Any advice on helping the body detox from tx?

[Wilful1]

As I get closer to concluding my tx, I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to move the riba and interferon out of the body faster.  Perhaps it wouldn't be a good idea as there might continue to be some protection against a breakthrough???  After 48 weeks I have developed some patience, but I look forward to having some energy, my hair beginning to thicken again, and the ability to think and read.  I have not been able to read for any length of time and comprehend much, especially any new material.  Just curious about some healthy eating, etc. to get me started again.
Thanks,
Wilful

[newleaf09]

Treatment and its association to LIfe-or-Death has been the weirdest feeling.  I found myself excited on shot days and blood draw days.  Made me feel like I was in control of SOMETHING.  When shots were delayed because of blood problems I was anxious about getting back to it.

At end of TX, I worried about remaining OCD about the dosing schedule.  I took every single dose of everything and was rarely even late with a dose.  But when I returned the bottles and gear like dosing diary and hated sharps container, a weight was lifted.  After 6 mos. of compulsively staying up for the 2 pm dose or 10 pm dose and automatically bouncing up at 6 am to get started, the compulsion just completely disappeared.  I never even thought of the dosing times, slept late, just plain forgot all about it.  Maybe my psyche thinks "Okay, my part is finished".  Whatever, the most satisfying thing I have done to date is erase all of the alarms from my cell phone and my biggest worry is getting up the nerve to eventually have a glass of wine at dinner or a wedding, since I have so thoroughly brain-washed myself against alcohol.

[lalapple]

personally, i would just try to keep it normal like before, i don't want to do anything to interfere with the half life of the treatment drugs, just give it some time to leave on it's own step by step

[Isobella]

I have been fighting the urge to do my shot a day earlier each week for the past few weeks.  Fortunately I have a study-buddy here that is helping me to be patient.  And already the anxiety about my 6 month pcr is trying to creep into the corners of my foggy brain, yikes....lol!

I wish I could take all my meds now and be done.  On the other hand, I wish I could hourd them and take them forever.  

Forever is a stretch.  But I still want to hourd them.

[Marc1955]

I've just completed 72 weeks. I'm like a parrot – all I ever say is exercise, exercise, exercise. There's no evidence to support it, but that's my approach. I figure the exercise helps heal cells and improve neural pathways in the brain. It also helps me hydrate a lot. So that's my approach for getting back on my feet.

If I could, I'd suggest getting off those ADs as soon as possible. They are such a huge crutch. And now you don't need them. You won't feel normal until you get off them. I didn't have the best experience and I'm sure they could have been calibrated better, but in my case (as in many) they impair judgement, change your affect, lessen libido, and reduce energy. Right now my guess is cleansing them from your system is going to be more of an issue that stopping the treatment itself.

Good luck and congratulations!

[Wilful1]

My doctor said the interferon would leave faster and used the example of didn't I feel better toward the end of the week after my shot? Which is true and gave me a few weeks to start feeling better from that, but  he said the riba would take longer to exit my body. Maybe a month or two, but who knows how much each individual processes meds.  I wanted to give myself my last shot today instead of tomorrow, but he wants me to keep on schedule lol.  Now I know why NYGirl wanted to keep going after 72 weeks of treatment.  Can't wait for the end but afraid of the consequences when it does.  I guess the docs have to say what is SOC.  And as others have said all of us have individual chemistry of the body and will react differently to all challeges our bodies face.  Anyway, Isobella, I'm glad to know you are close to the end and I'm just going to try to continue to eat well and take my vitamins.

[susan400]

As said above, the water thing!  Also, eating healthy.  The weight seems to come back on faster than most of us would like so, as soon as you're up for it, I recommend a good exercise program.  That also helps with the post treatment mood problems that can crop up.  I also like Green Tea, which has a lot of scientific back-up for it, which it is basically good for anybody, w/Hep C, or w/o Hep C.  Make sure that you don't automatically jump right back into sunbathing as the Riba will take time to cleanse out of you and you might get a nasty sunburn....   Thanks all.  Best of luck to you.   Susan400

[Isobella]

possible.  

Operator error kept my "p" from working...sorry.

