I finished 12 weeks of a clinical study regarding the new Merck drugs. They were both protease inhibitors, mk-5172 and mk-8742. I was pretty ill before I started treatment and believed that all the symptoms I had before tx were all Hep C related. I guess some could have been to some extent.
I have hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, polyneuropathy, migraine headaches and major brain fog. I do into these crashes or episodes wherein all my symptoms come on at once and I'm in pure pain. I found out that I have severe adrenal exhaustion and probably had it for years but my GP didn't send me for any tests at all before I went on treatment. I had to travel back and forth on the bus because the study is in Vancouver, BC which is about 200 miles from where I live. So, all fall and winter I have been travelling back and forth on the Greyhound bus, yahoo!! I had to get sick several times travelling on the bus in the tiny washroom on the back of the bus.
I did it though and have a SVR12 as of March 10th of this year!!! That was all fine and dandy until I was not feeling any better after treatment even though I didn't have the virus anymore. I saw a naturopathic/physician and found out from her that I have severe adrenal fatigue and there is a mile long of symptoms regarding this syndrome. No wonder I was nauseaus every day for years and vomiting a lot as well. That made more sense to me regarding these symptoms and at least they had a name.
I'm taking hydrocortisone, DHEA, Synthroid for my thyroid and iron pills. I also take a bunch of different supplements as well. I was so disappointed that I didn't feel better a few weeks after treatment like a lot of people did but I had to get to the bottom of this. I need to get back to work but part-time and I can't do that until these adrenal crashes start going away because they are too unpredictable. I'm a single mum of a teenage daughter so its been tough taking care of myself and making sure I steer her in the right direction which has been difficult this year as she has been skipping here and there in high school. The vice-principal and I are keeping tabs on her because she's a very bright girl and she definitely has to graduate. Sometimes, I just don't have the energy to deal with a whole lot of issues.
At least in Canada, we get a disability pension but it doesn't cover the inflation and there is 2 weeks after cheque day that people are just scraping by. A person really needs to get some kind of part-time job just to make ends meet. I'm workng on my adrenals so that my energy gets better but I was also wondering how you can get checked for any autoimmune diseases? I have all the info about extra-hepatic diseases and really thought that I could have cryoglobulemia but I don't know. I would have to go to Vancouver, BC to see a specialist there about these issues. I may have a couple of problems on the list but not all of them.
I just want to get on top of my health and finally make my life and my daughters life full of abundance as we have been living frugally for quite awhile. This Hep C has made me so debilitated here and there and my life had been reduced to sitting inside all summer because of my unrelenting nausea and sometimes vomiting. I just want my life back and be able to enjoy it, have fun and do things. Also, maybe meet the love of my life sometime in the future. That last guy turned into a real jerk and basically deserted me when I was very ill. Sayanara to him as I don't want someone who is so impatient and has no compassion. That was last October so I can start creating a better life.
I also wanted to ask if anyone has had sore lymph nodes but not swollen ones? Its off and on but I don't want to find out down the road that I have lymphoma and I'm not being a hypochondriac. I don't want to miss a beat.
I hope all of you aren't suffering too badly and if you had a kind and loving partner, kudos to you!!
I am sorry you are suffering. I had problems after treating. it took me 18 months to start to feel better. I have been told that is not the norm however I just wanted to say I never thought about getting my adrenals tested. Good for you for looking into it, getting information and treating it.
I was so sick and tired after treating I could not make myself go to another doctor. I really admire you so much for being able to find out what was wrong. As I recovered I often wondered if the tx had caused some kind of deficiency but at the time I was having problems with my thyroid so thought it was that. In hindsight I should have done more research.
I completely understand wanting your life back. That was my mantra all during and after tx. I also said "I want my brain back!"...oh and my hair :)
I just saw another post of yours about panic attacks. About 10 years after I think I contracted HCV I started having panic attacks and the thought was that my thyroid was causing it. I started on medication and it did help me quite a bit. During tx, my thyroid got out of balance so that I was very hypo.
Thank you for sharing
Good luck to you
Dee