Aa
side effects of hep c treatment
i will be starting inteferon and rivivarin therapy what side effects and benefits has anyone experienced I've put this off for years because of fear of the medication but need to start before i get to the level where it's too late for medication
Don't slink away like roadkill, that's my department! I do that and run off to the next doc who will give them to me. No problemo. Some doc's are such wimps when it comes to perscribing drugs. I hate that. You'll get addicted, they say. I say, SO WHAT..would you like me to go off of tx, b/c I can't sleep for a year? I don't think so. I hate taking sleeping pills, but it beats the alternative. I will take them when I need them.
My PCP told me if I can get to sleep and then wake up, take one then. If I can't get to sleep, take one then. Makes sense to me.
We debated the pros and cons of Ambien and Sonata. He gave me Sonata because it keeps you asleep longer. He claims Ambien CR (the one that is SUPPOSED to put you to sleep and keep you asleep doesn't work that well at keeping you asleep. It is NOT an OTC. They might sell it on some street corner though...kidding.
I don't know the chemistry differences btwn Ambien and Sonata, but I would guess is that the Ambien CR is time released. I am new at this sleeping aid stuff. I always drank milk, took benedryl or nyquil. Never go to bed until 11...(NO WAY)
Just make sure you DO NOT GO TO THAT BED, 52, those sleep police are watching you! Hahahahahahah
My PCP told me if I can get to sleep and then wake up, take one then. If I can't get to sleep, take one then. Makes sense to me.
We debated the pros and cons of Ambien and Sonata. He gave me Sonata because it keeps you asleep longer. He claims Ambien CR (the one that is SUPPOSED to put you to sleep and keep you asleep doesn't work that well at keeping you asleep. It is NOT an OTC. They might sell it on some street corner though...kidding.
I don't know the chemistry differences btwn Ambien and Sonata, but I would guess is that the Ambien CR is time released. I am new at this sleeping aid stuff. I always drank milk, took benedryl or nyquil. Never go to bed until 11...(NO WAY)
Just make sure you DO NOT GO TO THAT BED, 52, those sleep police are watching you! Hahahahahahah
I'm right w/ ya on the sleep issue tele and i'm getting the same results from my dr. i came right out and asked for sleepmeds and he told me that i'm at the "turning point" of therapy and my sx's will get better. thanks alot. i slunk away like roadkill instead of standing up to him...
Sonata requires a prescription.
You may have to try a couple of things. I tried the Sonata early in treatment and it didn't keep me asleep for more than a few hours. But sounds like it works well for others.
Hope you get some zzzzs.
You may have to try a couple of things. I tried the Sonata early in treatment and it didn't keep me asleep for more than a few hours. But sounds like it works well for others.
Hope you get some zzzzs.
The Sonata worked well last night. I was out like a light all night long. I woke up at 6am, not unusual for me, stayed up a while typing, opps, sleep police may be watching!, went back to sleep for 2-3 hours and feel like I had some good sleep for a change.
It's such a great day here I would head for the chaise lounge or beach. Just don't take that fax machine with you! Those sleep police may be watching!
It's such a great day here I would head for the chaise lounge or beach. Just don't take that fax machine with you! Those sleep police may be watching!
If that drug's an anti-psychotic, it ain't working very well. But it does help with sleep.
I've got the bottle here. It's CLONAZEPAM. I'll second the value of Sonata. On the rare nights that the CLON doesn't work, I pop a Sonata. The main value of that one is that it seems to work instantly. No hangover even if I'm up 3 hours later. My GI's assistant loves it when she travels and wants to sleep on the plane!
Apparently, the clonazepam can be habit forming but my doctor said not to worry about that right now (right, I'll go straight from the GI's office to the Betty Ford Clinic at the end of treatment.)
Algie,
P.S. Love your humor.
I've got the bottle here. It's CLONAZEPAM. I'll second the value of Sonata. On the rare nights that the CLON doesn't work, I pop a Sonata. The main value of that one is that it seems to work instantly. No hangover even if I'm up 3 hours later. My GI's assistant loves it when she travels and wants to sleep on the plane!
Apparently, the clonazepam can be habit forming but my doctor said not to worry about that right now (right, I'll go straight from the GI's office to the Betty Ford Clinic at the end of treatment.)
Algie,
P.S. Love your humor.
Everyone is different
Whilst I had insomnia the first 2 weeks. i now sleep 10 to 12 hours a night! that is annoying too
Whilst I had insomnia the first 2 weeks. i now sleep 10 to 12 hours a night! that is annoying too
As long as I'm cluttering the board with my random posts tonight, I wanted to take a sec to say I enjoy your posts. THanks for being so refreshing...
<i>Myoclonus is a condition where your extremities jerk randomly .... Clonazepam/klonopin is the drug of choice for treatment. </i>
Take notes Can-do, Clonazepam to control the jerking. Gee, in the old days <a href="http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_221.html">they used saltpeter<a/> for that.
Take notes Can-do, Clonazepam to control the jerking. Gee, in the old days <a href="http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_221.html">they used saltpeter<a/> for that.
