Joint or muscle issues post tx

I am 2 mths post tx and am wondering if alot of us are having joint or muscle issues. My neck, back, and hands are affected. Can't seem to get my life back yet. Taking it 1 day at a time.
God Bless all
Barb

[copyman]

Hey Barb,

I also have been off TX for a few months and have the joint pain. This has been discussed on this forum many times. Just do a "search this community"  for joint pain. One member double dose has a great theory about the interferon causing  long lasting damage. I used to think her theory was wrong but now that I feel it personally plus what I have read from others I'm starting to believe it. I felt fine during tx and for  a month or so after stopping but now the joint pain is getting worse. I hope this goes away with time.
Good luck to you and hope you feel better soon.

PS, Did you clear the virus (SVR)?
I was in the telaprevir trial and was unde from 3 weeks on and also at 4 weeks post. Will be getting the 12 week post pcr soon.

[DoubleDose]

Its an interesting phenomenon how one generally feels fantastic for three or four weeks after ending tx.  When I finished, I thought I was in heaven....everything felt like I did decades ago in my twenties....slept well, no ED  (I am a guy, by the way, not a "her") in fact had tremendous sexual performance and libido during that month, no pains or joint/muscle problems, had super high energy and felt like I was a kid again.....AND THEN...the bottom fell out, and I developed just about every symptom under the sun....fatigue, joint pains and muscle problems, major ED, brain fog...and on and on...I was absolutely certain I had relapsed!!!  But I did not relapse...In fact every test over the past six years has been negative, and all LFT tests also normal.  

So what gives?  I am not sure, but part of me felt that the virus was really GONE for a few weeks or maybe a  month after tx, and that then something really diabolical happened...like low level, persistent virus springing up, and causing my immune system to 'freak out'....although still showing undetectable on standard PCR tests....OR, maybe the virus was truly totally gone forever, but maybe then the immune system snapped back like a huge rubber band, and kicked off a Lupus-like reaction, never to again fade away.  I am still not sure what I believe, and sometimes I give some credence to the 'viral persistence' research, and theories of immune system control....but I have no tangible proof for either theory...other than knowing that my tests for autoimmunity are out of whack...and I have very definite symptoms across a broad range.  Maybe someday it will become more clear, and doctors may develop tools and treatments for these after-effects.  We will see.

DoubleDose

[cpclinic]

Congrats!!! I was in the telaprevir blind study. Don't know what what I got. Did 48 weeks and am 8 wks off tx. I have some ruptured discs in my neck as well as aches and pains in other areas. Hoping that 6 mths post tx is the magic number!!!
Stay in touch!!
barb

[cpclinic]

Try not to freak yourself out. I know it's hard. One day at a time. I had good days, and tough days. Congrats on clearing!!!
barb

[copyman]

Thanks Barb, hope you got the real drug because it works. I was in the UNblinded study where everyone got the real drug. Did they unblind the pcr's yet? The pcr's were the only thing blinded in the study I was in but I did my own pcr's. Good luck and keep us posted.

Double, Sorry about the gender thing, all I had on my mind was "Double D's" if you know what I mean :-)
Very interesting and deep theory you have there. I did not know you have been off TX that long. That doesn't give me much hope if you still  feel bad after all that time. I actually was randomized to 48 week group but stopped at 33 weeks. I used the negative pcr's I had done on my own to make my decision to withdraw early from the Vertex trial.  The main reason I had done my own pcr's was so I could make a decision to stop if I got randomized to the 48 week arm. I strongly believe most "permanent/ long term" damage is done later in TX.  I had said all along I would stop at 24 weeks if pcr's were neg but went to 33 weeks because I didn't feel all that bad. Now I'm thinking maybe I should have stopped at 24, especially since studies show Unde at 4 weeks gives you almost same odds as 48 to SVR.
Thanks for the information and I would appreciate if you could let me know if you hear anything else pertaining to it. Also have any studies ever been done on post SX or extra hepatic manifestations? If so would you happen to have any links to these. Thanks again

[Isobella]

We're at the same point (as you well know ;) and I am having a pretty significant problem with my IT bands in both hips, much worse in the right so it's knocking the left out by having it compensate.

My massage therapist noticed it and everything she discribed matched my sx.  I always felt during tx, that my worst sx were caused by the excess couch time.  Every single time I worked out...I felt better, but still had way lots of down time.  Apparently I have stressed those ligaments.  I haven't been to the doc yet, or googled it, but I will let you know what I find out.

