Aa
new to this
i started pegysys and copegysys two weeks ago for chronic hep c i have diabeties and 3 forms of stage four cancer...i am getting leisions under my arms and losing my hair, joint pain, lung congestion blurry vision nausea and headaches...will these symptoms(side effects) get any better as the treatment progresses??
I am sorry you are having these problems.
The eye problems with these meds can be very serious. You should have had a baseline eye exam by an opthamologist before you stared treatment. If I were you, I would call that opthamologist, tell him your symptoms, and get an emergency appointment for an eye exam. He can compare it to your baseline exam (which should have included a retinal scan).
For the nausea, don't be afraid to ask for a prescription. That nausea will snowball into other problems as time goes on. It is better to get it under control as soon as possible. I am on Zofran 8 mg every 8 hours and it works well.
I would talk to the treating doc about your symptoms such as the lesions and the lung congestion. You should be monitored closely by a hepatologist and an oncologist since you have cancer as well as Hep C.
The eye problems with these meds can be very serious. You should have had a baseline eye exam by an opthamologist before you stared treatment. If I were you, I would call that opthamologist, tell him your symptoms, and get an emergency appointment for an eye exam. He can compare it to your baseline exam (which should have included a retinal scan).
For the nausea, don't be afraid to ask for a prescription. That nausea will snowball into other problems as time goes on. It is better to get it under control as soon as possible. I am on Zofran 8 mg every 8 hours and it works well.
I would talk to the treating doc about your symptoms such as the lesions and the lung congestion. You should be monitored closely by a hepatologist and an oncologist since you have cancer as well as Hep C.
Hi, and welcome to the forum! I'm just a bit confused by your question. What are the 3 forms of cancer - what part of your body is affected? You also mention lesions under your arms but I'm not sure if you are referring to a rash or if you are talking about skin cancer.
The interferon/ribavirin tx can cause different side effects in different people. Some get hardly any sx, but others, myself included have experienced lots of them. Common sx include rashes, anemia, hair loss, persistent cough, low-grade fever, and weight loss. I'm probably forgetting some, but I remember these because I've had all of them. I still do have all of them except the anemia improved on its own. I looked again at your list, and yes, I think all of those can be fairly common sx with the treatment you are on. Since you do have two additional serious health issues you really should be in frequent contact with all of your doctors during this tx, as some of your symptoms could also be related to those problems. Interferon can certainly affect glucose metabolism, so your diabetes needs to be watched more carefully. As for your cancer, you haven't given us enough info to really discuss it. Just make sure that all of your doctors are onboard with your tx and all of them get to see all of your lab results. People here will be happy to talk more about the different side effects, but do try to give us as much of the related information as possible! Best wishes
The interferon/ribavirin tx can cause different side effects in different people. Some get hardly any sx, but others, myself included have experienced lots of them. Common sx include rashes, anemia, hair loss, persistent cough, low-grade fever, and weight loss. I'm probably forgetting some, but I remember these because I've had all of them. I still do have all of them except the anemia improved on its own. I looked again at your list, and yes, I think all of those can be fairly common sx with the treatment you are on. Since you do have two additional serious health issues you really should be in frequent contact with all of your doctors during this tx, as some of your symptoms could also be related to those problems. Interferon can certainly affect glucose metabolism, so your diabetes needs to be watched more carefully. As for your cancer, you haven't given us enough info to really discuss it. Just make sure that all of your doctors are onboard with your tx and all of them get to see all of your lab results. People here will be happy to talk more about the different side effects, but do try to give us as much of the related information as possible! Best wishes
Welcome to the forum. Anyone on treatment should be monitored closely by their doctor. Also, considering you have health issues in addition to hep c, you may need to be watched closely. Given something I read today by a hep c doctor, I would be concerned about the blurry vision. It's a problem if you ignore it; communicate. More knowledgeable people will chime in, I'm sure.
Side effects are different foe everyone. This forum offers suggestions for dealing with sx.
Make sure you are getting regular lab work. WBC's, and hgb are a couple of things to watch closely.
Best of luck to ya,
C
Side effects are different foe everyone. This forum offers suggestions for dealing with sx.
Make sure you are getting regular lab work. WBC's, and hgb are a couple of things to watch closely.
Best of luck to ya,
C
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