Post TX joint pain?

[crushed]

i'm about 4 months post tx (48 wks peg, ribavirin, procrit) and am experiencing some unprecedented joint pain especially after some normal to heavy exertion. at the age of 45 i have had minor discomfort before and understand these things are to be expected to some extent but at this point am becoming more and more convinced the tx is a contributing factor. while not pleasant it's tolerable, my greatest concern is it progressing to a rather debilitating level in the future. is there any experience/evidence to support this? i had close to a three log drop @ wk 12 and have been ND in two test since then although i won't go for the 6 month post tx until november. felt a good bit better after recovering somewhat from the tx but feel i may be slipping a bit now. always been in good health with the exception of type 1b.

tnx

[Myown]

Sorry to hear your problem.

Maybe you should consider a Dexa scan. I haven't treated yet, always been healthy, athletic etc. Found out I have bone loss,  can be menopause, but had a hair anaylis prior to knowing about my hep problem and the calcium level in my hair was above reference range, although my serum calcium is normal.

The interesting thing was that in the commentary, one of the reasons listed to seeing excess calcium in hair was HEPITITUS AND CIRROHSIS. Wow, didn't really think to much the hair analysis tests until now knowing I have hep.

So, possibly some of us with hep(maybe all) loose alot of calicium, which causes bone loss and then with tx on top of that, it makes matters worse.

My vitamin D level (serum) is low also. Doctor has me taking extra, but have to monitor because D in large amounts is certainly not the best for a problem liver, fat soluable.

So maybe a Dexa scan would be worth talking to your doctor about, just incase the pain isn't from lingering sx and is possibly from calcium loss or vit D defiency causing bone loss/bone pain.

Hope everything resolves soon and you return to being yourself before hep c dx.

Wish you the best.

[timlotus]

This thread is a relief for me.

I did not have any joint pain to speak of during treatment but in the six months post I got quite noticable pain in my knees, then my wrists and feet. i also found playing guitar hard as my fingers were very painful for a time. The pain stayed in the joint for a few days or weeks and then moved away. The pain in my knees was sufficient to cause a limp for a couple of weeks and I found it hard to lower myself into a bath as my wrists couldn't support me.

The one change I made post treatment was to stop drinking the gallons of water I was drinking on Tx, in retrospect it might have been a healthy idea to keep going with that.

I am a fairly strong, averagely fit 51 year old male.

I am pretty sure these symptoms were to do with the interferon pushing my immune system in a highly revved up state, which has persisted for quite a long time. It has gradually got back to normal, so I only have very mild and occasional aches, usually in my feet, one year post tx.

My immunologist friends say this sounds like an immune response, but they are not very familiar with the after effects of Hep C treatment. It seems as though not many of us get these post treatment joint ache symptoms persisting.

I was undetectable at 6 mo post btw (Geno 3a, VL low to moderate at start, ALT over 350, now down to about 50). I am just waiting for my 12 month PCR results: all the relapses have made me uncharacteristically anxious. My heart goes out to all those who did relapse: I am trying to be philosophical about the prospect.

[Eisbein]

Do you remember when I posted I couldn't get up from the john without pushing myself up....you suggested a raised toilet seat...thank you my dear, but a new day is here, and those aides are not needed anymore.

Ina

[Eisbein]

May full recovery be yours as well, mine, and all those post tx that are struggling to find "their old self" again.

Ina

[cuteus]

9 hrs in the gym!! formidable is right!  I can't see no tiny muscle anywhere in my body anymore.  back to the freaking push ups!!

[Califia]

Nonetheless you're here, and it's darn good to see you.   May full recovery be yours.

[beamishboy]

SAMe might provide some relief,also good for the liver and our state of minds-I'm going back on it post-trx post haste...I've also gotten relief,pre-trx,with accupuncture,excercise-esp stretching,swimming- and tropical climates....i am hoping my joint pain disappears or becomes bearable after trx.....GOODLUCK

[Eisbein]

I had mild joint pains before tx, and absolutely none during tx.
The first 3 month post tx were a nightmare of epic proportions...I walked with a cane, and thought I would be crippled for life. I did spend 15 hours a day in bed, because there was no other position I would be comfortable in. Every joint, every bone, every tendon and muscle was painful. Which reminds me, that laying in bed was not so hot either, because my right hip wouldn't allow me to lay on that side.
I am 7 month post tx now, spend 9 hours every week in the GYM, and on close examination can sport a tiny little new muscle here and there.
My full time job is recovering from tx, physically and mentally.
I am moving along slowly, and let nobody rush me.
Joint pains are not my main problems anymore, cognitive issues are, including the inability to sleep, as well as never ending skin problems.