So far it is like my outer fascia on my leg is very tight and I am having muscle spasms. Yesterday, I was non-weight bearing for about 3 hours because my foot had a charleyhorse.  It was awful.

Massage and stretching  and ice/heat have helped some, but I am going to the doc Thursday.

I feel like my tx (48-Vertex study) was very doable, and this pain is worse than anything I had on tx.

I agree with the immune theory.  My allergies and skin rashes are worse now than they have been in years and that is becoming an issue also.  Any doubt I had about my immune system coming online after tx are gone.  It's back and it's bordering on auto-immune.  

I have 4 appts next week, so hopefully I will get some answers-or at the very least relief.  Let me know how things go with you.

Wishing you well,

Isobella

[comeagain]

After my first tx 24 week long 3-4 months post I felt like DD three four weeks after ending his tx better than in 25 years. and that I felt although relapsed.

10 months after first tx had ended i started second tx higher doses both riba and peg and 48 weeks instead of 24weeks.
I´m know 8 months post and SVR but i don´t feel good I feel almost the same as I did 15- 20 years before treated back pain , joint ,muscle and bone pain, stiffnes and fatigue.

Only I´m more brain fogged than ever even more than during tx In a way but in another way not.
I got a tip in the mhudnal der berkson thread LDN low dose naltrexone I will probably
get that in september 15 when I have a apointment with a schrink, although I will lie and say I will have it in order not to drink alcohol and get  the 50 mgpills and split it up in 4.5 mg doses my self.

I will continue to investigate it until september 15 before  final decision.

So far it sounds really promising and as double dose also suggested I think its the immune defence that has gone wacko in some way , and that is what LDN seems to be all about making that right again.

Heres a link if anybody else is interested.

http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org./

ca

[GSDgirl]

I still .  I still have the neck, trapezious (sp?) lower back, what I thought was hip but found out it is pelvis problems 1.5 years after TX and am SVR.  I have had MRI's, saw a neck surgeon, went to a pain clinic all to no avail.  The chiropractor seems to help a lot.  I think a massage is in the near future.  Good Luck

Denise

[jdwithhcv]

I've had a lot of shoulder pain since tx.  Imaging shows some damage and some anatomical problems, but they were preexisting and never caused pain before.

My hips are actually better than before tx.  I had a lot of scar tissue in the hip joints from radiation, and a lot of stiffness and pain.  As soon as I started tx they felt better immediately, and I have had no hip pain since.  

Tx is such a crapshoot!

jd

[comeagain]

BTW I don´t think it has anything to do with virus I think its sx from the interferon riba tx how have messed with my immune system this time around.

And that is based from felling so good although I had 1.3 miljon virus iuml blood after first tx.
I belive why I was felling so much better was that my liver had rested a while.

Allthough the pain I  now have is very simular to the pain I had when I was infected, I don´t think its a virus issue this time but a immune wacko sx tx issue.

First my immunesystem was not in order due to HCV virus.

And in my case it most have been fighting the virus more than liverdamage since allthough infected for 35 years i had very little damage stage 1 grade 0.

Now  my theory is that this time I have been exposed for too long and too much tx drugs, so my immune system isn´t functioning as it should due to that.

I have no solid proof to back this up just some thoughts about my situation.

[Marcia2202]

When I walked into my docs office the last time and told her about the pain in my knees, ankles and feet. She asked me if I felt like I was walking on glass. Well, that's another way to describe it, I said, I always thought of it like walking on hot coals.

It was REALLY bad for a week or so. The pain actually woke me up in the middle of the night. It has gotten much better and I don't have to take any pain killers anymore.

Anyway, she said that I was the third post tx patient that day complaining about the same thing. She told me that it definitely was from the interferon and that they call it neurotic pain caused by interferon. The interferon aggravates the nerves and can leave us with this kind of pain. Often it goes away, but sometimes it is permanent. (Translated from what she told me in Danish, so I'm not sure about the proper English terms)

[DoubleDose]

Good thread!  Here are some random follow-up comments:

I also have ridiculous shoulder issues that I never had before tx...have a hard time sleeping on either side, and have pain in shoulder ,arm, and neck from lying on either side for more than ten minutes.  Tough to get a good night's sleep when you can only sleep flat on your back.

