After SVR Effects

Hey Friends, I have not posted in a while, but there is something that been really bothering me, I completed Tx on June of 2004, so its been  a while, well, last year in October I got real sick with pneumonia right after that I got the flu, then for the past 7 months I have been having anxiety attacks on a daily basis, dont kno whats wrong,panic attacts are so regular and scary, I was wondering if anyone has experienced the same thing, I dont like pills, so is there another alternative, I have forgottten that I ever had HCV, but the aftermath has me wondering.


Thanks In Advance

Dallas

[DallasStar_]

Am I the only person awake tonight

[pozzy]

I had one panic attack before treatment, that's been many years ago (6-7yr.) but now and under a great deal of stress I seem to be having more of these little bout's of panic...I dunno if it's a result of my treating or just my bodies way of reacting to stress???? My GP prescribed adivan but I really don't want to depend on any kind of drug.... There are times I do need to take a half and sometimes a whole one to get past the anxiety.
I hope there are more of us that can discuss this topic....
Thanks for bringing it up.
Pozzy

[cuteus]

ok, I will sneak a few more minutes of internet time (I am at work and afraid of IT) just to tell that my one yr post tx PCR was last December and negative, but the pains are at pre tx level so I am wondering if I am one of the unlucky 2%. I will do an 18mo PCR this Summer.

there was a member here, who suffered with different issues, including depression, post tx, a test discovered she was b12 deficient. She was taking it, but not absorbing it. You might want to consult with an endocrinologist or a nutritionist, just in case. B vitamins are deeply involved in the proper functioning of the nervous system.
ALL:
On the news; the NYC March for HCV is on the 18th and the Washington DC is the following weekend, for those wanting to make noise about HCV. Those members going to the NYC one could wear a red cap or visor to identify themselves as part of MH or other online group. We did that last year. Majneni, rearfang, giddyup, whoaisme, cquest, donalfonso, and can't remember who else met up with me in Battery Park. It was a good turnout.
take care

[cuteus]

long time no see! how the heck are you? besides the pneumonia and anxiety stuff.
those conditions are so long after tx ended that it might be hard to trace it back to the meds or even HCV. Did you have them while on tx(anxiety) or before?
if you had blood work prior to the events that showed your system was still compromised, then it could be leftover from tx, if not, if everything was within normal limits, it is probably not related.  
just for sakes purpose, have some bloodwork that can detect vitamins/minerals deficiency, especially the b complex.

stay well
btw, I too am SVR, last time they checked, but with residual joint pains from HCV.

[DallasStar_]

Hi Pozzy, My doc did prescribe ativan, now he has me on Klonopin, which seems to just cover up the problem, it really does not help much, since I seem to be experiencing the anxiety 24/7, its so strange it just happens when I least expect it.
I never had it before or during Tx,I just wish it would go away!!!

Hi Cuteus, so good to see you here, its been a long time..
I am so happy that you are SVR also, how long has it been?

I had a ton of blood work done (all normal), I also had an MRI done on the brain, bc I was also having severe vertigo problems, it came back normal also, sooooo I dont know what is causing this, it really has me worried bc, I just cant seem to shake the anxiety, & I am truly over doctors, they seem to just want to give you pills, pills, and more pills, I dont want anymore pills....lol

Problem is, no doc will ever say it was bc of TX, I just wish I could figure it out....

Good to see you My Friend, I will try to post more often

Dallas

[returntosender]

I think panic is somehow related to liver but there is also genetic predispostion.  The LSD in my younger days probably didnt help much either.  My panic disorder was treated with small, almost negligible, doses of ativan (1/2 mg lorazepam) and tofranil (10 mg imipramine).  Taken together at night (Ativan alone or imipramine alone wont cut it and Klonopin is good for detox but not anxiety), you dont feel them at all the next day but they stop the bodily cues that lead to panic.  Help with sleep a bit as well. I used to have anxiety daily, I called it my "friend", but since starting this regime 10 years ago, I can say that I my friend has gone.  I am quite normal.  Couple of pills at night worth it?  Sure are!  My doc came up with idea - pretty good call on his part.

[Forseegood]

I've had panic attacks for years and years, though I've been able to get them under control for the past few years..interesting combo Return to Sender had posted, I'll look into it when I treat...but I don't like to take pills either if I can help it - if I'm not on treatment...but that's just me...

I do a kind of cognitive therapy thing, and a hypnosis thing that really helps, if youre really plagued with them they are just the worst thing -so maybe a 3 prong attack will help, or at least a few of these things...

