Thanks for the info.
I eat yougurt every day. Luckily, the nausea finally lifted yesteday after two weeks non-stop.
I have prescription Mimmix ointment for my hands but it's still not enough. I am gonna check the gloves aisle at the local department store and see if I can find a pair of soft thin ones.
wyn
I'm also eating (Stoneyfield) organic plain yogurt (not low fat) when i take meds. I think that's helping stomache...the cultures..acidophollis...it seems to.
I hope this helps, wyntre.
Take Care
y
Lonestar and Ladybug both mentioned Aquaphor for exteme dry chapped hands, lips, and skin. It is an ointment, it's like vaseline..kinda greasy...but it has definately helped alot with the hands and lips. Got it @ Rite-Aid.
I have a winter dry skin issue, too, but this year, on TX., it's much worse. I'm seriously thinking about getting some thin, comfortable gloves to wear through the day. I'm allergic to the latex ones so that's out.
If anyone has any recommendations please let me know.
wyn
Tx lowers your white blood count and affects your autoimmune response system. I am in wk 36 and have cuts/scrapes that take 2-3 weeks to heal. I take an OTC autoimmune booster (with doctors OK)
and use neosporin on cuts. Does it help? Well, I notice the sores scar over quicker. I keep my skin "lubed" with Gold Bond, Aveeno and olive oil. I also live in the Northeast and have a dry skin condition that comes every cold season.
I am genotype 1b and am treating for 48 weeks. 31 down, 17 to go. I am part of the Boceprevir trial and have been UND since week 2.
I live in the Northeast and I always have problems with dry hands in the winter. But this is the first time I have had so many thin cuts on my finger tips. I think it is probably a combination of my own naturally dry skin made worse by the tx and cold weather. It is interesting that you posted the same thing, it has been driving me crazy lately. Sorry you are going through it too, but I guess there is some comfort in knowing we are not the only ones experiencing this sx.
Ironduke
sounds like the riba is having fun with you.You stratch them, they scratch you back!!!
if you can hack it,( it's smelly/greasy/hard to spread), but if you work that into your hands and then glove them overnight you will be amazed at the hydration and softness of Lanolin. You can get at Safeway, etc. in a one oz or 16 oz pound jar. I may not work aroung your face eyes as some are allergic. But minute tiny amounts on my hand/heels, scalp have removed all the dryness.
Lanolin is sheep fat.....does have an odor to it. Some folks use bag balm, works on tender cracking cow udders, and the milk maids hands as well.
both ot these work better than the standard fare, at great savings, might we worth a try.
What do you think causes these cuts, and how long is your TX?
wyntre
I am in week 31 and I have had the same problem with cuts on my fingers for the past 3 or 4 weeks. They are like paper cuts and take forever to heal. I assumed it had something to do with the colder, dryer air that moves in this time of year. Frequent use of a good hand moisturizer helps a lot.
As far as nausea, I had it bad the first 10 or 12 weeks of tx but it abated and I am OK now. I do find that if I skip a meal or am late for a meal, I get nauseous until I get some food on board. I have to travel in my job and sometimes it is a pain always having to make sure I have some food with me if I start getting hungry.
Ironduke
Yup, we'll count down together !
I move slow in the world and everywhere els, too. :)
Glad to hear you're feeling good otherwise.
wyn
I feel quite normal and then I go out in the world and interact with others and my responses to them seem to be quite slow a great deal of the time. The world moves so fast. Everyone is in a big hurry. I was 140 lbs. when I started and went down to 123 lbs. First I took 3 ribas in the a.m. and 2 in the p.m. but then went down to 2 and 2. Maybe it was a placebo effect, but I did seem to tolerate the meds better after that. The 1 1/2 months my skin turned a gray color. It was not attractive.
My skin did not get cuts as badly as yours. I'm sorry you are suffering with that. Take good care. I will say a prayer for you. God bless.
I'm even having problems when I type at the pc; not cuts but pressure and pain in some of the finger pads.
I don't notice the injuries right away, either. I mean, I'll feel a mild discomfort and then think nothing of it,like I used to do in the pre-TX days. But within a n hour or less I'll notice the throbbing hasn't gone away and either I'll see a speck of blood or a paper-cut sized wound and before I know it I'll have up to a half dozen.
I have to buy a new box of bandaids almost every week.
PS; I see you're almost halfway through. I'm at 49 0f 72 weeks so we'll be finished at the same time.
wyn
Me too ! have shallow cut/scrap on 2 right fingers and 1 on left, put bandaids on now. Don't know and why it get cut/scrap untill I see bleeding.
I have 23 more weeks to go and i finish on May 2, a couple of days before my BD.
I suppose the nausea could be winter allergies. post nasal drip, etc., and the bactrim just seems to make it worse . . . .
It's miserable.
I feel like wearing gloves all the time, too. In fact, that's a good idea, if I could find a pair thin enough that protects the hands but still allows freedom of motion.
wyn
I don't know that reducing the riba would really do anything much - I'm not sure that is why you are so nauseaus over the Peg you know? You DO always take it with food with a high fat content or a yogurt shake or something right? But you're only doing 4 more weeks right? If so and at your weight it wouldn't really be that bad I don't think (but certainly am no doctor!!!).
I had those small cuts everywhere. My skin was just so incredibly dried up all of the time...even with moisturizing it was still bad, but that did help more than anything else.
at one point i contemplated sleeping with gloves on and the lotion on under them - funny - I'd totally forgotten about it until I read it from you.
I'm thinking about trying the riba reduction myself as it's hard for me to get into see the gastro, now (It's a 5 hour RT).coz I can't stnad this SX and I don't know if I can last another 23 weeks feeling this way. (I've finished 49 so far)
I have lost 10 pounds on TX and I'm down to about 132 or so. I'm taking 1000mg of riba, weekly peg and twice monthly neupogen. Then there are all the allergy meds; zyrtec, guaffinisin, shots, bactrim, nasal sprays . . .
So glad to hear you're doing well. The brain fog is getting worse for me. Sometimes I can't remember simple words . . .
wyn
Yes, I did 51 weeks. I'm doing great at 10 weeks post tx. Feel almost normal again. Just have some short term memory gaps. Thanks for asking.
I lost 17 lbs. is why I talked the nurses into lowering my riba. I was on pegintron, it is weight based therapy. Listen to your body. You might be overdosing. Yes, I also used tons of moisturizers on my hand and legs too. It could improve if you can lower your riba, mine did.
I have been UND since week 12-15. I was only tested at week 11 and 15. I changed doctors after week 11 and got in Dr. Gish's clinic.
I don't know why I'm getting the nausea now, after all these months.
Think it could be toxic build-up? Can I reduce the riba now that I'm on the last 24 weeks and have been UND since week 16-18?
The cuts on the hands are ridiculous. I try to keep them moisturized but nothing seems to help. They actually hurt sometimes, you know, an aching dry sensation?
You're probably right about the skin being more brittle coz meds dry you out. I'm afraid NOT to cover the cuts so it looks very strange to have all these bandaids everywhere.
How are you doing post TX?
Did you do 51 weeks?
wyn
No, I didn't find nausea worsening. I did 51 weeks, but I was able to lower my riba one capsule after 30 weeks and that probably helped a lot.
I did easily get shallow cuts on my hands and fingers from simple activity. Might be related to the way the medicines dry you out. I think it's easier for the skin to break if not moist and supple.