Hitting a roadblock....

[shanro]

I'm hitting a roadblock and it's scaring me... I'm only in my 6th week of triple therapy and I've had the worst week ever... I feel unable to function, very lethargic and sad because i'm unable to do activities with my daughter the past two weekends... and my apartment is a disaster!!! I'll be finding out if I need procrit next week but even that would take a while to begin working... after not being UND at 4 weeks but <1000 I'm prob looking at 48 weeks and am getting very anxious and dreadful... please help!!!!!!

[Dee1956]

Hello all thanks so much for sharing, it helps all of us, each one of us has a story that may help someone else to complete treatment.  You never know until you start reading or writing.  I wish all of you the very best
Take it one day at a time, my Hemo went from 14.8 to 10, that was rough now back up to 10.7 feeling better.  The doc says it takes time to adjust
If I need it he will prescribe rescue drugs.  I am on week 8 and have been having bouts of breathlessness which are miserable.  I hope after I am done with Incivek that I will feel a little better.  Just a little better in 4 weeks would be nice.  Thanks again for sharing, it really helped me
Dee

[researchmonkey326]

It's not always anemia either so if you find out that you are not anemic, don't feel like there is no solution or that you shouldn't feel lousy.  From Week 8 through now, week 24, I have been extremely short of breath, weak and fatigued and at times felt unfunctional (not to be confused with dysfunctional which I always am)- in other words I have felt like cr@p for months now.  But there are good days and bad and even some good weeks.  We are all in the process of some very serious medical treatment, not to be taken lightly.  Take care of yourself, rest when you need to, say to hell with the house or ask for help if you need it.  It is temporary and hopefully it will be worth it for all of us.  I have three more doses of pills to take and I will be finished after weeks of rashes, low ANC's, major hair loss, riba weepies, nausea and exhaustion. Hang on - you can make it.

[his3707]

Hang in there, This will pass and you will be ok.  Week 3 thru 10 were the worst for me.  Anemia is horrible! like trying to walk,carrying 20 lb bowling balls with your feet tied together. I am in week 17 and today feeling ok.   I have been on and off procrit since week 5 and will probably have to stay on it.    You will have good days and bad days.  It sure makes you greatful when your feeling good!  Makes you appreciate good health!  

[shanro]

Ok, all of your posts just made me cry.... from a feeling of gratitude for all of you.... it goes both ways for me... i cry when i'm happy or sad.... or indifferent or grateful or annoyed or anything else for that matter!!!!

I'm gonna keep a positive attitude... I don't like where my head went today... it was a dark, sad, lonely place, but I managed to talk about it and flip it and am feeling very optimistic once again!!!  No one told me that this triple tx came with a free roller coaster ride!!!!  Woooo Hoooo, I'm holding on and will continue to do so every minute knowing that there's a light at the end and knowing that holding on will give me a very possible chance of being able to live a long and healthy life and watch my daughter grow up and maybe allow me to be a living grandma one day.... ok, getting emotional again!!! LOL

[elpasolady]

Middle of week 4 and I am starting too, with the weepies.  Not to the point of bawling yet, but it doesn't take much to get the tears going.  These 9/11 stories  this weekend are the worst!  I will think of it as emotional cleansing.  I don't normally cry much, so this is good!?!?
Hang in there everyone!  I hope things get better quick for you,  Shanro!

[suezeeque]

I'm in a study and won't know anything until week 12.  :(  It's BI 20133 (or placebo).  Also a PI.

I've been really emotionally lately, too.  My daughter reminded me about what happened at her school on 911.  We were living in Fairfax VA at the time.  There was an announcement at lunchtime.  "Something terrible has happened.  We ask that all student meet in the playground and join hands."  She was in grade 3.  Many of the kids had parents who worked at the Pentagon.

When she reminded me of that I cried like a baby.

My puppy also did something stupid, chewed the kid's retainer.  I said our last dog, who we lost a year ago, would never have done that and again, cried like a baby...

[shanro]

omg seriously!!! i am completely taking on others' emotions... including trees!!!  irene came and went and i started crying when i saw trees that fell over thinking "those poor trees must be in pain" lolol!! unbelievably emotional!!! i haven't asked for copies of my labwork but will do definitely on tuesday... all i know is that i was doing well physically then all of a sudden this past week i am barely existing... i almost hope it's anemia because then there will be a solution....

