Only 2 Shots left! When will I start feeling normal again? Withdrawal symtoms???

[Emileye]

Merry Christmas everyone! My best present this year is knowing that I have only 2 shots left in therapy. I couldn't be happier. I am on PegIntron Alpha 2-b along with Ribavirin.  I am SO looking forward to feeling normal again but I'm worried about withdrawal from the meds.  What type of withdrawal symptoms can I expect? How many weeks/months until I start feeling like my old self?  Thanks!

[DebbieDo]

Happy Hoildays to you...
I finished the Riba on Nov 1 and did my last shot on the 22....Two weeks after the last pills i started feeling pretty normal(enery level returning, sleeping better, etc.)  About 4 weeks after i got this misterious looking rash on my face that i have been battling.. I think my hair has finally stopped falling out.  There IS life after TX......I'm praying for SVR........
Happy Holidays.........and know you will feel better soon!
             debbie

[susan400]

Everyone's experiences differ.  For me, every time I've stopped treatment, I had withdrawal symptoms. It caused me to have a manic problem with insomnia.  I've treated 7 times, so I'm used to this stopping treatment ordeal.  Of course, I've never obtained an undetected status, so I'm not sure if that makes any difference when you stop treatment.  Perhaps if you go undetected, when you stop treatment then you'd not have the withdrawal problem??  I don't know.  Other symptoms I experienced were, having a problem with temperature control.  I've haven't been bothered with hot flashes because I'm on estrogen replacement, but whenever I stop treatment, I start getting hot flashes for some strange reason. Also, I've noticed that when I stop treatment, my digestion problems are aggravated, such as getting constipated. This is even though I contain at the same rate of water drinking.

I hope that you experience good med-stopping transition.

Merry Christmas, Susan

[doll face]

Like Susan said we are all different. I have been on tx twice. The first time I had no lasting side effects except a little bit of sleep problems. This time however,(just fished 72 weeks of tx) the first week of November and am experiencing many lingering side effects some of which are... severe sleep problems, lost tyroid, caused directly from tx, bone pain, cold intolerance (thyroid)and depression, I know it will  get better but I want it to happen now. The first week I felt great then it all hit at once.

There are many here who have had absolutely no problems, hopefully you will be one of them. My prayers are with you. How long were you on tx ? which type ?

Good Luck and CONGRATULATIONS on reaching the finish line.

[Emileye]

Thanks to everyone for all of the information. I am geno-type
1-A and I am just about to finish up a 48 week treatment. I was totally undetectable at 6 months and I SO hope that is still the case at the end of treatment.  It sounds like a lot of you have been thru this tx A LOT. I truly appreciate your input and hope you all the best. Happy Holidays!

[Bob L]

Merry Christmas to all of you Guys.


Emileye, great job. I am glad you are almost finished. How many wks did you do?

I finished tx about 4 wks ago and have been getting better and stronger everyday. I have been a little down, but can't really say that it is from stopping tx. We had this big ordeal to deal with in court regarding our grandson. By the way for you people that have been following our situation, the judge said basicly because I have Hep C, even though I am clear we could not have Drake and we are just to old, I will be 57 in Feb. Two yrs ago before tx I was working out at least 3 times a week. I just started pilates with my wife about 2 wks ago just to see where my body is at this time and come back slow.

The court system is all screwed up. Even the clincal physcoligist said she can't stand the courts either and the outcome of these types of trials are usally a mess.

I also had my blood work drawn on Wed so we will see if I am still SVR. All my Alts,RBC's, WBC's and platletts are fine and no thyroid problem.

Don't worry to much Emileye you will feel better soon. Getting those 2 last shots done was a long wait for me, but you will get thru it.


Peace

Bob L

[Bob L]

Thanks Chevy

We thank you for your uplifting prayers and spirit. We will continue to be faithful. I think we will get to have Drake for another 8 months. In this time we will have more time to help make him strong. I do not think the father will stay clean or that my daughter will become more stable at this time, but we do pray that both of them see the truth about their selfeshness and come to their knees.

Pilates are a nice way to work out very slow and concentrated. The teacher is a ballerina and a good one I must say.

My wife and I met when I worked as a gym instructor 30 yrs ago but we actually never worked out together so finally we found something we can do together.

GOD BLESS

Your friend
Bob L.

[Bob L]

I will look into your suggestions for sure.

Bob L

[shebee]

WOW!  You survived!  Good job!

I think that you will find that you will re-evaluate your life.
What is important?  What is not?    You will re-adjust mentally...and go thru a lot of weird emotions.  ...not so much from withdraw, but from "life-evaluation."

Don't be so hard on ones who think that life is forever.

Sometimes you will find that you appreciate life so much that it hurts.  Every minute...every day...will be precious to you.
It can lead you into a depression, if you let it.  Fight it!
You don't want to waste valuable time.  Depression is a "time Waster!"

Go on with life because you have much to do.  Past IS PAST...let it go...do not agonize over lost time (because you will only lose more...LOL!!)

With the realization that life is wonderful, or rather, precious, do EVERYTHING

[shebee]

WOW!  You survived!  Good job!
I don't know if I would do TX after seeing hubby on TX.  LOL!





I think that you will find that you will re-evaluate your life.


What is important?





  What is not?





   You will re-adjust mentally...and go thru a lot of weird emotions.  Don't worry; you are not crazy, just yet.




You will go....

