Irritability and Anger

I am in week 18 of triple tx (off incivek) and I find that I have become extremely irritable, easily agitated and often angry.  The smallest things set me off and when someone tries to get me to calm down I accuse them of telling me how to act or trying to repress my abililty to communicate.  I feel like I am becoming a very ugly person and am jeopardizing relationships that mean a great deal to me.  Is there anyone else out there that is or has experienced a similar feeling?  Any suggestions for dealing with this?

[can-do-man]

Interferon can cause that, i knew it was a problem so i tried to count to 10 before reacting.

[nygirl7]

Even though it's really the interferon that causes it, put riba rage into the search feature for the forum and see the 10000000s of responses.  Unfortunately quite common.

[orphanedhawk]

Yes, indeed, that's the way we are under treatment.

I've been called sarcastic and condescending recently.
And I've had to do damage control with some friends and relations, 'I'm so sorry, the medication I'm taking makes me impossible."

Here's my trick; Start chanting, early in the morning "be nice, be nice, be nice," Don't stop until you go to sleep at night.
Of course this doesn't work because I can't stay focused that long.

Just be aware the meds are affecting you, avoid confrontation, and don't hesitate to apologize.
Remember, it won't last and you will become human again. I promise.

[working dog]

i was getting that way too....i made sure i told all the folks close to me to understand i was on tx and would be that way....its so funny after you stop how fast that sx goes away...txs tough hang in there....good luck...billy

[flcyclist]

I'm usually very tolerant to most situations.  I was in a pissy mood today and after listening to Christmas music from the office next to mine for over an hour, I finally put an end to it.  Bah humbug. lol

It IS the interferon and you might notice some days are worse than others depending on the level of stress, shot day, how many chocolate kisses you've eaten, etc, etc.  

[pcds]

I remember taking my rage out on the specialty pharmacy people at Aetna.  They actually put up with me, I was brutal, it felt good.  Otherwise I really have to keep myself in check, because most people annoy me, I have no patience, and had very little even before treatment.  Is it the interferon or the riba as the main culprit?  I found antidepressants helped but I stopped them when I was an anemic mess earlier in treatment.

[Ajw78757]

I am a laid back person.

so I thought.

I start week 18 tomorrow and have noticed gradually becoming less tolerant, patient- or even close to any of those.

I have to keep myself in check- constantly.

Whatever my emotion/feeling is becoming in a situation- double the intensity- that's my current state lately.

A friend who went through TX said he started getting like this at about 4 months.

I feel your pain.

[crossroadsec]

I'm there, but not a real anger expressive person. So I cry.
Trouble is, if I repress it like that, I don't think it's good for me mentally or physically.
I find myself wanting to "pin the blame" on someone. Then I think it thru n am glad I went to bed n cried instead.
Hep C free n Moooody! Karen:)

[streamline569]

I find I'm still nice to the people who are nice to me, but god help you if I'm doing business with you or don't know you and you try and take advantage of me.Of course I wanted my time on tx to be calm and stress less, I didn't work but you know the law of averages, everything more drama and stress since I have been on treatment. I feel sorry for the people who pissed me off I'm sure they think I'm bipolar or have some other mental disease but what do I care. I've been good to my real friends and they are who matter

[Livinontheedge]

I am on my last week of incivek with only 3 days left.   However, Ive noticed big changes in my behavior, lots of irritability, and anger.    LIke Crossroad, if I suppress it, then I get depressed and it is worse for me.   There for I am constantly walking on eggshells.   I try very much not to get into any confrontations and am trying positively to approach all situations with kindness.  (Its hard)        When I have had my fill and feel like I am going to pop a cork ( as I did in a post last night)   I go to my room and bury my face in my pillow and scream in it !   OR sometimes I just cry , but usually crying leads to other feel sorry episodes for me, so I am working on getting the anger out in a Positive way.    
The good thing is it will eventually pass, I really think some of us , especially the more emotional ones have it just a little harder dealing with it.      Thanks God for AD's and Anxiety meds at this time :)     Good Look to the future ...................  

