Yahoo!!! I won't have to quit working after all.

I have been getting more and more nauseas for the past few weeks to the point that I was genuinely concerned about a disaster at work. The building I work in is quite large and the restrooms are at the other end of the building. I tried the medicine the doctor gave me and it made me so sleepy that I couldn't function. Today we tried another prescription, and it WORKED! And it worked really fast... like 5 minutes I went from feeling horrible to feeling fine. Great stuff! It's called Zorfran. A friend of mine was prescribed this stuff for morning sickness when she was pregnant last year.

Please don't tell me it is bad for my liver... unless it is. Does anybody know about this?

[portann]

Diane, just wanted to say that's super!  Zorfran's expensive :( but it's wonderful that you found it and feel so much better. :)

So you tackled another side effect very effectively and now if you get walloped by something else that may interfere in your continuing to work, just keep looking for a solution. My gosh, this place is filled with suggestions for everything under the sun.

I have a neighbor who recently treated with chemo for ovarian cancer and she used that very same drug. She'd sit outside in her garden with her chemo IV hooked up outdoors and say, "Sue, it's really not so bad."  ??!!??

When treatments are managed better with rescue drugs, no matter which disease, it makes such a difference to quality of life.

BTW, a few people here who did both cancer chemo and HCV tx said HCV tx was worse or the same. Maybe the key is in how the treatments are managed.  It's hard to generalize.

I remember Cocksparrow mentioned that he knows of one person who did cancer chemo and HCV tx and that the HCV tx was worse. So did Poobah. And Marc1954, who did both tx's, may have said the same.  

My mom's cancer tx was managed very well, except for a brief period under one doctor who withheld helper drugs, and that brief period was horrific. Another world, really, to be in the hands of a compassionate and savvy doc.

Here's a post from someone who did chemo for cancer and SOC for HCV:
"by jdwithhcv , May 02, 2009 11:48PM
To: stonewall611

I've done both chemo and Hep C tx.  They are very similar, only when I had chemo for cancer it did not go on for nearly as long and I got to take breaks between cycles.
jd"

Diane, so glad for you that Zorfran worked like a charm.  I hope you stay the course, find healthy help for the twists and turns ahead and aim for success.  

Warm wishes,

Susan

P.S.ssst If you want a taste of what others have said about a topic of interest to you , check out these archived links:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/HCV-treatment-considered-Chemo-/show/940606
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Is-treatment-chemotherapy/show/635571
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/is-interferon-riba-same-as-chemo/show/97660

[Diane12855]

I just got off of the phone with the pharmacist. My insurance company only paid for 12 pills because a month's worth would cost over $1000.00.

DARN!!! Looks like I'll have to save them for the worst days. That's still a relief though.

(:-)

[spectda]

I knew that sounded familiar, I just found 4 in my medicine cabinet 2.5 years ago. I was prescribed zofran after I had a motorcycle accident and I got very nauseous from morphine and oxycodone and was having a hard time taking it even with the intense pain of several broken bones. The stuff worked great, the doc told me they use it for chemo patients. I am glad to hear it is making you feel better.-Dave

[spectda]

I found 4 "from" 2.5 years ago. I can't seem to get it right!

[portann]

Diane, just wanted to say that's super!  Zorfran's expensive :( but it's wonderful that you found it and feel so much better. :)

So you tackled another side effect very effectively and now if you get walloped by something else that may interfere in your continuing to work, just keep looking for a solution. My gosh, this place is filled with suggestions for everything under the sun.

I have a neighbor who recently treated with chemo for ovarian cancer and she used that very same drug. She'd sit outside in her garden with her chemo IV hooked up outdoors and say, "Sue, it's really not so bad."  ??!!??

When treatments are managed better with rescue drugs, no matter which disease, it makes such a difference to quality of life.

BTW, a few people here who did both cancer chemo and HCV tx said HCV tx was worse or the same. Maybe the key is in how the treatments are managed.  It's hard to generalize.

I remember Cocksparrow mentioned that he knows of one person who did cancer chemo and HCV tx and that the HCV tx was worse. So did Poobah. And Marc1954, who did both tx's, may have said the same.  

My mom's cancer tx was managed very well, except for a brief period under one doctor who withheld helper drugs, and that brief period was horrific. Another world, really, to be in the hands of a compassionate and savvy doc.

Here's a post from someone who did chemo for cancer and SOC for HCV:
"by jdwithhcv , May 02, 2009 11:48PM
To: stonewall611

I've done both chemo and Hep C tx.  They are very similar, only when I had chemo for cancer it did not go on for nearly as long and I got to take breaks between cycles.
jd"

Diane, so glad for you that Zorfran worked like a charm.  I hope you stay the course, find healthy help for the twists and turns ahead and aim for success.  

