Is there a link between TX and hemorroids(hemorrhoids)?

[scubadiver30]

Hi everyone
I've tried to counteract all the SX that came my way these ten weeks with creams, pills, water, etc..
I have managed to control everything except fatigue.
But lately I 'm having the worst case of H******** I've ever had in my life. I wonder if there is a correlation between IFN/RIBA and swollen H?. If so, has anybody found a good remedy other than preparation H or OTC meds?
I'm eating just because of the riba, cause I don't even want to...  I just wanna sleep the next 14 weeks (just wake me up for the shot and my riba with a catheter line thank you)

Saludos
scuba

[jmjm530]

Hi Scuba,

The only connection I can see is if you have altered the fiber content in your diet during treatment causing strain while going. You might try Metamucil or similar but make sure to take it with plenty of water or you can get even more constipated. Also, don't take Metamucil or similar within 2-3 hours of the ribavirin as it can decrease absorption.

All the best,

-- Jim

[NYgirl]

I was just telling a friend of mine here at work that if I had to go any longer than I have I couldn't. I thought that I was physically tired during the beginning of treatment but now after 70 weeks I really just about can't hold myself up any more.

Unfortunately the lethargy seems to be a constant thing - but there was a time where it wasn't so crippling. It comes and goes in extremes I think.

I just wanted to say man I can relate. I just wanted to go back to bed this morning more than anything in the world. I contemplated a sick day (like I do every day just about these days) and made myself get up.

I can't WAIT not to feel this way any more!

(Sorry no advice on the other issue but I do know that it seems it can go one way or the other on the IFN, if you are having that problem I read that taking stool softeners and extra fiber helps a lot). This med just mucks us all up.

[scubadiver30]

well, now that you mention it I'm, having more hamburgers and ice cream with chocolate topping every weekend. And these are the days the Riba passes better (not noticeable), but during the week I eat all kinds of things & salads & lots of water (even though it tastes the same: like cardboard)
I was thinking the RIBA related skin dryness also affected inner tissues

[scubadiver30]

Girl, you're almost there. I really can't believe you've come this far. I have to agree that New Yorkers are the toughest of them all ;-)
You really have to take a rest after these 72..WOW
And look at me, at 10 weeks & I wanna quit. What a whiner...I'm ashamed of myself...You big, me very small.
I'm handing in my project on friday, and really, I don't care if they fire, demote me, transfer me or whatever...I just wanna sleep and rest...
I'm considering takin my vacation days, but then I will have ten more weeks to go...:-(
Tonite is going to snow over here...:-) finally!!!
I hope the snow blocks the roads

hugs
scuba

[Forseegood]

You know, I was hoping someone would start a thread about these types of issues...anyway, I keep hearing really contradictory things about tx and bathroom habits...I hear (and read) from a lot of people that tx causes diarrhea (either chronically or at times during the treatment...)

or conversely, that it causes constipation (either chronically or at times during the treatment, and then you could prob extrapolate that out to causing hemmies as well, as they can often come with constipation problems.)

Maybe it would cause constipation and/or diarrhea in some patients treating as well? You'd think so...I know it seems like a silly question, but there doesn't seem to be any kind of consensus with this...and with some people mulling over taking 'alinia' along with treatment (as some people here have expressed) I think "I" would be more reluctant to take alinia along with constipation problems for obvious reasons (with treatment), as it's prescibed for chronic diarrhea from what I understand (I'm no expert on this)...anybody elses thoughts would be appreciated...

[Forseegood]

youre such a trooper, I think of you to give me inspiration at times, along with some others...I'm so glad youre finishing soon...

[friole]

I do think it is the riba. It is a somewhat embarrassing topic, to be sure -- need goof in here to lighten it up -- but it seems that some people with regular bowels became constipated with tx.  Others, such as myself, with constipation, were relieved of the problem during tx.  However, the itching became unbearable for me.  When you think about it the riba affects the blood and the blood vessels at the anus are just right there.  They bothered me terribly until I was post tx about 2 months.  Do I have a solution?  Not really, just lots of those little medicated pads used all the time.  I mean ALL the time.

