Itching

After receiving interferon treatment,will the treatment (itself) help with the symptoms of hep c go away such as joint pain and itchiness just to name a few?
Thanks

[newleaf09]

You will probably hold on to the joint pain for a while, but the itchiness should clear up for a while.  Right now, the itchiness is caused by bilirubin (a blood waste product) building up.  As your liver improves with treatment, it will go away.  Unfortunately, itching can be one of the side effects of treatment, but the side effect is not nearly as bad as the original itching from bilirubin.  Not everyone gets every side effect.

Congratulations on deciding to treat.  Treatment is rough but you will see a lot of improvements after it's over.

[Rain6866]

Before treatment my itching wasnt as bad but as long as I keep my body lotioned a couple times a day I really dont have any itching except for my nose and it hasnt stopped since I started treatment.

I know Im a weirdo... lol

Dont worry so much about your first shot. I was scared out of my mind and there wasnt as much to worry about as I thought. Just eat healthy, drink tons of water and rest when you feel tired. Make you sure you arent afraid to ask questions here and always stay one step ahead of your doctor.

Good Luck and God Bless