...Not so much from withdraw, but from "life-evaluation."


Although, TX withdraw is not fun:

I, personally, would go off easy...Yep; do another 1/2 shot & a few riba for a while.  Then 1/4 shot & 1/2 riba.





Your body goes a bit crazy if you stop all at once..
.
BY TX OBSERVATION ONLY....lol!  I KNOW...I AM a spouse With A Hepc riba victim!





...and riba keeps you from getting the flu...LOL  Is this the only GOOD SIDE????  
When we were dying with the flu, sickly hubby took care of all...we were actually worse than he was and he felt like shi*!!!!




(I almost took hubby's riba (one tab), but did not want to feel the chills...and etc.  

  I   Felt them anyway, but I was working, and did not want to break the law or feel even  worse.  LOL! )





Don't be so hard on the ones who think that life is forever....



LOL!...and over-look their thoughts.  eh???






Sometimes you will find that you appreciate life so much that it hurts.  

Every minute

...every day

...will be precious to you.



It can lead you into a depression,
if you let it.  Fight it!

You don't want to waste valuable time.  



Depression is a "time Waster!"
Take a day...feel sorry for yourself...and, BUCK UP,
get OVER IT...yep, before the sun goes down.  

Depression is a choice. (ok, board, beat me up!)






Go on with life because you have much to do.  Past IS PAST...let it go


...do not agonize over lost time

(because you will only lose more...LOL!!)




With the realization that life is wonderful, or rather, precious,
do EVERYTHING

that you have always wanted to do. (and Shebee says...and more!)


Make a way to travel...help others if it is possible...be a good person



...no, BE  A  G R E A T  PERSON!!!!







Most of all...
Don't FORGET....
Don't forget this forum...
Don't forget the all others who have hepc and don't know it.
You can make an impact.

You are responsible to MAKE an impact...on somebody...
Maybe millions of other...

Just don't forget.
I chose to "not forget."


(Ok, it's ok to take a vacation...and forget...
But when you come back...MAKE A DIFFERENCE.)




aH, I think that you know, already, that you have a job to do,

Your,
SAVE THE WHALES...




I mean,









SAVE THE WORLD,






Shebee





(You know...I think that hep C can be cured with a 30-day course of anit-somethings.  You might want to change your career goals.)  I luv bio stuff!

Luv You.
Your very own,
Shebee

[layla]

I was very dissapointed that I did not feel any better immediately after stopping tx. I didn't notice anything for a whole month BUT then it happened every week. It was a great feeling. I was on tx for 18 months because I did not clear at 3 month only a 6 months. Because you said you were undetectable at 6 onth I am wondering of you had a 3 month test? I still have some sx's and lost my thyroid from tx. The worse for me now is the nausea and I am calling the doc this week because it is not any better. Who knows maybe it is something different. Not everything is from tx. I am 6 months post tx. I hope you feel great as soon an you finish! Congrats on making it through. LL

[Emileye]

Thanks so much for your words/advice.  I truly appreciate it. You asked about whether or not I was tested at 3 months (since I only mentioned to you that I was CLEAR after 6 months)...well, they did test me at 3 mos and I wasn't CLEAR *BUT* I had such a huge drop in my Viral Load that my doctor said it was a 99.9% improvement and that he wanted to continue on with therapy at that time eventhough it was not TOTALLY undectable. My VL was over 9 million before I started treatment and after 3 months it was down to 40. Since I am geno type 1-A I am SOOO afraid that it will come back (I've read about it happening so often with type 1-A since it is the hardest to treat & keep it away) Another question that I have though that is really concerning me.  It seems that almost EVERYONE that has gone thru this treatment has thyroid problems afterward. I guess it looks like the odds are very high for me to get some sort of thyroid problem. That really frightens me.  Will I gain a lot of weight?  My grandmother and mother both have thyroid problems.  Do you think my being pre-disposed to thyroid problems will also make me more likely to have a thyroid problem after treatment? Thanks again for your information.

[layla]

Yes many people do develope thyroid problems from tx. I think it's as much as 10% and most often women. But that means 90 percent don't so you could be just fine. The symptoms for me were very strong. Just be aware if your feeling worse after tx. I didn't gain a lot of weight becasue I didn't have an appetite but some people do because if you are hypo your mtabolism is slowed and the opposite if you are hyper. Many don't lose though because when their metabolism is higher they are also more hungry. Here is a thyroid site you can read about symptoms if you choose.
www.endocrineweb.com
Many docs are recommending extending tx to 36 weeks after clearing. My doc did. I am/was also a 1a. I did have a 2 log drop at 3 months but wasn't totally clear so the extended tx was recommended. Did your doc discuss this with you at all? LL

[Emileye]

Thanks so much for the thyroid website.  I will definitely put it on "my favorites" so that I can check there if I do start to have any of those types of symtoms. As for the extension of treatment, No, my doctor never mentioned anything about doing longer than 48 weeks. I kind of hope that he doesn't but then again, I probably should do it longer to make sure it is all gone.  I just HATE this treatment SO MUCH!!  It screws your life up SO badly.  I don't know what to do.  My last appt is the middle of January so we'll see what the doc says then.  I'll also know for sure if I'm still undectectable.  Wish me luck! And thanks again for you help!

[layla]

I would really recommend looking into some extension. I just couldn't do this over and not being clear at 3 months was definately reason enough for me. There are just to many relapses for G1's. I wish you the best! LL