New to this Need help regarding symptoms

Hi,
My father is suffering from HCV. He is on treatment( interferon 180).This is his 5th week.
He feels very low enrgitic . He can't do execersize because of this. His blood count is becoming low..His face  became puffy after starting the treatment. Is it because the lowered blood count or any other reason?...
When his blood count will become normal?.... what kind of diet he has to take?  Is this treatment  harmful?....
Please help me I love my dad soooo much ... I am unable to digest this and depressed. Not even taking care of my kids and husband .....

waiting for ur support....

[newleaf09]

He is right on time to develop low hemoglobin, the red blood cell that carries oxygen.  That makes a patient very tired.  When the hgb (hemoglobin) count gets around 10 they can start him on injections of Procrit, a drug that causes the bone marrow to produce extra red blood cells (which the ribivirin destroys so he needs help making extra).

The interferon also causes platelets and the white blood cell that protects us from bacterial infections (called neutrophils) to be destroyed, also.  There is a second "rescue" drug like Procrit that can cause the bone marrow to produce extra neutrophils.  

The treatment is dangerous and that's why he has to get so much bloodwork done, so frequently.  The interferon/ribivirin treatment to destroy the hepatitis C virus is more beneficial than the blood damage, though, and those problems will resolves on their own after he finishes the treatment.

I have not heard of a puffy face as a side effect, so maybe it should be brought to his doctor's attention.

It's wonderful that you are such a good, supportive daughter.  Learn everything you can about the disease and its treatment and it will be less alarming for both of you.  Good luck to your dad.