Aa
Another question about rashes
It is going to be a year since I finished tx. I was undetectable at six month post tx. About six months ago I started to get a rash on my face, has anyone have rashest after tx that might be related to HepC treatment. I am assuming that the medicine stays in your body for a long period of time, doesn't it?
TB, worry not! As Laika is discovering, you just get very used to the freak show that is treatment and cope with it however.
The rash Gabbe mentioned at the top of this thread is another story-- something you pay attention to or draw your doctor's attention to--didn't mean to pre-empt that with my lesser example. The first one puts a face on an immune system still switched on overdrive post-tx. GABBE, I HOPE YOU SEE YOUR DOC. My rash, on the other hand, is merely humiliating--my chief fear is that people will mistake it for ACNE--but certainly not life threatening or painful. But even when tx has been dramatic in the worst sense, I've found it all rather funny. My partner and I have shared some real belly laughs, especially during the first third of treatment when I was still freshly demented. So was the list at that time and I used to come here for the black humor which I would relay to R., who found it hilarious. Both of us are chronically in a dither about the state of the world, and we stay sane by clowning, so it was great grist for the mill.
It truly helps to have a tragic sense of life. This is actually the second tenet of the Church of Interferon, the first one being I got it off a toilet seat.
The rash Gabbe mentioned at the top of this thread is another story-- something you pay attention to or draw your doctor's attention to--didn't mean to pre-empt that with my lesser example. The first one puts a face on an immune system still switched on overdrive post-tx. GABBE, I HOPE YOU SEE YOUR DOC. My rash, on the other hand, is merely humiliating--my chief fear is that people will mistake it for ACNE--but certainly not life threatening or painful. But even when tx has been dramatic in the worst sense, I've found it all rather funny. My partner and I have shared some real belly laughs, especially during the first third of treatment when I was still freshly demented. So was the list at that time and I used to come here for the black humor which I would relay to R., who found it hilarious. Both of us are chronically in a dither about the state of the world, and we stay sane by clowning, so it was great grist for the mill.
It truly helps to have a tragic sense of life. This is actually the second tenet of the Church of Interferon, the first one being I got it off a toilet seat.
I am inclined to agree w/ Rev. My last rash--upper torso--was autoimmune and the welt-like things resolved themselves after several weeks. Believe it or not, I am not in a hurry about this one. After several months on tx the big events slow down and it becomes a lot easier to become more blase about it all. Herb Queen, hah! More like Green Queen, given my daily recurrent nausea all through tx. But this is not a complaint...it just is what it is.
Laika, you definitely deserve the St. Francis award. Perhaps you'll adopt all of us as your beloved critters?
Echinacea, hmmm....I'm no expert but my instinct would be to leave it alone as it stimulates immune response. What we would want is something that would interrupt or interfere with that process. But I think I'll just live with the durn rash. Things have gotten a lot easier since I cut eye holes in the paper bag I'm wearing over my head. Adaptation, that's the key.
Laika, you definitely deserve the St. Francis award. Perhaps you'll adopt all of us as your beloved critters?
Echinacea, hmmm....I'm no expert but my instinct would be to leave it alone as it stimulates immune response. What we would want is something that would interrupt or interfere with that process. But I think I'll just live with the durn rash. Things have gotten a lot easier since I cut eye holes in the paper bag I'm wearing over my head. Adaptation, that's the key.
Adaptability...you're so right. Isn't it enough to feel like **** all the time without having to worry about how you look? I have the luxury of not having to care, since my job is not in the public eye. Increasingly, on the occasions that I show my face in public, they have to take me "as is". It bothers me less and less what anyone might think, including myself.
I don't know about St Francis. It's easy to like animals. They're a lot less complicated than people.
I'm glad you're bearing up ok. I guess you've tried to crystalized ginger for nausea? It happens to be one of the things that actually tastes good to me, but I haven't had much nausea yet. Today I bought some Gatorade-substitute from the health food store to try...can't bring myself to drink dye & god knows what else is in there just to get some electrolytes. We'll see about this stuff...
Laika
I don't know about St Francis. It's easy to like animals. They're a lot less complicated than people.
I'm glad you're bearing up ok. I guess you've tried to crystalized ginger for nausea? It happens to be one of the things that actually tastes good to me, but I haven't had much nausea yet. Today I bought some Gatorade-substitute from the health food store to try...can't bring myself to drink dye & god knows what else is in there just to get some electrolytes. We'll see about this stuff...
Laika
"Adaptation" is also a great flick starring Nicholas Cage and Meryl Streep. In fact, it's a perfect video to rent on shot night. You should check it out. It'll make you wish you could create a Califia twin who would take on all the burdens of treatment for you.
Hope you're doing well.
Susan
Hope you're doing well.
Susan
I've been thinking about this face rash stuff. I think the standard skin things don't work because the reason for the rash is not the standard. It is probably a result of the trashing of one's immune system by the interferon/riboviron.
This may seem silly, herb queen, so tell me what you think:
I have a lot of animals and so am always having to deal with some weird medical thing or other. I try to get the animal well by all the standard things recommended by vets, and if it doesn't work out, I start in with alternative methods. The one herb that has worked dramatically for me in treating my animals is echinecea. I'm talking back from death. I have read that taking echinecea with hepC is not a good idea. But I take it anyway on those rare occasions when I feel some ick coming on. I don't take it for very long, and so don't think it's a big deal.
I was wondering about trying this for your rash: Get a tincture of echinecea and mix it in with your face cream or with some aloe & vit E and smear it all over your face. Or make a tea with it, put in a little spray bottle & spray your face. When I began using the echinacea on my animals, I was told "put it in their food, water, on their skin". Which I did. Perhaps you should not take it internally, but it may help to use it externally. What do you think?
Laika
This may seem silly, herb queen, so tell me what you think:
I have a lot of animals and so am always having to deal with some weird medical thing or other. I try to get the animal well by all the standard things recommended by vets, and if it doesn't work out, I start in with alternative methods. The one herb that has worked dramatically for me in treating my animals is echinecea. I'm talking back from death. I have read that taking echinecea with hepC is not a good idea. But I take it anyway on those rare occasions when I feel some ick coming on. I don't take it for very long, and so don't think it's a big deal.
I was wondering about trying this for your rash: Get a tincture of echinecea and mix it in with your face cream or with some aloe & vit E and smear it all over your face. Or make a tea with it, put in a little spray bottle & spray your face. When I began using the echinacea on my animals, I was told "put it in their food, water, on their skin". Which I did. Perhaps you should not take it internally, but it may help to use it externally. What do you think?
Laika
I am 10 months post tx and get a rash on my face too. I am now seeing a doc trying to figue out whats up. I have other problems too. Doubledose had sx for a long time too. Did you do extended tx by any chance? My doc seems to think it may be an autoimmune problem. I'm waiting for some test results now. I should here tomorrow. LL
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