Long-term effects of Pegasys/Ribavirin

[melinsday]

I am a 52 year-old, caucasian female.  I finished a year-long treatment of Pagasys and Ribavirin in 06/2008.  It was successful!  18 months later however, I'm feeling little change from when I was taking the drugs.  I'm having problems in many areas.  I have chronic fatigue, "brain fog", short-term memory loss, rare but severe memory loss (like a blackout, during which I've had conversations, driven, walked, eaten), lack of focus, difficulty with spacial issues, tremors, acute joint pain, clumsiness and more.  This has affected the quality of my life significantly.  Neither my hepatologist, primary care physician or psychiatrist have heard of the effects of this treatment continuing for this long and have offered no suggestions.  Please, what is my next step?
Melins


This discussion is related to Are there long-term neurotoxic effects from Ribavirin??-getting worried here.

[hopeforall108]

Hi, I don't post here on a regular basis. At the moment this is because I'm fighting some other battles in the real world and sumy don't have a lot of time. I posted on this thread and I did so with no agenda. The story I relayed about my cousin is true 100% so unfortunitely. I've stated that I never intend to take interferon but let me qualify that by saying I have the utmost respect for anyone who is brave enough to do so. Not only has my cousins experience put me off but the possibility of depression is something I'm not willing to go through. I am medically trained and from experience people who are medicated for depression rarely come off the meds completely. In my opinion the risk of loosing myself to meds for depression is to large a price to pay. Also one more point. Interferon is classed as a toxic drug, so I wouldn't be to quick to rule out long term serious sides. Also some people here seem to rush to damn anyone who posts here who is not to keen on interferon or who doesn't have some amazing tx success story, as having a motive other than sharing there story or seeking advice. I'm sure there are such people posting but if this is possibe, so it is also possible that there people posting that pro interferon for the purpose of pushing it on people, no? As for people posting and not reappearing well, I've noticed that unless people post on here and say something that a certain few want to here they are ridiculed and accused of having some other motive, so if this happens maybe these posters don't come back cos they feel they're been attacked because of their views. So I wouldn't blame them for not coming back, would u? It would be mote constructive to post a reply if you feel you can help or answer and if you can't, then don't make comments accusing and damning. You might find people will come round to your point of view if you don't redicule them.  

[jepperone]

Oh, I see that this poster has not been back since Dec.28th and most likely will not be back in the future and guess we will see more of this in the future.

jep

[jepperone]

Sorry to hear you’re still feeling the effects of treatment and hope they will subside in the coming months and if I may be a bit intrusive here; have you taken any other meds during treatment besides interferon and riba and are you or have been on any other medication since ending treatment?

jep

[nygirl7]

Oddly enough never posted again after that two day run of repeating posts.  Surprise!

[tornada]

Lots of people treating are given a bennzodiazepine or a sleep drug or an AD and these can have long lasting effects.  

[newleaf09]

Are you off of all of the 'helper' drugs that go along with TX?  The things like sleep aids and mood drugs?  Some of those will cause neuro effects as an unusual side effect.