Aa
side effects?
burning tongue, sores in mouth, corners of mouth, looks like elbows are blistery and itchy, cracked heels, one has deep looking slit that is pretty painful at times, bad brain fog, crazy itching, muscle aches, feeling blah, very emotional, headaches especially as soon as i hit the sun, diareah, nausea, never know from one moment to the next what's gonna happen, but other than that doing GREAT lol...............
Hey, one more thing I just remembered...Eat yogurt. Lots of yogurt. It restores all of the "good" bacteria in your GI tract and reduces systemic yeast infections. Get checked for yeast overgrowth -it causes every single GI symptom you've mentioned as well as the tongue yuck...and like NYgirl says...drink water...LOTS of water.....((((HUGZ))))~Melinda
One good thing I can tell you from experience, the mouth issues will leave IMMEDIATELY once your body detoxes from the interferon (which is what causes them) - at about two weeks post treatment they were gone for good and never came back.
The skin problems should start to clear up if you keep yourself really really hydrated with a good serious moisturizer like Gold Bond - which is very thick and doesn't come off as quickly as the "ladies" type Jergens, Vaseline Intensive Care things. If not as suggested you can try spray on benedryl or something but this isn't really caused by a histamine at all - it's a combo of the dehydration and reaction to the meds so I didn't find it really helped. Hydrocortizone helped a bit but honestly I tried every single lotion and found what really worked the best was making sure to do it SEVERAL times a day. Once the rash starts to abate don't stop putting it on though or it will come right back again.
And of course don't forget to drink half your weight a day in ounces of water.......it is indeed crucial. IT's a lot but it's crucial.
The skin problems should start to clear up if you keep yourself really really hydrated with a good serious moisturizer like Gold Bond - which is very thick and doesn't come off as quickly as the "ladies" type Jergens, Vaseline Intensive Care things. If not as suggested you can try spray on benedryl or something but this isn't really caused by a histamine at all - it's a combo of the dehydration and reaction to the meds so I didn't find it really helped. Hydrocortizone helped a bit but honestly I tried every single lotion and found what really worked the best was making sure to do it SEVERAL times a day. Once the rash starts to abate don't stop putting it on though or it will come right back again.
And of course don't forget to drink half your weight a day in ounces of water.......it is indeed crucial. IT's a lot but it's crucial.
Thank you.
I've posted on here in the past and felt like what I said was taken with disdane/disgust. I was afraid to discuss some of the symptoms you've described as a result.
The tongue thing: Feels like it's been ripped out, half cooked in the microwave and put back. Black skim on it in the mornings, feels like a tribe of cave men living in my stomack lighting fires, etc. EXTREME nausea. My stomach hurt so bad yesterday and last night that I ate only 3-bites of a piece of bread and a small jello yesterday and took a hydrocodone last night, which helped. The only thing you mentioned that hasn't happened to me (yet) is the cracked feet.
My doc prescribed Nexium for my stomach and it works great except that I've been out of it for the past week. Hoping to get some tomorrow.
Keep your chin up and help me try to focus on the flower instead of the thorns.
Joey
I've posted on here in the past and felt like what I said was taken with disdane/disgust. I was afraid to discuss some of the symptoms you've described as a result.
The tongue thing: Feels like it's been ripped out, half cooked in the microwave and put back. Black skim on it in the mornings, feels like a tribe of cave men living in my stomack lighting fires, etc. EXTREME nausea. My stomach hurt so bad yesterday and last night that I ate only 3-bites of a piece of bread and a small jello yesterday and took a hydrocodone last night, which helped. The only thing you mentioned that hasn't happened to me (yet) is the cracked feet.
My doc prescribed Nexium for my stomach and it works great except that I've been out of it for the past week. Hoping to get some tomorrow.
Keep your chin up and help me try to focus on the flower instead of the thorns.
Joey
An afterthought...At around week #10, my anemia was getting pretty bad and my heart was pounding hard and fast constantly. I had diarrhea and frequent BMs as well, and it was caused by the peg freaking out my thyroid (thyroiditis). If you feel this way, have your thyroid levels checked. If thyroiditis goes unchecked it can cause some pretty awful things to happen...:) ~Melinda
Hi jonny!
