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Post Triple Therapy Side Effects: Joint Pain/Stiffness
Finished triple therapy Jan 28, 13. (early) due to side effects and now I am experiencing joint pain, stiffnes that
started a couple months after treatment.
When I sit for any period of time, my hips are so stiff and my feet are stiff too. My feet feel like they can't hold me up. Ambulation is not so easy. After a few moments of being up on my feet and walking the discomfort and stiffness goes away. I am also experiencing wrist pain, carpel tunnel type symptoms in one hand that I dont use much for writing or anything. Wakes me up at night. I am not over weight and I am very active. I don't understand what is going on. I was checked for autoimmun diseases and that was negative. My hep doctor denies any knowledge of such side effects post treatment and tells me this is what happens when we age. No way. No Way! I have worked out my whole life and am very active, before treatment I did kick boxing, zumba, weight lifting, pilates and yoga. No I can't do those things yet to the degree that I was before, but I am working on getting my strength and endurance back. I understand it take time, but...
Is any one else experiencing joint problems after treatment? What have you done to treat and did you get back to normal? I started taking supplemts: glucosamine, chrondroitin and msm to try and help but not so far. Triple therapy turned my body inside out and although I am feeling much better then I did when I was on treatment, these side effects are new to my body. I feel like an 80 year old instead of an active 50 something.. Thank you for any advice or sharing of your post treatment new side effects.
started a couple months after treatment.
When I sit for any period of time, my hips are so stiff and my feet are stiff too. My feet feel like they can't hold me up. Ambulation is not so easy. After a few moments of being up on my feet and walking the discomfort and stiffness goes away. I am also experiencing wrist pain, carpel tunnel type symptoms in one hand that I dont use much for writing or anything. Wakes me up at night. I am not over weight and I am very active. I don't understand what is going on. I was checked for autoimmun diseases and that was negative. My hep doctor denies any knowledge of such side effects post treatment and tells me this is what happens when we age. No way. No Way! I have worked out my whole life and am very active, before treatment I did kick boxing, zumba, weight lifting, pilates and yoga. No I can't do those things yet to the degree that I was before, but I am working on getting my strength and endurance back. I understand it take time, but...
Is any one else experiencing joint problems after treatment? What have you done to treat and did you get back to normal? I started taking supplemts: glucosamine, chrondroitin and msm to try and help but not so far. Triple therapy turned my body inside out and although I am feeling much better then I did when I was on treatment, these side effects are new to my body. I feel like an 80 year old instead of an active 50 something.. Thank you for any advice or sharing of your post treatment new side effects.
I too finished triple treatment (with Incivik) early (at 24 weeks instead of 48) due to extreme side effects. I too, finished about mid January. My joint stiffness and pain is almost identical to what you described. It did not start with me until about 2 months ago but it sure is not just old age and I believe it is connected to the Interferon.
I have started doing warm water aerobics 3 times a week and it is helping. It is difficult to pinpoint all the body issues during treatment as I felt like death daily BUT this new condition was not part of my world prior to treatment.
Unfortunately my 12 week post treatment labs show the 24 weeks of hellish treatment did not kill off the virus so I will need to try a new cure when my body gets strong enough again. It will need to me much less side effects for this 60 year old gal to even attempt to go there again.
I have started doing warm water aerobics 3 times a week and it is helping. It is difficult to pinpoint all the body issues during treatment as I felt like death daily BUT this new condition was not part of my world prior to treatment.
Unfortunately my 12 week post treatment labs show the 24 weeks of hellish treatment did not kill off the virus so I will need to try a new cure when my body gets strong enough again. It will need to me much less side effects for this 60 year old gal to even attempt to go there again.
I started having hip pain at around 9 wks into Tx, although I had shoulder and knee pain prior to treatment.
I am about 9 months post Triple Treat, with 24 funs weeks of Victrelis (and the 4 wk leadin with soc)
My hip joints stiffen up if I sit too long, but especially on cement steps, etc.
I also developed kneee jointpain while Treating, but most of that has gone away. Today it is hurting where my inner thigh connects to the hip joint, but the hip joint also seems to pop out all together, only for a couple excruciating seconds, when I first stand up.