After tx was over the itching I had was not on the surface, but honestly seemed like itching in the blood vessels. It would happen in places on my abdomen and legs.  AZ girl talked about the same thing.  All I can say is that it did disappear after the ribavirin was out of my system.
frijole

[NYgirl]

I'm so un-inspirational it's pathetic. I'm a big giant whining cry baby and nothing more.

Sadly I think I LIKE being a cry baby and worry now what I'm going to do once I don't have this great excuse any longer!  ;)

But thanks for the loving thoughts anyway. As you know, you are one of the people who's helped me make it through this thing we call treatment. Don't ever EVER forget how much your support has meant to me. Ever.

[Forseegood]

thanks for mentioning that you were actually constipated, and were relieved of the problem with tx...didn't even think of that equasion...

[Forseegood]

you know, was speaking about this to a friend who is treating the other day...she said she didn't want to complain at all, she thought it was bad to do so...I can only share my opinion on this...

I just think there is a balance, you don't want to constantly complain and gripe and bit+ch, because doing that - you have a chance of defining yourself with your problems, which probably ain't good...then you don't want to be so stoic that you don't discuss your pains and problems with anyone, as that can bottle up and perhaps do you some harm psychologically and physically, we need to have a sounding board sometimes (or a hep c board:) and have someone to hear us with sympathetic ear...(people who don't have this can't always relate to us in the same way)

So I think it's a balance...no offense guys, but sometimes I think the propensity of a lot of guys to never talk about things that make them vulnerable, pained or frightened, etc...can cause problems in other areas, like bottled up anger...of course not all guys do this, and certainly a lot of women do this as well...

So I really think this is a balance thing, and you do 'get' this...you balance your complaining with sharing and helping other people, which of course prob helps you even more, to get you out of your own head and give you some link and bond to others on your same path...and speaking for myself, it helps me to know that you've been faced with this tremendous set of circumstaces (a working single mother on treatment...sheesh!) and you still step up to the plate and go on...it helps me to know your story, along with many other stories I hear on here...just my opinions...

[jmjm530]

Hemorrhoids are often accompanied by anal itching (purititis), but you can have purititis without hemorrhoids, especially when treating. It's listed as a side effect of the tx drugs.

Early-on in treatment, I had purititis without constipation and without hemorrhoid issues. My doctor prescribed what I remember to be a steroid cream and the itching went away within a few days.

Latter, I had constipation without the purititis, and as prev mentioned, Metamucil helped.

Scuba, if your system is anything like mine --  then "hamburgers and ice cream with chocolate topping" would def cause constipation. Not that you shouldn't stop eating whatever you can tolerate, but adding fiber might help to push it out more efficiently.

In any event, regardless of what causes what on tx, sometime we're simply left with treating symptons.

-- Jim

[friole]

forsee - Yeah, I guess it works both ways.  I got real loose during tx.  I even looked up roids because I always associated those with constipation and the info I found said you could get roids from going too much as well as not enough.

Also don't think I was clear on the post tx itching.  It was not all the nether regions, altho that was an extremely uncomfortable area - but it was like having little aliens under my skin itchin like crazy.  


nygirl - You have my sympathy.  It must be absolutely grueling right now.  The exhaustion goes far outside the boundaries of anemia - it is something else, the entire exhaustion of your total being.  I too wanted to quit every step of the way -- but what you have left is a paltry drop in the bucket to what you have done.  There are others on the route to 72 following your footsteps and you are a good leader.

hey -- you DID catch Battleship Gallactica on its new night last night,  right????? If not, I think it repeats tonight late -- SET YOUR TIVO!  

[wyntre9]

There's a wonderful all natural herbal product called Swiss Kriss, way better than any of the commercial stuff like metamucil, etc.

I ran it by my doc 'coz I've been using it for years and he wanted to check the ingredients to make sure they're compatible with hep-c.

He said it's ok to use, TG.

