Will be starting treatment soon will I be able to continue working /

[printze]

ma asking this because it s very imrotant to me , I live alone and am 53yrs old , have no one to help me and depend soley on my income. I have advised my boss of my situation , and I cannot work during treatment I must g on unemployment we have no short term disability only long term . I also live in Canada. So, I am hoping 2 things - 1) I will be able to work on treatment- giv eor take the odd day or2
2) I will be able to go through this alone.

I am type 1a - will find out the damage to liver in October. V/L is  560,000

Appreciaate all comments. Thank  you.

[JasmineT]

It sounds like you are doing the right things.  I bought some supplies before I started.  Since you live alone this may be a good idea for you too, you will not want to go out if you are feeling bad.  Its likely too soon for this though.  Drop me a note before you start and I will send you what I keep on hand if you need ideas.

I would start using gold bond moisturizer now anyplace your skin is drier.  Morning and night.  My pharmacist says the rash is more prevalent for people with dry skin or do not frequently moisturize.  

After you start treatment, you may want to add more iron into your diet to help reduce anemia sx.  My doctor's suggestion for me this week and thought it worth mentioning since it looks like you are also avoiding the red meat.

[Bill200]

I would say it depends on what kind of shape you're in when you start.  Also true about what someone else said, it gets harder to tolerate as time goes on.  It is a lot better if you don't have to work to hard.

[printze]

Yes the new meds are here already , the doctor told me at the hosital he is a liver speciallist  he is the head of the hepatology clinic at the royal victoria hospital . I do not know why you seem so defiant towards what I am saying,I have had the tests, seen the specialist and he confirmed I have the virus low viralload 560,000 . Perhaps the new meds willonly start in late December , but they are here already .

[willbb]

You say you "hope you don't have to treat at all.".. after you say   "the doctor told me I will do treatment." ??

You also said in a few previous posts that you were treating in 2012.??

What are you treating with...there are no new meds in Canada yet and no date??

[printze]

I am having a fibroscan in October and the doctor told me I will do treatment . I like your thinking better, I hope I don'thave to treat it all depends on the fibroscan. He has the ultrasound and liver function resullts o he knows what's going on .I also have to have chest x-ray and opticien exam then meet with special hepatogy nurse to discuss if I am stable enough to do treatment ans also see a phsycologist. So this will take some time , right ?

[willbb]

You are talking already about what you are going to eat  and from what you say you have not had a biopsy yet. I also saw one post that said you will not be treating until sometime in 2012??

Have you had a biopsy yet? You say you are from Canada....there is yet to be either VIc or Inci avail .and doctors and pharmacies both are still not sure when they will be...so how do you know when you are treating and with what?

[printze]

This is my normal routine without meds yet

wake up - 5:30 - work all day home 5;30 BED 9:30
eat lots of fruits , vegetables . daily with tons of water , fat very minimal
(l like my sweets) like coffee, eat mainly chicken and fish, while grains
I quit smoking 1 mth ago, stopped drinking 8 mths ago.I get plenty of sleep as you can see.

So, when I start the meds, is there anything I should change , or add. . Please let me know I truly appreciate your input to get me through the journey ahead. I am determined to get rid of this virus and will not stop until it's gone.

[Mary4now]

I only treated for 24 weeks, and I was let go the last 2 months of treatment and it was glorious not dealing with the world those last 2 months.  I did get another job, but I applied for food stamps while i wasnt working.  
I found it got harder as time passed especially after 12 or 13 weeks into the treatment.

As far as fat goes just eat what you can tolerate.  

[suezeeque]

Lots of water!  I've been using bottled "meal replacement" drinks a lot. I don't feel like eating much but I want to get the nutrients that will hopefully help me fight it!

I'm in a study and with this medication, I haven't been told to eat fat so that makes my life a bit easier.  I can't imagine having to eat that much fat right now!

But for fat, couldn't you just add some olive oil or flax oil to a meal replacement drink?  Fat is fat, right?  Might as well use the *good* kind!

Does anyone have an opinion about that?

[printze]

Absolutely, I will do it to get rid of this virus.Thanks for all your support, if you have any tricks to help me likefood, how to handle stress of clients - I am Insurance Broker - lots of phone calls and stress. Thanks

[suezeeque]

Today I'm heading into week 9 of treatment.  I've been pretty tired throughout and I'm finding now that I'm unable to keep up with my former pace at work.  I've scheduled a meeting next week with management to discuss "accommodation".  

I'm on the road all day, Monday to Friday.  I cover six different locations in my job and it's just become too much.  However, I have every intention of working through my treatment.

I, too, only have coverage for long term disability, not short term.  I'm also in Canada.  I checked the application for long term in my benefits package and there's an important question on that application - have you requested a reduction in duties prior to making a long term disability claim?

[JasmineT]

I hear most people can work but my experience is that it is not easy.  I take my shot on Friday night, have sat and sun off, and work Mon through Friday.  I car pool for 50 minutes in traffic.  Fortunately I can drive less often during treatment and ride more, but am able to drive.  Monday mornings are the hardest with Tuesday a close second.  

Eat breakfast early with your pills. Drink a vitamin water. Drinks lots of water. Drink more water.  Make sure you are getting fruits, vegetables, and grains throughout the day and not just fat. I used to like nuts. Keep Ginger Chews nearby and some nuts in case you cant have lunch on time for the meds.  Eat healthy even if you arent hungey so you have an energy store.  Easy on the housework on the hard days. Don't make a lot of social plans for a while, take it one day at a time for a bit.  Sleep is crucial.  Figure out what works for you.

At present I haven't told people at work.  Most days I am sure they cannot tell how bad I feel.  Somedays I just say I have a headache or did not sleep well if I am worried.  I often feel anxious, shaky, tired and queasy.

As for being alone, I can be pretty low maintenance but am looking at the mess my husband made in the kitchen and think you will be just fine. ;-). My doctor tells me many people have issues at some point with depression on these meds.  Make this time all about you and slow to the pace you need to go, doing those things that make you happy and relaxed.  Keep in touch with others through this site and see what helps others with you sx.  Read everyone's tips and find what works for you.  You can do it.   It's only 6 months.

[pjhep80]

i only missed one day of work so far, the first day... its hard being tired and nauseous all the time but whatever its worth it to get rid of this virus and the worry of dying from liver failure...

[oldsarge]

I'm starting the new treatment in a couple of weeks. I did the combo tx 3 times, a year each time. I worked the the first w treatment, and 6 months into the 3rd. I was able to have a flexible schedule, so I would squeeze my first 3 and a half hours in from 7am, then go to the Burlington Airport and nap in the parking lot. At 1pm every day, the national gaurd jet fighters would take off for practice and the thunder from their engines would wake me up. I'd go back to another office to interview new clients and work till 5. Finally my memory and writing skills went, and that was that. Try a flexable schedule
bobby

[Anne1717]

Most do still work but you may just have to come home and crash.  It is impossible to predict how you will feel.  My sides were terrible and Hemoglobin low - 8 - 9 for months.  In the last month of treatment I got a new job where I had to be at the top of my game when I could barely walk to the car.  The first day I passed out. I subsequently adjusted and made sure I had snacks in my pocket and a bottle of juice or gatorade. I only ate what would give me energy.  Somehow it worked out.  No one knew how sick I really was, no one knew I was sick at all,  and now it's all over and I am feeling great.  As sick as I was, I was able to manage.

So, that is one extreme side and you will hear others but most people work but may have to adjust their approach.

Trail mix in my pocket REALLY helped.