not a whiner

[ribman]

i posted earlier about sore throat and recieved some good feedback.so i called ny doctors office and it was closed.got the doctor on call and told him i was having some pretty intense throat pain.he told me to suck on a losenger there was nothing for it.ok i can take that.then i asked about the no sleep for three days.was there something i could get to help.his responce was melatonin.i told him i had a bad experience with melatonin could he prescribe something else because i had to sleep to work.he told me to wait for 3 more treatments to see if it improved or would i like to terminate treatment..now im rattled.i told him i wasnt waiting more than 24 hours.i was going to get something for sleep and not tylenol pm.he said to call my nurse in the morning.this was there doctor on call.any suggestions when i call them tommorow?

[flcyclist]

That's unfortunate for the timing of first shot and oncoming flu.  Sort of the "unperfect" storm.  Hope you feel better soon.  Try to do your best to limit exposure, wash hands frequently, etc.  Easier said than done.  

I recently had the stomach flu, lasted 4+ days, lost over 5 lbs.  Several in my office had it, so I knew it wasn't a reaction to the trt.  Normal colds/flu set you back more than normal, so make sure to do you best to stay in good health.

Hope you continue to improve.

[ribman]

well it finally came together for me what happened.my wife and brother in law both had serious colds the same week i started treatment.i told my nurse who administered my first shot i felt like i was coming down with something.she said"i dont think its anything to worry about" it started friday with severe to the bone shaking and fever i figured this was normal symptoms after the shot.then saturday exhaustion and the beginnings of a sore throat.sunday and monday the worst sore throat imaginable.last night woke up coughing green mucous for several hours.all the while feeling like this is more than i can handle for multiple treatments.well i came down with that same severe cold as my wife had the same time i started treatment. i really hope this friday is a little better.

[ShortLaura]

Well,  I guess it's contagious.  Last night I couldn't fall asleep easily, and when I did, was up in an hour.  It was defineately my roughest night - sleep and itch-wise.  

babs824 - I am going to try your suggestion and change the RBV to bedtime. I bought a box of cornstarch. Time to crank it out.

[babs824]

not sleeping is torture! benadryl or atarax are both the ingredient in pm meds. i took 25 mg daily during tx and it worked well. also i did not take riba til moments before sleep so i could sleep thru the speedy sx. i would read and rest then at about 9 or 10 pm drink a smoothie prepared earlier and take riba with it. i found if i took riba at supper i was awake. i sure hope your doctor knows that his partner was less than helpful. good luck. also schiff has a melatonin product that i used for jet lag stuff when going overseas and it worked. liver doc said ok.good luck, babs

[meakea]

Unfortunately, on-call docs pretty much only care if it's an emergency.  

As far as your sore throat, he's probably right that there's nothing to do for it except for lozenges.  I tried drinking hot tea and it helped some.  However, I would think it would be prudent for a doctor to want to examine your throat (since you called and reported it) to make sure it's not strep or an coincidental infection.  If your throat pain is anything like mine, it will subside in the next day or so and then probably kick up again after the next shot.  If it doesn't subside, see a doc in person.

As far as the sleep.  I really don't remember sleeping much while on treatment but I didn't take anything for it other than benadryl.  I can recall laying awake many nights fretting about not getting to sleep knowing that I would have to go to work the next day.  Somehow I must have been dozing enough because I was always able to get through the next day.  Hang in there.

[ShortLaura]

Have you gone without sleep for 3 whole days?  Or have you been sleeping intermittently?  Sometimes I can only sleep for 4 hrs., get up and eat and read for a few hrs., then grab a little more sleep.  Mostly, I don't fight it or get frustrated.  

It is easier for me because I went to my boss several years ago and asked if I could work from home.  My HCV was kicking my behind so bad (before TX) that I couldn't drive to work anymore.

Best Wishes for tomorrow, and hope you can get some rest tonight.

[Susan_1a_CC]

I don't think it was proper for the on-call doc to suggest you could stop tx.  As for the melatonin I'm not sure that's the best solution when there's liver problems but I could be mistaken...

When you phone tomorrow make sure to stick up for yourself and get your needs met.  Best of luck.