Aa
Wearing Thin
Hello all~~
My question is "Could hemoglobin of 10.0 be what's making me lethargic ? I do not have even the slightest gumption to do or go anywhere. Mentally I am starting to miss my ex-husband, who is still drinking, ect. I have been clean and sober for five years. ( Nov. 12 2004 Praise the Lord) Now all of the sudden out of the blue I find myself crying and missing him???? Could this be from the tx ? My mind and mood is NOT to be trusted and I keep telling myself to hang on it's just the meds. I take shot 16 on Monday. This week I have to take two Neupogen shots for my white count, I really dont want to have to take something for the RBC but how much longer can I go on feeling so lethargic? Then Neupogen shots mess my stomach up and I really dont want to take yet another shot. Okay so I am becoming a chronic whiner and it's really not my nature. Thanks in advance for any encouragement !!!!
My question is "Could hemoglobin of 10.0 be what's making me lethargic ? I do not have even the slightest gumption to do or go anywhere. Mentally I am starting to miss my ex-husband, who is still drinking, ect. I have been clean and sober for five years. ( Nov. 12 2004 Praise the Lord) Now all of the sudden out of the blue I find myself crying and missing him???? Could this be from the tx ? My mind and mood is NOT to be trusted and I keep telling myself to hang on it's just the meds. I take shot 16 on Monday. This week I have to take two Neupogen shots for my white count, I really dont want to have to take something for the RBC but how much longer can I go on feeling so lethargic? Then Neupogen shots mess my stomach up and I really dont want to take yet another shot. Okay so I am becoming a chronic whiner and it's really not my nature. Thanks in advance for any encouragement !!!!
Will:
You have a huge cat - wow! I agree with everything above about the AD's & Hb. My Hb went really low to around 8 and stayed there but when it first started dropping I remember I could barely breath or walk- couldn't figure out what happened to my muscles . The only other thing I might add about your sleeping. You might want to ask the doctor for something to help you with that. I just took benedryl at night - actually 1/2 of tab. That helped me.
You have a huge cat - wow! I agree with everything above about the AD's & Hb. My Hb went really low to around 8 and stayed there but when it first started dropping I remember I could barely breath or walk- couldn't figure out what happened to my muscles . The only other thing I might add about your sleeping. You might want to ask the doctor for something to help you with that. I just took benedryl at night - actually 1/2 of tab. That helped me.
Hi there
My hb now at week 10 post treatment is 10 and I am managing it well only because, I have been used to having low hb levels all my life. Normal hb for me is around 12ish. It went down to 85 during treatment. In your case, if you are not used to low levels, I can imagine it would be like a feeling of being hit by a bus sort of thing. The low hb will make you feel tired and lethargic but also the interferon does the same thing too. A combination of low hb levels and interferon shots will make you feel tired. (like a double whammy sort of thing) If you are not used to living with low hb levels, then I can imagine it would be difficult and with all the other stuff you have to deal with whilst treating.......would be hard. I have heard that some people seem to adjust to low hb levels but it's the period of adjusting that is the most difficult.
Good on you for what you've achieved so far. You've really done well with being sober for so long and your treatment etc. Treatment is not an easy thing.
All the best and I hope you start to feel more energised soon.
Linda x
My hb now at week 10 post treatment is 10 and I am managing it well only because, I have been used to having low hb levels all my life. Normal hb for me is around 12ish. It went down to 85 during treatment. In your case, if you are not used to low levels, I can imagine it would be like a feeling of being hit by a bus sort of thing. The low hb will make you feel tired and lethargic but also the interferon does the same thing too. A combination of low hb levels and interferon shots will make you feel tired. (like a double whammy sort of thing) If you are not used to living with low hb levels, then I can imagine it would be difficult and with all the other stuff you have to deal with whilst treating.......would be hard. I have heard that some people seem to adjust to low hb levels but it's the period of adjusting that is the most difficult.