[ann61]

Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions.  I like the counting to 10 and "be nice" mantra.  I certainly have to try those.  Like crossroadsec I also spend a lot of time crying, but at least that doesn't hurt anyone..  And like livinontheedge, I then feel sorry for myself.  Physically I am so much better.  Emotionally, I am a wreck.   If I can't get my head wrapped around this, I think I will do permanent damage to a very important relationship.  Why is it we tend to take things out on the ones closest to us?

Again heartfelt thanks and I promise to try to be a nicer person.

[frijole]

Why am I always the last to find out about these things? Jeesh - for years I have been blaming the riba for the anger and the mood swings, and now you tell me it's the interferon?  I just don't think I will be able to change my rage against the riba, sorry.

Ann61 - I feel exactly like you - I am on week 15 with VIC.  Boy have I been wanting to lay into some people lately. I have been doing lots of tongue biting!  Everyone, and I do mean everyone gets on my nerves lately.

I have been having some judgement lapses.  Like a few days ago I made a U-turn at a corner (to go back home and get my VIC) and I couldn't make the turn in one swing and a car was turning into the street.  Oh boy - now, unless I am going to work, I let hubby drive.   Yesterday I decided to not go to a luncheon meeting for a group that I am in and got a call -- I was supposed to call for a vote on a budget.  Yikes - how could I forget that!   Also lately I have been taking my meals at the times I take my riba, only to remember an hour or later that I forgot the med.  I don't need these types of problems.
frijole

[can-do-man]

frijole, yikes girl, sounds like there might be a few less deductions for some people this year..... That will teach em...:)

Ann, usually before i got to 10 i couldn't remember why i was counting.

Oh the fun of treating, makes you kinda miss is sometimes.... NOT
Hang in there people!!!

can it cando

[JasmineT]

I think when I was on the incivek I had a lot more bobble head, brain fog, and felt to sick to notice the rage as much.  Now that I am off, the rage is more noticeable when people/things annoy me.  Am really worried about it at work.  Not sure counting to ten is going to work but will give it a try.  I also want to cry at pictures of puppy dogs, touching moments, or even caring posts on this forum more often than would be normal.  Definitely having the memory issues although I am not sure I just notice it more now that I'm off incivek.

Maybe we need the incivek back to help us Itch, daze, and sleep through the remaining weeks too. Lol

[JasmineT]

Oh, I do think it helps a little to eat healthy snacks throughout the day instead the 3 meal routine.  Avoid sugar or too much carb.  Don't forget to eat and still drink water.  I find I forget eating and drinking more often now that incivek is done.

[orphanedhawk]

So, we go off over the least little thing but now that my car is stolen, all I want to do is cry.

[JasmineT]

Let the tears roll.  Sounds like the thing to do tonight.  So sorry.  Good chance they will find it soon.  Hopefully in good shape.  You can deal tomorrow, tonight just let it out.  It will be ok.

[flcyclist]

OH, sorry to hear this.  Hope it is resolved quickly and you find it, or end up with something better.  

[jerialice]

so sorry about that- hope you have insurance and not too much sentimental in the trunk!
prayers.......

[orphanedhawk]

Thanks guys,
Good news~my car was found, undamaged.
OH :)

[jerialice]

oops still too froggy to engineer these post thingies and the post to OH was supposed to be on another page......
oye come va?
so anyway it is irritating when one can not function as normal, so that, along with the meds- double trouble!!

[roostermom]

I was so irritable the first time I did 48 weeks of peg/ ribo. This time in triple tx with Incevik I went on Lexapro and have had no agitation or irritability

[ann61]

@ frijole:  Well things have been a little better this week.  The "be nice" mantra really seems to be working.  I am trying really hard not to cry since that tends to last for days.  

@ orphanedhawk:  Of course if my car was stolen, I would not only be really angry and irritable but I would also cry.

To everyone else, thanks for your support and understanding.  I have apologized to everyone adn tried to explain the situation.  I walk around now saying "be nice, be nice" which seems to help and puts anyone around me on notice of my state of mind.  Usually we end up laughing which is sure better than saying unkind things.