I have also developed weird tendon pain and stiffness behind each knee, and sitting in a comfy chair in the evening to watch TV is often an exercise in leg repositioning, and constant stretching.  No matter what I do, exercise, no exercise, heat, massage, it always comes back, and seems to be getting worse.  

The sun, which I loved all my life, is now something that can really throw me into a horrible flare up.  From too much time in the hot summer sun I often feel weak for several days after, and almost flu-like, with the cheekbone rash, and achey (achy) bones and joints.  Every once and awhile, the sun makes me feel good, and does not throw me into a flare-up, but those instances seem to be getting less and less common.  My skin also now reacts horribly to the sun.  I used to get a very nice brown tan.  No more....

I agree with all of you that the likely source of our problems is all of the interferon that we used, causing autoimmune systemic type reactions...and as many of you also might know...I did two long rounds, both at high doses.  In all I probably did 33 months of high dose tx, during a five year period.  I am just thankful that I did at least get the SVR!  What a bummer it would have been to have treated that long, ended up with all these autoimmune side effects, and still have the virus!  So I guess there are things to be thankful for.

As I also stated in another thread recently, regarding high blood pressure from TX, I have developed both high BP, and metabolic syndrome since ending my tx'es.  NEVER had anything close to high BP before tx.

I think the autoimmune stuff that the tx generated in my system has caused lots of spinal connective tissue inflammation, and in my ribs as well.  I get frequent costochondritis, which feels like a spear in the ribcage. All in all, tx can be the gift that never stops giving.  Good, Bad, and the Ugly!  I only hope that all of these symptoms level off at some point, and someday begin to recede.  I am beginning to doubt that idea though, after six years of continuing problems.  

Keep the stories coming, since this is a good subject to compare notes on.  I am curious as to how many post tx'ers out there are also experiencing a litany of odd, debilitating problems since ending tx.

Best wishes to all of you.

DoubleDose

[Rockerforlife]

This thread is the scariest one ive read yet.And i thought i posted scary topics.Now im worried about my BP being higher than before i started I have had anotherEOT weird SX that ive never posted because i though it was embarrssing,but i told me nurse today.I feel i should mention this as it may have happen to others.The first wee after TX when i had a orgasm,i got a headache after,and just beore the orgasm i seem ed taste the Boceprevir in the back of my throah,but after the 3rd week im ok now,just the high BP.I highy suggest you all eat really healthy and if anyone is still drinking water straight from the tap.im goona come down there and give you a ***** slap:)

[Rockerforlife]

I also had a cold tingling in my head after i came ,this was going on for 3 weeks,but like i said its gone now....strange or what?...sorry if this seems to out of place ,but like i said,i tell it like it is,no back doors with me

[Rockerforlife]

For my BP im now taking eating brown rice,almonds, black strap mollassesm,hawthorn berries and one magnesium supplement.and trying to stop eating,seems like i have an addition to food,i still 3 lbs of apples in a day

[Isobella]

Nah....don't be scared, Rocker ;)  Just like with tx, when we are aware of these issues, we are better prepared to deal with them.  

We can share the things that have helped us each, just like we did to get us thru tx.  

At least we are all either UND or SVR at this point.  (yay!!!)

Throwing my 2 cents in---I also believe it's my immune system whacking out.  

And how in the heck do you eat 3 pounds of apples a day....how many apples does that translate to?  

[comeagain]

Thx marcia  for your comment.
What you said is how I also think it is, for some unlucky person the sx from iterferon stays but for most it will vanish.

Maybe some can do a little to to help the conditions I can very well Imagen.
I remember mremeets thread where he illustraited how he kind of chocked hes metabolic system back in order again.

I´ve have to bear in mind mremmet is 15 or 20 years younger than me so hes concept might just not work for me but as isobella said we should not be scared, but speak openly about it and continue to help each other as we did on tx.

I´m the kind of person who doesn´t easely change and start new healthier habbits unless I have a knife on my throut.
So I´m trying to be positiv about it and see it as a opurtunity to live real healthy from now on.

ca

[WriteItDown]

Can you please tell me what your objection is to tap water?

[Rockerforlife]

10 mediun size apples is 3 llb,but dont forget its 90% water,a liter of water weighs about 2 1/2 lbs,so its not really a big issue,but i addicted to almonds and cashews too.I eat good foodas but eat too much of them,i once eat a 1o lb bag of potatoes

[Rockerforlife]

Can you please tell me what your objection is to tap water?


