Week 6 and its tough

Hello There,

HCV 3a stage 2 low VL (400000). I started the Tx 6 weeks ago, and it is really tough on me. 1st week 105 fever for 3 days. since then I experienced a lot of side effects all together, I don't know how much more I can take of this, especially my doctor who keeps telling me that my treatment should be 1 year, when i have read everywhere that 24 weeks would do. My white and red cells are down like about everything in me and it is only 6 weeks!!!

[Dale_Ray]

Treatments were really bad between week three and twelve and improved dramatically. It will still jump on the hole every now and again but hang in there. I'm 1A and on week 24 of 48 so I'm having a halfway party Saturday:) Hope you get to feeling better. Dale

[Holly44]

Hang in there Mrgee. The sx have and still do change for me some weeks are worse then others. You can do this.  I hear and it seems to me that the worse you feel means the better the tx is working. I am a geno type 3, stage 3 fibrosis and cleared by week 12. We are the lucky ones. Hang in there, you can do it. I would though question why the Dr says you should treat for a year.  You did say you are a type 3 correct? If so are there other reasons the Dr gave you?
There are fantastic people here to help you along the way.  Everyone knows what you are going through and can relate.
Best of luck to you.
Holly

[jmjm530]

Sorry you're having a rough time with treatment. Do you feel your doctor is doing everything they can for your sides, including any anemia if you have it? As regards to 24 versus 48 weeks of treatment, there are no doctors here, but in general -- and especially since you're a stage 2 -- it would seem that 24 weeks would be adequate. You might want a second opnion on this from another liver specialist (hepatologist). All the best luck.

-- Jim

[FlGuy]

There is no doubt that the meds are an insult to your body. I believe that the first several weeks are the toughest on body and mind as you settle in for the long haul of tx.  As Kalio mentioned, you want to avoid do-overs. When you are tempted to put the riba aside one morming or evening, stop and ask yourself if you are doing everthing you can to make yourself better.  Stick with the med schedule, try to eat as healthy as you can, rest when you are able and make sure to enjoy the times when you are feeling your best. It's a long, slow slog but as my friend NYGirl likes to say - It's Doable.

[NYgirl]

It's not easy but I have to figure that in the long run it's better than having advanced liver damage problems.  The great thing about this disease is that even though the sides seem hard they are not as hard as the sides from a lot of disease treatments - and if you can battle through the first weeks it can be doable. Just make it over the hump and your body should get accustomed to it and that will help!

Make sure you are watching your hemoglobin - the hardest problem is the anemia (face it a fever isn't wonderful but it doesn't last it does go away...but the anemia can be devastating) and make sure you get on Procrit or Epogen right away if you have dropped.

You have one of the easier to cure types of disease and hopefully that will stay in your mind as you go on with treatment. I thought 3s only treated for 24 but I guess I was wrong.

I am a 1A and 1B BOTH and will be treating at least a year maybe longer just for a 50% chance at a cure.

As hard as it is= look at the luck you have to not have a disease that will kill you quickly or a brain tumor or something. Think how wonderful life IS and how you can beat this disease!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Antidepressants have helped me greatly and I hope that you are on them.

HANG IN THERE!

Best of luck.

[Holly44]

Kalio1  
I'm sorry you relapsed as soon as you stopped the meds?  That is so scarey a thought for me. I have stage 3 fibrosis and my Dr. is just treating for 24 weeks. Are you treating for 48 weeks this time around?  How bad were your sides the first time and are they just as bad if you have to retreat?
Best of luck to you!
Holly

[mrgee]

Thanks guys for the quick response and support. I have not consider yet the anti-depressants since I am still not sure what is going on with myself and still trying to integrate all the Rx am already taking. One thing I do know is that I am much more sensible or emotional than usual but again I am not sure yet what to do. I know there is always someone who has it worst than us and it is suppsed to somehow make us feel better or at least don't whine as much:-)) But this thing has affected so much my life and every aspect of it so far that I am not sure anymore if the cure is not worst than the disease....
Anyway I have another week to go before seeing my doc and check CBC.

Thanks again

Mrgee

[Mister beagle bailey]

mrgee-- Many here use Lexapro, it should help you a lot.  I never used it but many here swear by it.  Hope you feeling better soon.

lilmomma--  She probably got your e-mail.  Sometimes she doesn't read them till the week end or longer.  I'm still waiting 2 weeks for a reply.  LOL  Hope she's feeling ok as she hasn't been on here much.

BEAGLE

[Holly44]

Kalio1
Thanks for the advise I will discuss it with my Dr.  I was so looking forward to getting back to work and leading my team. If I have to treat any longer I will have benefits but would for sure lose my job. Although I love my job I love life and family much more.
Thank you again for the advise and best of luck to you this round.
Holly

[NYgirl]

My doctor wouldn't let me START treatment until I had been taking an antidepressant for a month.  You see the Interferon can cause HORRIBLE depression - not just because it's a lot for us to think about but a chemical reaction in us.  1/3 of the people that start treatment supposedly get so depressed without one that they quit (not sure on the number but something astounding).

That is why just about all of us are on one.  I never had been before but it really DOES help me a lot.

[lilmoma]

I been really thinking about that nygirl.(ADs)
I think I will talk to my doc about it too.
lilmoma

[Mister beagle bailey]

I to have a low VL(318,000) and a 2B.  For me very week my sxs change and I just did shot #18.  I would get a second opinion as most 2's and 3's treat for 24 weeks.

BEAGLE

[mrgee]

Hey there,

Just got to see my normal doc and rx Lexapro to start immediatly, seems to have early depression symptoms, will swtich to Zoloft later on. I hope this will have some effects and ease the process a little.

keep you posted

[lilmoma]

Hey did you ever get my e-mail?
I figured the reason I didnt hear back was cuz you didnt get it.
Man!!!
I wanted to talk to ya, get to know ya, swap stories.
Well if you ever feel like e-mailng me.
d_durall***@****

lilmoma

PS I like your energy level, I was always like that.

[lionesss]

Kalio has scared me with her relapse story too, and shall speak to the Dr about this and do some research.  Next year is gonna be a busy year for me, so I would rather not be on Tx again.

I am feeling pretty tired today guys.  week 9/24. I think it is that anaemia,

I am on ADs, and I havent had the mood probs from tx.  They have given me resiliance

[lilmoma]

WHERE ARE YOU?
I hope your feeling okay!!!!!!!!
We love you!!!
lilmoma