First shot - no side effects?!

[GingerB]

Yesterday I had my first pegasys shot at 2:30 pm and took 3 riba pills with dinner at 6:30 pm.
I followed everyones advice and all day I drank lots of water and took my riba pills with some fat in my dinner meal.  I took tylenol just in case.  Surprisingly I had no side effects?  Can there be any reasons why not?  Believe me - I am not complaining!  just curious.  Would some/any side effects be expected when putting these types of meds into your body?  I know it is just the beginning for me....Ginger B.

[wed1942]

Hi!
I'm thinking I'm going to be starting treatment by the end of this month. Hope so at any rate. I'm interested in hearing how you're doing and what everyone says to do for the different side effects. Glad it's going good so far for you. Hope it stays that way. I'm taking notes so I know what to do if I have certain symptoms. I'll be watching for your progress. Thanks for the info.

[GingerB]

Thank you all.  I appreciate your feedback.  It's good to hear your advice and what you have been through.  Day 2 - and so far so good!  Thanks.  And Good Luck to all....Ginger B.

[H20Lover]

I too did not have anything "happen" the first time and I am about to do shot 9 and still not much happening.  But it is sooooo subjective.  We all reactive different.  My blood count took a swoop but has now leveled off and doc does not think I will need helper drugs.

I get a little tired by the end of the day, but have not really been sick and have not missed work at all or any functions for that matter.  

Adherance and complience is so important, so even if you do get some sides, STICK WITH IT!

May you continue as you are now!

Pam

[charm27]

Glad your first shot went well. I had no problems either on shot #1.
GO0D LUCK


Charm27

[nygirl7]

Consider yourself lucky!

I didn't get any of the so cold "flu-like" symptoms until about week 30, then it just came out of nowhere for a few weeks and left again.

Different side affects come at different times.  You kind of cycle through it, find a cure for it (ie: Epogen for the Anemia) and then move on and wait to see if anything else comes up.  They are very many and varied and run the gammit from not sleeping at all to being too tired to get out of bed.

Make sure you watch your hemo and take all your doses right on time and pray you continue to have it easy.  You are very lucky!

Debby

[Yellowfin]

I haven't started treatment.  Going to the family doctor today for a referal to the Hepatologist.  Hope your lack of side effects continue.  I know the potential side effects is what scares me the most.  I need to work and like to be active, but I am experiencing fatigue right now so hopfully it won't be worse.

Good luck!!!  Let me know how it progresses and what I shold expect.

Thanks

[Bobby1952]

I too get very little side direct side effects from the Interferon and Riba itself. But my WBC fell along with Hemaglobin levels. That is what i feel. (The indirect side effects). The Hemaglobin levels make me feel tired and I don't feel like doing anything and when I do I get exausted easily. The WBC going down caused a Fungal infection that I couldn't shake even with prescription drugs for over 2 months. The side effects (Direct and Indirect) will come and go over treatment. Don't be afraid to complain to your doctor when they do really bother you.

[zazza]

I also had no side effects of my first shot. I was very surprised by this. In fact my first 4 weeks were pretty much without side effects. Then the fall in hemoglobin hit me and I spent the next months in bed, too tired to be out of bed.

Some say that little sx might be a sign of the drugs not working so well, but I don't know, I sure have had my cut of sx later on in treatment, so I think it just varies during time. We are on these meds for such a long time.

When my body eventually got adjusted to the low hemoglobin level, I started to see more clearly the sx of the interferon shot. The days after the shot are worst, then I feel better as the week goes along, only to have it all start over again at next shot day. But remember, tx is DOABLE!