Aa
Do I start tomorrow?
My prescription for pegatron is waiting for me to pick up, do I start the riba tomorrow or wait to start them both on Friday when I plan to do the shots? I am nervous as hell.Seems to be ironic to be planning on starting on a course of tx that may make me sick when I feel excellent on a daily basis. Hope you all will be there for me.
Here is something I wrote for another site a LONG time ago. Print it out if you can't remember.....
Contributed by Indiana:
Ok....You're ready to start. Now what??
Water.... Water is our friend. It lessens the sides. The meds dehydrate us so we need the x-tra fluids to process the meds and keep the baddies away. Drink a MINIMUM of 1/2 your weight in ounces per day. I drink much more. Especially on the days closer to the shot. I raise my intake starting the night before "Shot Nite" and continue for several days after. Gatorades and sports drinks are good and keep up the electrolytes. Caffeine drinks and milk don't count.
When.... Most folks do their shot on Friday or Saturday night. This way you sleep through some of the sides. The sides usually start 6-24 hours after the stick. This gives them time to recover before work on Monday. The 1st week is normally the worst and usually takes longer to recover from. After that a Friday/Saturday stick should allow for handling the weekly work schedule.
Tylenol/Ibuprofin..... Always clear them with your Doctor first. Tylenol is processed mainly through the kidneys so I prefer that. Start taking it either the night before or the morning of "Shot Nite". This way it is well into your system. Take it as needed after that to help with the sides like fever and aches. Try to keep it below 2000mg per day. Try not to take it every day like candy either. After the first few weeks you should only need it around the shot day and a few days after.
Ice pack.... Some use this on the area they do the shot in to numb that area just prior to doing "The Deed". It's a personal choice.
Jammies...You do need to get some very neat jammies before starting. You will be spending an increased amount of time in them. We MUST maintain our dignity. Have some very warm ones too for those Saturday Night Fevers and chills.
Shades....Get some COOL new shades to wear outside and on the Doctor visits. These are required to maintain our "Coolness Level".
Thermometer....Keep a thermometer handy. Especially the first few weeks. Fever should stay below 101 and not last more than a day or 2. Increase water if fever is present. Rectal thermometers are NOT recommended....unless you're one of "Those". We get stuck enough.
Hide the breakables!! The anger management must begin right away. Send the fine china into storage and break out the good plastic wear.
Lotions & potions....Collect all manner of lotions & potions to combat the itching and rashes, straw hair, etc. Aveeno makes several products. Eucerine cream works well too. They say Badger
Balm is good but I still can't get that Badger to give it up!
Gain control of the TV remote.....This is a must to control your environment and keep down the "Riba Rage". With new shades, new Jammies, and control of the remote you are invincible!!
Take vitamins and suppliments after checking with your doctor. Antioxidents are very good for us. Avoid Iron suppliments....you should get enough in your diet.
Take your Riba pills around Breakfast/ dinner time and with food. This keeps the med level up longer. If you take it with food then ALWAYS take it with food to keep the levels the same.
Hide all cameras right away until you start feeling better to prevent any accidental murders. You will understand the relevence of this soon after starting tx.
This should get you going. Others will add as they see what I may have missed.
Keep a clear path to the bathroom. You will need that for those midnight trips.
Don't be afraid. You will do fine. Let us know how you are from there and we'll help all we can.
Good Luck.....
Contributed by Indiana:
Ok....You're ready to start. Now what??
Water.... Water is our friend. It lessens the sides. The meds dehydrate us so we need the x-tra fluids to process the meds and keep the baddies away. Drink a MINIMUM of 1/2 your weight in ounces per day. I drink much more. Especially on the days closer to the shot. I raise my intake starting the night before "Shot Nite" and continue for several days after. Gatorades and sports drinks are good and keep up the electrolytes. Caffeine drinks and milk don't count.
When.... Most folks do their shot on Friday or Saturday night. This way you sleep through some of the sides. The sides usually start 6-24 hours after the stick. This gives them time to recover before work on Monday. The 1st week is normally the worst and usually takes longer to recover from. After that a Friday/Saturday stick should allow for handling the weekly work schedule.
Tylenol/Ibuprofin..... Always clear them with your Doctor first. Tylenol is processed mainly through the kidneys so I prefer that. Start taking it either the night before or the morning of "Shot Nite". This way it is well into your system. Take it as needed after that to help with the sides like fever and aches. Try to keep it below 2000mg per day. Try not to take it every day like candy either. After the first few weeks you should only need it around the shot day and a few days after.
