thanx all for taking time to reply at the moment the neuropathy dosnt cause to many probs it is worse at night with numbness in legs and arms then tingling in toes he takes 4 amiltrytline a night which seems to help him get some sleep but we know that it has potential to get worse his hep c consultant told us that if he managed to get rid of the hep c that the chances were the neuropathy wouldnt get any worse then what it is which my hubby finds copeable many thanxs again folks i appreciate your comments
This is not really related to your concern but since you are likely following this thread .....I noticed in another one of your posts your husband's platelets were low and I can't help but wonder what stage of fibrosis he is.
ive been dealing with pn for the last decade. my underlying cause is multiple sclerosis, a neurologic disease(ms). hcv exacerbates my ms symptoms, and tx with triple therapy has taken pn to another level. like bees stinging you on your toes. after tx it is still there. barry
HCV can cause Peripheral Neuropathy. Here are two article about extrahepatic manifestations of Hep CV:
http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factsheets_pdf/Extrahepatic.pdf
I cannot copy and paste that article but it does say that in one study 15.3% of people with HCV were found to have Peripheral Neuropathy and that the treatment is to treat the underlying cause (HCV).
http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hcsp/articles/Bonkovsky-2.html
"Cryoglobulins also affect the nervous system in some HCV infected patients. The most frequent symptoms and signs are those of chronic sensory polyneuropathy"
Idyllic, I think she is saying that the reason her husband agreed to Tx was to prevent the Periph. Neuropathy from getting worse (NOT that it is getting worse on Tx).
cheflady, if you can tell us your husband's symptoms. then we can offer some remedies and suggestions to help him.
Wow I am really sorry to hear this given your husband is doing good what with being UND in week four and shaking the rash and all.
In what manner is your husband's PN worsening compared to prior to treatment and baseline? Is the doctor who diagnosed your husband with PN in the loop with his treatment?
I only know what I read in the HCVAdvocate about PN & extrahepatic manifestations. I encourage you to contact his Neurologist or the the doctor who determined HCV was related to his PN in the first place. There has to be a way to manage his symptoms. The handout has an array of suggestions to manage them. Was he doing any of the things mentioned in the link prior to treatment?
Here is the link:
http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factsheets_pdf/PN.pdf
I did not confer with my Neurologist very much during treatment in fact I felt like my Raynaud's worsened. The long short is that there were some other factors but eventually around week 30 or so the symptoms began to subside when triggered. To my surprise it has remained at bay and did not respond when triggered in a clinical setting.
The thing is I would never had known that if I did not seek advise from a specialist in that arena. It was a hassle and I felt like a hypochondriac all these years but there has to be an answer or a way this can work. That is why I think your hubby might benefit from the input of a Hepa or another doctor qualified to hopefully manage his symptoms and give treatment a chance to work.
I'd be interested, as well, to read anything that shows HCV has any relation to PN. Mine didn't manifest until several years after I cleared the virus and seems to be related to a B vitamin deficiency and diabetes/insulin resistance. Unless you link PN to metabolic syndrome and diabetes, I haven't heard of a link.
Clearing the virus, however, is a good thing in itself.