You made me laugh about not being allowed in the bedroom. That doc would have to put some heavy duty locks on my bedroom if that were the case!
I have heard all the yada yada about Tv, don't go to sleep until you are ready etc. TV puts me to sleep when I wake up 4-5 times at night.
Maybe a differnt Dr? Perhaps go in with this Riba Rage you have and tell him what for, it sure would work on me!
Sleeping is no joke, I just picked up my Sonata. It is supposed to last longer. I told my PCP that most times I could get to sleep, but waking at 1am, 4am, 6am and 8am is awful. Anyone would be in a rage. We debated the Ambien, Ambien CR...he said the CR didn't work to keep you asleep as they claim. He said Sonata lasts longer. Hope there is no hangover. I will let you know.
My Oncologist/Hemo said that insomnia is a result of interferon. A lot of people here use sleep aids.
Don't go postal, but I would let him know or get another opinion.
I have heard all the yada yada about Tv, don't go to sleep until you are ready etc. TV puts me to sleep when I wake up 4-5 times at night.
Maybe a differnt Dr? Perhaps go in with this Riba Rage you have and tell him what for, it sure would work on me!
Sleeping is no joke, I just picked up my Sonata. It is supposed to last longer. I told my PCP that most times I could get to sleep, but waking at 1am, 4am, 6am and 8am is awful. Anyone would be in a rage. We debated the Ambien, Ambien CR...he said the CR didn't work to keep you asleep as they claim. He said Sonata lasts longer. Hope there is no hangover. I will let you know.
My Oncologist/Hemo said that insomnia is a result of interferon. A lot of people here use sleep aids.
Don't go postal, but I would let him know or get another opinion.
I put it off for 3 years, and I am sorry I did - wish I started tx sooner. I'm in Week 14 of 48, and so far, haven't had bad sides (yet). Pros are my mindset, appetite, energy level, etc.,pretty much stayed same. Still carry on normal life. On the downside, I developed low white blood count but it's now under control w/Neupogen. Also got the "riba rash" everyone talking about -- really hate it... like skin tags popping up everywhere. Also my asthma & back probs seemed to get worse, but nothing I can't deal as long as I can get this monster out of my body. Don't wait if you can help it.
Clonazepam is a GREAT drug but can be abused. Since I developed my Hep, I have also developed something called myoclonus. Myoclonus is a condition where your extremities jerk randomly, it can be extreme or moderate, I'm somewhere in between. Clonazepam/klonopin is the drug of choice for treatment. It is also very useful for treating generalized anxiety. I have found that as my disease progresses without treatment (The VA is reluctant to treat me because of depression/anxiety issues)the clonazepam is a God send. I hope you all have a peaceful weekend.
Dog_Lover
Dog_Lover
Thanks for that. Isn't that an anti-psychotic drug? I think they give it to schizophrenics (maybe that why it works so well for
this HCV psychosis we all have).I did ask my doc to rescue me , thats what got me going. He told me not to take naps , dont go in the bedroom unless you are going to sleep.You know , most of us have family's we deal with 24 hrs a day and sometimes the bedroom is the only safe harbor in the storm. I've been really impressed with this guy since this tx started 10 wks ago , and I cant believe he pulled up lame on this simple issue. Believe it or not , after 1975 , I have no history of drug abuse , I may require a few more prescription meds than some people , but I'm certainly not going to get hooked on sleeping for gosh sake. I'm going to visit my PCP Monday and see if he can help me out.
I also cant believe I'm still raging about this.
I'm not allowed to go in my bedroom to recover.
this HCV psychosis we all have).I did ask my doc to rescue me , thats what got me going. He told me not to take naps , dont go in the bedroom unless you are going to sleep.You know , most of us have family's we deal with 24 hrs a day and sometimes the bedroom is the only safe harbor in the storm. I've been really impressed with this guy since this tx started 10 wks ago , and I cant believe he pulled up lame on this simple issue. Believe it or not , after 1975 , I have no history of drug abuse , I may require a few more prescription meds than some people , but I'm certainly not going to get hooked on sleeping for gosh sake. I'm going to visit my PCP Monday and see if he can help me out.
I also cant believe I'm still raging about this.
I'm not allowed to go in my bedroom to recover.
I don't know who it was but it was someone on this forum that recommended that clonazipam to me (actually for riba rage--it's an antianxiety drug) that also helps with sleep. A belated thank you to that person. I mentioned it to my doc and he didn't hesitate with the RX.
If it's any consolation, most of my sides seem to come and go (only to be replaced by new ones of course).
The sleep though: You gotta get some of that. These mean drugs really woke me up too. I'm small (111 poundsish) and the strong version of Ambien didn't even phase me. The sleep deprivation really made all the sides worse.
So, my doc put me on clonazipam. It's really cheap and it usually (not always) knocks me out. I may wake up a few times during the night, but I can usually go back to sleep easily and it'll give me 8 total hours easy. There are other drugs that probably work even better. I recall from my past life that valium was particularly helpful...