Ice pack.... Some use this on the area they do the shot in to numb that area just prior to doing "The Deed". It's a personal choice.
Jammies...You do need to get some very neat jammies before starting. You will be spending an increased amount of time in them. We MUST maintain our dignity. Have some very warm ones too for those Saturday Night Fevers and chills.
Shades....Get some COOL new shades to wear outside and on the Doctor visits. These are required to maintain our "Coolness Level".
Thermometer....Keep a thermometer handy. Especially the first few weeks. Fever should stay below 101 and not last more than a day or 2. Increase water if fever is present. Rectal thermometers are NOT recommended....unless you're one of "Those". We get stuck enough.
Hide the breakables!! The anger management must begin right away. Send the fine china into storage and break out the good plastic wear.
Lotions & potions....Collect all manner of lotions & potions to combat the itching and rashes, straw hair, etc. Aveeno makes several products. Eucerine cream works well too. They say Badger
Balm is good but I still can't get that Badger to give it up!
Gain control of the TV remote.....This is a must to control your environment and keep down the "Riba Rage". With new shades, new Jammies, and control of the remote you are invincible!!
Take vitamins and suppliments after checking with your doctor. Antioxidents are very good for us. Avoid Iron suppliments....you should get enough in your diet.
Take your Riba pills around Breakfast/ dinner time and with food. This keeps the med level up longer. If you take it with food then ALWAYS take it with food to keep the levels the same.
Hide all cameras right away until you start feeling better to prevent any accidental murders. You will understand the relevence of this soon after starting tx.
This should get you going. Others will add as they see what I may have missed.
Keep a clear path to the bathroom. You will need that for those midnight trips.
Don't be afraid. You will do fine. Let us know how you are from there and we'll help all we can.
Good Luck.....
Hiya Couch, congrats on starting tx! I just updated my website today, so I didnt get your latest news on there, but next month when I update, let me know how it is going and I will post your stats and weeks into tx. Is your hubby listed on there? What is his screen name? Let me know his info too if he isnt already on my site...I have listed several "relapsers/nonresponders/had-to-quitters"...sad but thats life eh?! Lots of SVR's though too.
For anyone who has forgotten or hasnt seen it yet it is
www.geocities.com/auggieaz
Not a fund raising site, just a personal journal of those I have met here and another Hep C site that want to be listed as fellow dragon slayers...Hugs to you all, OHC/Auggie
For anyone who has forgotten or hasnt seen it yet it is
www.geocities.com/auggieaz
Not a fund raising site, just a personal journal of those I have met here and another Hep C site that want to be listed as fellow dragon slayers...Hugs to you all, OHC/Auggie
I had high RA factor, bilateral carpal, sciatica and "tender" points. Have not gotten much worse with tx. there is a general all body achiness and malaise that responds to pain meds.
Some get 0 sides. they won't be in this forum much if at all. nothing to complain about..lol
Some get 0 sides. they won't be in this forum much if at all. nothing to complain about..lol
Drink TONS of water!!! It will save you from many of the SX. My Doc let me start with a lower dose and it helped me sooo much. Every week I would raise it a little. Take tylenol and Benadryl a half an hour before you do the shot. I am on #4 and have not had too bad of a fever. DRINK WATER all day. It keeps a balace in your body. Start now with the water and it will help sooo much :)
They told me to start the pills the same day as your first shot. I was sooo nervous just like all of us. My hand was shaking bad but I did it and you will too. Very few side effects for me at first. This past week was bad and now realize I wasn't getting enough sleep or drinking enough water. Yesterday I was miserable but got a good nights sleep and drank lots of water today and have felt great. Too bad its shot time in one hour!! Number 8/48.
Good luck!
Good luck!
I can understand completely what you are going through.
I was very scared when I started tx October 10th of 2002.
But I found out that although it was not an easy journey but
it did not need all this fear. I went through the treatment
for 48 weeks and did not miss one day of work. I am clear
now 6 monthes post treatment. I wish you the best of luck.
Dirac
I was very scared when I started tx October 10th of 2002.
But I found out that although it was not an easy journey but
it did not need all this fear. I went through the treatment
for 48 weeks and did not miss one day of work. I am clear
now 6 monthes post treatment. I wish you the best of luck.
Dirac
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