1 Month post TX, heptimax and a question

[painterlady13]

Hi all,
After 48 weeks TX ending june 26.  I took my heptimax test a couple weeks ago and friday I went to see my liver doc.  It was still UND.  He was very adament about me not getting too excited until I have done the 3 month and 6 month tests also.  his very words were "it could not be there 1 day and be back the next" in his thick German accent LOL. .  But I was RVR with my first test 6 weeks beiing UND with the less than 5 test and having stayed that way, so I do feel that this is great news.

Question though --- I have had some kind of rash (exsema  (sp?) or psoriasis)  on my elbows that I never had before show up and the psoriasis I have always had in my eyebrows has gotten quite a bit worse (very red and flaking).  I just wonder if  this could be a result of ending the IFN.  I have heard that it could cause that.  Has anyone else had this? I will see my reg doc tomorrow and ask for something to put on it to reduce the rash like stuff on the elbows.  Wierd.....   I expected this to get worse on TX not after ending it.
Nicki

[painterlady13]

Jim, Thanks for you suggestions. I am going to my doc today and will ask her about Elidel. I am not out in the sun enough to have to worry about even using a sunblock... Maybe next year But I will ask her about it

Goldyn, Thank you for the congrats.  My elbows look like I had gotten in to some poison oak or sumac but as I told jim I don't go outside except to go to and from the car and in the evenings out on my balcony to sit. It has little raised dots and is very dry even if I put lotion on it hasn't really gotten better but it doesn't itch at all.  Doesn't hurt either it's just there and looks bad.

[goldyn]

Big congrats on the pcr...did the rash look like ring worm? i had a couple on my arm that looked like that post tx but it wasnt my doc gave me a steriod creme to put on it and it went away.....

[jmjm530]

You probably have a 90-95% chance of being SVR, but your doctor is just being reasonably cautious. My docotor said similar re the 3 and 6 month tests, although a more recent study shows 100% correlation with SVR if you are UND 3 months post treatment, unless you are stage 4. So, yes, great news, with a little bit of guarded caution thrown in!

Psoriasis would be expected to get worse during treatment and better after. That's the path mine followed but I treated it agressively during treatment, so that may have affected its cycle. What did flare after treatment was eczema and rosacea, including flaking on my eyebrows ( seborrheic dermatitis).

If possible see a dermatologist for a diagnosis because PCPs and Liverheads tend just to throw a topical steroid at you, and often they use the wrong steroid (too strong) on the wrong parts of the body.

In general, try and stay away from any topical steroid on your face (including OTC 1% hydrocortisone) unless under the direct supervision of a dermatologist or you can end up with more problems (thinning skin, steroid rebound, steroid rosacea) than you started with. Ask your doctor about Elidel Cream for your flaking eyebrows, as opposed to a steroid. That's what I used and it was very effective, just make sure you use a sunblock over Elidel, as it can make you more sun sensitive. They will probably prescribe a topical steroid for your elbows -- although once it gets under control you could use Elidel or Protopic ointment for mainteance. In any event, you should first get a proper diagnosis.

-- Jim