I am double jointed, and also turned 50 yrs, so that may also be a reason for someof these problems, plus I was a life-long skater~
I find gentle exercise the best, and a diet high in healthy oils, such as flax-oil, olive oil, and foods like fish, and veggies
I am about 9 months post Triple Treat, with 24 funs weeks of Victrelis (and the 4 wk leadin with soc)
My hip joints stiffen up if I sit too long, but especially on cement steps, etc.
I also developed kneee jointpain while Treating, but most of that has gone away. Today it is hurting where my inner thigh connects to the hip joint, but the hip joint also seems to pop out all together, only for a couple excruciating seconds, when I first stand up.
I am double jointed, and also turned 50 yrs, so that may also be a reason for someof these problems, plus I was a life-long skater~
I find gentle exercise the best, and a diet high in healthy oils, such as flax-oil, olive oil, and foods like fish, and veggies
Oh Grammy, I am so sorry the triple therapy didn't cure your virus. I will be tested again at the end of June. Thank you for confirming what I feel. I will keep trying different treatment modalities to feel better and you please let me know how you are doing. I would go through hell again to rid my body of this virus, but I wish some one was up front with all the side effects or is it that they really don't know...
Thank you for your responce. That stiffness is the same for me after sitting or riding in the car for a while. The popping out, I have felt in joints n my finges. I sure hope it doesn't go to my hips. I am hinking positive that all ill go away, better sooner then later :)
"My hep doctor denies any knowledge of such side effects post treatment and tells me this is what happens when we age. "
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Well, let's just say I do not agree with that statement, LOL. Personally, I think many of the doctors who treat Hep C have are clueless as to the side effects of the treatment drugs (during treatment and long term after treatment) and I think that doctors say things like that when they have no clue what is going on and don't want to deal with it or try to find out what is wrong. So they tell us we are getting old and that is why we have certain symptoms. While I do think we develop some problems as we age, I do not think all problems which are attributed to age are truly due to age, and I do not think the problems you mentioned are necessarily from age, especially since you did not have them before treatment.
First, I would like to mention, that I feel 1000% better since treatment. I had a lot of extrahepatic manifestation prior to treatment (including pretty severe fatigue and no energy, back pain and spasms, hip and knee pain, other joint pain, creeping glucose levels, astham, allergies, and many others. I also had wrist pain, similar to yours but that is gone now. Since Tx I have zero fatigue, tons of energy, no back pain, decreasing glucose levels, no problem with asthma, allergies better, and a lot less joint pain and aches. However, I do have the same type of stiffness and joint pain/aches that you describe in my hips and knees. Now, I had hip and knee pain/aches/stiffness prior to Tx which I have since attributed to the Hep C. It was better towards the end of Tx and for a few months after I stopped Tx. However, I notice it is worse again now. The thing is, it is only stiff and painful when I first get up out of a chair, and stairs are difficult. After a few steps, there is no pain and no stiffness. In fact, if I stayed on my feet all day, I would not even have it (except for stairs). I can be on my feet all day long or walk for miles and my knees and hips do not hurt and are not stiff at all. So in that respect, this is a bit different than prior to Tx.
I do take supplements, but I have taken them for years. I am thinking about looking into curcumin, but I need to research that more before I do that. I know one forum member does use curcumin with good results. (Which is not to say you or I would have good results, LOL ... just depends on what is going on.)
One thing I am going to do is see a rheumatologist. I have an appt. in July at the University Hospital. My ANA is elevated and so I want to first rule out any autoimmune diseases, especially since they run in my family. I have been tested some and the other tests were negative for specific autoimmune disorders. But I need further testing to be sure. Plus, Tx can temporarily cause a positive ANA as well as temporary autoimmune disorders. These usually disappear after Tx. but not always. Once I am thoroughly examined and tested by the rheumatologist, then I will have a better idea of how to proceed.
I tried glucosamine and chondroitin for years prior to Tx, but I don't think it did anything, LOL. How would I know, though. It may have been worse without the pills.
Anyway, my plan is to see the rheumatologist. If he/she finds something, then I will go from there. If he/she finds nothing, then I will probably try curcumin. Either way, I also plan to continue walking and exercising and doing strengthening exercises. Some yoga moves are also helpful and help strengthen. I hope to steer clear of most of the western medicine type pills. I might look into Limbrel (thanks, Ceanothus).
