Pain, memory loss before and after treatment

[comeagain]

My question is what is from the HCV and what is from the meds or both.

I would like you us to talk about our own experiences in this issue.

Let me start.

I´m a geno 3 been infected 35 years until I cleared on my second tx that lasted 48 weeks,dose was
180mcl pegasus  1200 mg riba my weight was almost 200lbs.
First tx lasted 24 w with  100mcl pegintron and 800mg riba.

I have been suffering from genaral stiffnes, leg, bone and musclepain for the last 20 years also severe fatigue and backpain.
After my first treatment although relapsed I felt better than in 25 years in my body.
Now after second tx I feel almost as before (somewhat better though) any tx . I have also developed problems with my short- term memory which I never have had before.

Thats real scary I think.
As I´m not the type of guy that just gonna sit back and accept bad health I´m gonna do whatever I can to get as well as possible.

That includes being a health nut if necessary.

I have also tried something  called LDN (4.5mg), done that for 6weeks now.

I cant say it has done me any good this far, gonna try it for two more months though before I decide if it good or not.
Saw this just a while ago and that made  me think it can´t be all bulshiiit since a doc recomend it here at MH.


LDN?????
by lala47, Jul 20, 2009 12:13PM
I was wondering if anyone has prescribed LDN for RA.  My mother has severe RA she is 73 yrs old. She was dx'ed at age 45. She is currently on enbrel, and several other meds for ra and her heart. At this point any thing that might give her some releif would be great. I understand that LDN is cheat, and safe. She would never stop her enbrel I just wondered if LDN could be added, only if it possible help.

lala


y Dr Vinod, Jul 20, 2009 07:17PM
To: lala47,
Low dose naltrexone (LDN), where naltrexone is used in doses approximately one-tenth, treatment for certain immunologically-related disorders, like RA. Beta-endorphins are important regulators of the immune system. Naltrexone, which is a pure antagonist to narcotics, causes an artificial blockade of the endorphin/opioid receptors.

LDN clears joint pain and swelling in most of the patients and you can try this with your mother.

There is growing recognition in the scientific community that autoimmune diseases result from immunodeficiency, which disturbs the ability of the immune system to distinguish "self" from "non-self". The normalization of the immune system induced by LDN makes it an obvious candidate for a treatment plan in such diseases.

Etanercept (Enbrel) is a drug that treats autoimmune diseases by interfering with the TNF receptor so it can be used.

Take care!

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Rheumatoid-Arthritis/show/377

If you use this link you don´t come to this exact plase I just searched LDN at the rheumatioid forum and this came up.

Anyway how are you others heppers doing both post or before treatment please chime in and tell your story.

ca

[meakea]

Comeagain:

I'm just about 12 weeks post treatment so I have a ways to go before I know which of my issues go away and which of them stay.  

Prior to TX I didn't really have any issues to speak of other than some left hip pain that is from a congenital thing.  

During TX, my hip pain actually went away but I attributed that to the fact that I wasn't active enough to aggravate it.  I also really didn't have the brain fog or memory issues on TX that a lot of people have.

Okay...now post treatment, I have muscle and joint aches from top to bottom and I feel like an 80 year old woman in that regard.  I have my energy back except that I have trouble getting motivated to get out of bed in the morning (something I NEVER had before) but within the past 4 weeks I have noticed a fairly sharp decline in my short term memory.  I have even started voicing that issue to my hubby and it takes a lot for me to actually admit my health issues to myself let alone say them out loud.  

So...muscle/joint aches and pains and short term memory problems are certainly plaguing me right now.  I'm hoping that it's just another phase that needs to be ridden like a rollercoaster til it stops.

I might add that I am back to my physically active status of bike riding when the weather permits or walking 3 miles or doing my eliptical but it's painful to the point of annoying.

I hope I don't sound like I'm whining but, rather, I just wanted you to know that my issues sound a bit similar to yours.

Also...my thyroid started going a bit hypo prior to TX so I was put on thyroid meds shortly after I started TX.  I am still on a low dose of thyroid meds and my levels seem to be stable.

[comeagain]

No it wasn´t long winded because you wrote solid facts informations. Good post. thx  a lot.

I also need a nap at the afternoon I have been thinking of thyroid problems too.

I´m 10 months post and I think everything is getting slowly better, sure hope that is the case and that I will be an energizer  beaver at last.

Take care tippy you are in my prayers from this time on.

ca

[Tippyclubb]

Wow long winded there. Lol !

[Tippyclubb]

Here's my story .I was diagnosed two and a half years ago and figure I had hep c for over 30 years.  Biopsy revealed low liver damage.  Treated once with Vertex Telaprevir for 6 months and was UND 3 months post tx.  I am now 4 months done with tx and still having post sides.  Honestly, I don't feel any better than I did before tx.    

Right after tx I was diagnosed with PCT.  Its a skin condition thats causes painful blisters and sores. Sun aggravates the condition so I am always hiding and fearful of sunshine.  I've had two phlebotomy to reduce my iron level but the sores are still appearing.  My hands and face are scarred up from this.  All the doctors say this is not Interferon related but I disagree and believe my liver was over worked processing the drugs and could not process the iron, which is why I have PCT.  Now I know why my liver enzymes were so high all during tx.

I had a lot of thyroid trouble during tx and switched from being hypo ( was for 14 years )  while on tx.  I have not switched back to hypo and they cannot get my TSH, T4, T3 level where they should be.  No where near the correct level.  I have racing of the heart palpitations that are severe and it scares me.  Soon I will be seeking an endocrinologist and should have done it sooner but was hoping my family doctor could resolve this as he has always done in the past.  Time to call upon the big guns.  I also need a endo for the constant sinus infections I am having since tx.  I was also hoping this would resolve, but it hasn't.   This may have something to do with the ringing of the ears I am having, although the ringing has decreased some what.

I never had bone and joint pain on a consistent basic like I do now.  I figure arthritis is setting in but I have not been to a doctor yet about this.  Been pretty busy going to all the other doctors and will wait until I get those problems straighten out until working on this one.  

I am disappointed in my energy level because  I thought when the Hep C was gone I'd be like the energizer bunny, but this is not the case.   I take a nap almost every day and they are long deep two hour naps.  Never did that before.  Although, this could be related to the thyroid problem.  

There are days I do regret doing tx but that feeling does not last long.  I am Hep C free and that monkey is off my back.  I no longer have to worry about dying from liver disease and thats a peaceful feeling, as you well know.  Those 2 years were so stressful and I no longer have to deal with that.  No more biopsies, no more tx, no more worrying, no more constantly researching Hep C, etc.  Its a huge relief.

With all that being said these sides are awful and almost got the best of me.  I had to let it go and accept them as they come and deal with them accordingly.  I no longer worry about them or pay much attention to them.  I am still confident that in time things will slowly return to normal. If not, I have learned to accept and live with them.  I know this may sound crazy but I have learned to embrace them and pray they go away, one day.  Living with these sides is much easier than living with Hep C.