Treatment

[tonyandbecka]

My question is for those who have been through the treatment for Hep C, was it as rough as some make it out to be?

[stubby226]

It is so good that you will have each other thru tx if that is the course you take.  

[lalapple]

it can be as hard or as easy as you want it to be.  this is technically chemotherapy if you think about it.  i am currently treating at the age of 18 and still go to school. no one at school know i'm doing this.  you have to have determination to stick with this because treatment is not a one day thing.  on top of my weekly peg, i am also currently on neupogen shots for neutropenia due to tx.  i was very upset about having to take 2-3 shots a week and had to have my blood work done weekly, but i adjusted!  just not really ok with losing some hair, but i will get over that cause i am UND since wk 12 so it is all worth it!

[orleans]

Very wise to start preparing now. I took 21/2 years to prep and will be taking my 14 shot Sat nite. It has rocked me back on my heels but am still standing, mostly BECAUSE I prepared. Here is something you may want ot look into as I have had much luck with it. http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/2008icr/easl/docs/050608_b.html
Had a bx yet? jerry

[Xenigma]

Not too bad for some, and too good for others.
Everyone is different when it comes to tx.
You learn to push yourself and keep your eye on the prize.
It helps make the journey worthwhile.
Good luck

[mkp13]

Yeah, it can be bad for some, but not for everybody.  For me it's much more variable than you'd think.  The side effects are a drag, but almost all of them come, hassle me for a few days, then mostly go away.  The only persistent one is the tiredness and weakness from anemia.  Even that is manageable, though, because once it stabilizes it's not all that bad.

I planned for things to be really awful.  I set things up so if I couldn't work more than half time I'd be OK.  In reality it's been nowhere near as bad as my worst case expectations.  It seems that way some days, but then there are good days and weeks when things seem almost "normal".

So don't get too spooked by the worst cases.  Yours may be much better.

[stubby226]

I am glad you felt comfortable enough to reach out.  Remember this a good support.  I went thru tx twice.  Once in 2001 and my side effects were minimal.  I had tx again starting in 2007 and completing May 2008.  I had to stop 2 weeks due to the side effects.  Here are some suggestion to survive the bad times and even enjoy the good times.  I want to let you know that I am still dealing with side effects from tx, even after six months.  If  my spelling looks like a child it ibecause my brain fog has kiicked in. Some times my sentences do make any sese just mark it up to good old brain fog.
The firstand most important is to drink fluids.  If you drink a caffinated  drink you need to drink 2 glasses of water non caffenated fluids.  #2. Obtain as much information as possible, keeping an open mind and remind youself that everything written isn't done by God. #3 One of the side affects almost everyone experience is depression.  I tell my friends the should always have a counselor.  I reccomend thtt anyone starting the tx should find a counselor before tx. You can try to esablish some kind of repore so if you should start experienceing some emotions that start to esculate..  If you belong to some spiritual organization I erecommend connect with head pershain.  I also encourage a diary, keeping track of the good and the bad. If you anti  I wish you the best in your tx. R
Remember with a bad dayto review diary and read the positive.  Hang in there.  Will kep you in my prayers

[Shanaenae]

Tony & Becka....

I actually turned out to be one of the lucky ones. I was genotype 1b, grade 1, Stage 0. I started treatment at the age of 29. I was on treatment for 48 weeks and it was nothing for me. I had hardly any side effects, i never took one helper drug, only Advil here and there and smoked a little marijuana sometimes in the mornings to get my appetite going before i headed to work.
I missed a total of 5 days from work in the entire 48 weeks. So a good experience is possible, i just think for most, it can be rough, rougher or the roughest! I am a true believer that a positive attitude and optimistic mental state can do wonders for your body and soul. My last shot was March 14, 2007 & i just celebrated by 32nd B Day on Oct 26 and I still remain Hep C FREE, almost 2 years later.. YEAPI

So hang in there, get as educated as you can on all possibilities, stay positive & just prepare yourself for the change; you might be surprised at what your body can go through.

Good Luck
~ Shannon

[1904]

I finished on Oct23rd have blood work on this Monday to check the important stuff , but as far as my viral load I don't care there is no way in HELL I would ever do this again. Feeling tired was not that bad.

[tonyandbecka]

Tony found out he was positive Tuesday. I was tested last August for all of the Heps and such before my hysterectomy. I showed negative. His dr wants me to get tested every 6 months but we will be talking to the hepatologist about it all. He is the one going through it, but we both wanted more info on it, since I will be by his side through it all.

[hippygem]

It can be rough, I felt I was living in another world, totally confused in the mind, slow, couldnt quite grasp the meaning of things, couldnt spell properly, highly emotional, very tired, said things I shouldnt have said, but I did it.  
Make sure you have no stressors and that life around you is calm and peaceful otherwise you will be living in turmoil.
There are people that dont experience any of these and go through the treatment unphased.

[merryBe]

yes.    It can be.  Very rough.  A few youngsters may sail through, but Be prepared to take it one day at a time, and to need LOTS of rest and down time, and as Ron said, the helper drugs that help sooth some of the side effects are definitely things to consider having on hand.

I don't think anyone can prepare you for what the mental side effects are.....the physical can be narly too, but the mental.......
well to quote my clinic......."grown Marines are reduced to pools of tears"...
there's just something this drug does to ones seratonin levels that ain't pretty.

However, I think knowing what might happen is wisdom.  I know I might itch like a prickly pear, or cry like I want my mommy......somehow knowing these were just the down side of these drugs helped me a lot. At least I knew I wasn't going crazy it was just these drugs.

Of curse, we all want to KILL the virus right??
I mean the main goal is to get this virus to LEAVE....
You will have to keep your goal and your purpose in mind continually.
The god news is there are survivors and folks who cleared the virus and will live to a ripe old age.....amongst us.  The trick is, our group just has to pay the piper t be amongst them.  Hope you do well.   Are you both treating?
MaryB

[tonyandbecka]

Thanks, guys. We are really worried. We havent even seen the hepatologist yet, but we are trying to prepare emotionally and financially.

[mar148]

I was very frightened before treatment, which was harder then handling the sides.  While I do not feel like 100 percent my sides have been manageable.  I also have eased up on myself to just get done what I really have to.  Good luck for most it is manageable, particularly after a few weeks.

[PokerRon]

Tony

for me personally TX was very hard mentally and physically
i felt like i was going crazy,
i lasted on TX for 32 weeks, my VL went as low as 320
i started with a VL 8.5mil....geno 1a  grade 2, stage 2...

i never did become UD
i started tx in march 2007 and came off in october 2007.

tx was something i was not prepared to go through..
i simply did not know enough before i began the tx

next time i will be more prepared...
i thought side effects for hep drugs were similar to any old
over the counter drugs with side effects written in small print
on the back of the label. Geez i never had any of those side effects
and i figured i wouldnt have any while treating this HEP C either.

MAN WAS I WRONG!
next time i will be sure to be prepared, starting with lexipro, adivan
a sleep aid and as easy a work schedule as possible.

i hope you get more positive answers from others
however i am being as truthful as i can be.

ron

[debnevada]

for some, it is...

for some, it isn't....

for the ones that it is really rough for, they are not making it up....it can be that rough.

it's the luck of the draw, really, as to what it will be for you....

sorry that is not more conclusive