side effects

[ivgirl]

I am on week one treating type A and feeling really bad side effects. I feel almost ready to do something drastic. I called the psychologist at the clinic and she said that the side effects are worse in the first week. Is this true? Or am I looking at 48wks of feeling so sick I can hardly walk and feeling like my head is going to explode never mind the crazy emotional stuff talk about the blues!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don;t know if I can even tolerate this. I do have lupus as well and am taking an immune suppressant at the same time as the treatment but this is crazy. I don't think I can handle this. Help of any kind would be good. I do the ginger thing I get percocet for chronic pain and they have me on sleep meds but the pain was so bad yesterday I could barely walk never mind anything else. I have vasculitis that can be helped with this treatment too so I really have to find a way to get through this. Any ideas? I'm desperate

[wtbleep]

Just curious to know: are you on SOC or taking triple therapy?  I started a clinical trial in Vancouver July 8 and found each progressive week was different.  Now that I have started week 9 I look back and think week 1-4 wasn't so bad but if you had asked me during those first few weeks I'm sure I thought I was dying.  We are doing battle with a highly evolved virus and our weapons are powerful drugs with collateral damage no matter what you do.  The interferon was worst the 1st week but now I feel like a cancer patient doing chemo when I take the protease inhibitor.  This week I was ready to quit but I want to beat this thing and this is the only option.  You need to see your MD and tell him/her everything you are feeling so they can help you sort it all out.  Your situation sounds really complicated but you can get through it.  Hang in there girl!

Pauline

[scoleman]

Call your doctor NOW and tell him/her how you're feeling.  If you're not already on antidepressants you may need to take them.  How I feel on treatment varies from day to day.  Some days I'm a hair's breadth away from tears all day.  Some days are OK.  Some days I'm tired.  Some days I'm jittery.  But each and every day I'm doing everything I can to clear my HCV.  Hang in there, talk to your doc and take care.

Sherry

[crossroadsec]

You've got a really special set of circumstances. Is your treating Dr. a liver specialist? Let him know what you're going through. I have a friend w/ lupus and her depression is hard to deal with. The depression from the tx is temporary and will end when tx stops. I think that is easier to endure. That's kind of contradicting, but I've never personally experience depression like my friend w/ lupus.
I hope ur Dr. can give you some advice n you'll get relief. Karen :)