Would appreciate your help

[Sheri42665]

Hi I am a RN that works for a pharmacy.  My job is to go into pt homes and teach them how to self-inject Pegasys and review side effects of the Hep C meds they will be taking.  Most of my patients are on triple therapy. My job is supposed to end there, but I just can't do that. I would like to know from the people that are on therapy some info you wish you would have known prior to starting therapy and how you deal with your side effects. I want to provide my patients with as much information as I possibly can and I figure the real experts are current or past patients. I know how difficult it is to get through to a Dr's office to ask simple questions so I give all of my patients my home and cell numbers to reach me 24/7. I started this job in January and I follow-up every two weeks with all of my patients. The majority do not have internet access so I was wanting to put together something like a pamphlet with helpful information, especially for the few that are too afraid to ask or think that their question is "stupid". I would truly appreciate any information you provide.  

[nygirl7]

I think all that showering would not in any way be helpful for the rash.
I didn't do triple so can't really answer to this stuff but I'd try to not shower anymore than needed.

[hrsepwrguy]

....I rly think Ivory soap, and warm water works better then a Tucks medicated pad, or baby-wipe.

From someone who did incivek for 12 wks, I tried soap and showering right after each bowel movement, it was impractical and seemed to dry out the area and make the itching worse, name brand baby wipes with aloe and tucks pads is what got me through it, just my personal expirience

[chuckles333]

My treatment nurse, when I went through TX, and my wife's present treatment nurse, who are one and the same, has you come to his office to do your first shot. He walks you through the procedure and then you do your first shot there yourself, in front of him. He sends you away after with a kit containing reading materials, a water bottle, an ice pack to keep your interferon cold if you're travelling, and a sharps container to dispose of used syringes. You come back to discuss your TX every other week at first and then once a month later on during TX. The TX nurse is part of my hepatologist's team. My side effects back then were really mild. My wife is just starting her TX. Her appointment with the TX nurse is tomorrow. Wish her luck.

[BoceprevirGal]

Okay, well...I would say, for the ones on triple tx with Teleprivir, to be careful about anal problems, and wash with a mild soap, after a bowel movement, if they have burning/itching....I rly think Ivory soap, and warm water works better then a Tucks medicated pad, or baby-wipe.
   For people on Triple tx, with Boceprivir, the annoying side effect is dysgeusia....a horribly bitter taste in ones' mouth, after taking the 4 big red and yellow pills. So what I do is: eat a thick yogurt before I pop it, and then have a meal with it, and also, to combat the nausea, I eat small meals thru-out the day, to avoid ever having an empty stomach (full of Boceprivir and Ribavirin) So I use bananas, and I heat a tortilla, and put peanut-butter on it, sliiced apple, etc.
    I also had anxiety when I first started out, and night-mares...then the occasional RAGE, and as I became more anemic, I cried alot. So, I really try to eat healthy foods, like eggs for breakfast,  to pump up my nutrition.
   I had to take a "rescue med" for my early onset hemolytic anemia, which is a shot called Procrit. It is causing me joint pain and sore muscles.....I havent taken any analgesics for this, because they also cause me to cramp up.
   All these sx tend to rove around, come and go, and  then new ones start up. It's a long road, and not an easy one. Having a nice RN makes all the difference, believe me!
  Oh, whoops...I forgot one more thing: some people find a special mouth-wash called "Biotene" soothing, for mouth and tongue sores. Patients should brush their teeth after every meal, because Interferon is hard on the teeth,and I think the bitter tast in my mouth also made things worse. I finally had to go to a Health-Food Store, and purchase an ounce of Golden-Seal Powder, for my teeth, which tasted of decay. I add a bit of warm water to the Golden-Seal powder, and brush it on my painful gums, and use that as a natural antibiotic. This works well, but tastes terrible also! I had originally tried using Pennicillin VK for the sore tooth/gum (a crown) but it didn't seem to work at all~

[Sheri42665]

Thank you for your wonderful responses.  I'm just doing what I feel is right.  As most of you all know, people with Hep dx are treated like second class citizens by the majority of healthcare workers they encounter. I don't see how they sleep at night and wish they would get out and get a job not working with people.  To me this is no different than educating a pt on diabetes or any disease.  This disease is also personal to me, after I started this job my daughter was diagnosed with Hep C, she also has Crohns disease.