Good on you for what you've achieved so far. You've really done well with being sober for so long and your treatment etc. Treatment is not an easy thing.
All the best and I hope you start to feel more energised soon.
Linda x
Thanks sooooo much to all of you !!! What an encouragement it is on the bad days to get on here and read all of your replies. Thanks a bunch. Today has been better.
Dear Will,
A hemo of 10 certainly and absolutely does wipe you out. Do you have any ringing in your ears (i heard a constant really high pitched RIIIIIIIIING all day), have any trouble breathing (winded) or coughing or have you passed out? All these things can happen.
Mine dropped extremely hard and fast and without this forum I would not have known what was going on. MY GI tried to send me to an ear nose and throat doc for the ringing and to get a chest xray. I told him to give me a CBC to see how low it had dropped and write me a script for Procrit. Of course he thought I was a real pain until he checked and found out what I had learned was correct.
I'm saying that because sometimes the GIs just dont know this info for some reason (many of them are behind the 8 ball) and you have to nicely help them out. It's not fair or right but - once you are at or under ten epogen (Procrit) is really needed to help with the hemolytic anemia. It takes weeks (2 to 6) to work because it has a huge job to do in your bone marrow...so you need to get it ASAP.
it is very expensive (a box of ten shots or 40,000 is $6,000) and it only lasted me five weeks since I had to do two a week - so having the doctors office help with the insurance sometimes can be necessary. Worse come to worse if they don't put it through I do believe there is a patient assistance number you can call on the procrit website and they will help you get it.
But, you gotta call the doctor NOW and get him to agree. It will be amazing to you how just going up a little bit will help you feel world's of better. Really.
Also - an antidepressant takes a few weeks to work but they can do wonders. The interferon is to blame for your mood.....it's NOT you, it's very very common and in fact my doc put me on paxill a month before I even started treatment just to avoid it all.
Get that doctor NOW and good luck!
A hemo of 10 certainly and absolutely does wipe you out. Do you have any ringing in your ears (i heard a constant really high pitched RIIIIIIIIING all day), have any trouble breathing (winded) or coughing or have you passed out? All these things can happen.
Mine dropped extremely hard and fast and without this forum I would not have known what was going on. MY GI tried to send me to an ear nose and throat doc for the ringing and to get a chest xray. I told him to give me a CBC to see how low it had dropped and write me a script for Procrit. Of course he thought I was a real pain until he checked and found out what I had learned was correct.
I'm saying that because sometimes the GIs just dont know this info for some reason (many of them are behind the 8 ball) and you have to nicely help them out. It's not fair or right but - once you are at or under ten epogen (Procrit) is really needed to help with the hemolytic anemia. It takes weeks (2 to 6) to work because it has a huge job to do in your bone marrow...so you need to get it ASAP.
it is very expensive (a box of ten shots or 40,000 is $6,000) and it only lasted me five weeks since I had to do two a week - so having the doctors office help with the insurance sometimes can be necessary. Worse come to worse if they don't put it through I do believe there is a patient assistance number you can call on the procrit website and they will help you get it.
But, you gotta call the doctor NOW and get him to agree. It will be amazing to you how just going up a little bit will help you feel world's of better. Really.
Also - an antidepressant takes a few weeks to work but they can do wonders. The interferon is to blame for your mood.....it's NOT you, it's very very common and in fact my doc put me on paxill a month before I even started treatment just to avoid it all.
Get that doctor NOW and good luck!
I know what you mean about the temper. I think the lack of good sleep has something to do with that.
I was screaming at my cat the other morning (well, she woke me up at 1:30 and I had trouble getting back to sleep). She woke me up because she wanted food.
I don't understand why I got so angry, but afterwards, I was ashamed of my screaming at the poor kitty. She doesn't know what is going on, and I refused to feed her at that hour because I don't want her thinking that is cool to bounce on me at that hour to get food. (and she weighs probably 20-30 lbs)
Now I make sure to put some dry food out before bed so she doesn't wake me up in the middle of the night.
