Interferon Bound and Very Apprehensive

[rejuvenated1]

I have known that I have Hepatitis C for 5 years now.  I am about to go through treatment for it, although I am apprehensive about it.  I am the breadwinner in my family and am scared I will get too sick to work.  I guess I am looking for words of wisdom and encouragement more than anything right now.  Are there any long term post treatment side effects that I should know about?  I am genotype 4, so the general information out there states this genotype is a slow responder, have there been any cases where others like me have been able to make the virus undetectable?  I am just scared of the future and of the interferon.  I dislocated my elbow last winter on the ice and vomited for 2 days with Hydrocodon, so I am fearful of how it will make me feel.  I am going to start a support group in the town where I live next week, since it does not meet this week.  Thanks for any encouraging words or thoughts you have for me.  

-S

[Isobella]

I am only a few days into tx so I have limited information but I can say that my first few days have been really good other than a little fatigue.  I definately agree that the waiting to start was so much worse.  I feel like a burden has lifted and I am actively persuing my new healthy liver life rather than dreading doing it.

I also think that meeting with the support group is an excellent idea. Some of us on the forum recently had a Florida lunch and to actually meet people who either are treating or have been thru it really had a positive impact on me.  It was like seeing that there actually is light at the end of the tx tunnel!!

Good luck to you.  Please keep us posted.

Isobella

[joemc34606]

My name is Joe, I probably contacted hep c 20 years ago and didnt find out about it until last year. I work in the automotive industry and was scared to death about interferon and how it would effect my work. I always took my interferon on friday nights so I had the weekend to rest. The side effects are different for everyone, its like a roller coaster ride on day you feel great the next terrible, usaually flu like systoms, fatigue, body aches, but its bearable with some advil or aleve. Interferon didnt work for me and im on daily shots of infergen and I still work everyday. I try to tell myself 1 year of this and it will be all worth it. The waiting to start is worse than the medicine itself. Good luck
Joe

[Trinity4]

Welcome to the forum and try not to worry unless you have to.  I'm thinking geno 4's treat for 48 wks like geno 1's.  You have as much of a chance of clearing this virus as I do.  Perhaps even better if you have less liver damage than myself.   (I am geno 1 - stage 3)  I'm in my 19th wk of treatment and so far so good.  I'm a middle aged women with a bad attitude right now :) but the overall sx have not been that bad for me. I work everyday and just focus my energy on the things I have to do -  everything else comes 2nd.  I was expecting the worse because of the many horror stories I'd heard. It's different for everyone, and I was not effected as badly as some.  I've actually heard people say they didn't have any difficulties at all - except maybe the first few weeks.  Relax - take a deep breath and go forward with most positive attitude you can manage.  I am a firm believer that if you don't allow yourself to become overwhelmed than the sx are not as bad - or a least that has worked very well for me.
If you suffer from depression ask the doctor to start you on an AD prior to tx.  It can help with anxiety and give you a better outlook through tx.  Just be hopeful and look at this as something positive in your life which will hopefully enable you to live the rest of your life virus free and with a very happy liver.  There can always be long term side effects with every medication or treatment people take.  It doesn't mean it will happen with you.  That is something you can only know once you've treated.  Everybody is different.
Alot of people become sick from pain medication -  that is not uncommon.  It is by no way an indicator of how you will react to treatment.  So stay focused -  post whenever you need some encouragement and someone be there - this forum collectively has more accurate and useful information than any place I've ever researched on the internet.  Good Luck with tx.
Trinity