Warm wishes,

Susan

P.S.ssst If you want a taste of what others have said about a topic of interest to you , check out these archived links:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/HCV-treatment-considered-Chemo-/show/940606
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Is-treatment-chemotherapy/show/635571
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/is-interferon-riba-same-as-chemo/show/97660

[Trinity4]

I have to say, I'm so happy I didn't have to experience the dreadful side effects you have experienced so early on in your treatment Diane.  It must be terribly difficult and it's a godsend you were able to send your children off for the summer.

I can't say treatment was easy, breezy but I didn't end up overwhelmed which can and has happened to people.  They battle the side effects day in and day out and become depressed without realizing it and some have even ended up having suicidal ideation during or after completion of treatment so be very careful and make sure you take all medicines necessary to help you both physically and emotionally with the side effects.  

Trinity

[child24angel]

Hope you're doing well Dave
Hugs
Elaine

[Trinity4]

JD knows a way around the high cost of the Zofran, in fact she may even still have some Zofran, so she can probably help you.

Trinity

[nygirl7]

I've done both chemo and Hep C tx.  They are very similar, only when I had chemo for cancer it did not go on for nearly as long and I got to take breaks between cycles.
jd"

What I have heard from JD before regarding how easy her chemotherapy was when I asked her if it was really similar or not. I guess she didn't want to gross anybody out on the forum but I've always remembered..........give me my low hemoglobin and lethargy and skin problems ANY DAY.

Its not like rediation that burns the inside of your rectum and vagina, not like chemo that leaves you with permanent peripheral neuropathy, not like having them reroute your intestines so they empty into a bag glued to the hole they made in your abdomen!  Not like being pumped full of poison 25 hours a day from a pump you wear in a fanny pack with a tube that plugs into your chest, not like being awake for major surgery because they cannot give proper anesthesia...

[spectda]

Hi Elaine-
Thanks for the good thoughts!
They help!
Take Care,
Dave

[susan400]

Trin,  you mentioned the severe depression.  I had a very severe bout of it on some of my earlier treatments, including suicidal ideation.  However, on the subsequent treatments, I, with my counselor's help, developed ways that worked well for me to keep it from getting out of control.  It may not work for other people, but it worked for me.  I couldn't handle the A/D's and believe me, I tried numerous ones.  As far as for nausea, I've suffered with that on most of my TX's and I've been prescribed various things for that, too. I've never been prescribed Zofran, though.  I was prescribed Compazine.  

Susan400

[spectda]

My experience was that compazine during work as well as Zofran and it makes you kind of wired! These drugs effect everyone differently of course. Don't know if Zofran is safe for continued use or not although it works very well.

[Trish77]

I had a very skilled treatment team that included a psychiatrist that was specialized in treating people with chronic illnesses and specialized also in treating people with Hepatitis C and was experienced in treating people who were on Interferon.  The only time I had to see this doc while on treatment was when my thyroid went out of whack and went hyper.  He had to put me on a med that allowed me to sleep.  After treatment when the depression hit, I saw this doctor.  Not any psych doctor, THIS doctor, because he was experienced in dealing with the effects of Interferon and Hep C treatment drugs.  

Treatment drugs can play havoc with a person's psyche and that's why some Hepatotogists put their patients on anti-depressants before they even start treatment.  i wasn't on anything and would have refused because, frankly, it scares me to take mind-altering drugs.  Not much choice when it comes to treatment so I was always watching, always aware and even the drugs to help me sleep scared me some and my doc knew that and gave them to me sparingly.

If you need them, take them. It is short-term and the treatment drugs are mind-altering.   The treatment itself can wear you down and in combination with mind-altering drugs it can take it's toll and have mental side effects as well as physical.  Take care of your mental health as well while on treatment and don't let anyone make you feel bad about that.  Just get the help you need for it.  That includes paying attention to Quality of Life while on treatment and not over-burdening yourself with unrealistic expectations of what you can do .. and continuing to do what you CAN do as much as possible.

Good luck to everyone going through treatment and dealing with all this.

Trish

[portann]

Jmjm and I were also hit unexpectedly by depression post-tx, even though neither of us had a history of depression prior to treatment.  What a shocker for me.

Here's another interesting discussion from last year. The continuity is a bit bumpy because some abusive posts were deleted:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Post-Tx-Suicide/show/793424

[Diane12855]

Thanks for the above links. I finally felt up to reading through them and it is amazing how people's opinions change over time.

[portann]

Here's a website I found that addresses nausea. Interesting about the smelling of ginger!

I like how it puts Zorfran and other options in an easy-to- read context:

http://www.mesothelioma-cancer-treatment.com/zofran_cancer.html



Susan

[GSDgirl]

When I get nauseated I usually just let myself puke.  I don't know why but that started about 3 years ago.

[Emily_MHModerator]

Please keep this to nausea and relief of it.  

Emily  

[Diane12855]

I used to do that... so far this kind doesn't take it that far... it just almost gets there, and then stays at that stage for hours, and I never know if it will suddenly go to the next stage. Glad I don't have to worry about that anymore!