Aa
Treatment and maintaining a job
One of my main concerns is how I will function in the day to day life activities. I wonder if I will be able to work and do the treatment. I am already so tired all the time. My muscular aches and pains can be overwhelming. I have not started treatment as yet and I also wonder what to tell my job regarding my condition. Any thoughts and comments are appreciated.
I just read my post and when I saw "unfolded" and I was thinking unfold it, i worried. it happened to me a lot on tx that similar sounding words or phrases were used instead of the actual work, I have been paying attention to how people write and I see it a lot with the tx, but also with folks just with hep c status and no tx. or maybe is just aging?
grrr
one of these days I will show you the pics I took of my apartment as is now, I hope to have the "after" pics to go with them. over 5 yrs of storing and saving...need a dumpster.
I found a forum in delphi; cluttered lives, I will check it out someday. I am also a procrastinator...not a good combo; Pack rat and procrastination.
grrr
one of these days I will show you the pics I took of my apartment as is now, I hope to have the "after" pics to go with them. over 5 yrs of storing and saving...need a dumpster.
I found a forum in delphi; cluttered lives, I will check it out someday. I am also a procrastinator...not a good combo; Pack rat and procrastination.
Ina; and when all four are filled, unfolded, let everything fall under them and open them again...drag on!
Snookie; i am so glad you made so far and in good spirits, and that your HGB held well, that one makes a HUGE difference,as anemia can incapacitate, but mostly it causes aches, fatigue, depression, brain damage and anything oxygen deprived cells and organs can get. It might take God's mind to restore red cells in our blood, but you are right that dragging the body, forcing it to go, will be better in most instances, because the distraction will lessen the dwelling on sides, that is how Lamaze works, by distraction, but the anemia is still there. And many people don't have the stamina to do this daily after their bodies secret battle with HCV for years. I just wish the drs would not let anemia drag in so many folks, and that people would insist on Procrit, if insurance will pay. these are some of the symptoms some people have complained about on tx:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/4893-3.asp
and then you have to add other conditions that folks have that might add to THAT list, it can be a killer. You and I had it "easy" compared to some.
stay well
Snookie; i am so glad you made so far and in good spirits, and that your HGB held well, that one makes a HUGE difference,as anemia can incapacitate, but mostly it causes aches, fatigue, depression, brain damage and anything oxygen deprived cells and organs can get. It might take God's mind to restore red cells in our blood, but you are right that dragging the body, forcing it to go, will be better in most instances, because the distraction will lessen the dwelling on sides, that is how Lamaze works, by distraction, but the anemia is still there. And many people don't have the stamina to do this daily after their bodies secret battle with HCV for years. I just wish the drs would not let anemia drag in so many folks, and that people would insist on Procrit, if insurance will pay. these are some of the symptoms some people have complained about on tx:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/4893-3.asp
and then you have to add other conditions that folks have that might add to THAT list, it can be a killer. You and I had it "easy" compared to some.
stay well
Hey! Thanks for asking. All's good. The Hgb held, and I insisted on PCR's at 1 month- and 3 month-post. (Arm wrestled with the nurse who advised me to wait 6 months, but relented when she saw I wasn't going to budge on this.) Then I got a call from the doc who applauded my PCR schedule and suggested that we continue testing every 3 months for a year, even approving a new biopsy in a year's time. Hallelujah! It just takes persistence and jumping through a few hoops. It would help, of course, if there were more actual communication between the doctor and his nurse, who is the one who issues the lab slips and actually oversees treatment. Idiotic, yes indeed. Thanks for the very useful info, tho'. I will definitely file it away for future reference. How are you holding up?
Foreseegood said it very eloquently. All I can do is reduce _one_ of her lucid observations to convenient billboard size for easy recall:
A 28 year-old body handles chemotherapy differently than a 54 year-old one.
Let us not extrapolate from this any conclusions about weakness of character or the powers of positive thinking and all the rest of that simple-minded rot.
Oh, and thanks for your congratulations on my finishing 60 weeks, heavy side effects and all.
A 28 year-old body handles chemotherapy differently than a 54 year-old one.
Let us not extrapolate from this any conclusions about weakness of character or the powers of positive thinking and all the rest of that simple-minded rot.
Oh, and thanks for your congratulations on my finishing 60 weeks, heavy side effects and all.
It seems to me that there are no bad decisions at all regarding working or not working during treatment. Treatment and the associated side effects are so individual that we all need to make the best decision for ourselves and our famililies.
I was prepared to continue working through my 48 week tx. Started out fine and then hit depression and sleep/exhaustion issues around week 19-20. As I sat crying in the bathroom at work one day, I realized that the stress of my daily work was not helping me and I was not doing my employer any favors by being there and not giving it my best. More importantly I was struggling to maintain myself for my family (two young boys, 8 and 5 ).
Fortunately, I have been putting into disability with Jefferson Pilot for several years now and was eligible to apply for STD and got it. This covered me for 13 weeks and now am in the process of going for long term. Don't know yet if I'll qualify but after a phone call from the benefits specialist at JP, I am encouraged. The truth is that this treatment is a tough one for most of us (I haven't heard of many that don't experience some repetoire of the possible side effects) and much to my surprise these private insurance companies do know that. In most cases it is also a temporary medical condition and the sides are reversible when tx is over.
I know that all employers don't offer this benefit and I count myself extremely fortunate that my does. The coverage varies as well. I get ~ 55% of my base salary which helps tremendously but would not be enough if my hubby didn't work as well.
Good health is not overrated and in my opinion, worth focusing on when needed. If that means not working for a while and getting through this tx, then so be it.
I know STD/LTD is not an option for everyone on tx but thought it should be mentioned in this thread.
I was prepared to continue working through my 48 week tx. Started out fine and then hit depression and sleep/exhaustion issues around week 19-20. As I sat crying in the bathroom at work one day, I realized that the stress of my daily work was not helping me and I was not doing my employer any favors by being there and not giving it my best. More importantly I was struggling to maintain myself for my family (two young boys, 8 and 5 ).
Fortunately, I have been putting into disability with Jefferson Pilot for several years now and was eligible to apply for STD and got it. This covered me for 13 weeks and now am in the process of going for long term. Don't know yet if I'll qualify but after a phone call from the benefits specialist at JP, I am encouraged. The truth is that this treatment is a tough one for most of us (I haven't heard of many that don't experience some repetoire of the possible side effects) and much to my surprise these private insurance companies do know that. In most cases it is also a temporary medical condition and the sides are reversible when tx is over.
I know that all employers don't offer this benefit and I count myself extremely fortunate that my does. The coverage varies as well. I get ~ 55% of my base salary which helps tremendously but would not be enough if my hubby didn't work as well.
Good health is not overrated and in my opinion, worth focusing on when needed. If that means not working for a while and getting through this tx, then so be it.
I know STD/LTD is not an option for everyone on tx but thought it should be mentioned in this thread.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis C Community
Learn about this treatable virus.
Getting tested for this viral infection.
3 key steps to getting on treatment.
4 steps to getting on therapy.
What you need to know about Hep C drugs.
How the drugs might affect you.
These tips may up your chances of a cure.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
