I took the first shot!!!

Hello everyone,
    Well, I did it, I took the first shot last night and at first thought it would not be bad but as the night wore on I started to feel severe muscle cramping and this am I feel like someone beat me up. I also have a mild headache. I"m praying the sx will lessen as time goes on...only 47 weeks to go!! Has anyone experianced lessening of symptoms as time went on?? I pray it isn't this bad through the whole tx. Hope everyone is doing ok!!!

[honey1616]

Yes,,,my first shot was the worse and it scared me thinking I had a year of this,,,Took me the first month to adjust to meds but it definitely got better.  Hang in there as you just made your first step in killing the dragon, virus etc....Yeah!!

[honey1616]

You probably look really good at this point because I know you started out really tiny but hey,,,,,I'm with you,,,,I don't want to keep growing.  I guess,,,maybe,,,its that you actually are feeling so good and enjoying yourself and maybe eating more??  Is that the case?  I know my dr said stay away from the breads, desserts which will be hard but guess for awhile,,,,I'm stocking up with lots and lots of fruits to see how this is all going to work.  Any others out there notice that they put on more weight then they wanted after finishing up or did you have to battle the weight more?

[Tony-z]

As the folks have already stated the first and maybe second shot are the initial shook to you immune system. You should feel better in the next couple days then a milder repeat on your next shot. Throughout your tx you may experience many sx at different time during you tx.....Water is the key to minimizing many effects.

Congratulations and Good Luck, Keep us informed.........

<Chev</B>

What do you weigh now? LOL :-}


             Praying for a great day for all!!!

               TonyZ

[Emileye]

Everyone is so different when it comes to side effects with this treatment but I can tell you how mine went.  I'm a 28 yr old female on Peg-Intron/Ribavirin.  I just took my LAST shot (of 48)(type 1a) last Friday night-WHOO-HOO!  About 6 hrs after my 1st shot I got slight chills & aching.  That day, I also got a nagging headache but not too severe. I also had a little neausea (sp?). Just like you did, I woke up the next morning feeling like I had been run over a few times by a car.  This was all with the 1st shot. After that first shot, I never got the chills & aches again. Remember that you must drink TONS of water.  It is so important.  Things definitely get better thru-out treatment as your body gets familiar with it.  I also have a lot of skin problems.  Very dry skin, and a lot of psoriasis (sp?).  I had to get creams from my doc the other day to take care of the annoying itching.  Depression seems to be a big problem as well as anxiety.  My doc finally put me on Xanax for all the worrying and stressing that I do since this treatment. But, I have always had some mental issues so maybe the depression and axiety are just problems with me. I do get a little neausous from time to time but it only last about 30 mins or so. Also, my IBS is much worse now. I've read a lot that this treatment intensifies any pre-existing conditions that you may have had before starting treatment. I have also lost weight.  I used to be 135 lbs and now down to 115 lbs but I still eat like crazy.  I love chocolate, candy, donuts, sugar, sugar, sugar but still I lost all that weight and have kept it off (I'll probably gain it all back after treatment but I don't know) My MAIN complaint with this treatment and what gets me down for 2 to 3 days after my shots are the headaches.  They are the WORST.  That's why I say drink a TON of water.  Dehydration makes a headache even worse so LOVE the water! And please, make sure you get rest. I've worked thru out this entire treatment and I have a 6 yr old daughter and it has been SO hard. I think rest is very important.  No less than 8-9 hrs of sleep a night. I hope all goes well for you. All of my symptoms may seem like a lot but really, only the headaches have made me look SO forward to the end of this treatment.  I was undectectable at 6 months and I hope that is still the case when I see the doc tomorrow. I would hate to have to go thru this treatment again but I guess I'll cross that bridge IF I get to it. Be strong. You can make it thru.  Best of luck to you!

[nanniegea]

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. After I got up and moving things felt a bit better. I am also drinking my coffee but have switched to decaf and cut it down to one or two cups.(gotta have it), then lots of water and gatorade the rest of the day. I also hooked up with the "Be In Charge" program through Shearing (sp) drug company,which have 24hr nurses to help you get through this tx. I do have a question about stages and grading, I'm grade two, stage 4 with cirrohis and don't have a clue what that means. I know about cirrohis just not the stage and grade. How many stages are there for cirrohis? I did ask my regular doc but he told me he was not sure himself and to ask my hep doc. but I won't see him for a while. Any info would be appreciated. God bless you all and keep fighting!!!


   Chevy...no problem, you can take all the space you want!!!

[carolhab]

welcome - I too, am new to this.. 5 weeks in.  The comments before me pretty much say it all. I have been taking Tylenol during the day and Tylenol P.M. in the evenings. On shot night I take the Tylenol P.M. about an hour before the shot, then take the shot and sleep as much as I can.  Water, as everyone has said, is so important.  I did not know that until 2 weeks in, and before I found this forum. My headaches got worse week 3, and the doc prescribed Ultram, which helped.  There were days I felt really lousy, but now I am coming into week 6, and I feel better.  I have learned from this forum that there are lots of meds to help the sides if you need them.  I also am 'teary', emotional, an am watching that. If it get worse, I will get help for that also. I am ready for battle with this virus, it is time for Hepc to leave my body!! These people here are excellent, so post with your sides, and you will get answers and help... Hang in there, it will get better....    
sammy

[cuteus]

as I savor one mini canolli, a mini eclair and cream puff, a couple of cookies; all after a big luncheon offered by our union, I ponder the wisdom of continuing the "pig out" behavior that started shortly after tx.  I did not gain or loose wt during those months and I was on a "see food" diet all throughout.
I asked in the forum how long before ending tx should I modify my eating and did not get much input, so I sort of did not change much.
Now that I read Chev's comment, I think I should start very soon... like yesterday.
I don't plan on buying larger sizes and the tight look is not flattering to me...