[Isobella]

I am curious what your doc said about the half life of interferon.  I recently had someone esle say that they thought it was longer than riba, but I thought it was way shorter.

I am reading this to say that interferons half life is 85 hours?

http://www.roche.com/pages/facets/10/pegasyse.htm

and this one to say that riba's is 40 days?

http://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov/DrugsNew/DrugDetailT.aspx?int_id=28

I have 2 shots left and have the same concerns...do we want to get it out of our systems ASAP...or keep it as long as  

[Wilful1]

Thanks for responding, as always there is always comfort in your words.  I just came back from the doctor's office and asked him some similar questions, but I have found that sometimes they brush off non-medical people; however, I really liked my doctor and at first he laughed because I used the word "detox" and said, it sounds like I turned you into a junkie.  But then he did discuss the life of interferon and riba, so that made me feel better.  Still I think I get better comfort, support, and encouragement here because there are so many variables with each person and that translates into someone always giving a heads-up on what "might" happen.  I have been taking two different ADs and have no intention of stopping them right away.  I have much to consider:  hope I attain SVR, finding another job, reworking my relationships. etc.  And my doctor said to watch out for putting on weight fast after completing tx because he didn't want to be treating me for fatty liver disease.  He said you might put on thirty pounds and I said I would still be ahead because I lost forty lol.  Part of my curve during the weeks has been to be emotional and then not so nice, so that is another reason I will continue with ADs.  Thanks everyone.

[newleaf09]

I finished TX 9 days ago and think Rita may have something in her assessment that sides go away in reverse order to when they started.  You just manage them on the way out like you did on the way in.

After 5 days I started to have a glimmer of energy and enthusiasm.   Yesterday (8 days post) I started working in my garden again and doing a little easy housework.  Just easy jobs but I can now get something done.  I'm sure my hgb is starting to creep back up.  My rash is still with me but is less red and I think more air exposure is key, since the arm rash is less angry than the normally covered leg rash.  Cough seems to be slowing down and dry eyes are still improving, though still with me.  Still so thirsty that if I don't drink plenty of H2O during day, the thirst will wake me at night.  Night sweats pretty soon after discontinuation of riba and boceprevir, my protease inhibitor from trial.  I thought that would be connected to the interferon withdrawal and was surprised of the riba connection.  I figured out it was fevers breaking in the night and tylenol at bedtime helps. A late SX, pain in feet, is beginning to go away already.  Sleep sarted to improve a bit after 5-6 days off riba.  Still normalizing.

I think that after 2 full weeks of meds, I will feel pretty decent.  Remember that it took a full month to completely saturate the system with the meds and a month will be the minimum time to see them go away.  Interferon, because of the pegylated formulation that helps it stay in the system longer, should be expected to take longer to exit.

There is an interferon emotional backlash that you should anticipate.  People not taking AD's have been unpleasantly surprised by a burst of emotion a few weeks after stopping the interferon.  Other posters have convinced me to wait for that to pass before reducing my AD to start getting off of it.

9 days post TX, I don't have much to complain about, but have not figured a way to get the process going any faster. Current pace is pretty decent.

[nygirl7]

As said above keep drinking water and eating properly.  At this point you don't really need to worry about the meds being flushed out of your system too quickly because honestly either your UND and your immune system has been trained to kick out any remnants if there are any left - or not.

The Interferon will be gone very quickly - I could tell because I had the tongue ulcers all through treatment but in two weeks they were completely and totally gone.  The riba now that's a whole different animal and it has an incredibly long half life which you'll just have to wait out, I mean it's in your cells now and not going to go anyplace in a few days.  More like six months probably (although I really have no real time frame you get what I mean).

[FloridaMouse]

Make sure you keep your water intake up.   I made the mistake the first time I treated of cutting it back almost immediately.

Mouse

[rita863]

I think the same as sides effects, it the same process for recovering from treatment.  Its all different for everyone.  I felt better pretty fast.  I had no choice I moved a week later and went back to work full time.  My hair started to grow in pretty quick, the rash went away about 10 days after riba. The energey come each day!
For me just eating again was helping!!!

Good Luck
peac
rita