HCV: What were your symptoms BEFORE treatment?

[niceguy2007]

Dear all,

please share your symptoms due to HCV disease, before you started treatment?

[jmjm530]

It was terrible before treatment.

I had all this energy I was forced to channel into time-consuming things like work, relationships, sports, etc. I found myself outdoors a lot doing silly things like running when no one was chasing me, swimming when I don't have any gills, and sometimes riding a contraption with two wheels and a chain that I had to power myself when I had a car in the garage. Sometimes I'd even race other folks just for the fun of it. Can you figure?

Now that I've treated with Interferon and Ribavirin things are a lot better. Because I've developed skin problems that are exacerbated by both a severe sensitivity to the sun, as well as strenous exercise, I can spend a lot more quality time indoors. No more running around outside. No more getting wet in the pool. No more silly bicycle shorts. As for relationships? Vastly overrated. And with all the time I now have to spend inside the house, thankfully it's pretty darn hard to meet people.

Post treatment is wonderful.

------------------------------------------------------

Note: Some poetic license above but couldn't help myself :) I am 16 weeks post treatment and probably cleared the virus but not 100% sure. Post treatment side effects include sebopsoriasis and rosacea both of which I had prior to treatment but in extremely mild forms. The literature as well as my dermatologists suggest the Interferon caused them to flare. So far it has a significang effect on my QOL. Hopefully, things will get better as time goes on.

[sunspot]

I started with fatigue and off and on liver area pain. For about 1 year pre-tx, the pain was causing QOL issues. My stats were stage 1, grade 1. I could of postponed tx except for the pain. One month after starting tx, the pain went away.

[NYgirl]

I had no symptoms that I know of at all and didn't even know I had it - and wouldn't have known I had it if the AST/ALTs weren't raise in a CBC

[Dale_Ray]

Prior to treatment life was good. Real good. The way it should be. This S**t we poke and pry into our bodies is probably worthless other than making some drug company CEO rich. I started the treatment so I wouldn't have to fight it later in life. Now I just hope I haven't done permanent damage by taking this treatment. I had a not so good weekend and attitude not to positive this morning. I hope everyone is doing well today. D

[niceguy2007]

oh yeah, i almost forgot to write down one more symptom:

a day after my workout, just before the fever started, i got these very STRONG shooting pains in my back and shoulder muscles...and they persisted for about 4 hours...they were not the standard "workout aches" that people normally get...these were really bad shooting pains.

[can-do-man]

I second what dale-ray said.

[amirtracy]

Like Chevy, I didn't know i had symptoms until i knew what the symptoms were. I had a swollen lymph gland in my pelvis and soft-tissue swelling at the base of my neck. I had a hard time losing weight even tho' i tried everything/excercise/dieting/etc. I had spider veins that i thought were genetic on my fathers side (didn't occur to me he was an alcoholic w/ cirrhosis and that was why HE had them) and occasional unexplained fatigue. had elevated alt's and ast's. that's it.

[amirtracy]

you're funny.

(i know it's not funny)

[can-do-man]

You mean them isn't normal everyday things people do?

[way]

The only symptom I had was fatigue but it was debilitating enough to make me realize and know something was WRONG.

[niceguy2007]

my symptoms started last month.  

i developed fever after a strenuous workout, 100.5 F

this fever persisted for 4 days at 99F

then i took penincillin RIGHT AFTER a penincilin for a minor gum infection...this antibiotic dose started strange allergic reactions...nausea, burning,heat in the stomach...

i got myself tested for HCV antibody, came out positive, ALT was 216. viral load was 70,000 IU/ml

The fever continued for 15 days thereafter.  Maximum recorded fever was 101.5 F, and included chills.

Started homeopathic treatment that included a milk thistle preparation.  ALT normalized to 24 in 15 days, and virus load reduced to 13,000 IU/ml

[dancegirl54]

I'm not treating yet and feel OK except for migraines and sun sensitivity - is it HCV related? Who knows. But about 8-10 years ago, I had a lot of auto immune type symptoms, terrible fatigue, some joint/muscle pain, etc.  Ended up at a rheumatoligist who diagnosed me with lupus.  Hep doc says I do NOT have lupus, and those symptoms got better with diet changes and exercise - not to say I don't occasionally feel tired but it's better and manageable.

[Upbeat]

I never hear anyone mention about being sick when they first contact the virus.  I was sicker than a dog. At first I thought it was the flu.  After a couple of weeks I had my blood checked and that is when I found out non type a or b. I ended up kicking it but turned chronic.  This is how its suppose to work.

                                                           Ron

[bobbyullc]

my symtons and sides pre and post tx are exactly like jim's.
4 weeks post tx i can not go in the sun,have bad rosacrea, psoriasis and just slept for 12 hours and need a nap.
it does save on money as all i do is watch tv and read.
any one want to buy a boat,jet skis and 2 atv's?
nap time,
bobby

[jmjm530]

I remember you said you had problems with psoriasis but didn't realize you also have rosacea. Are you taking any meds for it, etc?
Another member Ina (Eisbein) also has had problems with rosacea and seb dermatitis both during and post treatment. I feel like dracula these days staying inside until the sun goes down. Well, gotta go now and find someone to bite :)

-- Jim

[amirtracy]

I'd buy your boat but i'd have to find a buyer to buy it from me after i bought it from you 'cuz i ain't moving either.

[Stvski80085]

I have only done a couple doses.  I never noticed anything about the hep c until I would sleep and sleep and sleep.  I too can sleep 12 hourss and can go right back to bed if it wasn't for the cotton mouth and dry skin.  I will take these sides  over some of the others.

Take care,

Steve

[can-do-man]

any one want to buy a boat,jet skis and 2 atv's?


Will they fit in my bathtub?

[MissMiss]

I almost hate to post here since most of you only mention some fatigue and I don't want to sound like a whiner.  But, here goes.

First, I believe I contracted this at the age of 13.  I got sick right away for about a month or two but was shined on since I had just had my appendicts out.  Doc left some pieces of steel in my gut too. I was an active farm girl prior. Over the next few years my activity level dropped from fatigue and joint type pains, my A-B grades dropped cause I just couldn't think clearly for long, I started burning more in the sun.  More years past and I developed Reynauds.  My hands and legs hurt most of the time.  Thought I had lupus or fibro or Hepstein Barr but never enough tests to really dx anything since there was no insurance and never saw the same doc 2x.

I married and had a family.  Fatigue was always a very real issue and had a bad spell with migraines.  I always drove myself to do more and more but always at a price.

I will say I was probably seriously dehydrated through those years.  See, at about 10 years old we found a dead rat in our well and I had to help clean it out and hated water since then.

On tx, nothing really went away, but has gotten worse I think. I am positive for Cryo.  QOL, for me, has always been an issue.  Is it due to HCV only?  Maybe, maybe not.  I don't know but do believe it is a big factor. Maybe the cryo explains some. If I clear this stuff, I hope QOL goes up, I pray it does.  A few more weeks unless I extend because of the cryo.

miss

[Dale_Ray]

Ron:
I was never sick or had any symtoms. Doctor said that was somewhat normal for people with HCV. Sorry you had the bad bout with it. I understand why they call this the silent plague. It just sits there and eats at you and you aren't even aware. Dale