Bye Bye, puffs, so long happinness, hello boring food, I think I'm going to cry...

[Jane_s]

I posted this in another thread but thought it was appropriate here as well... also my side effects change, just when i've put one lot to the back of my miund because they haven't been around for a while up they pop again, bit of a vicious cycle really.
I think it is hard to know how side effects effect people as we all have different tolerance levels to different things. Personally I don't remember what it is like to feel well (week 34/48) but have NEVER let that get on top of me. I have weathered the rash, the aches and pains, the lack of energy, the breathlessness and the nausea and have continued on with as normal a life as possible. Panadol is a great friend of mine at the moment! I refuse to feel sorry for myself (OK there are moments when I do) and make myself do things such as socialise no matter how much I don't want to just to keep some normailty in my life. I'm not saying this is a solution for everyone but my feeling is if you feel sorry for yourself then you are going to have a miserable time through the treatment and I'm not that sort of person. I do believe that a positive attitude is a great help!
I have also lost 10 kilos and look great... funny my clinic nurse said that people will commment on how well you look while you feel like **** - how right she was!

[njrsl]

Everybody that now tx or finished tx put here you height and weight
how much beofre tx during tx and what you are now and howlong after tx you are. Ill go first.  Thank you. before tx I was 5foot an 11 inches and 175 pounds.My nurse saids I got down to 160 but didnt do all dose like I suppose to. Im still 5 foot and 11 hahahhahahaha...... I bet money nobody changed heiht. Hahahaha....  I just got off scale and way 186. Now everboyd else please.

[Califia]

Hey, thanks for the post.  I can feel mysef shrinking already.

[Califia]

Hey, thanks for the post.  I can feel mysef shrinking already.

[njrsl]

ALLRIGHTY THEN!!  I gotta response! 2 of em!!!!  hahahahahahah.  Im gonna be carefull next thing you know...... I

[gr8faith]

I will be taking my 2nd shot tomorrow night.  This week hasn't been so bad, I have been drinking lots of water, taking the tylenol, and trying to get more rest.  I have been having the dull headaches, but they are no worse than the ones I usually get anyway.  In fact, I have decided that all of these feelings/sensations pretty much are no better no worse than what I have experienced for decades.  Depression, fatigue, IBS, headaches, dry itchy skin, aches, pains, brain fog.  I used to think I had all these things because I had little babies and never got enough sleep, then it was because I had a stressfull job and little kids, then it was teenagers and an elderly mother.  Now I just think I have never known any other way.  Won't it be wonderful to beat the Dragon and start life anew!  

Chev, I get to encouraged by your new energy.  That is what I am looking forward to, lots of energy.

Nanniegea, we can do this together. :)

[Docsgold]

HAHAHAHAHA
I gained at first and now have lost 15#.  I will keep your comments in mind when I finish tx in 13 weeks.  I eat now out of necessity--nothing tastes good, not even water.  I will have to be careful when the taste buds return to normal after tx and I enjoy food again, not to mention I quit smoking....

[nanniegea]

Ok gr8faith, I'm with you...we will beat this nasty bug!!! Today is friday and I do feel better than I did after the first shot. I think the shots will be the worst of it, LOTS of aches and pains but I am keeping a good frame of mind. I'm lucky in that I don't have any little ones to take care of.....for those of you that do, I don't know how you manage it all!! I will keep in touch and I wish you all the best...

[fsplink]

Ok, you're all making me hungry again. I lost about 10lbs on tx(needed to lose more) anyway, it's all came back the first week off. Everything started tasting REAL good. Now, I've stocked up on fugi apples. But, I've also developed a deep love of cocktail peanuts! I quit smoking right before tx so that caused a lot of weight gain anyway.
OK, so by summer I will look like Brittney Spears or MaMa Cass, I'm still going to the beach!

[bluepeng]

Wow.  It's so great to hear I'm not alone.  I too did my first shot the night before last and all I can say is WHOA BABY.   I've heard of those who have taken a shot and gone to the gym to work out -- not kidding here.  I've heard of those who were pleasantly surprised by absolutely no sides.  Well, that ain't me.   Fever, chills, felt like I was put in a stone tumbler and bounced around for a couple of days.   The 101 fever was a nice touch too, gave everything a dim, surreal glow.   Of course the nausea, tinnitis, and general hopelessness has me looking forward to next Friday!   Good thing it's a long weekend.   But, today .. I would say I'm 50% better and that's a miracle from how I felt.  I have some hope and I wish the best to you nanniegea.  I can empathize.  On eother interesting thing about treatment -- I've rarely been helpless.  Well, this weekend, I needed my wife more than I've ever needed somebody.  She's been there 100% for me and my words here can't do justice to what that means to me.

Blue.