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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.
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.
I respect what you say Snook, and I'm glad that you are fighting it with all you've got and did all the research, etc. I've talked to you a lot and I hope with all I've got that you achieve SVR. But you still don't seem to realize that we are all "not you." Everyone is different with a different set of circumstances that they are dealing with. I happen to know youre relatively young, that could go a long way to help you get up and out the door to work, some of us can't even get to the door. I personally do all kinds of mental meditations and affirmations, trying to get through this with all the help I can get from my feverish little mind.
I need all the "mind healing" I can get, and it works for me most of the time. When I can concentrate. But all things remaining the same, some other person might have a messed up pancreas or something like that that is making their tx experience excrutiating. Any number of things that you are not dealing with.
That's the point I was trying to make to you.
I need all the "mind healing" I can get, and it works for me most of the time. When I can concentrate. But all things remaining the same, some other person might have a messed up pancreas or something like that that is making their tx experience excrutiating. Any number of things that you are not dealing with.
That's the point I was trying to make to you.
Well, I'm one of the younger ones and my immune system is as strong as it gets. My starting VL was only 4000, but I was also a stage 3. But then again, I was infected at birth 28 years ago. I do not know what feeling "normal" is, as I have always lived with HCV.
I know that these meds suck, but they work. It takes awihle to get used to feeling slow and achey, but you do get used to it. You begin to find ways to still function and get along with daily life. I admit, at first I thought I couldn't make it. Hell, my first attempt at tx I only lasted 6 days before being ordered off the meds by my DR. But I had built up this intense inner fear of tx, and alot of that anxiety amplified the initial sx's. I was pulled off and was soooo shaken I had made it up in my mind that I was going to wait. Try supplements and wait for something else to come along.
Right around the same time I started researching. I read EVERY article I could find, every forum and bulletin board, and every new clinical. I was obsessed with the disease and trying to rid my body of it. The more I read and asked, the more confident I was about retrying tx. I waited about 4 or 5 months, and started again. My Dr's believed that I was allergic to the meds from my first attempt, so I was taking a big risk. I started the meds, and never looked back. I'm now on week 44, and have been clear since week 12.
I know how bad the meds are and the possible sx's. My WBC's have not gone higher than 1.8 since week 4. My netrophils have not gone over 1000, and are currently 683. I'm fighting with every ounce of my body, and still get up and out of the house each and every morning to go to work. Alot of the sx's are in the mind. The mind is our most powerful weapon during tx against this dragon. Our own mind can heal us, or break us. That is why I recommend researching and learning about the disease and ALL the possible sx's before starting, and making a confident personal decision about how YOU are going to proceed. You have to remain open minded and know when to ask for help. You have to know what to expect, and what to look for. You have to be able to self diagnose symptoms, and talk them over with family and your Dr. I needed Xanax, and Effexor to get through. At week 30 or so, anxiety hit me hard. But I knew what to look for and I talked it over with my Dr. As soon as I got the script, I was right back on track. We all have to be proactive, as it is OUR health, and OUR livers...
I know that these meds suck, but they work. It takes awihle to get used to feeling slow and achey, but you do get used to it. You begin to find ways to still function and get along with daily life. I admit, at first I thought I couldn't make it. Hell, my first attempt at tx I only lasted 6 days before being ordered off the meds by my DR. But I had built up this intense inner fear of tx, and alot of that anxiety amplified the initial sx's. I was pulled off and was soooo shaken I had made it up in my mind that I was going to wait. Try supplements and wait for something else to come along.
Right around the same time I started researching. I read EVERY article I could find, every forum and bulletin board, and every new clinical. I was obsessed with the disease and trying to rid my body of it. The more I read and asked, the more confident I was about retrying tx. I waited about 4 or 5 months, and started again. My Dr's believed that I was allergic to the meds from my first attempt, so I was taking a big risk. I started the meds, and never looked back. I'm now on week 44, and have been clear since week 12.
I know how bad the meds are and the possible sx's. My WBC's have not gone higher than 1.8 since week 4. My netrophils have not gone over 1000, and are currently 683. I'm fighting with every ounce of my body, and still get up and out of the house each and every morning to go to work. Alot of the sx's are in the mind. The mind is our most powerful weapon during tx against this dragon. Our own mind can heal us, or break us. That is why I recommend researching and learning about the disease and ALL the possible sx's before starting, and making a confident personal decision about how YOU are going to proceed. You have to remain open minded and know when to ask for help. You have to know what to expect, and what to look for. You have to be able to self diagnose symptoms, and talk them over with family and your Dr. I needed Xanax, and Effexor to get through. At week 30 or so, anxiety hit me hard. But I knew what to look for and I talked it over with my Dr. As soon as I got the script, I was right back on track. We all have to be proactive, as it is OUR health, and OUR livers...
