What causes the side effects, Ribo or Interferon?

[CoStudy]

In your opinion what causes what side effects? Interferon or Ribaviron.  I am in the Lambda Phase IIB study and have a few side effects. Of the list of common side effects that are discussed on the forum, what are you opinions?

Fever, body aches, muscle aches, headache, brain fog, loss of apatite, hungry, fatigue and or tired, insomnia, lack of motivation, itching, wanting to isolate, easily irritated, eyes dry and or burn. Please add others if you can think of them.

My side effects include fatigue and tired, use to be insomnia. Lack of motivation, I am ok once I get started; it’s just hard to get started. HUNGRY. Itching usually starts about 3 hours after I take Ribo. Eyes dry or burn on occasion and easily irritated.

I will be nice to see what other people think.

[pcds]

I had exactly what you describe.

[Deb9991]

CoStudy -- I forgot to mention.  My appetitie swings from ravinous hunger to feeling sickened by food.  So far, it seems like I'm hungry in the mornings, and when it is time for dinner, it is really hard to eat, and I have to force myself.  It is so much easier being hungry, because you can eat and you feel yourself being satisfied after.  When I force myself to eat, I feel sort of sick to my stomach after.  

I'm sure we are all different too when it comes to our dietery habits.  Also, foods that I didn't really care about, I crave -- like cheese.  I could just eat cheese all day -- I won't allow myself to do that, but it is a craving.  Also, I use to eat a large salad with numerous veggies for lunch, and I'm finding that raw vegetables do not agree with my system very well now.  I also ate 3 to 5 pieces of fruit -- now I have to force myself to eat fruit.  Oh, boy, all these things that happen to us on this treatment.  I don't know one day to the next what is going to happen.  All these surprises!!!!

Debbie

[Deb9991]

It seems to me that I've experienced sides from both.  So far, the sides have not been to bad, YET, but I just got my 4th injection.  During the course of a day, I can go from feeling upbeat with normal energy, to being in a foggy state with little energy.  Also, you have to be aware of the psychologoical effects too.  That's been the worst so far for me.  It is easy to become irritable and angry and then that passes and you fall into a low.  It is hard because there are just some things out of your control and it is easy to get upset.  

nygirl7 was right, it is better than the sides of a transplant or death.  

Hang in there.  

Debbie

[nygirl7]

Both but differently.

However, they are better than the side effect of transplantation or death.

The anemia was by far the worst side for me and I think I had them all (except shot night fevers which only was a few times later on in tx).

[FlGuy]

Interferon is nasty.  Ribavirin is evil.

[mikesimon]

Both