Best Way to Treat Psychiatric Symptoms on TX

[BoceprevirGal]

What methods have you found most helpful, in dealing with psychiatric or "mood" problems, that have developed while you were on TX for your Hep C?

[BoceprevirGal]

Thanks, babs.  I'm on week 10 of the Triple TX.  It's the day after my Inf shot, and Procrit shot, and I just woke up so grumpy! But I was just too tired and achey to fight with my husband, although he gave it a good try, after a few of my awful remarks.

[Dawn703]

Yeah it is expensive. I too heard that higher doses work best. I started out taking 200 mg and thought that I would increase it over time, but have not had to. I am still taking only 200 mg. I may think about it once I'm done with treatment and I am in the liver healing stage.

[babs824]

interesting feedback. i started effexor in 1998 planning to treat for hep c. i noticed that i felt better than i had for 50 yrs so i stayed on it even tho i postponed tx for more than a decade. when i finally treated i doubled the dose with doctors advice and it worked well. i am now back to original low dose. i cant imagine myself with out it. i was very grumpy and short patient even with the medical help, the cat, and on line help from the great folks here. didnt lose any good friends but am grateful for the help of all kinds. good luck, babs

[BoceprevirGal]

  I have taken samE in the past, and felt like it kept me feeling calm, but I wish they would lower the price, because from what I've researched, high doses work better.

[Dawn703]

I started taking samE about two weeks before I started treatment. By the way, my Dr. allowed this. I have had only mild to no mood issues as of yet. I think the issues I do have are related to just being tired. Start my 9th week of triple therapy with Incivek tomorrow.

[orphanedhawk]

You can reply to medhelp if that's what you're asking.
Since I'm not on FB or YT, I can't respond to differences.

[JasmineT]

I really needed the ADs but I think I needed this forum more.  Forever grateful to those here that share there experiences, knowledge, and support.  It makes all the difference.

[working dog]

i started zoloft 2 months pre tx...and stayed on it for 2 months post tx...

[BoceprevirGal]

Hi OH. Yeah, picking favorites is a little silly. The whole point of me doing the poll. was to get alot of answers. But I'm glad they reminded me about the poll, because I just read a funny answer, from JillyBean, which made me smile, and I had missed it before, and I like to respond to people, when they answer me, just to awknowledge, communicate, and be supportive.
   Now, here is the question, if I "reply" to her, will she get a reminder that I responded, or no? Because on YT and FB, we do get these little reminders...just curious~

[orphanedhawk]

Picking a best answer is your option, do it if you like, or ignore it.

I usually delete the letter when medhelp sends it to me because usually I think most of the answers are  good and don't care to call one better than the rest.

[rambleon40]

Antidepressants and a tincture of time have helped me.

I would also swear on a Bible that eating a lot of bread on Monday will cause me to be depressed on Tuesday, as well as ( but distinct from) flaring my arthritis and psoriasis.

[BoceprevirGal]

The MedHelp people have asked me to pick a "best answer" for this poll, but for some odd reason, this old mac doesn't show the box, which I once did find in the left bottem corner~
   But I like this answer from his3707....because I love kittens! I can also relate to the answer the best, from a personal point of view: my local friends have not been that great, in supporting me.

[BoceprevirGal]

Oh, hahahhh... I havent been able to do other kinds of drugs, like pills, since I caught this Hep C, 20 years ago! But before the Hep, I can remember there being pills I liked, like Valium, etc.(hard on the liver, I'm sure)
    Who knows what I would uncover, if I asked people what they used for their physically painful symptoms? I'm like an Ostrich, with my head in the sand, because last time I took a Tylenol, for a flu I was coming down with, right before my TX began, I ended up writhing on the bed, with roving cramps in my muscles!
   My husband had his right leg amputated in a motorcycle accident, years ago, and I have noticed that none of those pills (Norco, etc) that the Doctor prescribers to him, seem to help much, I guess because of tolerance issues~

[BoceprevirGal]

Yes, that's true about the exercise: At first, I was still able to slowly walk my little dog, but now that I have had my second Procrit shot, I have developed a weakness in my right thigh, where it connects to the hip socket, and I fear it will colapse if I limp along with it...this is the last straw!  No, wait..it's not, I am only 9 weeks into treatment, so as they say in A.A., "more shall be revealed!"
   Hey, good for you, to make the long trip, to get your support.  I am afraid, if I show up at A.A., that I will scare the winos, with my chalky white face, with the dark cirlces (maybe from low platelets?) But...I am thinking of going to an N.A. meeting, and I can use my face and story, to scare young people, who think they might want to carry their drug problems a little furthur!

