Side Effects after treatment

[dreenyd]

I have had most of the side effects that are mentioned.  I am at the end of my 24 week treatment.  I have hepc type2.  I am even more exhausted than I was before treatment.  The naussua, insomnia, lack of appetite,no energy, confused (brain fog) is as bad today as it was 6months ago.  How long do the side effects last?  Anything I can do to improve my quality of life?

[merryBe]

the treatment helps you fight the virus by making your immune system work better.
Interferon is something your body makes to fight every virus.
Every time you ever got a cold or a flu you felt sick AS your immune system kicked in and began to really fight the virus. If you look at it that way, it's good for instance when a child get's a temperature (provided it's not too high) because it means the virus is being attacked, the body is doing it's job, and ergo all that heat/nausea/fatigue means there is a huge battle going on to rid you of "the enemy".
How high is your viral load? has it come down and by how much?
the way it's been explained to me is, you MAY feel better when your viral load comes down, it depends on how sick you were to begin with. If you were already quite sick, you may feel better, but if you were not very sysmptomatic then the battle begins to rage with the tx.
Ergo, you may not feel better, because the drugs themselves cause side effects AND because even when virus free it will still take time for your liver to repair itself after the virus is gone.

the main thing causing fatigue is your platelet count. what is your platelet count?
they can put you on procrit if this goes too low, have you asked your doctor about this?
Are you taking your ribavirin with food, assuming you are on it. this is important to do to avoid nausea.

[whinybutwell]

I finished tx almost 6 mos ago, and was freaking out for a long time because i was feeling even worse after tx than i did before tx, and for quite a long time.  I began to find out about all the secondary problems that the drugs themselves can cause (and that the docs don't tell you about, or deny, in my doc's case), but think i am finally starting to turn a corner.  Someone on this forum said that the half-life of the riba is 6 months, so maybe i'm getting rid of the last of it.  I may not (yet) feel better than before tx, but at least i'm getting (i hope) to the point of feeling about the same, and have occasional days here and there where i've actually felt better.  This gives me a lot of hope.  I also think that because you and i are type 2's and only had to do the meds for 24 wks (vs 48 or even 72, god forbid), that we might start feeling better quicker than many.

Hang in there...i think it will get better, if slowly!  (How long have you been UND?)

[Terrylee8]

"the main thing causing fatigue is your platelet count. what is your platelet count?
they can put you on procrit if this goes too low"

I think you meant that low hemoglobin is what makes you tired.  As you head toward anemia, your blood doesn't get fully oxygenated.  Procrit is the solution.  Low platlets are remedied with a blood transfusion.  When do you join us in the "Twilight Zone?"

[CMcH]

I am getting a biopsy in November to help make the final decision about RX. I am type 1a VL 250,000 and have recently found that I have RA factor in my blood. I have very stiff/sore joints, hands,wrists,elbows etc. and have been DX w/hypothyroid condition for 10yrs. I have been putting off RX because I'm a mother of twins and work full time. Soooo
my real question is how many of your can keep working while on RX and how does it effect your family life? My job is very physical and requires me to be alert. I am already forgetful. Not sure if it is Hep  C or menopause or age? Also since I am new can you clarify what CBC. PCR, AD's and PEG mean? I have never been on a chat room and don't know all the abbreviations. I have been up  since 4 AM because my body was to sore to sleep. One more thing I have always been very physically active running, dancing, pilates etc. Has anyone been able to  keep physically active during RX? You guys are probably laughing at me for such silly questions, but I am truly afraid.

[desrt]

Given your pre-existing problems with thyroid and RA factor, I would wait on the results of your biopsy to make any treatment decisions. My understanding is that 80% of people with HCV never progress to cirrhosis or liver cancer. Why treat if you're going to end up with poorer quality of life than what you started with? If you do need to treat and have the option of waiting a couple years, there is the possibility that drugs currently in trials could shorten your length of treatment and your exposure to high levels of interferon.
I was able to work the 23 weeks I was on treatment, but had a lot of support from my coworkers.
CBC is one of the groups of blood tests you take on a regular basis during treatment to monitor your red and white blood cell counts.
PCR stands for 'polymerase chain reaction' and refers to a test to measure viral load - the amount of virus in your blood.
ADs are anti-depressants which many people take to counter some of the possible side effects of  IFN.
PEG is 'polyethylene glycol' - the molecule that is attached to the IFN (interferon) to make it "time release'.
Keeping physically active (if you can) can help you to get by without taking ADs.

Good Luck!

[orphanedhawk]

I started feeling better about two weeks after stopping tx. However, its been a few steps forward, a step back, kind of recovery. Its been almost 6 months and I continue to improve.
BTW: My platelets were low during tx, down to 31, and my heptologist never mentioned a blood transfusion. I don't think its something he would do unless it was to save my life.

[Terrylee8]

I think the transfusion comes when platelets drop below 20.  You were close.  Below 10, people can "bleed out".

[Laura1121313]

My name is matthew. Im nearing the end of my first month of treatment. I was lucky enough to become a part of a new drug study through roch pharmacutical. I recieve the traditional treatment and the study drug. My original virul load was over 3/4 million strong by my 3rd week I was allready testing negative for hep c rna. I wanted to post this comment so all who are afflicted will know that there is new hope out there