What week of txing are you in? Here's the things that helped stop the itching and decreased the drying during my txing...Aveeno after-bath body oil (no hot water, pat dry after showering), bag balm(or any ointment with a lanolin base) for the cracks anywhere (even/ especially nipples), mouth moisturizing gel made by Oragel -great for at night because it has a glycerine base that coats your tongue and keeps it from drying, a prescription called "Magic mouthwash" (heaven in a bottle) which has a mix of anti-thrush meds, lidocaine, and something else I can't remember. Anyway, it treats the soreness and dryness, and also wards off the fungal infections that dry mouths are prone to....Also vitamin B complex and 800 mg folic acid. Sometimes the sore tongue is from a folate deficiency caused by txing. (If you are experiencing worsening anemia, this sometimes helps to stabilize it.) Well, I hope this helps!!! Good luck with tx and may you have fewer sides! ((((((((HUGZ)))))))~Melinda
What week of txing are you in? Here's the things that helped stop the itching and decreased the drying during my txing...Aveeno after-bath body oil (no hot water, pat dry after showering), bag balm(or any ointment with a lanolin base) for the cracks anywhere (even/ especially nipples), mouth moisturizing gel made by Oragel -great for at night because it has a glycerine base that coats your tongue and keeps it from drying, a prescription called "Magic mouthwash" (heaven in a bottle) which has a mix of anti-thrush meds, lidocaine, and something else I can't remember. Anyway, it treats the soreness and dryness, and also wards off the fungal infections that dry mouths are prone to....Also vitamin B complex and 800 mg folic acid. Sometimes the sore tongue is from a folate deficiency caused by txing. (If you are experiencing worsening anemia, this sometimes helps to stabilize it.) Well, I hope this helps!!! Good luck with tx and may you have fewer sides! ((((((((HUGZ)))))))~Melinda
I'm using Cetaphil Moisturizing cream on my tremendously dry skin and it's working very well. I don't have any rashes, but my skin was getting so dry it was itching anyway.
Sores at the corner of the mouth is sometimes helped by a good B complex vitamin.
Are you eating yogurt? Might help with the diarrhea.
Sores at the corner of the mouth is sometimes helped by a good B complex vitamin.
Are you eating yogurt? Might help with the diarrhea.
hey i hear ya!! no way am i going to give up. this is a battle we are fighting and we are gonna win!!!i want my life back, i want me back, i want my energy back and i do believe that With God all things are possible, BUT we have to want it, i want it . i am not afraid to die, because i know there is something much better on the other side, but I am not ready to die yet. this was the last thing that i ever thought i would get as far as health goes. oh well when we think we have it bad look at someone else's problems and yours won't seem so bad (i know easier said than done) but I am trying to keep a positive and grateful attitude......... also thank God for this place, cause i may have given up on all of this........ thank you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Another thing that works great and is not expensive is Bag Balm. The stuff has been around for ages, the farmers use it a lot.
Denise
Denise
thank you tippy, awesome i will try the vaseline, i went out and boughy some gold bond feet healing cream, and rubbed that in tonight after my shower, well i am gonna try your trick, is this from the meds?
I was just about ready to ask all the same question,sore teeth and gums, burning tongue and all that nasty other stuff,doing shot # 13 on monday,cant wait for my last shot if my body can hold out,good luck Jonney4141,Ill hang there if you will.....I have gone to far to give up now....
P.S. I suggested white socks because when I wore black the dye stained my feet black. My black feet did match my black eyes though. Lol!
Oh my, I thought I was the only one with the cracked heel thing going on. I have 3 cracks that were slit open and hurt when I walked. I tried all the expensive stuff nothing worked. My husband suggested I use Vaseline. Bingo! Its working. Slather Vaseline thickly on your heels and put on thick white socks. Keep the heels lubed up 24 hours, I usually apply Vaseline 2 - 3 x a day. The slits are healing but it took a week.
As for the itching you can try Benadyl, but it didn't work for me. The only thing that does stop the itching is Atarax. I believe it prescription only, but it works. Beware though, it will make you drowsy so plan on not doing anything when you take it. You will love the relief you get though.
I use Pepto Bismo for nausea, it helps some. Stay out of the sun. Hope this helps.
The good thing is Vaseline is cheap.
As for the itching you can try Benadyl, but it didn't work for me. The only thing that does stop the itching is Atarax. I believe it prescription only, but it works. Beware though, it will make you drowsy so plan on not doing anything when you take it. You will love the relief you get though.
I use Pepto Bismo for nausea, it helps some. Stay out of the sun. Hope this helps.
The good thing is Vaseline is cheap.
You definitely need to get some high quality moisturizer and start lathering your body with it. Also note – hot water dries out the skin. If possible, you might feel better if you skipped a daily shower when possible.
The nausea stinks big time. The Pegasys folks are pretty clear that this particular side effect doesn't last and in my case it didn't. After about a month it went away. Try to eat small, frequent meals. Anything you like. Cold food is better than hot food. Some people find ginger settles their stomach.
Of course drink tons of water.
And . . . I know you're not going to want to hear this . . . an exercise program will make you feel better. I go to the gym and spend 15 minutes on an elliptical. It will help with the brain fog and moodiness. You might not be able to do this at this point, but try it as soon as you feel strong enough. It is a big help for almost everyone who manages to add it to their regimen. I know you feel like warmed-over c***p. It's the most helpful advice I can give.
The nausea stinks big time. The Pegasys folks are pretty clear that this particular side effect doesn't last and in my case it didn't. After about a month it went away. Try to eat small, frequent meals. Anything you like. Cold food is better than hot food. Some people find ginger settles their stomach.
Of course drink tons of water.
And . . . I know you're not going to want to hear this . . . an exercise program will make you feel better. I go to the gym and spend 15 minutes on an elliptical. It will help with the brain fog and moodiness. You might not be able to do this at this point, but try it as soon as you feel strong enough. It is a big help for almost everyone who manages to add it to their regimen. I know you feel like warmed-over c***p. It's the most helpful advice I can give.
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