[jules2551]

Where is the part about taking your psyche meds on time just like the other Hep C meds.

[desrt]

Exercise can actually be a workable substitute for SSRI type ADs for some people. Trouble is, to actually make changes in your brain chemistry, it has to be done for set amounts of time and certain intervals. For someone on Procrit, 40-45 minutes of brisk, non-stop walking 3 or 4 times a week may not be an option.

12 step can be good, if you can find the right group. No NA near where I live, so I made the 200 mile round trip to an AA group three times a week. Those poor winos probably learned more about IFN than they wanted, but they were good support.

I found prayer helpful, especally in dealing with road rage.

Marx Brothers movies. For those times my ex decided she just had to drop off a 4, 7, and 12 year old the day after shot day.

[Advocate1955]

My husband's NP started him on Lexapro in 2007 before the first treatment, added Trazodone to the Lexapro in 2010 in the middle of second treatment, and switched Lexapro to Citalopram prior to starting triple tx.  Each worked well each time.
Advocate1955

[his3707]

I started on an ad, didnt do much that I can say, switched to another, didnt do much that I can say. switched to zyprexa for mental disorders, made me worse that I could tell.  I ended up on nothing chemical and just delt with it the last 3 months.  I did get two kittens that helped me sooo much.  And of course this forum has been my daily emotional support.  Asked for help from family but didnt get much. But we;re all still here.   My so called friends local didnt do much. They have their own problems.  I had a few long distant friends that were there for me several times.  

[Dee1956]

Pretty funny, thanks for sharing

Bo, thanks for the poll

[Dee1956]

Hey there, like Gerbils I could not choose between the AD's and on line support so I chose the on line support as my number 1 followed closely by any medical means to help me......hey NYgirl, where do you get medical heroin?....hmmmm 72 weeks?

[Jillybean65]

I live in a mj state and doctor had me get my card.  Here's the problem - I went and picked up some edibles and nobody gave me any information on what to do (having never done it before).  I came home and ate the whole da#@ brownie - yah, quit laughing, it was horrible!

My daughter got off the bus at 3 and walked in and I told her, "Mom did a dumb thing."  She stomped around and asked if I had eated and taken my meds yet.  I told her, "No."  She then fed me as I laid there all wigged out for a couple of hours - THEN I ended up walking around my property in circles (thankfully no neighbors could see) for about 2 more hours and when people talked to me I, yah, pointless.  

When I went back to my doctor and he asked about it I just told him, never again doc.  We'll just stick to the AD and nausea meds.  I told the doctor that they should really print some directions with those things because now I'm to afraid to try it again! lol

[BoceprevirGal]

Lol@ "heavy pain meds"...but who wants to itch and puke anyway?

[BoceprevirGal]

Yes, I have the same problem. I feel like some of the casual aquaintences I know (who also have knowledge that I am on treatment) can sense that I am in a weakened state ( I'm usually very strong and athletic) and have picked this time to bicker with me.
   I am on triple tx, plus two weeks on Procrit...I noticed the other day, while struggling to keep my temper, while this guy was bugging me, that my heart was beating stronger then usual, and quicker, so I am being more cautious who I spend time talking with...all this at a local neighborhood coffee-shop~

[orphanedhawk]

Getting out in the fresh air, taking a walk, looking at the~~sky always lifts my spirits.
During tx, I forced myself off the couch and out the door almost daily.
I truly believe the best defensive we have against the side effects is physical movement.

Other than that, turning off the news, turning up the music, watching comedies, coming here to vent, mj gets my mind off myself, letting it out in my drawings.
Actually, I avoided most of my friends because of my irritability.