Aa
Post Treatment Symptoms
Hi everyone..I am new to the forum and my husband is two weeks post treatment for Hep C. He did 48 weeks of Pegasys and Ribaviran. He is Genotype 1a and the results from the testing are complete remission!! No signs of the virus. Instead of being elated, he seems to have the same symptonms while on tx. He has been on Effexor the whole time and I would like to see the dosage perhaps increased. One of the main problems he continues to have is regarding his concentration while driving. Has anyone else dealt with this? Sunday he wrecked his car and Saturday was cited for reckless driving. I wonder how long the symptoms will continue. He has tried to work at our business all along but now wants to get himself back on track yet is too tired and depressed to do it.
Any comments are most appreciated.
Any comments are most appreciated.
Im sorry to hear he is going thru this. However this is normal. It took me one month to feel like I was on earth again after I stopped tx. I am 6 months post tx now and only left with some fatigue and severe pain. As far as all the symptoms you described it will leave you need to give it MORE time could be a few months could be a little less. We are all very different. I can assure you it will get better! It will...
Charm27
Charm27
Hello, and welcome to the forum!
I didn't take AD's while on tx but became very depressed and felt out of place when I completed tx. I started taking the AD's and they worked very well. I am now 1 yr later coming off of the AD's. I have been lowering the dosage slowly an will be completely off of the AD's in another month. It takes time and it may be possible that the Effexor is not as effective as in the beginning and your husband may need to change to a different AD which is common among AD's.
Good luck to you and your husband...
Kudos to your husband's remission and completing tx!!!!!!
TV
I didn't take AD's while on tx but became very depressed and felt out of place when I completed tx. I started taking the AD's and they worked very well. I am now 1 yr later coming off of the AD's. I have been lowering the dosage slowly an will be completely off of the AD's in another month. It takes time and it may be possible that the Effexor is not as effective as in the beginning and your husband may need to change to a different AD which is common among AD's.
Good luck to you and your husband...
Kudos to your husband's remission and completing tx!!!!!!
TV
It can take awhile to recover after treatment. I went on AD's after treatment, didn't need them while ON treatment and was on them for four months after which I was feeling well enough to let them go. My physical and mental energy is back and then some. I have more clarity than I can remember having for a very long time. The depression after treatment stopped was pretty bad for me but it did eventually lift. There are those who continue to fight the depression for some time after treatment, I felt I got off lucky by being able to get off the AD's at 4 months post end of treatment. Hang in there and ride it out.
I finished treatment in August of 2006 and am SVR. I treated for 48 weeks, immediately had to have my appendix out and my thyroid quit! I am quite well now, and my only lingering issue is my thyroid. It is pretty much fine, I just have to monitor it!
Pretty Poison No More (very clever name)..I will get thyroid checked!! We meet with gastro on 6/24 and I will insist on a full work up!! How are you feeling now and when did you finish treatment?
Please get him to check his thyroid. Interferon wiped mine out, I did not have antibodies for Graves or Hashimotos, so it really was the interferon. My TSH was in the low 60's and should have been under 2. It really felt the same as treatment. I diagnosed myself, reading on my symptoms. I started taking my temperature and realized my temp stayed around 95 to 96. I asked the NP to order a thyroid test, and I was in an endocrinoligist office the day my tests came back because my level was almost critical.
I hope your hubby feels better soon, and figures out what is wrong. If nothing else get him to go to a good internist for a physical including a full blood panel.
I hope your hubby feels better soon, and figures out what is wrong. If nothing else get him to go to a good internist for a physical including a full blood panel.
Medicmommy, thanks for invaluable advice and I appreciate the clarification of the SVR. Bobby! I will have him get Thyroid checked also. It is so helpful to know how others have dealt with the side effects and that there is hope after treatment. He is so excited today because he has a meeting with a new potential client. It was so good to see him dressed up and putting a spring in his step. Any other questions I need to ask the Gastroenterologist when we meet with him June 24?
Bless all of you...and thanks for the HUGZ MM!
Bless all of you...and thanks for the HUGZ MM!
I finished TX of 48 weeks type 1a 5 weeks ago and the first 2 weeks were the worst.
I still have brain fog, sensitivity to light and no endurance. I do feel better energy and depression wise but still lack stamina. I have had some problems sleeping and joint pain that is worse than on TX. As the others I have been told it takes 6 months for the meds to leave the body. My family was expecting me to get better immediately and I tried to pretend I was which didn't work to well. His body is going through a lot of adjustments while trying to activate its own immune system and replace all the things that the TX attacks. It is hard to be patient but he will start to feel better in time.
I still have brain fog, sensitivity to light and no endurance. I do feel better energy and depression wise but still lack stamina. I have had some problems sleeping and joint pain that is worse than on TX. As the others I have been told it takes 6 months for the meds to leave the body. My family was expecting me to get better immediately and I tried to pretend I was which didn't work to well. His body is going through a lot of adjustments while trying to activate its own immune system and replace all the things that the TX attacks. It is hard to be patient but he will start to feel better in time.
I went thru withdrawel for the 2 months post tx. After that I slowly started to feel better and I only treated for 6 months. It is now 15 months post tx and I feel pretty good.
One of the problems with Interferon is that it stops the "inflamation" in your Liver if you attain SVR but causes "Inflamation" to occur over the rest of your body. This is what causes the side effects to linger on, sometimes for years in some people. Besides feeling good most of the time I have been getting reoccurring "Pericarditis" (inflamation of the lining of the heart) since finishing treatment.
