what to expect when you start treatment

[couger25]

i have hep c geno type  2b. i start my treaatment first week of august. how does it work.  you take three shots a week. when will you be the sickest. will i loose my hair. what do i expect. i know flu like symptoms.

[denisef714]

I started tx 5/21 and I too am type 2b. I have not been too bad off. slight hair loss fatige 1 night nausa. That is pretty much it for me. I was undectable 2 and 1/2 weeks after starting tx. I am on this pegasys and Riba. Good luck with your journey.

[Bill1954]

Hi Couger,

Welcome to the discussion group. Can you tell us where you’re from? Most countries now use pegylated interferon that requires once weekly injections, taken along with the oral drug ribavirin. The old, non-pegylated drugs used to require 3-times weekly injections.

Timing of side effects varies widely between individuals; you might not be deeply affected by the drugs; most of us at least deal with fatigue, however.

Again, hair loss varies as well; some lose 40-50 % volume, others might only get slight thinning, change of texture, etc. Generally, it’s more noticeable to the patient, rather than the general public.

With genotype 2, you stand very good odds of success; in excess of 80%, I believe. Good luck with the journey, and let us know how things go—

Bill