I had a male friend,He had committed suicide,after interferon use.mow I am crying

[lizzakiev]

Hello there,

I was unsure how to make a posting on your website in relation to interferon. I am just starting to do some research into this medicine and your websites have been very helpful.

I had a male friend, age 38 whom recently completed a 6 month course of peg Interferon for the treatment of Hepatitis C. He was looking forward to coming off the medication as he did not like the side effects - depression being one of them. He was then told he needed to do a further 6 months of treatment.

He then went missing for almost 2 weeks until his body was finally washed up. He had committed suicide. This was very out of character. We all knew that he had been down and depressed but had no idea he was low enough to commit suicide.

It was a very tragic and sad end to a young mans life. He has left behind a wife and son.

I can say for sure if it was this medication that caused this. It certainly seems to have coincided with this medication though. After reading all of the posts on your website and the research you have done, I can't say that I would recommend this medication to anyone!!!!!!!!!

lizza

[geterdone]

YuP!

[Kit07]

Can't say for sure, but my gut feeling is this site is being spammed by Mr. Wright and crew.  The anti-txers.  Will send a note to Cindy.

Kit

[FlGuy]

A sad a regrettable situation, indeed.  As friends and families, we see the signposts along the way when we see ' that he had been down and depressed' .  The most regrettable is that friends like you see this in retrospect when the time to act has passed.  Truly regrettable, don't you think?

[BRL]

I agree Kit07. Good people have been told to get off forum and to shut up and
this saga continues.

[willows]

We have had spammers for about 4 weeks now, was not sure who they were, but you may be right about your guess.  The really screwed up thing is Medhelp probably can't do to much without hurting the truly in-need folks looking for info.  But we can recognize **** when we see it and ignore it.  

Been working for me.  Mostly, although some of it has been hilarious in a really sick way, I keep having visions of these people sitting at a computer, trying to make up some of the incredible stuff they post.   What a waste of creativity.

Willow

[Mister beagle bailey]

I am very sorry to hear about your friend and I also know how depressed many do get on these meds as I was one of them.  But if he had asked for help or told the dr, he would have gotten the meds to combat the depression.  There are many here on the forum who needed to take antidepressants while txing.  
Did he talk to his Dr about the way he felt?

Again, I am so sorry.

Beagle

[willows]

Perhaps my rant about spammers should not have been posted in response to a post where the spammers crossed the lines so badly and used death as a tool.  Now I feel bad.  

But only for my own bad judgement, I should have picked a "tiny hairs" post to trash these guys.

Willow

[BRL]

was much better when it was eaten!!

[mikesimon]

I'm crying a bit little too now. It so is too sad maybe boo hoo hoo boo I and will fill better. Crybaby mikey

[nygirl7]

I enjoy them so MUCH!

they make me realize that high school kids aren't as cool as we were way back when - boy the internet has made a bunch of pansy babies who hide behind keyboards and think they are really hot Sh&t hasn't it?

i feel very much superior in all of my cool genes when I watch all the idiots come in and make fools of themselves, you know?

[Mr Liver]

Hi Lizzie,
I can't say I'm surprised by some of the replies you've received. There are a lot of jerks who hang out here. You see, it doesn't matter if your story is posted with a hidden agenda. The fact ,the story COULD be true. Hundreds, more likely thousands, in the US have ended their life while on INF. To bring this up is to recognize the truth.This is a very serious topic and should be addressed in an appropriate manner. There are obviously many here who do not understand the nature of a psychotic event. These crass fools even derided you for not reacting quicker to your friend's depression, as if it was your fault.

First off, depression caused by INF is reactionay, NOT situational. As such. it can change rapidly at any moment from deep depression to a psychotic event.
I've been there. Out of nowhere you find yourself being sucked into a vast black hole of depression to the point that it can become a dangerous and severe psychotic event. There is nothing you can do at this point. It is aqn out of body experience for many at this point. You can see what is happening to you but can't do anything to stop it from progressing.You know all the things that you should do to relieve the symptoms, but there is no will there to do it. This just adds to your feelings of helplessness. If you have never experienced an event such as this then you have no idea about the depths of despair INF can lead you to. I always tell people to watch their mood on tx closely because it can change rapidly. In the treatment algorithm suggested by Roche, if a patient mentions sucidal ideation, you stop tx immediately, and TAKE the patient to the emergency room ASAP.  Unfortunatley this scenario rarely is played out.

So, if your story is true, accept my deepest condolences. and if it's not---no harm done as nothing you posted is out of the ordinary for IFN and people should be aware of all sides, even the ones that result in death.