I cannot believe you even have to ask this question,look at my photos i posted in my health folder of the remains of tap water i distill....TAP WATER IS  A SLOW POISON

[Tippyclubb]

I am eight weeks off  tx.  Feeling good and no muscles or joint issues, YET.  At this point I expect anything to happen, but I may get lucky because I only treated for 6 months.

With that being said I am having other weird skin issues, mainly blisters, sores developing, and my skin tears easily.  Does not heal quickly either and leaving scars.  Also having small areas of rash developing for the last few weeks.  These rashes are not like the rash I had on tx.  Totally different.

This week the ringing of the ears is back, although its not as intense as it was during tx, but aggravating.

I was on the triple therapy so it could be a long term side effect of Telaprevir.  Who knows.  All I do know, is I did not have any of these issues before I took these meds.

Hair still falling out in clumps but was UND 4 weeks EOT.  It was worth it.  I just hope these issues end soon.

[Rockerforlife]

Few Violations, Often Weak Standards

Overall, NRDC's study revealed a relatively small number of cities that were in outright violation of national standards. This fact did not necessarily imply low contaminant levels but rather low standards: in short, the EPA has written most standards in a way that the vast majority of cities will not be in violation. For example, recent studies show that there is no safe level of cancer-causing arsenic in drinking water. Nonetheless, today's standard, in place since 1942, is 50 parts per billion (ppb). The EPA recently set a new standard at 10 ppb (which will go into effect in 2006), a level that the National Academy of Sciences has found presents a lifetime fatal cancer risk of about 1 in 333 -- a risk that is at least 30 times greater than what the EPA generally considers acceptable. 4 When the EPA announced it found a standard of 3 ppb was feasible, there was an outcry from water utilities and industry -- and ultimately the EPA, citing treatment costs, decided not to adopt that stricter standard. Nonetheless, arsenic is still present in the drinking water of 22 million Americans, hovering at average levels of 5 ppb -- half the new national standard and just one-tenth of the current national standard. Thus, the mere fact that a city may meet the federal standard for arsenic (or other high-risk contaminants with weak standards) does not necessarily mean that the water is safe.



http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/uscities/execsum.asp

[Rockerforlife]

"Is there anyone out there"


Who has not had the EOT scary side effects?

[charm27]

Never had a pains and aches prior to my 55 weeks of tx. Two months after I stopped tx I had and still have severe knee, hand, hip and leg pain that is off the charts. One day bad, the next tolerable.

I cant bend getting out of the car whatsoever..however Im hoping for the best,

Wish everybody well!

Charm

[Bill1954]

From the U.S. CDC; “Health on Tap: The Value of Tap Water”:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/healthywater/features/drinking_water_week_07.htm

“During the past century, much of the improved health and prosperity of the U.S. population can be attributed to improvements in water quality. In fact, the provision of safe drinking water and drinking water fluoridation have been called two of the greatest public health achievements in the 20th century.

[DoubleDose]

Here is a link:

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hiv_hcv_co_inf/2009/071009_a.html

To a recent study regarding cardiovascular risk and HCV.  Extrapolate the effect of the interferon on immune system activation, in addition to the years of HCV, and it seems to me that we are all at much greater risk for long term cardiovascular problems.  I personally think the interferon effects may be even more pronounced than the HCV on our cardiovascular health.  Also, remember that there is a much higher incidence of cerebral hemmorhage and stroke from HCV.  I wonder how tx impacts these potential risks on a lifetime basis?

DoubleDose

[Rockerforlife]

For all who posted with these EOT sides,are you working still? If i get hit with the sides you all are describing,looks like i wont be able to work and do i quailfy to get disability assistance because of these SX?

[Rockerforlife]

From the U.S. CDC; “Health on Tap: The Value of Tap Water”:


Isnt this the govt?,,,What do you expect them to say....if they say its toxic the public will panic.Some of us know the truth about how polluted tap water really is,if you believe for one second tap water is clean...I FEEL SORRY FOR ANYONE

[jdwithhcv]

Gee, Rocker, since you are in Canada the safety of the US water supply should not affect you.

[Rockerforlife]

Every drop of water is polluted on the planet,even fish in the artic is loaded with pcp and mercury.This whole plant is almost toast.

