Headache and Txt

I'm on 1200 Ribavirin and Pegasys 22/48 1.a.  I've always had problems with headaches but its getting progressively worse. I'm taking way too many tylenols and darvon. I wake up and go to sleep with headaches. My GP had me get a MRI and my brain is fine. My GP wrote a prescription for Vicodin and I'll pick them up after work today. Hopefully they will work. I may not be able to take them while at work but it sure will be good to get some relief other times.

Anyone here have the same problem? Do you think it is caused more by the Pegasys or Ribavirin?

Thanks!

[GSDgirl]

Vicodan never touched my headaches, I had the problem before TX.  Mine are from the axis (very top of the cevercial spine) being out of wack.  The headaches were not always in the same area of the head.  An ice pack / frozen veggies kinda wrapped around the back & sides of my neck always helps.  And so does my chiro.  The ice can't hurt if there is a problem in the alignment of your neck, it will take any swelling down.

Good Luck............Denise

[Kathy73]

Thanks for the advice but while I've always had headaches they have gotten out of control during tx. Even before tx I couldn't treat with anything except tylenol because of ITP which is a platelet disorder. My headaches are in the front and feel like tension or sinus infections (althought they are not).

[GSDgirl]

Yuck!!  I hate headaches

[Kathy73]

Meeee tooooo!

[GreatBird]

I used to get tension headaches when I was in my 20's. Bleh.

Have you tried increasing your water to see if it will help? Maybe they are somewhat tied in to how dehydrated we can get on these meds.

[epiphiny]

Good point, GB. I never got headaches until I started tx and they have been an on and off ongoing side effect for the past 47 weeks.  Sometimes it feels like someone has a skill saw and sawing through the side of my head, or has buried a hatchet in my forehead!!

I have really noticed that there is a correlation between how much water I have consumed and how intense the headaches are.   There are days when I have had to drink 3 to 4 litres to clear them.  I end up feeling like a water barrel with legs but at least the headaches ease off...

Hope you find some relief too.

[epiphiny]

Oh, forgot to mention, they did ease off a bit when I had my riba reduction but since I have increased it again they are back in force...

[CMcH]

I agree with the others to keep your water intake up. I also find that my vision is impaired and I am very sensitive to light. By afternoon at work with the bright lights and my eyes straining at the computer screen I get a head ache between my eyes. No matter how many eye drops I use. When I get home I have to rest my eyes in the dark for about an hour then it gets better. It is also better on the weekends when I don't work. Although this last weekend with the wind and spring pollen it feels like a sinus headache. I rarely had problems with allergies but this year it seems to be affecting me more. I have tried Claritan
but worry about anything that would dehydrate me. It is hard to tell what causes what these day's. Best of luck to you, drink a lot and get lots of rest.
Connie

[Isobella]

I do get a headache now a few hours after my shot.  And I wake up with that hangover headache feeling.  Water is the only thing that helps me with that.  Here at week 37, water is become my cure-all....that and sleep, lol!

I also have allergies and live on mucinex--yay Spring blooms.

Hope you find some relief.

[Rockerforlife]

Funny thing ,with my first round of TX back in 2006 i dad headaches all tru TX...this time im on triple therapy and no headaches.

[powerbuilt]

I also get headaches with these meds,I then visit my chiroprator 3 or 4 times and I am good for about 3 weeks to a month

[orleans]

Have you ever tried Imitrex?? Works wonders for me.

[Kathy73]

Thank you so much for your words of encouragement and advice! I drink water all day long, both at work and home with the results of spending considerable time going back and forth to the ladies' room.
Thanks Epithany for confirming the co-relation with Riba. That reinforces my belief that not only am I getting the headaches from the Interferon, but also the Ribavirin.
Orleans, I thought Imitrex was for migraine?
Anyway, I tried the Vicodin last night and for the first time in over 4 months my headache went away. Even with popping too many tylenol and darvons the headache was always in the background. I don't want to get "hooked" on the Vicodin, but the relief is fantastic.
I'm back to the morning headache and don't want to take the powerful pill at work. The whole idea is for me to take my shot on Thursday night, suffer through the weekends and not miss any work. In this economy none of us can afford to lose the jobs we have.