Yours in truth,
Mr Liver

[ladywhy]

I too want to extend my condolences for your loss. There are obviously many "mental" post side effects as well as during treatment in regard to this bio-therapy. Anyone could see this just by reading the many posts today. Psychotic Rage, Mental Fog, Impatience, etc. please find it in your heart to forgive those who may not be thinking clearly. Liz, there has been people who have posted and were not real, who have nothing better to do but clog up this forum with spam, but the possiblity always exists that you very well may be grieving the loss of a loved one and as the literature that comes with every injectable states: it is a fact that suicide has occurred to patients on therapy with no history of depression. Don't blame yourself.
Thanks Mr. Liver for pointing out a few truths.
Y

[Mr Liver]

Tx resulted in a sustained biochemical response for me (the next best thing to a cure). In turn, this has resulted in my condition being described as "stable". I have been on the transplant list now for 6 years and I will evevtually  need a new liver, but I can credit tx for extending the time before this will come to be. One could hardly describe me as "anti-tx". YET, in spite of all of this I still could not recommend tx to anyone without warning them to take a good hard look at the Prescribing Information for INF. When 30% of those who discontinue tx do so because of depression, it is imperative that the topic is never swept under the rug. In fact, just the opposite.
Thanks for your reply.
Yours in truth,
Mr Liver

[mikesimon]

6 years on the transplant list? That really begs for additional information. I have got to ask your MELD and the center at which you are listed. I doubt you'll answer the latter but the former shouldn't be too hard. Mike

[mikesimon]

Depression is associated with HCV if you read my post. It exists independent of treatment. And by the way, I think you well may be a jerk too. Are you running for some office? You are so very sensitive but where have you been when people - real people - have needed help? I haven't seen you helping out too much. Creep! Mike

[FlGuy]

Take a look at the 'sidebar' box on this web page.  http://www.interferon.ws/

Although it's shot night (counting the minutes) I'm pretty sure some of my brain flatulence is not deja vu.

[Tater_ToT]

Good Eye!!!!!!

....& IF You click on More Victims.. & the 2005 & beyond,,, it takes you right to Lloyd Wrights site forum...."How About That"....LoL

Dang You Are Good!!!!!
;)

[ladywhy]

I'm glad to hear that you are "stable", due to tx. I give thanks to God! I have hope that i too will have at the end of this road...a positive response. To advise possible tx'ers to do their own research is extremely important...the good, the bad. and the UGLY! I was in the peg-interferon intron a/ribaviron (something like that :) clinical trials in the mid90's..I actally can't remember exactly when! It was before riba was FDA approved anyway.I went in clueless and remained that way the entire time. I became UND and never went back. Never went to a hep dr., had blood work in at least 9 years. I believed that UND meant I was cured so I claimed it as such. I look back now...and KNOW now what a complete ignorant a## I was.  Oh well... Now, I need to know everything I can and then I can sort it out. Ignorance is NOT bliss. I wish you well, Mr. and I will look forwad to reading your posts and hearing of your progress.
Y

[FlGuy]

Unless I've always been this way, and I don't think I have, age has given me the gift or curse of skepticism.  

[FlGuy]

Some of my skepticism is aroused when I see a piece that is fairly well-written.  People who are distraught and occupied by heavy thoughts are more likely to convey feelings, not grammar and punctuation.

[mikesimon]

Yes, you and I and a couple of others here know that there are side effects to HCV and they're well documented and rather severe. I hope you're feeling and doing well. Mike

[mikesimon]

Did anyone paint a rosy picture for you when you came here? This medicine is not fun in any sense of the word. I struggled over 3.5 years of TX and hated and suffered through every minute of it. But I would do it again if it helped me like it has already. I cannot recall anyone touting the ease of TX - just the opposite. But this disease is not benign regardless of what some people here would have you believe so we do the drugs and hope for the best. I think we all know that. Mike

[mremeet]

Wow, this place has been getting spammed more and more and more by this kind of ****. Everytime I log on and see what's up, it's to the point where there's 8 or 9 new posts about colloidal silver, interferon causing sexual dysfunction/impotence, brain damage, and now suicide. No end in sight either. I think medhelp needs to start more actively "administrating" this site. Otherwise this place is going right down the tubes, and right quick.

[cigaso]

I have been on this board since 2004 when I was dx and this is the first time I've seen Mr. Liver.

I must admit it is sometimes difficult to separate fact from fiction on this board. After a while, you can get a feel for the sincerety of posters on this board. Some people who post here are "drive bys" with their own agenda.

Depression is a very serious side of HCV and can be compounded by tx. This is only my opinion, but I believe everyone who is dx with HCV should get a psyche profile by a qualified Dr and prescibed the necessary meds for depression.

I advise everyone to Google "Clinical Care Options"  and check out the latest study and summary results on depression as a sx of HCV and on tx. It is eye opening and can explain a great deal of the effects of depression.

I tx 3 years a go and was taken off tx after 16 weeks for panic attacks and depression. I started the second round 10 weeks a go with proper medical supervision. This tx is not easy, but it can be doable.

I am a 54 yom, dx VL 4 million. Bx=Grade 1, Stage 1.

For me, the sx's from HCV were as bad as the sx's from tx. So I decided to tx. In fact the sx's are very similar: depression, fatigue, lack of focus, irritibility and overall malaise. My decision was based on my wife and kids. They deserve better.

If the original poster's story is true, I feel for you and the man's family. As far as Mr. Liver, please post to others in distress not just first time posters. Also, I believe you would fail the "duck test."