Aa
starting treatment
I will be starting treatment within the next couple of weeks, or sooner. Can anyone please tell me if there is anything I will need to or buy for myself? I have heard about the lotions and drinking lots of water, but is there anything else? Is there a good time of the day to take the meds and what are some of the first few side effects that I will experience? I am very scared about all of this. I have a class tomorrow that will be explaining alot of things to me, but getting advice from someone who has actually been through this is also important to me. Thanks.
I start my treatments this weekend. Right now I feel very anxious but very nervous. I started my anti-depressants yesterday so hopefully they will kick in soon.
Is there anything I should buy or have on hand before I begin? I know about the Tylenol PM and lots of water/fluids, but is there anything else?
Thanks all.
Is there anything I should buy or have on hand before I begin? I know about the Tylenol PM and lots of water/fluids, but is there anything else?
Thanks all.
Here's one who is not taking antidepressants. I know it may come to that but I read up on those drugs and decided to wait and see - why deal with the sx of antidepressants if you don't have to. So far, so good - Friday will be shot 18 of 48. I know I may need them in the future, but for now I have more trouble with anxiety than depression, and ativan works fine for that.
Get on anti depressants before treatment , don't know of anyone that did'nt need it.Buy a few sets of comfortable PJ's a pill dispencer and a heating blanket for the aches and ask the doc for something to control the nausea. Don't be scared it is like the worst flu or hangover you have ever had except it lasts 48 weeks or more.
Harry
Harry
Well, the class went well. I heard some of what I already knew and some things I didnt. I should be starting within the next couple of weeks. I will update to let you know how things go. If I know me, I will have more questions. Thanks for all the advice.
Peridot
Peridot
Everyone responds so differently to treatment....there is a product/drug to deal with practically every side affect. The best thing you can do is stay positive. Don’t plan for the worst...although sometimes that's easier...lol
A great preventative suggestion I can recomend is to take extra care of your mouth by flossing and brushing regularly. Also, do not use mouth wash containing alcohol. I developed mouth sores on treatment, Not everyone does. A product called BIOTENE is Excellent. I found out about it on another hep c site. This product got rid of them in 2 days. BIOTENE is a natural enzyme mouth wash....google it. Walmart sells it, CVS, Walgreens....etc...
I also got Dry mouth very bad....and this product helped me alot...they make a sugar free/chemical free gum as well.
Best of luck on starting tx....post any tx related issues here. Someone is boung to have an answer to help.
A great preventative suggestion I can recomend is to take extra care of your mouth by flossing and brushing regularly. Also, do not use mouth wash containing alcohol. I developed mouth sores on treatment, Not everyone does. A product called BIOTENE is Excellent. I found out about it on another hep c site. This product got rid of them in 2 days. BIOTENE is a natural enzyme mouth wash....google it. Walmart sells it, CVS, Walgreens....etc...
I also got Dry mouth very bad....and this product helped me alot...they make a sugar free/chemical free gum as well.
Best of luck on starting tx....post any tx related issues here. Someone is boung to have an answer to help.
I am in week 27 and have had to learn a lot ! I was scared as hell at the start, and was pleasantly surprised to find that the side effects can be coped with.
Try to stay off Ibuprofen, and use Tylenol only in emergencies - less insult to the liver, thus better odds of SVR.
Do get in some anti-histamines to help sleep and reduce any itching (usually starts after 12th week).
Get yourself a weekly pill dispenser (there's nothing worse than 'Did I take the Riba this morning or not ?').
Stock up on quality nutritious snacks, fresh fruit, frozen goat's milk yoghurts &c, and throw out any junk food.
Keep a trusted relative or close friend well-informed on what you are doing and the things that you may want to rant about or need help dealing with (sometimes the fatigue makes it very hard to do a household repair or find a decent thermal blanket).
The first effects are usually increased fatigue and a chilly, shaky feeling -- go to bed with a hot drink, an anti-histamine and a movie.
Make sure you have pure cotton clothing next to the skin, as most people on treatment find any synthetic material increases rash and pruritus, and double rinse everything you wash
For nausea, chopped fresh ginger in green tea does the trick for me.
Take it one day at a time, and consult your doctor or a support group whenever you need to, about vitamin supplements, any new symptoms, anxieties, whatever.
My gastro insists that by being ready to deal with all side-effects before they start (he even sent me to a psychiatrist for evaluation before starting Pegasys) and as soon as my white blood cell count started to drop he put in an order for colony stimulating factor, though in fact I never quite needed it, as a substantially increased chlorophylla intake rapidly boosted wbc count) the whole treatment becomes much more manageable, we don't miss doses or go off treatment, and there is a far higher rate of success.
There is plenty of evidence that higher doses of Ribavirin, even though they produce more side effects, give a better chance of SVR, so make sure that you get the maximum,1200mg (or 1400mg p.d. if you are heavy).
By the end of this year you'll be through the whole thing !
Best
Try to stay off Ibuprofen, and use Tylenol only in emergencies - less insult to the liver, thus better odds of SVR.
Do get in some anti-histamines to help sleep and reduce any itching (usually starts after 12th week).