I just wanted to apologize to the people who are about to begin tx or considering it. I guess in trying to make my point to Snookman that although there probably are people who sit around and feel "too sorry for themselves" and avoid working, which would make them feel more occupied and help take their minds off tx, I don't think they are in the majority, by any means. I think it more or less shakes down to the fact that there are some people who feel well enough to work on tx, while others just can't, even if they really, really want to and are very mentally motivated. These people shouln't be made to feel guilty with judgments like that. But in trying to make my point, I probably said some scary things about tx and it's possible consequences. I say "possible" because not everyone will experience a lot of negative effects.
I'm the type of person who wants to know all the negative and positive consequences in making this decision, in case I get some of these bad sides - I want to know it's only a side, and I'm not dying, ha ha! But maybe some people just want to go ahead and jump in without knowing all the scary stories and possible outcomes. And I do agree with some that maybe a lot of people are having an okay time with tx so they don't feel the "need" to post. Of course the anxiety surrounding doing the meds can be brutal and not helpful.
I do see a lot of people who are starting out on the meds, and they haven't had the disease too long or they are relatively young, which can only bode well for the sides issue. Age does play a part. The younger you are the younger your immune system is and you can probably take the meds a lot better, stands to reason even though this is not always the case.. . I personally believe that some can wait for better meds, but not all. There are others who belive that all people who have this should go ahead and treat. There are many issues to consider with your doctor for your own particular case.
I'm the type of person who wants to know all the negative and positive consequences in making this decision, in case I get some of these bad sides - I want to know it's only a side, and I'm not dying, ha ha! But maybe some people just want to go ahead and jump in without knowing all the scary stories and possible outcomes. And I do agree with some that maybe a lot of people are having an okay time with tx so they don't feel the "need" to post. Of course the anxiety surrounding doing the meds can be brutal and not helpful.
I do see a lot of people who are starting out on the meds, and they haven't had the disease too long or they are relatively young, which can only bode well for the sides issue. Age does play a part. The younger you are the younger your immune system is and you can probably take the meds a lot better, stands to reason even though this is not always the case.. . I personally believe that some can wait for better meds, but not all. There are others who belive that all people who have this should go ahead and treat. There are many issues to consider with your doctor for your own particular case.
Who said anything about sitting around feeling sorry for yourself? Some of the most positive, courageous people I know are unable to work on tx. I am not trying to argue with you and agree that your outlook can play a HUGE role in how you feel and tx effects you. I agree you should be as active as you can and to try and fight off the negatives aspects of this disease and the tx used to kill it
I am on wk6 of 72, stage 3 grade 3 and so far doing pretty good on tx. I work out every other day and try to walk a couple miles a day, fish as often as I can and am 54. But man the meds can effect some people such as extremely low wbc or rbc. I don't want them to feel bad about themselves if they are unable to work by thinking they let the meds win over their mind's will
I am on wk6 of 72, stage 3 grade 3 and so far doing pretty good on tx. I work out every other day and try to walk a couple miles a day, fish as often as I can and am 54. But man the meds can effect some people such as extremely low wbc or rbc. I don't want them to feel bad about themselves if they are unable to work by thinking they let the meds win over their mind's will
Be great if we all had your body Snook, your other organs, glands, etc. Your age. The whole body is effected by the virus and the meds, not just the liver. And being that you are not a woman, you don't have certain hormonal factors that we have to deal with, ever try menopause and hep c? The liver has a lot to do with the hormones, hormones have a lot do with every body process. Women have this to deal with and have presented a lot more thyroid related factors than men doing tx. Thyroid will kick butt. So many varying factors, too many to name here even if I could. Because of these extraneous factors, genetic factors, it's impossible for me to say, well, I've had this disease close to 30 years and I"m only a stage 1?...what's with you having a stage 3?, buck up why don't ya? Lifestyle does play into it but so do so many other physiological complications. I feel sorry for docs and researchers because they are wading around in a sea of complications that they only have inklings into. DNA is mind boggling.
Truth is some of us have genetic propensities to certain diseases, arthritis, mental conditions, osteo conditions, etc. that can get kicked in prematurely by the meds. What can we do about our genetic backgrounds? Last week my girlfriend and I were drinking some new fruit drink at the health food store, she broke out in a rash all over. I didn't. Was I utilizing some "strength of character or mind control" that she didn't have access to? Nope, she's got a different body than I have, pretty simple.
Truth is some of us have genetic propensities to certain diseases, arthritis, mental conditions, osteo conditions, etc. that can get kicked in prematurely by the meds. What can we do about our genetic backgrounds? Last week my girlfriend and I were drinking some new fruit drink at the health food store, she broke out in a rash all over. I didn't. Was I utilizing some "strength of character or mind control" that she didn't have access to? Nope, she's got a different body than I have, pretty simple.
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