After reading these posts and other info on peg rage (lovingly referred to as riba rage), I know it really isn't me.......just call my Sybil!

[his3707]

If I could only remember to count to 10...  But then what?  wait 10 sec. before you blow? That would give me 10 more counts to really think of some good evil things to say.    Even though no one else does, sometimes I like being assertive and sarcastic, pissy, moody, angry, a fighter, control freak, at least now I have a reason.  What Am I going to do when treatment is over?  Like can-do, will I miss it some, the current new me?  will this current person stay and meld with the old me, (that would not be good at all) or maybe the real me I have never met,  will emerge .  I will be a passive, cool under pressure, genius,  that loves all the people, even my own teenagers and husband all the time,  a super mom that can juggle it all with a smile. !  That would be a dream come true.   Im not holding my breath.  But I am not dying my hair during treatment, i figure its a good time to see what I would like like all natural,   Yeah, thats me a naturally  beautiful old gal.  No one I know thinks its a good idea, they keep saying to me,  its the meds that making you think this way,  you'll get over it as they roll their eyes

[orphanedhawk]

First of all, I'm glad the chant is working for you.

One last comment from me.
Today when I mentioned my irritablity to my hepatologist, he said it could be a sign of depression, and asked whether I'd like something to help smooth things out. Then he offered to write me a script for mild antidepressants.
I passed but thought I'd share this for others.
If it gets to be too  much, you could go get some ADs.

[rockymoe]

My husband has ben amazing and unfourtunately he gets it. I also tell  people close to me if I snap at you or start crying for no reason it's the meds. Oh I am definately in Heppy tx land. I walk to another room to get something and I have no clue what it is I'm looking for.
Also I'm not into th holiday thing at all. I have an ultra sound in the AM , Labs(12 week VL) and Drs. appointment in PM. We plan to do a little shopping done' My Mother sent my husband a Bah Humbug bomber hat. I asked him if I could wear it shopping.
This to will pass!

[belle19]

i don't get angry, i just start crying.  my family knows not to take it personally as do my friends.  good luck to you.  hang in there.  it will pass.  belle

[sejmiig]

going on antidepressants was pretty much a requirement a month or two before I started all this; they insisted.  they said that the interferon would interfere with my mood.  they were right.  on top of all that, I get that SAD thing (do you?) which has not helped, but I think being on all the antid's has helped.  the interferon crap wanes over time thru treatment.

[robo229]

Same here.  You're not alone.  I've yelled and argued with almost everyone I care about in the last 5 months.  Came close to physical altercations several times.  

My father (who would ordinarily take a bullett for me) kindly informed me that I had become a bit of a D*ck.  When it came from a reliable source,  I began more serious psychiatric intervention.

I hate the Jeckyll and Hyde routine, but Wellbutrin and low dose Xanax has mellowed me and I'm more likely to let stuff go without flashing my temper.

Robo

[Alive33]

I've heard that it makes ur mood rollercoaster, I can't tell u wat to do but find a way to calm down before u do something u might regret

[scoleman]

I just want to chime in: me too!

Sherry

[crigger]

I am new to site. I am glad I found it.     Side effects I feel like I slepted in cigger nest and sometime during the night someone put a hot poker up my butt then rolled my eye balls in the sand other than that doing OK @ 7wks

[streamline569]

I really think they need more training with these drugs.They are powerful and j some doctors are Just not qualified to deal with such dangerous drugs. Not sure how they get there training but I've  got much misinformation. Thank God I've done a lot research but it still wasn't enough because people who have treated won't tell you these things. They want you to clear and I understand that but it comes with a big risk and a lot don't continue because they are not prepared.. I almost quit last night. Thank God I didn't today was bearable.

[libzo2]

I run into my evil twin a lot while wandering.  Then feel quilty about my base temprament and feel sad.  It's a bloody rainbow of emotions.  It can be very draining but in hinesite, looking back, it is a testament to how marvelous we are in how we adapt.  Irony seems to eventually turn my hystrionics into anecdotes.  I can work with that.