At least with hynosis it's pretty good on the ole liver, ha ha!  suffice it to say that when I'm feeling extra anxious, I listen to my Ipod at night, before I go to sleep...or if you don't have an ipod you can listen on your computer or get some really good tapes out there as well...

It really helps falling asleep and it helps to re-program your subconscious, which is at the crux of the matter anyway...some of us have trouble turning off interior messages, even though we know they are silly on an intellectual level, the subconscious responds emotionally and doesn't care about reason, then it's off to the races...

This of course is mixed in with biological/stress hormone issues and tendencies, genetics, etc...there is a great site named hypnosisdownloads.com and they have really cheap downloads, like 7 bucks a piece, that deal with anxiety, relaxation, insomnia, etc. and I find they are really good...you can just passively listen to them and you think, well, this isn't doing much good, then after a few weeks you feel a big difference...well, this is my experience anyway and I know many others who have had the same thing happen with self-hypnosis, you just have to have a little bit of dicipline...

Then there are programs to learn how to deal with panic attacks when they occur...you go to the rational side of you mind, you rate the panic attack as a 2, 3 5 and then consciously take it down, you'd be surprised at how great this can work too, because panic makes you feel out of control....

And this is a great way to put yourself back in control...there's a good one called the Phobease Way, it's just a set of exercises to learn, my neighbor was able to cure her panic attacks in a few weeks learning them, and there isn't much to it really...

anyway, perhaps though chemistry and self-hypnosis or one or the other you can get a beat on them, cause I know how truly awful they are...best of luck to you...

[Forseegood]

Read your post with interest...ain't it funny how many docs have trouble admitting a problem a patient is having just might be due to a treatment they are administering? Human nature I guess, no one *wants* to think they are proscribing something that does harm in any way, and when you think of it, the good can outweigh the bad in many respects, particularly if you clear the virus! also, it's the only game in town anyway...to clear the virus...

I guess many of the docs just want you to try and focus on the good the treatment will eventually bring...and not the sides...but when you think of the human body as a delicate balance of many, many systems, it's easy to see how a treatment like this could upset the balance in a more than a few ways...anyway, hope you feel better soon, and you get a grip on the anxiety issue...

[Forseegood]

of course I don't know what goes on in another person's body, it's so hard for docs to figure that out, let alone someone like me...I just think that there are a lot of people complaining of much heightened anxiety on tx and post tx, which is a small price to pay for svr of course...

And I've just heard over and over again the same sides from people on tx, and post tx...and I've heard over and over again people saying their docs are loathe to attribute them to tx, I mean, why not say youre not exactly sure instead of just ruling tx out entirely?...if it even helps to know what the etiology is anyway...

but I tried to make it clear that of course I'm only speculating anyway, which I guess is my point...sometimes the docs can only speculate as well...

[Forseegood]

I hate to belabor a point, and I know what youre saying, but I was just reading an article about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a diagnosis of Hep C and other illnesses, and chemotherapy, I have to go dig it up...you can start feeling the ill effects of PTSD years after the fact, but of course, I'm just speculating...my whole point was that I always wonder about docs who can be so sure of these types of things, they have to be speculating as well, they are just a lot more educated in their speculations, ha ha...and with this, I'll shut up about this... like I said, I see your point...

[DallasStar_]

Hi Tina, so good to see you.
Thanks so much on the tip about brewers yeast,
I looked it up, and it is full of B Vitamins,
I also found Inositol, which is natural and
helps w/panic/anxiety, I started having them about
a year after TX, then about 3 months later, they began
to occur on a daily basis....So I am going to try
Breweres Yeast, nothing else has seemed to help, I
am not under any stress, or anything, so its a tad
confusing why I am having them.

How is your husband? Did he start Tx again?

Great to see you again My Friend :)

Keep In Touch,

Dallas

[tina-b]

Hey, it is great to hear from you, I'm sorry you aren't feeling so well.

Speaking from personal experience: When I was 18 many many moons ago, I was put on ativan (sp) for panic attacks. When my aunt heard about it she hit the roof! Told me to take Brewers Yeast, back then you could get it in liquid, powder or pills.

It worked great! It tastes nasty but it worked for me. It can be purchased at any health food store or even the big chain stores.

Keep us posted on you progress.
Tina

[lackalustre]

are you the one who also had luekemia?    how are you doing with that now?  did you treat for that as well??