starting treatment in september

[timbo19506]

any suggestions in dealing with my first shot mentally and physically???pretty stressed out

[HepCinLA]

Hi, I start in August.  I'll keep you posted on any pitfalls.  In the meantime, I am a 38 y/o female w/ 1B.  I'm waiting for results of my VL.
Even though I know that treatment is best for me in the long run I am still very anxious about starting treatment.  I think once I have a support system in place I'll feel a bit better.

[nyhepc]

52F vl 4,700,00  grade 2 stage 1   just did my first shot tonite, about 4 hrs ago. took tylenol 30 min before, didn't feel the needle at all...so far so good. what your mind will imagine is much worse than reality  :)

[cougareyes]

Took my 1st shot about 30 min ago(7pm pacific). ny I guess we're shot buddies. I'm 44m, type 1a, 1.06mil vl, stage 3, grade 3, fatty liver. Lets claim Independence from this thing on this 4th of July weekend.

[stc1993]

I started tx Sept. last year, I'm starting on my last month. (first week in Aug. i'm finished) All in all it wasn't that bad. It will be over before you know it, time flies.  A lot of people have hardly any sx. It seems like everyone is different. The only sx I've had is the brain fog. I'll do something not even thinking about it, sometimes it is hilarious. Just blame the meds.  Some try to say it is old age I don't believe them I say it is the meds.  I guess I will find out in a couple of months.  Try not to worry to much about the first shot.

Monte

[Moeymitt]

Hi, I also am starting tx in sept. so for the first thing you and I will support each other as we go along. Others who start then will join us. People who have been down the road will encourage us to keep on keeping  on.

I made my decision about 3 months ago to start in sept, Geno type 1a, vir load 5mil female, 50. I still am on a roller coaster ride with it but its getting easier. I had my bx on friday, the results will be in next week.

[nyhepc]

i'm a 2b. the morning after...... i'm not foolish enough to expect every shot to go as well as this one, but it sure is a nice way to start.  hope you did as well.

[jtjmack]

I was just diagnosed not long ago and am waiting to see the doctor next Friday to discuss my blood results and schedule the biopsy. I am a 52 year old female type 1a...looks like we will all have to hang together and support each other thru this. Struggles are always much easier with support from understanding people. Good luck to all of us.

[timbo19506]

thanks for your input....Iam a 47 year old male with genotype 2b,viral load 5mil...my worst fear is having to miss work because I've just started in Feb....That is how I discovered hapatitis , they did a blood screening prior to employment, must of had it for over 20 years and have not been ill a day in my life....

[honey1616]

Timbo,,,,You will be fine and thank your lucky stars,,,you are a 2.  6 months time will be over before you know it and you will be through with tx and hep!  The first shot brings so much anxiety for us that mostly that is the worse part.  My husband and I just finished 52 weeks of tx in January and he missed only 2 days the whole time.  There is days that you don't feel real good in morning and slow moving,,,,kinda fluish feeling but once you get up and get going,,,,you start feeling so much better.  I only work parttime so had the advantage if not feeling great,,,I could take it easy later in the day.  Glad to see you found your way to medhelp as this will definitely be the forum to get you through your tx.  Like Monte said,,,,No matter how you feel,,,or what you do,,,,Blame it on the meds lol

[bon_vivant]

Congrats to the ones that just got started, & good luck to the ones that will be soon...

Monte=
LoL.... That's what I do.... Seems To Work Too!!!!
I got that "getting old" spiel a few times too, & I am not buying it either... we should all be in the prime of our lives about now.

My better half (whom is 14 years my senior)& I were talking about age recently when a thread about certain test needing to be done on folks at certain ages... & I was telling him that he doesn't seem that old to me.... He Said... "Ahhh,  You are as YOUNG as yo feel".....

Humm, If That is true, then I guess that makes me about 144 this week!

Ahhh, I'm blaming that on the meds too..!

;) Vicki

[cougareyes]

ny I just woke up and am just achy, even my toes ,lol. Acually slept pretty good. Timbo I was concerned about working also, so I hung out until I was on the job for a year. Now If I have to take time off I'm covered under the FMLA(family medical leave act). I'm taking off the 1st few weeks getting started(because I deserve it), I'm exhauted.

[BijouLaBlanc]

Hi all.

I just took my second shot on Friday.

I sympathize because, like the liver biopsy (for me anyway) the stress and anxiety leading up to starting treatment are worse than the sides I've experienced so far.

My biggest fear was not being able to continue working.  And I was dreading feeling sick for a whole year (I'm 1a).  And yes, giving myself the shots was making me anxious too.

Well, so far, I'm doing fine at work - was even able to take on new job responsibilities that were given to me week one.  I haven't told anyone at work about my situation.  Since my doctor told me that all his working patients but one (who also has HIV) have been able to continue working I decided that I didn't want the extra scrutiny of being regarded as disabled.  I figured if it gets bad I can always tell my boss then.

My sides, so far, have been minimal.  I have been underwhelmed by them, as my doctor told me that I probably would be.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this.

The shots don't hurt.  It's weird to see, but it's really simple.

My doc gave me Ativan for panic and I took 1/2 a one the night before the first shot and that morning.  He has suggested that I try them for my insomnia, but since the reduced sleep hasn't effected my mood or energy level or concentration yet I haven't taken anything yet.  I don't rule it out though.

I really should have taken the anti-panic meds a couple of weeks earlier.  I was super stressed and even fell off the wagon and had a couple of drinks.  The pills would have been a better alternative.

Well, no more booze for me - I'm giving this tx my best shot.

So for those of you who are wrestling with starting, start doing healthy things for yourself.  Give up the booze/drugs.  Do what you can to make your body stonger - try to get some exercise.  If you're overweight, try to loose some weight - I've read that being overweight interferes with tx.  I started taking a Chinese herb regime four months prior and I credit that with helping with the sides - and it sure helped with my energy level before starting tx.  I didn't do this, but wish I had - find ways to de-stress - yoga, meditation.

[cuteus]

great to hear you are on your way to killing off your hcv.  I was a 1a also and other than taking time off for follow ups, I did not miss a day of work. If you can call staring at the pc monitor work.
Watch out for the anemia, it is the worst part of tx, I think.

[nanniegea]

I'm a 47 yr old female w/1a hepc.  and although I'm glad to hear that most of you are still on the job and seem to be taking the meds without too much misery it makes me envious, why you say? Because I spent over 10 years in misery going from doc to doc trying to find out why I felt so bad. By the time I was dx'ed I was told I had grade 2 stage 4 cirrohis. It makes me wonder if I had found out earlier if things would be better. I felt pretty bad before the tx and now that I'm half way there (24 weeks)to go, I still feel horrible and I wonder HOW so many of you seem to get through this tx with out feeling totally miserable. If I had to still work I don't think I could get through a whole day.Shouldn't I be feeling a little better by now? Or am I just one of the ones who have a bad time of it? I will find out this week if my vl has come down and maybe, just maybe I'll get some good news. I guess I'm just feeling down today and needed to let some of this out. Can't talk to my family because they don't understand and keep telling me to "get out more, you'll feel better" If I hear that one more time I'm going to scream!!

Thanks for telling us about the bewitched movie. I used to love that show and thought about going to see it but not now, not after what I've been hearing...another one bites the dust...too bad they think it;s funny. Thanks for letting me vent...

[timbo19506]

thanks for all your posts...just knowing that i am not alone means that it will be easier for me to get thru this...I will be taking the Pegasys treatment....