Get yourself a weekly pill dispenser (there's nothing worse than 'Did I take the Riba this morning or not ?').
Stock up on quality nutritious snacks, fresh fruit, frozen goat's milk yoghurts &c, and throw out any junk food.
Keep a trusted relative or close friend well-informed on what you are doing and the things that you may want to rant about or need help dealing with (sometimes the fatigue makes it very hard to do a household repair or find a decent thermal blanket).
The first effects are usually increased fatigue and a chilly, shaky feeling -- go to bed with a hot drink, an anti-histamine and a movie.
Make sure you have pure cotton clothing next to the skin, as most people on treatment find any synthetic material increases rash and pruritus, and double rinse everything you wash
For nausea, chopped fresh ginger in green tea does the trick for me.
Take it one day at a time, and consult your doctor or a support group whenever you need to, about vitamin supplements, any new symptoms, anxieties, whatever.
My gastro insists that by being ready to deal with all side-effects before they start (he even sent me to a psychiatrist for evaluation before starting Pegasys) and as soon as my white blood cell count started to drop he put in an order for colony stimulating factor, though in fact I never quite needed it, as a substantially increased chlorophylla intake rapidly boosted wbc count) the whole treatment becomes much more manageable, we don't miss doses or go off treatment, and there is a far higher rate of success.
There is plenty of evidence that higher doses of Ribavirin, even though they produce more side effects, give a better chance of SVR, so make sure that you get the maximum,1200mg (or 1400mg p.d. if you are heavy).
By the end of this year you'll be through the whole thing !
Best
welcome to the family. :O).
i think you will find some of your answers in the group you speak of tomorrow.
but as i found well into my tx this group exsisted, and boy did i wish i had found it sooner. there is a bevee of info in this group from people who and are in tx, myself included. although i have just recently finished my tx i still come here to see if i can help, just as everyone in here did when i asked for it.so hang in there and just to let you know all of us will pulling for you thru tx.
as far as time to take meds really depends on when you work. i worked mon thru fri w/weekends off so i took my peg shot fri night so i could sleep thru the possible effects ( some may exp diff sides ) from the shot. my riba dose was twice a day and i would eat some fatty food and then take the riba the fat helps absorb the meds, then drink aprrx half my body wieght in ounces of water daily to help push the meds thru my system and de-toxify my body. water helps the body to metabolis faster.
for me the side effects were more tolerable as tx went on. the first night i exp chills a little fever and i even took the tylenol and ibupropen w/peg shot. and after that i was a slightly fatigued my first few weeks, and in my case it was something my body adjusted to.. i did have some naseau issues too but doc gave me meds to help with it.
as far as buying anything you can probably do that as you go. for me my diet changed and thankfully the food that started tasting bad to me were bad for me anyway. i couldnt eat spicy stuff,fried foods especially fried onion rings
( d#@*n ) :O). basically i just tried to do my best eating healthier.
look forward to hearing how it goes for you and your tx, and hang in there i am almost positive many more will answer you reply and help you out.
i think you will find some of your answers in the group you speak of tomorrow.
but as i found well into my tx this group exsisted, and boy did i wish i had found it sooner. there is a bevee of info in this group from people who and are in tx, myself included. although i have just recently finished my tx i still come here to see if i can help, just as everyone in here did when i asked for it.so hang in there and just to let you know all of us will pulling for you thru tx.
as far as time to take meds really depends on when you work. i worked mon thru fri w/weekends off so i took my peg shot fri night so i could sleep thru the possible effects ( some may exp diff sides ) from the shot. my riba dose was twice a day and i would eat some fatty food and then take the riba the fat helps absorb the meds, then drink aprrx half my body wieght in ounces of water daily to help push the meds thru my system and de-toxify my body. water helps the body to metabolis faster.
for me the side effects were more tolerable as tx went on. the first night i exp chills a little fever and i even took the tylenol and ibupropen w/peg shot. and after that i was a slightly fatigued my first few weeks, and in my case it was something my body adjusted to.. i did have some naseau issues too but doc gave me meds to help with it.
as far as buying anything you can probably do that as you go. for me my diet changed and thankfully the food that started tasting bad to me were bad for me anyway. i couldnt eat spicy stuff,fried foods especially fried onion rings
( d#@*n ) :O). basically i just tried to do my best eating healthier.
look forward to hearing how it goes for you and your tx, and hang in there i am almost positive many more will answer you reply and help you out.
the class is excellent.. My Dr. said i had to go if i was gonna treat..its very informing.. MY sides have been just fatigued and always thirsty.. the more u know the better u will become unscared..its kinda trail base u go thru to adjust then nxt thing is that its like taking meds on regular dose..ITs easier then u think.. doable..just stay positive.. and always TRUST IN THE LORD>>> but if ur beliefs are different iam cool with that also.. .Iam suppose to see my hep dr in am but this snow might drown me out..guess i could ski there or snow-board or tube ride over LOL..have a great evening
Make sure you have a good hearing pad and plenty of Tylenol/Ibuprofen (whichever your doc prefers).
Mouse
Mouse
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