Ask your doctor to rescue you.
P.S. On my worst day of riba rage (and I haven't really had that many), I told off (vast understatement) a really mean colleague. Best thing I ever did at work. Felt great.
The sleep though: You gotta get some of that. These mean drugs really woke me up too. I'm small (111 poundsish) and the strong version of Ambien didn't even phase me. The sleep deprivation really made all the sides worse.
So, my doc put me on clonazipam. It's really cheap and it usually (not always) knocks me out. I may wake up a few times during the night, but I can usually go back to sleep easily and it'll give me 8 total hours easy. There are other drugs that probably work even better. I recall from my past life that valium was particularly helpful...
Ask your doctor to rescue you.
P.S. On my worst day of riba rage (and I haven't really had that many), I told off (vast understatement) a really mean colleague. Best thing I ever did at work. Felt great.
Welcome to the forum Katlady ,I'm sorry , I didn't mean to scare you . If nothing else , in this forum , you will find truth.
Addendum to previous post: I know physiology is spelled with a y and I only watched that one commericial.
Addendum to previous post: I know physiology is spelled with a y and I only watched that one commericial.
I have always considered the mystery of the sx "everybody's different" perplexing. We are all basically the same organism , phisiology,the same cells , the same flesh and blood and the meds are basically the same poison for all of us.We do have some predictability going in to it , flu like symptoms , tired , maybe get a rash,. yada yada yada... So , why are all of the scars from old surgeries on my body turning brown? Does that happen to anyone else? Why are my legs turning colors?Brown "blotches" for lack of a better word. Why do my gums hurt so much I cant hardly brush them , but the dentist can find nothing wrong with them? Why do my two back molars hurt two days a week ? What is up with this rash? No one can explain to me what that rash actually is.RIBA RASH. Thats all we need to know .
I can find nothing on the entire internet that will cure a rash , you can keep it from itching , but it wont cure it .Gold Bond is not working for me.Gee , what a suprise , it works for everyone else!(were all different) .
I sleep no more than 2-1/2 hours at a time. Boing-wide awake. get up have a smoke , watch girls gone wild commercials , go back to bed two hours later , sleep another 2-1/2 hours. Finally , its 6:00 am and I start to get sleepy , fall asleep , for 1-1/2 hours till the alarm goes off. My doc wants me to exercise "sleep hygene". What? ie... dont watch tv in bed , dont worry while in bed , turn the lights off(?) , make sure its a soothing temperature perfect for sleep... What a crock of ****. This man is having me shove 1400mg of RBVN and 175 mg of AD down my throat everyday but expects that I should be able control my sleep problems with a bunch of boiler plate **** about sleep hygene?
I think this is called RIBA RAGE , but everyones different , I could be wrong.
No response required. Thanks for listning.
I can find nothing on the entire internet that will cure a rash , you can keep it from itching , but it wont cure it .Gold Bond is not working for me.Gee , what a suprise , it works for everyone else!(were all different) .
I sleep no more than 2-1/2 hours at a time. Boing-wide awake. get up have a smoke , watch girls gone wild commercials , go back to bed two hours later , sleep another 2-1/2 hours. Finally , its 6:00 am and I start to get sleepy , fall asleep , for 1-1/2 hours till the alarm goes off. My doc wants me to exercise "sleep hygene". What? ie... dont watch tv in bed , dont worry while in bed , turn the lights off(?) , make sure its a soothing temperature perfect for sleep... What a crock of ****. This man is having me shove 1400mg of RBVN and 175 mg of AD down my throat everyday but expects that I should be able control my sleep problems with a bunch of boiler plate **** about sleep hygene?
I think this is called RIBA RAGE , but everyones different , I could be wrong.
No response required. Thanks for listning.
As NYgirl said it is different for all of us. It is good to be aware of what is possible but don't let it stop you. I am on week 13 of 48 and so far side effects have not been too bad. Not missed a day of work yet and have just got back from a long hard business trip and I am still standing.
It's never too late to my knowledge for the medication.
The side effects treat ALL of us differently, some find them harder than others. Personally while I had some of them drastically bad I have only taken 3 sick days since last August (one was for my biopsy and the other two during my anemia).
It's often not fun but it gets easier as time goes on and your body adjusts.
Some people never ever have the flu symptoms that people can get in the beginning (I never had a fever at ALL until like week 32 or something).
Everybody is different but you shouldn't let it put you off doing treatment because you don't know if you will be affected in any way.
Here is a site with the potential sides and all of the information you could need.
http://janis7hepc.com/
The side effects treat ALL of us differently, some find them harder than others. Personally while I had some of them drastically bad I have only taken 3 sick days since last August (one was for my biopsy and the other two during my anemia).
It's often not fun but it gets easier as time goes on and your body adjusts.
Some people never ever have the flu symptoms that people can get in the beginning (I never had a fever at ALL until like week 32 or something).
Everybody is different but you shouldn't let it put you off doing treatment because you don't know if you will be affected in any way.
Here is a site with the potential sides and all of the information you could need.
http://janis7hepc.com/
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