The thing is, I feel pretty good, much better than before Tx, so I am not complaining. However, if I could get rid of this problem, I would feel even better.
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Well, let's just say I do not agree with that statement, LOL. Personally, I think many of the doctors who treat Hep C have are clueless as to the side effects of the treatment drugs (during treatment and long term after treatment) and I think that doctors say things like that when they have no clue what is going on and don't want to deal with it or try to find out what is wrong. So they tell us we are getting old and that is why we have certain symptoms. While I do think we develop some problems as we age, I do not think all problems which are attributed to age are truly due to age, and I do not think the problems you mentioned are necessarily from age, especially since you did not have them before treatment.
First, I would like to mention, that I feel 1000% better since treatment. I had a lot of extrahepatic manifestation prior to treatment (including pretty severe fatigue and no energy, back pain and spasms, hip and knee pain, other joint pain, creeping glucose levels, astham, allergies, and many others. I also had wrist pain, similar to yours but that is gone now. Since Tx I have zero fatigue, tons of energy, no back pain, decreasing glucose levels, no problem with asthma, allergies better, and a lot less joint pain and aches. However, I do have the same type of stiffness and joint pain/aches that you describe in my hips and knees. Now, I had hip and knee pain/aches/stiffness prior to Tx which I have since attributed to the Hep C. It was better towards the end of Tx and for a few months after I stopped Tx. However, I notice it is worse again now. The thing is, it is only stiff and painful when I first get up out of a chair, and stairs are difficult. After a few steps, there is no pain and no stiffness. In fact, if I stayed on my feet all day, I would not even have it (except for stairs). I can be on my feet all day long or walk for miles and my knees and hips do not hurt and are not stiff at all. So in that respect, this is a bit different than prior to Tx.
I do take supplements, but I have taken them for years. I am thinking about looking into curcumin, but I need to research that more before I do that. I know one forum member does use curcumin with good results. (Which is not to say you or I would have good results, LOL ... just depends on what is going on.)
One thing I am going to do is see a rheumatologist. I have an appt. in July at the University Hospital. My ANA is elevated and so I want to first rule out any autoimmune diseases, especially since they run in my family. I have been tested some and the other tests were negative for specific autoimmune disorders. But I need further testing to be sure. Plus, Tx can temporarily cause a positive ANA as well as temporary autoimmune disorders. These usually disappear after Tx. but not always. Once I am thoroughly examined and tested by the rheumatologist, then I will have a better idea of how to proceed.
I tried glucosamine and chondroitin for years prior to Tx, but I don't think it did anything, LOL. How would I know, though. It may have been worse without the pills.
Anyway, my plan is to see the rheumatologist. If he/she finds something, then I will go from there. If he/she finds nothing, then I will probably try curcumin. Either way, I also plan to continue walking and exercising and doing strengthening exercises. Some yoga moves are also helpful and help strengthen. I hope to steer clear of most of the western medicine type pills. I might look into Limbrel (thanks, Ceanothus).
The thing is, I feel pretty good, much better than before Tx, so I am not complaining. However, if I could get rid of this problem, I would feel even better.
Thank you Pooh for your respomce and suggestions. I believe the doctors do not know what all side effects can be. Really who knows how each individualized body will respond to the system wide poison of the therapy that may save our lives. As with everything in life, treatment too brings good & bad. I am so glad you are feeling better! I hope the rheumatologist finds relief for you. I am keeping my fingers crossed all these wierd symptoms I have now will recede. I am so thankful that there was a treastment and possible cure available. I would do it all again for a chance at a cure.
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It really does take time and if you were once an active person I am sure you feel impatient.
I believe my joint pain which was severe was a result of HCV. However, I felt so bad during treatment I was barely mobile which I believe worsened my condition.
I have found gentle or restorative yoga to be helpful. My joints had hurt so bad I as afraid to exercise them for a long time. I began to swim and when I found the movement to be pain free, it gave me the confidence to try the yoga moves. It is helping.
Like I have been told countless times, be patient and just stay with it, when you find the that exercises work for you.
I believe in time you will improve.
I wish you all the best.