And then once when my little doggie had an accident, I screamed at him too. He is so tiny, I think he weights around 6 lbs... and again, when I saw him shivering and very scared of me, I felt like an ogre and have since gotten a better hold on my temper.
It may be because I MUST hold it all back at work. The last thing I need right now is to do something to cause me to lose my job.
I was screaming at my cat the other morning (well, she woke me up at 1:30 and I had trouble getting back to sleep). She woke me up because she wanted food.
I don't understand why I got so angry, but afterwards, I was ashamed of my screaming at the poor kitty. She doesn't know what is going on, and I refused to feed her at that hour because I don't want her thinking that is cool to bounce on me at that hour to get food. (and she weighs probably 20-30 lbs)
Now I make sure to put some dry food out before bed so she doesn't wake me up in the middle of the night.
And then once when my little doggie had an accident, I screamed at him too. He is so tiny, I think he weights around 6 lbs... and again, when I saw him shivering and very scared of me, I felt like an ogre and have since gotten a better hold on my temper.
It may be because I MUST hold it all back at work. The last thing I need right now is to do something to cause me to lose my job.
I forgot to say I think its the interferon mostly how causes the emotional roller coaster!!
I was very emotional especially on my first tx crying when I saw films I never would have cryed watching normaly
I kind of get used to it and the second tx was not as frightening as the first one.
What was more scaring, also especially during my first tx was my bad temper.
I could have hit (killed) someone if I hadn´t been so week ( thank god for that)just because they where in my way in the sidewalk or in the supermarket.
I was sure they where standing in my way on purpose this meds can twist your mind big time!!
I think you have done the tuffest part the first 16 weeks, you gonna make it.
Gratulations to the 5 years sober, in may 2010 I will have been clean and sober for 23 years( I was age 33 same as you when I went clean) and its only because of the grace of God I suspect its the same for you.
I never took any ADs on neither tx maybe I could have saved me a lot of suffering if I had though.
I´m am here rooting for you!
ca
I kind of get used to it and the second tx was not as frightening as the first one.
What was more scaring, also especially during my first tx was my bad temper.
I could have hit (killed) someone if I hadn´t been so week ( thank god for that)just because they where in my way in the sidewalk or in the supermarket.
I was sure they where standing in my way on purpose this meds can twist your mind big time!!
I think you have done the tuffest part the first 16 weeks, you gonna make it.
Gratulations to the 5 years sober, in may 2010 I will have been clean and sober for 23 years( I was age 33 same as you when I went clean) and its only because of the grace of God I suspect its the same for you.
I never took any ADs on neither tx maybe I could have saved me a lot of suffering if I had though.
I´m am here rooting for you!
ca
I would definitely look into antidepressants. The interferon messes with our serotonin levels and it is quite common to suffer from clinical depression while on tx. I was put on a low dose of Celexa (10mg) towards the end of treatment I had to go up to 20. I easily weaned myself off it after treatment.
Congratulations on 5 years sober! That's a HUGE achievement and you should feel very proud of yourself.
I'm not treating -- my husband is -- but it sure seems to me like a low Hgb could make you feel the way you're describing. My husband's Hgb is still in the 12's but he is moody, irritable, and sometimes very emotional -- we joke that now he knows what it's like to experience PMS! And, even though he can be very short-tempered sometimes, he also often says how glad he is that I'm here to help him through the tx -- so I bet it's hard being on your own at this time. Missing your ex sounds totally normal -- just don't go back to him, LOL!
And, hey, with a little luck, you may soon be not only sober but also HCV-free, and then maybe you'll meet someone great :)
I'm not treating -- my husband is -- but it sure seems to me like a low Hgb could make you feel the way you're describing. My husband's Hgb is still in the 12's but he is moody, irritable, and sometimes very emotional -- we joke that now he knows what it's like to experience PMS! And, even though he can be very short-tempered sometimes, he also often says how glad he is that I'm here to help him through the tx -- so I bet it's hard being on your own at this time. Missing your ex sounds totally normal -- just don't go back to him, LOL!