[jdwithhcv]

In that case, what is the point of worrying, stuffing down apples and mushrooms, and treating for HCV?  I mean, if its so gloomy and we are all doomed, why did you bother putting yourself through treatment and all the pain that goes with it?  Really, Rocker, these posts or yours are excessive and and depressing.  If you truly believe "this whole plant (sic) is almost toast" then it makes no sense that you go to all that effort to remain on it.

[Bill1954]

“Every drop of water is polluted on the planet,even fish in the artic is loaded with pcp and mercury.This whole plant is almost toast.”

Yet despite these issues, the vast majority of North Americans live relatively long, happy, and reasonably healthy lives. In fact, they live much longer and are generally healthier than those that live in less polluted developing nations.

Care to explain this phenomenon? Could it be that things like tap water have successfully eliminated many water born diseases that would otherwise make us ill? Or is it that the availability of vaccines here has prolonged and enhanced our lives? I’ll stop here, but I think you get the gist of my thoughts.

Bill

[jt57]

wow.  sorry all of you are having this sides, post tx, but I have to say that reading this at least validates the way I have been feeling!  I was beginning to think I was just a big baby......with all my aches and pains.  I have the same hip, knee, leg pains you all are describing.  I have been off tx for 7 wks.  Was still und. at 2 weeks (not sure why we did a two week test), and just did a 6 wk test but don't know the results yet.  But I am so achey (achy) and stiff.  My doc says that my muscles are just week and it will take time....I hope that is true.  I am not back at work yet, and am not sure when I can!  The least bit of exertion on my part wears me out and the legs start throbbing....I do hope this ends.

Jean

[Kristina538]

I haven't been online much because I'm on a computer at work and have struggled with pain in my shoulders, arms and fingers.   It started about a month after tx and I stopped doing yoga in case it aggravated it.

If it hadn't been for the Korean Massage folk at the local mall, I wouldn't have been able to continue working,  but I've had 10 massages since March, and, while it's certainly better than it was, it's still quite crippling (all of my energy is going into work).  Sometimes I can do three weeks without a massage, other weeks I've struggled to get to the end of the week.  I splint my right hand so it doesn't curl up at night and do gentle stretching exercises during the day.

On the bright side, it has improved, and if I have to get a massage fortnightly over the next year so be it!!  I'm 8 months post now.  I've included barley grass in my supplements and have just had a test for RA factor and ESR to help strategise how to manage the condition.    Looking at old posts, it seems that it has disappeared in some people and continued in others, and if that's the outcome of being UND I still count myself lucky as I knew the risks.....

[Kristina538]

I'm still pleased I did the tx Rocker!!

[copyman]

i agree with the others. keep the subject on HCV. I personally am tired of hearing your same old rhetoric. The thred starts out about something really important then you have to flood the thred with "YOUR" beliefs. You post 3 or 4 threads in a row. Keep it to your self. Post things that will help people with HCV.

[merryBe]

yup, my joints got much worse after tx....but they've started to come out of it.

1. i was very dehydrated during tx due to the riba...post riba I stopped drinking so much water...and finally stopped keeping it by me..and this may have made my joints worse so stay hydrated

2. my guess is that tx takes a toll on all.. on me I was too anemic to move...every time I got up I felt like I was going to collaspe...had to sit to brush teeth and shower even...not enough oxygen..this in turn made muscles atrophy...and so a lot of muscle soreness in coming out of this...and it can seem like more joint pain when in reality its the muscles protesting and seizing around each joint. Might not be your case, but I noticed what it was since I once was a physical therapist.

3. the inflammation that normally gets taken care off by our immune systems got a boost by having INF on board....when first put on it I had some sharp joint pains..but that subsided into utter joint happiness as my body adjusted...and the extra interferon can help with inflammation...so then when you come off it...suddenly you haven't as much INF..and your body has to get used to the old chemistry which includes making more of its own INF as well as other naturally produced antiinflammatories (steroids) to combat joint inflammation.  All this takes time to dial back in, and the increase in energy makes us want to get up off the couch and take care of business again...and that adds more of a repairative load daily.  So give yourself some time to adjust...most folks do readjust..it just takes a while. Some say give it 6 months...so that's what I've done.
I didn't want to rush off to the rhematologist to get some dang drug that would be bad for my liver...most arthritis meds are...so give it a while before you panic...
I'm no spring chicken so easing back into my former activity level seemed wisdom here.

mb

[alagirl]

I've got some type of seronegative arthritis post tx.  I can say that it is better now than it was during or immediately post-tx.  It does seem to be somewhat episodic though, I have periods where it gets quite bad again, but then it lets up.  I think interferon affects some people more than others.  I would speculate that people who take higher doses or longer courses might have greater issues if they are already medically susceptible to such issues.