[Forseegood]

one thing I wanted to share (and I'll promise to get off of this thread, ha ha.) I've just gone through a really trying (for wont of another word) 3 weeks or so of constipation...I usually don't suffer with this, as I take enough things to keep me regular, regularly...aloe vera juice, a psyillium based fiber product...I eat lots of fruits and veggies throughout the day, etc...

but I had dental surgery, and maybe? all the novacaine they had to use (I didn't get put out) caused it? (It happened right after that) Or the stress of some things I've been going though lately (along with that>) whatever...anyway, I was really constipated, and I used a fiber product, Clear Benefiber, and it actually made it worse...

it seems, FOR ME, if I'm suffering from a real bad constipation episode (which hasn't happened that often) these things can make it worse, like it causes a block...(sorry for the visuals) so I used Milk of Magnesia and I was set free...hopefully, my system will get back to normal, cause nothing makes me feel worse then constipation (I know, I ain't seen nothin yet.)

So it seems, as long as I'm not going through an episode, some of these fiber products do a lot of good for me...this is only my experience...as silly as this sounds, I've heard of people going to the ER over bad constipation problems, so this can be serious...the last time I was in the ER, the guy next to me was in there for a blocked colon, and it was my EXTREME MISFORTUNE to have to be in there with him while he was getting cleared out, along with having a rookie take my blood...just my luck, he he....

[Lady E]

My interpretation of the connection between Hemmies & Tx?  They are both "a royal pain the the @ss!!"
Scoob, I'm sorry that I don't have any real advise that I can help you with right now...just a little butt humor.
Hope you are feeling better real soon!
(((Hugs))) from across the pond.
-E

[Cindy10]

This is an interesting subject. Before I started tx I had issues for years (I think stress related). I had to take 2 fiber pills a day and eat fiber one cereal everday to be regular (if you call it that). Once I started tx I could not stand the taste of the cereal so I stopped. Then after not clearing at 4 week (PCR that is) and reading fiber to close to riba may effect the riba absorbtion, I stopped the pills as well. And low and behold I am regular now (no help at all) and UND. Go figure!

[metwo]

you might try zinc oxide

[imbetternow]

Anemia can cause constipation. Google it.

[prettydamscared]

Scuba asked - But lately I 'm having the worst case of H******** I've ever had in my life. I wonder if there is a correlation between IFN/RIBA and swollen H?.

Let me just say YES, YES AND HELL YES. I had no constipation, my problems were all the opposite.  I battle with that everyday and am paying particular attention to diet which is helping somewhat.  But bottom line, tx and hemmorroids are absolutely related and it can be caused due to either diahrea (sp) or constipation.  My doc says it happens all the time.  he prescribed ANUCORT-HC, which is a hydrocortisone acetate suppository, 25 mg.

I faithfully tried them and found them not to work.  Someone suggested Zinc.  I think I tried that and had little success. OTCs did little or nothing.

For me, I just had to wait it out.  It was really a problem in the beginning of treatment for me and then slowly but surely faded.  Thery're still there but not bothersome.  I'm not sure this is vertex related because my husband was on SOC and had exactly the same experience, really bad for the first 2 months and then dissipated on its own.  Flares up occasionally but nothing like before.

Not tying to divulge any secrets but another person in one of the other studies had exactly the same problen, again in the beginning and then it sort of goes away.

Hope that helps, CHar

[lackalustre]

YES YES and YES, i developed a terrible case of H**********S    during the last two months of tx.  they would not clear up.   i think the tx. had me so run down i could not heal.  finally after a few week s  off tx   they healed up.  was awful.

[niceguy2007]

if u have hemmoroids (hemorrhoids), up ur fiber intake.  eat whole wheat bread and take psylium husk every other day.

[GoofyDad]

"I battle with that everyday and am paying particular attention to diet which is helping somewhat."

The only good new here is under these circumstances paying attention to diet is relatively easy. If you forget to note what's going in, you can catch it at the other end - often with minimal delay.....