By the way your husband is not SVR yet. He has to be virus free for 6 months post tx for SVR. I hope he attains it.
Bobby
One of the problems with Interferon is that it stops the "inflamation" in your Liver if you attain SVR but causes "Inflamation" to occur over the rest of your body. This is what causes the side effects to linger on, sometimes for years in some people. Besides feeling good most of the time I have been getting reoccurring "Pericarditis" (inflamation of the lining of the heart) since finishing treatment.
By the way your husband is not SVR yet. He has to be virus free for 6 months post tx for SVR. I hope he attains it.
Bobby
Don't worry, the "brain fog" will dissipate over time. It took me about 4 months to really get the cr*p out of my system. Don't decrease his AD dose just yet! I know that both of you are dying for some normalcy again, but the meds are fat-soluble, so they have to "leach" back out of his system. As the ribavirin's (or whatever his viral suppressant) level drops, the body's own immune system goes back to normal by rebuilding those precious white blood cells (neutrophils) and the rest of his blood levels. THIS TAKES TIME! DON'T RUSH IT! He wants that protection right now while his body recovers...Don't be surprised if he goes through a really cranky time for a few more weeks (some sort of withdrawal from having your body poisoned?) Have him continue to drink his water, eat healthy, and add immune supporting stuff to his diet. Light exercise as he can tolerate it...Also, if you haven't, have his thyroid levels checked. Every now and then, the meds create a low level thyroiditis which can cause him to have a low level of thyroid hormone after treatment.This can cause brain fog and depression all by itself...Hang in there! ((((((((((((((HUGZ))))))))))~MM
Thanks for the encouragement. I have started him on Monavie (an acai berry juice product) and hope that helps with energy. He has been on AD since almost the beginning and I do believe it was a God send. We go to see his doc next week and may need to up AD. I am a firm believer in prayer and I continue to pray God's word over him. (You have the mind of Christ, You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you, My God shall supply all your needs, etc.)
This is an awesome place for real time information. Blessings to all of you!!
Julie
This is an awesome place for real time information. Blessings to all of you!!
Julie
I am almost 8 wks past finishing tx. I thought I'd be back to "normal" quickly, especially since I did 24 wks of tx. Gee, was I wrong!!
I did not take antidepressants before tx, and at this point I have cut my dose in half, but I still have episodes of rage and manic-type behavior, and some depression. I'm not ready to quit the AD's yet because I don't feel like myself yet (my daughter says I'm usually a very "sweet" person, lol, but not these days).
I still have GI symptoms, I tried to quit taking the Prilosec and am still having heartburn without it. Still having some belly cramping and diarrhea though it seems to be improving. Still sensitive to heat and sun.
The good news is, I am no longer short of breath with mild exertion. The color has returned to my face, and I recently walked 10 miles in a day. I can do yardwork again without swooning. My hair loss has slowed down, and my hair actually seems to be filling in again.
I second what the others have said. My care team told me it could take 6 months to eliminate the drugs from the body. I am doing some natural treatments to try to speed up the elimination of these drugs, but Ribavirin especially has a long half-life, and lingers for quite some time.
Driving problems...not so much for me but I did not drive much on tx. I often let hubby drive when I didn't feel well.
Hang in there, and just know that it does take time. These drugs were life-altering and finishing tx did not mean the end of sides. That was a disappointment for me to realize but I'm trying to accept where I am.
Best wishes to you both.
Lapis
I did not take antidepressants before tx, and at this point I have cut my dose in half, but I still have episodes of rage and manic-type behavior, and some depression. I'm not ready to quit the AD's yet because I don't feel like myself yet (my daughter says I'm usually a very "sweet" person, lol, but not these days).
I still have GI symptoms, I tried to quit taking the Prilosec and am still having heartburn without it. Still having some belly cramping and diarrhea though it seems to be improving. Still sensitive to heat and sun.
The good news is, I am no longer short of breath with mild exertion. The color has returned to my face, and I recently walked 10 miles in a day. I can do yardwork again without swooning. My hair loss has slowed down, and my hair actually seems to be filling in again.
I second what the others have said. My care team told me it could take 6 months to eliminate the drugs from the body. I am doing some natural treatments to try to speed up the elimination of these drugs, but Ribavirin especially has a long half-life, and lingers for quite some time.
Driving problems...not so much for me but I did not drive much on tx. I often let hubby drive when I didn't feel well.
Hang in there, and just know that it does take time. These drugs were life-altering and finishing tx did not mean the end of sides. That was a disappointment for me to realize but I'm trying to accept where I am.
Best wishes to you both.
Lapis
It can take quite a while to get back to something like normal. Don't tinker with his meds, just be patient. He wants to get back to his old self too but this does not happen over night. Give it time.
jd
jd
Thanks for welcoming me to the forum. I am really fighting not to get down about my husband. I so miss the person he was and am praying that now that he is finished and is SVR, that I will see the personality return. My doctors office did not inform us at all about post treatment!
I takes a whole month to completely saturate your system with the drugs, so you know it will take a whole month to get them back out. I understand that the interferon can take longer to stop infuencing the body. The staff at the clinic where I treated said to expect it to take 6 months. Patience. Hang in there.
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