I did not have a period of feeling good immediately after tx.  In fact, I felt rather awful at that time - I remember being quite depressed about it at the time as I had thought I would feel good immediately.  I have progressively felt better and better since tx ended - starting about six months post-tx.  Aside from the episodic joint issues, I don't seem to have other tx related sx now.

I think you also have to factor in the long term inflammatory effects of having hcv, plus tx.   In other words, the virus may have caused sub-clinical joint issues that were made manifest by the tx (and which, over time, may have manifested without tx).  This is just theoretical on my part.  In my case, I had the virus for such a short time (since I treated acutely) that I think my joint issues are related to the interferon's effects on my autoimmune system.

[Isobella]

I defo think immune response has a bit to do with it.  But I also feel-in my case-that my muscles and ligaments have tightened up sooooo much during my 48 weeks of minimal excercising.  

And as MB stated above...I'm no spring chicken either....so maybe it's just taking longer than I want to admit to get back to even close to my pre-tx fitness level.  

Since my first post on this thread, I have been focusing on stretching and massaging my feet and calves and have walked 3 miles a day and used my yoga ball.  And I can say that my hip pain has gotten better (but still very much here).  After the massages, the muscles spasm increase for a bit, but I think it's really helping.

Time will tell....good luck and SVR to us all =)

[Kristina538]

Ala-girl - my recovery sounds similar to yours; thanks for your comments.

M-Be - I haven't got RA factor, and my reason for getting the test, was so that I could strategise my plan for pain relief (which strategy didn't include taking RA drugs, unless it was affecting other organs etc).   What you said in your comment (3) does make sense, so thanks for your input there also.

cpclinic - thanks for starting this thread - I've had some real value out of the comments - I hope you're feeling better soon and I agree with 'taking it one day at a time'  - and all tx'ers know how to do that!!!  

[sunqueen]

In my profession, we like to validate and normalize the experiences of others. I'm madly relieved to know that my tx experiences were typical. Here I am, 8 months post tx and going out of my mind with joint pain.  I had it before tx. During tx it was very minimal and then came back with a vengeance a few weeks after I finished.

I have no regrets about treating. Still waiting for my nine month PCR to see if I'm SVR and I remain optimistic.

Both of my parents had arthritis and DJD. I didn't expect to be where they were in their 70s at my age, but the HCV had to have impacted the whole degeneration somehow.

Interesting that this is so common for so many of us.

I can't walk by the end of the day. Getting in and out of the car constantly for work is killing me. I have to lie on my side on the futon and do all kinds of leg contortions to get my hip to pop, otherwise it won't bear weight. I don't think this will resolve with time. Bionics are still in my future. Resistance is futile.

[Isobella]

Totally agree....knowing others are going thru the same post-tx issues is a tremendous help.  

CP-thanks for starting this thread.

[mikedfwtx]

I was Hep-C screened in 1990 and tested positive in 1994 during a physical and started Interferon treatment late 1994 and finished mid 1995, I was doing 1 inj. 3 x weekly of Interferon Intron-b for 6 months and responded during treatment.  After stopping treatment I relapsed with-in a short time.  I was told what they were prescribing those in my category was a 12-18 month continuation of treatment.  I started treating again on the same regimen in mid 1995 and after 12 months I begged the Dr to allow me to end the pain since I was responding so well and I finished in mid 1996.  I estimated that I received approx 234 injections.  Thanks to a higher power of my understanding to this day I continue to test undetectable.  BUT.... BUT,  I live with pain EVERYDAY OF MY LIFE, to the point I can hardly function.

I was wondering if there were others who have treated with Interferon Intron-b for as long as I had and are going through the same thing.  I have extreme pain in all my muscles and joints.  My ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, back and neck.  I started having migraines after treatment but not sure about that connection.  The joint pain is like it was when I was on treatment but magnified immensely.

[Upbeat]

Wow
         I really feel for all with the joint issues.  I only hope they resolve.  Lets hope that as we age the condition is not magnified.  It will be interesting to see how this all turns out 10-20 years from now.