HOHUM

[liverty]

I'm so weak and tired of limbo, waiting ,no energy ,major depression. tried interferon , became psycho runnin naked with a hammer in the streets!have had hep c 15 years ,cirhosis 5 years 4th stage. sister died in 2003 of the same, long and drawn out , very sad.brother successful with interferon, no hep c in blood now after 6mo tx . i wake up crying , psyche med don't seem to work . is this possible the liver junk or am i crazy?or both/?give me liverty or give me death!! Dr Fleckenstein says I'm not sick enough for transplant.ive had 3 surgeries this year umbilical hernia , 3 biopsies .i have pain in joints and lower abdomen. just got over c-diff..I FEEL GUILTY FOR ASKING FOR PAIN MEDS. REASSURE ME PLEASE. SHERI /TENNESSEE

[epiphiny]

Depression is/was (don't know what to write there as I currently on tx!) my worst symptom of this virus.  It became/is my worst side effect on tx.  For years I used to think I was a loser, no hoper, unable to follow through on things I said I would do, suffering from apathy and tiredness and lack of motivation.  The I realized all the above were a symptom of this disease.  It didn't stop the symptoms but it stop me feeling bad about myself as a person.  I was lucky that anti-Ds worked for me (Prozac) but I had to try a couple of different types.  Once a started tx I doubled my dose to get me through and so far I'm holding a pretty even keel.

Please don't feel bad about yourself, it's rough road we are walking.  And if you are in pain, please ask for pain meds.  We are not here on this earth to suffer unnecessarily, and that's why pain killers were invented to ease people's physical pain so they can heal.

The emotional pain we have to heal in other ways but I would take all the help I could get so don't feel guilty and do what you need to do to help you on your journey.

Peace and Blessings.

[Rockerforlife]

Running in streets with hammer?....NOT GOOD...i hope you didnt whack anybody...sorry to hear the rough news...have you tried to get in on the new protese inhibitor trials?..wishing you well

[it'sallgood]

wow, running naked down the street with a hammer!  i do not look forward to doing that if i choose to treat, though it does make a great story. seems like some one could come up it a great tv drama about the effects of this disease and its treatment.

i have experienced depression for many years and have also experienced the symptoms of this virus for 27 years.   i believe that this disease can cause depression even before we were diagnosed.  In the last few years i have been able to detach from the depression and just find myself experiencing it rather that resisting it.  I also have been dx'd with advanced fibrosis so i am thinking about trying to treat.  it sure would be nice to wait for the 24 week treatment though. i thing the mental/emotional side effects are the scariest of the side effects.
eric