Ina

[cuteus]

definetely do an exercise program! even while on tx.  Yoga, taichi, anything.  I had joint aches, carpal tunnel, herniated disc pain prior to tx, which became doozies while on tx. Post tx were less but still quite uncomfortable.  Some of them went away and have come back a yr post tx. Rheumy can't find any arthritis.  The pain increase coincides with decrease of exercise at the Y.  So, it is a must to go back to a routine as pre tx.  Not moving or exercising because of pain should not be an option, it will get worse. Moniker, you hit that one on the head.

[Califia]

First to Algernon (short attention span & yours is the last post):   Developed TMJ myself shortly before the end of 60-week treatment.  It lasted about a month and then thankfully resolved.  I, too, attirubte it to tx, or at least to being a nervous wreck thanks to tx drugs.

All the above symptoms sound too familiar.  This last year post-tx was hard, much of it, due to intense joint and nerve pain, and then gastrointestinal fun and games in the second half.  Both are mostly behind me now.  Everybody take heart, as thse post-tx symptoms do ease up over time to a more manageable level.  As to the joint pains discussed here, I second the use of MSM and chondroitin, and would add EFA's to that list as well (fish oil, borage oil for inflammation).   Try to keep stretching and moving and work through it as much as possible.  Remaining in a state of sloth is far worse.

[Algernon]

I'm 12 weeks post and have the same complaint.  And I didn't have any joint pain before TX--ever.  

Now I have minor pain in thumbs and ankles.  More significant pain in hips.  And I developed a serious TMJ (jaw) problem about 4 weeks ago that's caused me to lose 6 pounds already.

All a coincidence?  I doubt it.  I was on Procrit as well as the usual Riba/Interferon.

I'm hoping that it will resolve over time and haven sought medical help only for the TMJ issue.

Mine was much worse in the first few weeks after TX stopped.  So maybe time will help.

We should probably eventually check in with a specialist if this doesn't improve.

Algie.

[Kalio1]

Sorry you are having pain. Four months post I wouldnt connect it to your tx. It seems unlikely to me. At age 45 joint pain is a common complaint for many people who never had Hep C. Oh the joys of middle age! I'd try the gloucostamine that was suppgested by others, I hear it works wonders.

[Moniker]

I'm three months post treatment now. I feel very well. The one side effect that still bothers me sometimes is pain in my knee joints. This knee joint pain bothered me a lot during treatment, and was especially annoying especially at bed time which made going to sleep more difficult. All my side effects have gone away now, except for the knee joint pain; the knee joint pain did go away and then came back with a little less severity.

When I was on treatment, I used Bengay on my knees at night; that helped. Since I've been off treatment, when the knees bother me at all, I take one aspirin at bed time. The aspirin is ok for me to take now that I'm done with treatment. Tylenol didn't seem to help my knees at all when I was on treatment. Now that I'm post treatment, one aspirin at bed time does help a lot and I can go to sleep.

I joined a gym a few weeks ago; I've been going to the gym three times a week. I use the machines, and some of the machines involve deep-knee-bend sorts of exercise. I also run on the running-in-place machine for fifteen minutes, three times a week. This exercise has helped my knees, and my mental well being. It's wonderful to be able to run and excursive. When I was on treatment, I'd chase my dog once around a tree and would have to sit down to get my strength back. Now, I have great stamina again and can run a lot.

I'm almost 57-years-old now. I suppose that a little knee pain at my age would not be considered too unusual. The hep c treatment did make my knee pain worse. It is getting better now.

Good luck to you and to us all.

Bob

[desrt]

Try Glucosamine/Chondroitin. It's an over the counter dietary supplement. It's worked for me post-tx when pain meds and even cortisone couldn't offer long term relief. It can take several weeks to kick in but usually comes compounded with MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) for quicker relief.
The only other thing I've heard post-tx patients getting relief with is an anti-malaria drug that has the side effect of relieving inflammation - but it can have risks to your vision.