Treatment Consequences

Hi, Dr. D.M.  Welcome back, we missed you.  Hope things are OK with you.  I am currently beginning week 19 of the combo treatment.  Never a joy ride, but in the past 2 weeks different symptoms have surfaced that are of concern to me.  My counts 3 weeks ago were marginal but acceptable.  What I call "body anxiety" has taken over.  A feeling I am coming out of my skin.  Pulse 95-100 (intermittant).  Sleep difficult even with Restoril. Not intolerant of heat.  Minimal weight loss.  Is it possible that the Ribavarin is affecting the adrenal glands?  I say Ribavarin because if I back off on a dose, the symptoms abate somewhat.  Meditation has produced the emotional calm of an observer, but the body anxiety persists thru this calm.  A growing unease - a gut feeling if you will - that this is not to be taken lightly.  Your experience and advice is greatly appreciated.  I will be seeing Dr. Dave on Thursday.  He is an internist, great doc, but not a hepatologist.  Has other treatment people, but this is not his general practice. Thanks.

[markham]

i know what you mean with the crawling out of skin....  i feel that way too.. its so hard to explain and all i want is for it to go away...  if you have since found a way please let me know

[sunspot]

This is not for everyone but my way of coping was with drugs.
For anxiety, I used an AD that also has anti- anxiety effects. Celexa or Lexapro. For that “at the moment” anxiety, Ativan.

For sleeping I used Ambien.

Try not to decrees you’re Riba. It’s quite important to maintain your dosage.

[nygirl7]

The interferon destroyed my thyroid - first it went hyper then it flip flopped to hypo.  This is very common.  If you look up the sides for hyper...you will find lack of sleep and nervousness. Of course, this doesn't have to have anything to do with you....

Do not decrease your dose unless you absolutely positively have to.  It will seriously hurt your chances of success at getting SVR, the very FIRST question Dr. J. just about asked me was "did you decrease any of your dosages during tx" wheN I answered "no" he said good, perfect. He's not the kind of guy to over react.

Laurie why are you going to gan internist?  Not even a GI?  It's very important you have someone who understands the current practices and trials involved with Hep treatment.


Good luck - like sunspot said Ambien for sleep and a good antidepressant or antianxiety med ought to do good for you but make sure they check your T3 and T4 and TSH and all that  thyroid stuff!

[MrsOckert]

Your on the wrong side, this is the patient to patient side. Dr DM is over on the other side.  Good luck to you.