[crossroadsec]

I'm on week nine n havin it pretty rough. Sounds like we all are. 4 more weeks of Telaprevir. Getting close! Work is a stabilizer for me. Keeps me going but like everyone else, the rest of the time just take care of you. It goes fast! Hang in there! Karen :)

[frijole]

I think you can hear about anemia, but until it hits you you probably can't relate. It is very debilitating.  A lot of how bad you feel depends on how fast your hemoglobin has dropped.  Any drop of 2 point in a week or two is going to be pretty darn noticable.  I think whether your doctor will rx procrit or not, there is a not of give and take in treatment.  I work full time and will continue to do so (at least that is my intent).  In order to do that I will have to give up everything after work and rest.   Right now I am only on week 3 of the lead in and still feel pretty good.  But I am afraid to make any long-term plans.

shanro - if you are not already, I suggest getting copies of all lab work.   Then you will know exactly what you started with and where you are now.    oh, and the sad thing--- that is the ribavirin.  I am for the most part not emotional.  For whatever reason I just don't get moved.  However ribavirn really wakes up my emotions.  I remember first time I treated Katrina hit and I would be driving down the road listening to stories on the radio, just bawling.  I am already starting to feel those mushy weepy feelings.  It is the drugs, man -- remember that.

suezeesqueeze - you are doing INC?  What was your VL at week 4?  Good luck at Medieval Times. I can understand the noise amplification!

dog - you have a good attitude.  Hang in there

frijole

[suezeeque]

I just did shot #6 last night.  I feel like total cr@p.

I tried to clean the windows in my car a few hours ago.  Simply. Not. Happening.  But now my car windows look like I feel!  So that's awesome.  ;)

Going for supper at Medieval Times tonight.  Oh, gawd.  I don't know how I'm going to do with the noise...  It seems like I hear everything 10x louder these days.

[shanro]

thanks billy!  I'm glad this forum is here because even though I'm a recovering addict involved in the NA fellowship, those that have done this before me have only done the INF/Riba... I'm the first and only that I personally know that is doing the triple therapy... so suffice to say am feeling a bit alone in this..

I've learned in my recovery that in order to get past things I need to talk about it and ask for help... this is why I posted this... I want to keep on keeping on regardless so it's hopeful to know that others have hung in there and cured...

I am on an AD but I might look into upping my dosage....
-shanna

[working dog]

6 weeks was such a drag...but then 9 weeks isn't too great either for me...today i've been in bed for most the day again...week 7 and 8 were my good weeks...keep in mind some folks have it way easier then others...my doctors can't believe the difference with everyone on triple tx....you'll have to hang in there...keep a close eye on your blood work...get on the procrit if needed...hope your on an ad...i too was somewhere between 0 and 43 at 4 weeks so i have to do 48 weeks...i'm gonna try every way to get through this....my sx are awful...the rashes are feeling and looking so bad...i'm always bleeding....but i am glad to be on tx ..i have been on this forum for quite a while..i've seen folks with such bad sx keep hanging in there and then cure...you'll have to make up your mind to get through this...at least with the net you have others in the same boat to whine too....good luck it will get better when you level off a bit...again keep an eye on that blood work!! every week for now....billy

[shanro]

Thanks!  I don't know my latest HGB, I find out Tuesday, but I've discussed my symptoms with others in other posts and it sounds exactly like anemia... The only thing is that I had my lab work done on the 31st when I was feeling fine... so I don't think the results I get on Tuesday will help... Should I ask for another HGB immediately?  How long do those results take???

Also - if the triple therapy is much harder, then I probably will feel better once I'm off the incivek (what does SOC mean?), right????

[pcds]

Week 6 was my worst too.  I started procrit and just did my second shot.  I am slightly better now.  It will help you too.  I felt beyond awful, I know, but there is the procrit.  What is your HGB?  Mine dropped so fast starting tx I have my riba reduced to 800 but continued to drop. I felt some improvement after the first procrit in about 5days.  Remember if you are on incevik it is 12 weeks.  I was on SOC in the past, it is not as hard as 3x therapy.