And, hey, with a little luck, you may soon be not only sober but also HCV-free, and then maybe you'll meet someone great :)
Yes I believe your lack of motivation/energy is from the low Hemoglobin. The lowest mine fell was to 10.4 and although I usually love to sit out on the deck and be with nature all summer the furthest I got was the comfy chair in the sunroom. Most things weren't worth the extra effort. I refer to my low hemoglobin time as my zombie mode.
The most I did when it was low was watch movies and throw a little supper together. That was about it, with the exception of my last few weeks on treatment when my procrite was stopped and I had to ask to restart as although I was at the end of treatment, I could hardly walk from the parking lot to a room in one of my schools without breathlessness that was hard to bear..
Procit worked wonderfully for me. I hated the shot but in 3 weeks on it I felt
ALIVE again.WHat a wonderful feeling.
Gail
The most I did when it was low was watch movies and throw a little supper together. That was about it, with the exception of my last few weeks on treatment when my procrite was stopped and I had to ask to restart as although I was at the end of treatment, I could hardly walk from the parking lot to a room in one of my schools without breathlessness that was hard to bear..
Procit worked wonderfully for me. I hated the shot but in 3 weeks on it I felt
ALIVE again.WHat a wonderful feeling.
Gail
HGB at 10 and also on the slide down to 10 makes you feel wiped out. An unfortunate side effect of the ribivirin. Ask about Procrit to bring it higher, as JD suggests.
A whole lot of us went on antidepressants for the mood issues caused by interferon. The staistics say that about a third of patients have mood issues but I seriously doubt if that's accurate. I think it's more like 2/3 get either depressed or angry and agitated. The AD's help with both. You can take it on TX and then wean yourself back off a month after TX ends with no ill effects.
Whining is completely acceptable on this forum.
A whole lot of us went on antidepressants for the mood issues caused by interferon. The staistics say that about a third of patients have mood issues but I seriously doubt if that's accurate. I think it's more like 2/3 get either depressed or angry and agitated. The AD's help with both. You can take it on TX and then wean yourself back off a month after TX ends with no ill effects.
Whining is completely acceptable on this forum.
Hang in there. Yes, hgb of 10 can definitely make you feel lethargic, to say the least. The interferon can have psychiatric side efffects and many people take antidepressants along with tx. You may want to ask your doctor about the mood issues, maybe he can help. I know you don't want to take another med but ask about Procrit if your hgb stays low, it can help a lot.
The good news is that you are probably getting enouth Riba if your hgb has crashed. It feels awful now but if you can clear the virus you can put all this behind you.
Take it easy and keep coming back to the forun where people understand what's happening to you. It doesn't last forever and believe me, it feels really good when you stop!
jd
The good news is that you are probably getting enouth Riba if your hgb has crashed. It feels awful now but if you can clear the virus you can put all this behind you.
Take it easy and keep coming back to the forun where people understand what's happening to you. It doesn't last forever and believe me, it feels really good when you stop!
jd
Hgb of 10 might make you feel lethargic, but I've been feeling tired, weak & lethargic since beginning treatment (when Hgb was > 13). Several years ago (when I was "healthy") I had an episode of anemia with Hgb in the low 10s. In my daily life, I felt no different whatsoever, but when I'd go out for a run I had no stamina at all and my speed was much lower than normal.
The symptoms you're describing (no gumption, missing your ex, crying, etc) sound like classic depression. You might benefit from starting (or increasing your dose) an antidepressant.
Good luck and hang in there.
The symptoms you're describing (no gumption, missing your ex, crying, etc) sound like classic depression. You might benefit from starting (or increasing your dose) an antidepressant.
Good luck and hang in there.
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