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Avatar universal

Need help

I have 11 days to go and my hepatologist told me to stop treatment because I can't handle the medicine anymore. I have xanax and valium but it's not helping. He won't give me anything else he said just stop. What do I do. ?????
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Avatar universal
Relax. 11 days isn't going to make one bit of a difference, especially with the PI. You should really start weaning off the AD's, oxy's, etc.  Get into shape so you can enjoy your new life without HCV :)

Best of luck
Helpful - 0
190885 tn?1333025891
hope you get some sleep.....take care ....we'll be thinking about you...billy
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Avatar universal
and now I lay me down to sleep. way to much stress this week.......
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Avatar universal
now I just have one more question. The girl called me from the office to see what happen and I asked her why he does;t charge more cut is patient load.  she said he couldn't because of some rule or whatever. Now what does that say. He has way to many patients because he is a gastro or specialize in hep c. I'm wonder how much he really know about hep c. I was told not to use him and I didn't listen. He's good, until crisis. We got along great because this is the first major problem I have had and that;s when he  wanted to dump me.. A women who cleared right away, all good blood work and no incivek problem. he couldn't help me get through 11 days. I was so sick last weekend and this weekend and he wouldn't even return a call.
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Avatar universal
Myy Sinai told me with 11 days a person can risk relapse. So who am I to listen to a man who started me on drugs and when I ran into trouble turn away. I have a new hep doc I had been to when decideding and they will take me on now that i don't have a doctor.
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Avatar universal
I don't know. All I know is sat I woke up sick as a dog my whole head every vain was in pain I went to the er they found nothing. If the blood was a problem they would have admitted me. I called my doctor the next day and ask if it was safe to take the interferon. He said yes. who know's if he even looked at my chart. The hospital was suppose to contact him.
My GP put me on clonazrpzn and oxycocode. I feel so much better. My  gp knows about the liver disease. It's the choice between taking these two ned and going to 24 week or stopping. The doctor I fired wanted me to do 48 week until today and said if I can't handle the riba I should stop now. He knows all the meds I had been taking and the only one he didn't want me on is the one that is helping me and not because it would hurt my liver he was afraid of addition. It's only 11 days twice a day.The Oxy I will only use when I get my migraines. Right now everything feels better and I'm taking less drugn then the last 6 months. This is what he should have been doing for me. I can't believe that people can actually do this treatment without some help. Everyone I know is taking something for sleep depression valium xanax to get through. It was my understanding to do what you had to to finish treatment.. I will only be doing 11 more days and if my doctor would have helped me early my liver would have had a lot more med stress on it. I was taking just a valium wtih the meds and it worked but after i got sick something went haywire and yes I am going to get through 10 days now. and I don't think 11 days of a few pills will through me into detox. I don't thing I'll even need to take much oxycodone, it works so well. If I don't clear I don't have much choices left. Unlless I can make it 3 years
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Avatar universal
Oh streamline. Argh. Having to switch specialists. Not fun at all. Stage 4 cirrhosis, into about the 6 month of triple, right? But UND at 4, 8, 12... something is good at least!

I was wondering what your bloods are like? Could something like anemia be contributing to your anxiety? Just a thought.

The other thing is I believe switching anti-anxiety meds around can cause problems on it's own. Withdrawal symptoms, lead-in times, all mixed with triple TX. A bit complicated. I often wonder if Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists are the best people to be prescribing the mood altering drugs since it isn't their speciality other than to know which ones are toxic to the liver.

Best wishes to you. I guess the thing right now is to focus on getting your new doctor up to speed with all the details of your treatment so far. By the way, I had to switch specialists mid way and the new one was soooo much better. Good luck.
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163305 tn?1333668571
You know ADs take time to kick in. Asking for something to smooth out 11 days may not be realistic if it takes that long just for the med to start taking effect.

I hope you find some way, to relax and find peace.
OH
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Before taking Klonopin
You should not use Klonopin if you have severe liver disease or narrow-angle glaucoma, or if you are allergic to clonazepam or other benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), clorazepate (Tranxene), lorazepam (Ativan), or oxazepam (Serax).
  
Before using oxycodone
Tell your doctor if you have.......... liver or kidney disease;

  You think maybe this is why your Hep doctor is hesitant in giving you these drugs?

In your profile you say this......"but I can tell you one thing if I beat this thing I will treasure my liver forever.

Now that i totally agree with........... Wishing you the best.



Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Dear Streamline,
I am so sorry you are having such a difficult time. As we all know, these treatment medications are very complicated and have widespread effects on the body. They have very debilitating side effects.
That said, you should be up and about ,at least marginally, and not bed bound while on treatment. When I read your post about being in bed and missing your physician appointment and then spending the day in the ER a day or so later, I knew you had lost your connection with your physician and he with you. I see above that you have moved on.
You must establish a firm connection with your new physician (any physician) and do everything you can to maintain it from your end. Additionally, it is important to really take a look at your situation and make a plan for yourself to continue with treatment if you think you can get yourself up and
about and work to stabilize the anxiety and personality issues you are having. The drugs are powerful and can get you panicked and agitated and this can keep escalating until you will do anything to get rid of the feeling.
I think sometimes the anti-anxiety medications cannot overcome the feelings that come and go once the cycle gets going. And, the more you take that is altering your mood, whether it be anxiety medications or narcotics, you decrease your natural ability to compensate and rationally help yourself.
I truly don't know what to tell you. If you can't make it you just can't and don't beat yourself up about it. If you can get up and about again and out of the bedroom and outside in the fresh air and walk and talk and be out and about your symptoms may diminish quite a bit.
If that happens, you should try for the 48 wks. I hope you will find a way to continue. I am in your corner whatever occurs. Good Luck.
Helpful - 0
179856 tn?1333547362
22 weeks of 48 and cirrhotic? That is a dangerous gamble to take are you sure you cant' make due with the xanax and valium - I can see why the doctor is hesistant to give you yet more meds with your liver condition and if your mental state is that bad then I believe he is probably obligated to take  you off the meds.

Or perhaps it was that you were asking for oxy's and klonopin, definitely too many oxycodones would be toxic for your liver.

Either way it's a huge risk to stop so early, good luck.
Helpful - 0
163305 tn?1333668571
Hmmm, I know my hepatologist is willing to reduce meds rather than stop treatment.
But if its just 11 days? Or is it 22 weeks out of 48weeks, I'm confused.


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Avatar universal
Exactly, I think he was trying to kill me today because he heard me say somethings I shouldn't have. I didn't know he had come in, plus I told his nurse I was to sick and could not possibly go onto 48 weeks I was stopping at 24 week. Just because your are a doctor doesn't mean you're a nasty *******. I've seen it in his personality before when you don't listen to him. I"m sure he didn't like it when my Riba rage said some truths about the staff and him Done with. I feel better now with the new medication and thamk God for my Primary Doctor he is always there for me.
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Avatar universal
Well i have to say good luck, doing 22 and a half weeks out of 48 and being cirrhotic.

You say your on xanax, valium, and oxycodone for pain, not sure taking all them drugs is good for someone who has a cirrhotic liver........ Best to you.
Helpful - 0
1747881 tn?1546175878
He's also the one who wanted me to do 48 weeks.

I'm geno 1a with early cirrhosis stage 4. Treatment naive

Treatment-naïve patients with cirrhosis who have undetectable HCV-RNA at weeks 4 and 12 of INCIVEK combination treatment may benefit from an
additional 36 weeks of peginterferon alfa and ribavirin (48 weeks total) [see Clinical Studies (14.2)].

http://pi.vrtx.com/files/uspi_telaprevir.pdf
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Avatar universal
No it is not too much to ask for.  Sorry stream.  It would help to review someone's history. This last post makes this a horse of a different color.  
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Avatar universal
I should have stated it's the Riba that's causing high anxiety not the pegasy's

All I ask for was something to help me calm down for 11 days. I don't think that was much to ask for.
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Avatar universal
All I asked him for was something to calm me down for the next 11 days. He's the one who told me to stop the klonopin. He will not write a scrip. I called pegasy's and they said to go to my primary care. He put me back on kolonopin and gave me oxycodone for my pain. I'm cirrohtic I'm not quiting now. I fired my doctor. He just won't write prescriptions and he had no idea of the results from the emergency room, even though he was the one who sent me....He's also the one who wanted me to do 48 weeks.He won't answer a call on a weekends , has no backup when you need help. Like Donald would say " your fired" I'm fine I'm already set with finishing with another doctor who is helping me.
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Avatar universal
First you stop the treatment and then you explore what may be contributing to the anxiety and try to find other resources.  These are both drugs of addiction and should not be taken lightly.  
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163305 tn?1333668571
I've been coming to this forum since 2006.
A number of people have stopped early for varying reasons.
Some cleared the virus, others did not.
One that sticks out in my mind was a guy, genotype 2, who stopped at 7 weeks yet was SVR.

Follow your doctor's advice. And try not to worry.
OH
Helpful - 0
190885 tn?1333025891
your going to do fine....listen to the doctor...you can really mess up some things...please keep posting ....it will take time to recover don't over do it...good luck...billy
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1747881 tn?1546175878
"4th 8th and 12th week und"

That is from your post your stats, no one can say for sure how much effect stopping 11 days early will have but you look like you have the best chance possible to reach SVR considering the circumstances. My advice would be to follow your doctors orders as he is the one who knows exactly what your situation is. Wishing you all the best moving foward.

Keith
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789911 tn?1368636783
What is going on?  from the meds you posted it looks like bad anxiety.  How have you made it this far?  What about tapering off the last 11 days.   try to get one more shot in and taper down the riba it has a long half life.  You have really hung in there.  
Helpful - 0
1768199 tn?1323617936
You finished the Incivek and have 11 days left of SOC, right?  If it were me I would trust my doc.  I have nothing to base this on but I don't think missing 11 more days of SOC will hurt your chances of SVR.

Good luck,
Sherry
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