induction, the IntronA dose will be standard at 3MU's 3 x week.
If the lab's are all okay at week one and again at week three,
then there will be no adjustment to the Ribavirin dose.
The first dose, my sides were awful: excrusiating headache, a pain
in my neck, hips ached, the bottom of my feet hurt. I am positive
for cryoglobulin's. Could this be the reason the joint problems
are exacerbated?
Last night I may have overdosed the IntronA. As directed, I am to
use the 3MU vials first, adding some from the 5MU vial to dose at
the 5MU's. The syringe filled with the emptied 3MU vial read: .75
and I added some from the 5MU vial, as shown to do.
My sides were brutal. Every flu like system along with incredible
pain from my hamstrings and glutes, foot pain, bones ached, spinal
pain, headache.
Tylenol Flu did nothing to aleviate my symptoms. The treatment
nurse says to take 2 Advil, 2 x day for the spinal/muscular pain.
Here are my questions:
With the cryoglobulin's, is this the way treatment is going to
continue to feel? Are the cryoglobulin's the reason I am having
such a tough time? Please explain: 2MU's out of a 5MU vial is
equal to how many units? And how many ml's?
Thank you very much.
of a month, along with 1,000mg daily of the Ribavirin. After the
induction, the IntronA dose will be standard at 3MU's 3 x week.
If the lab's are all okay at week one and again at week three,
then there will be no adjustment to the Ribavirin dose.
The first dose, my sides were awful: excrusiating headache, a pain
in my neck, hips ached, the bottom of my feet hurt. I am positive
for cryoglobulin's. Could this be the reason the joint problems
are exacerbated?
Last night I may have overdosed the IntronA. As directed, I am to
use the 3MU vials first, adding some from the 5MU vial to dose at
the 5MU's. The syringe filled with the emptied 3MU vial read: .75
and I added some from the 5MU vial, as shown to do.
My sides were brutal. Every flu like system along with incredible
pain from my hamstrings and glutes, foot pain, bones ached, spinal
pain, headache.
Tylenol Flu did nothing to aleviate my symptoms. The treatment
nurse says to take 2 Advil, 2 x day for the spinal/muscular pain.
Here are my questions:
With the cryoglobulin's, is this the way treatment is going to
continue to feel? Are the cryoglobulin's the reason I am having
such a tough time? Please explain: 2MU's out of a 5MU vial is
equal to how many units? And how many ml's?
Thank you very much.
Doctor's Answer
by HFHSM.D.-D.M., Jan 20, 1999 12:00AM
Dear BW:
Well, it certainly sounds as if you had a lot of side effects with your first dose of interferon and you have a lot of questions about it. Let me try to make some comments that might be helpful to you.
First and foremost, the first dose of interferon is very difficult and I’m not certain one needs a special reason to have muscle aches, joint aches and headaches. In addition, you are on a protocol where you are using especially high doses so you can expect the side effects to be even worse. Things should start to improve with subsequent injections and I suspect you will feel better when you are back on 3 MU three times a week.
I can’t give you a definitive answer as to whether the “cryoglobulinemia” is making things better or worse. Typically if joint pain is due to cryoglobulinemia, it should ultimately improve with treatment. However, the direct relationship between hepatitis C, cryoglobulins, treatment and joint pain is not always straightforward. Most patients with joint pain and hepatitis C usually feel worse when they start interferon simply because of the side effects of interferon.
In terms of the dosing, we would always want to be as helpful as possible. However, it sounds as if you are in a clinical trial using induction doses of interferon. In this situation, we recommend that you contact your physician or “treatment” nurse so there is absolutely no misunderstanding about exactly what they want you to do. We do a lot of clinical trials at Henry Ford and I know we would want our patients to contact us directly.
I hope this information is helpful to you. If you have additional questions or concerns, I invite you to contact us at Henry Ford. Our direct phone number is (313) 916-8865. If you have the opportunity, I would also invite you to visit us at Henry Ford. We have an active group of liver specialists and we have significant interest in and experience with hepatitis C.
This response is being provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health.
