getting ready to start treatment......

[SurfingDad]

I go in to start treatment on the 18th of this month (Nov) after already having postponed it once. I am scared and stressed out beyond belief.
I have known for over 10 years that I am HCV + and now the day is approaching where I start treatment. My last RNA quantitive test was 9 mil., but alt's were within normal range. I just had a biopsy done a month ago and in ten years I have gone from stage 0-1, grade 0-1 to stage 1, grade 3.
I am having nightmares, often waking up in pools of sweat and  nervous tics everyday. I don't know why I am having such fears of this treatment considering some of the other stuff I have been through in my life, but I am none-the-less.
I am tempted to call my gastroenterologist and tell him about whats been going on with me before I go in on the18th.
What can he do for me anyways? Have any of you gone thorough this and am I just being a big baby?

[copyman]

Like the others said it is normal to feel the way you do. I almost rushed into treatment and was so scared that I took the riba pills the first day and chickened out with the shot that first night. The meds sat in my fridge for almost a year before I was lucky enough to get into a study with telaprevir. I was glad i waited.

Looking at your post I see that your biopsy grade increased but the more important stage stayed the same. Has your doctor mentioned anything about waiting for the new drugs coming next year? i think if you are a genotype 1 then waiting is certainly an option for someone with stage 1 fibrosis.

Bottom line is most people don't have any major problems when treating. I can't tell you that it is easy but not as hard I thought it would be. Keep in mind what you read on the internet is mostly from people that are having a hard time and are seeking help. There are many more people that are not heard from because they do just fine with treatment.

Best of luck

[blondie717]

I was nervous too. But I bucked up and drove myselt 3 hrs away. Its now shot 2 day 19? And I feel great.

[willbb]

For some people; Marriage or tx....lets see...eeny,meeny miney mo???

[Trish77]

I was pretty excited about starting treatment because I was just SO ready.  In the days before though, I started to get a little..and alot scared, feeling like I was about to get on the elevator down to hell and after I stepped out, there would be no way to get out of it and there I'd be.  I felt those fears were irrational but they were real, nonetheless.  I mentioned them to a buddy of mine who I could count on for having the right perspective on such things and he gave me a great attitude that worked to shake me out of it.  He said rather than be fearful, be "pumped" that you are about to do something that is going to improve your life and your health.  Something about that attitude and that approach resonated with me and rather than being fearful about what I was about to do, the excitement came back and I was able to get rid of MOST of the fear.  I still had some but nothing like the crazy fear I had been experiencing there for a little while.

I think it's natural to have some apprehension of the unknown while at the same time, reminding yourself that all the strategies you used to deal with all the other things that have come along in your life are still there.  You seem like the type of person who would deal with whatever comes and your treatment will be no different.  No matter what comes your way, you WILL deal with it as we all have.  Just take it a day and a decision at a time and keep being as informed as you can be.  This forum is a great place for support.  If you have a local Hep C support group, it's a good time to find out.

I guess it's like getting married.......no matter how many people have done this before you, it's still something you yourself have to go through in your own way.  Hm.  Maybe that's not a great analogy.  Ah well...you get the drift. :)

And...woohoo!!!!  You're starting treatment!!!  Get ready for blast-off!!!

Trish

[fretboard]

Maybe you could watch this video.  It's really not that difficult for some ppl and some don't feel many sx's at all.  You may be more scared than you need to be.  Here's a young lady reporting every week what happened to her and you can see for yourself.  

http://day2dayconfessions.blogspot.com/

[Trinity4]

SurfingDad, the upside is we're all still here, living our lives, many working and interacting with their families and the people here on this forum. Many many have treated, acheived SVR and are living healthy and productive lives.  If treatment was that horrendous none of us would be here right now.

As you embark on your journey the treatment will definately take you out of your comfort zone but you'll settle in, we all do. Try not to freak yourself out about this, take it day by day and look at as a means to an end.  Many before you have experienced much of what you will and lived to tell their victory story.  You'll often hear people say
treatment is do-able.  Having done 72 weeks of antiviral therapy and worked the entire time I can say that it is do-able and you're going to be just fine.

Good Luck
Trinity

[babs824]

so often it is the demons of the unknown that cause the anxiety. knowledge is not only power but a sense of control. human nature of course to be fearful in the face of such a unique journey. like the others said, it is rarely as bad as we imagine. there are even some times when you feel quite fine. you have now made some new friends to help supply you with information guidance and support. welcome to the forum, babs

[James10500]

I'm in week 12. What genotype do you have ?  It was a relief for me to start.  Some days are better than others.  Thursday and Friday of this week despite a few hours of joint pain I felt GOOD !!

Everyday isn't terrible, but everyday IS closer to the finish line.  Good luck, you can do it.

[willbb]

Welcome,, I think we are all nervous when starting tx. especially just right before,I know I was.I am only into Wk.4 right now and I must say for me personally it hasn"t been too bad at all so far.

I think the unknown is always worse  than the reality.As you have seen from the comments above you have come to the right place on this forum,their are lots of very helpful folks who can answer most any question you have and good support.

If you haven"t already spend the next little while doing all the reasearch you can regarding what is in store for you in the coming mts. and ask questions here to fill in any blanks!

Good luck...WILL

[paen53]

Hi there,

Well, you're not alone with those anxieties. We all get them to some degree prior to tx. You're making a huge leap towards wellness, but in the doing - going from familiar territory to the unknown.

You've got a couple weeks before tx starts. You've come to a good place to gather information and ask questions. And formulate questions to ask your DR.  WIth more information, you'll feel a bit more in control. Kinda like driving a car, with your Dr. riding shotgun and the rest of us Bozos in the back seat.

[spectda]

It can sometimes be difficult, but it probably isn't anywhere near as difficult as you seem to be imagining. Some people don't have a difficult time at all. Most find it tolerable.

As wise old Bill mentioned the apprehension you are experiencing pre treatment can be tough.

You have found a great place for support and to get your questions answered.

Welcome,
Dave

[carol411]

I, too, was terrified prior to starting treatment.  It's such a long slog jumping through all the hoops with all the waiting in between.  I think most of us were overwhelmed by the delay between deciding to treat and beginning to treat.  It's so much easier once you begin and have real problems to deal with rather than the stress of not knowing what you may have to deal with.  Not that you'll have problems, many people don't.  It's the not knowing that is stressful.  

There's a beginning and end to treatment, and for the in between you have stumbled on to a site with many wonderful people ready to help with advice and understanding.  Hang in there.  You're not alone.

Carol

[Bill1954]

Hi there, welcome to the discussion group. A bit of angst isn’t unusual when we start out on a new journey, huh? I imagine you’re now going through what you’ll look back on as the worst of it right now; many of us find that once we get going, dealing with the disease is practically cathartic.

What genotype are you; I didn’t see you mention that above?

Has your doctor considered starting you on an antidepressant yet? Sometimes depression manifests as anxiety; just a thought.

I underwent a few years of interferon/riba over a four year period from 2005-2008; the worst of it was fatigue, and that didn’t get too bad until late in treatment; perhaps beginning around week 40 or so.

What meds are you prescribed; Pegasys or Pegintron? Did your doctor discuss parameters for intervention in the event you develop significant anemia or anything?

Try your best to relax; if your anxiety continues to get the better of you, be sure to discuss it with the doctor, perhaps they can intervene with meds for it.

Good luck, and let us know how things go—

Bill