Help with side affects/treatment

[debbiemac40]

I am gathering together a book for my caregiver and want to list possible side affects and treatment for them.  I thought I remembered somewhere on here there was such a site.  If anyone can help I appreciate it.  Also adding a daily sheet for meds..  Any other suggestions will greatly help.

thanks everyone.  Trying to be ahead of the game since it looks like it my truly happen this time

Debbie   :)

[debbiemac40]

Hector,
Thank you  thank you thank you..  This is an awesome site and has really helped out alot.  I hope to get through this and hopefully pass on the word about Hep C.   It was just by luck that I found out soon enough that I can be treated.

Thanks to everyone on here.

[orphanedhawk]

Not to throw a damper on things but interferon and rib aren't exactly easy for many, despite the triple whammy being worse.
I'm geno 2.
What I found during tx is my need for help was mostly due to my becoming more insular and the exhaustion.
My husband would do all the grocery shopping and most of the cooking. I'd walk with him to the store, for exercise, and sit outside on the bench while he shopped. I really hated being in crowds.

About three weeks into tx, I drove to pick up a freind and missed my corner three times in a row! That's when I realized how the meds were making me confused. If you don't need to drive, don't.

If you've got a big house, you might have someone come clean for you once a week.

I was quite able most days to take a long walk but the rest of the day, I'd lie around or be on the computer. Often I couldn't even read a book.

Be sure and get a pill organizer.
Good luck

[Idyllic]

Oh sorry Dawn makes a good point. The side effect for the Peg & Riba without a PI is very different. I am glad I didn't find that one post since it would have bogged you down with so much info you will not need, wor probably even use.

I only treated for 19 weeks on Peg & Riba and although I had a few bad days I was able to work full time and basically function and do what I was supposed to do. It is good you are getting mentally prepared :)

[HectorSF]

Here is a list of how to treat the side effects of HCV treatment from •hcspFACTsheet• Hepatitis C Support Project • www.hcvadvocate.org.

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factsheets.asp#Easy_eng

Scroll down a little more than half the page and you will see the following
PDF files.

HCV Treatment – Side Effect Management
Managing Side Effects of HCV Treatment
Side Effect Management: Anal Itching and Other Anorectal Complaints
Side Effect Management: Anxiety, Mania, and Depression
Side Effect Management: Dental Hygiene
Side Effect Management: Depression August, 2012
Side Effect Management: Depression—For Family and Friends
Side Effect Management: Diarrhea
Side Effect Management: Hair Loss
Side Effect Management: Headaches
Side Effect Management: Hemolytic Anemia
Side Effect Management: Injection Site Reactions
Side Effect Management: Maintaining a Positive Attitude
Side Effect Management: Mouth Sores
Side Effect Management: Nausea
Side Effect Management: Neutropenia
Side Effect Management: Rashes
Side Effect Management: Taste Changes
Side Effect Management: Water
Side Effect Management: Weight Loss

Cheers!
Hector

[Dawn703]

I see you're GT 2, so you're not doing a PI right?

I didn't really have to many side effects from peg and riba but...

Drink lots of water, can't stress that enough, I drink a gallon a day and did more on shot day. I also drank some coconut water on shot day.

For mild to moderate nausea, I drank ginger ale and used something called sea bands. For more extreme nausea, my Dr prescribe zofran.

For insomnia, I drink chamomile tea/warm milk or took melatonin

One thing to remember is to not let any side effects snowball, call your Dr.

Anemia is a big issue, symptoms of this are shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, I felt like a rag doll. So make sure your Dr. is monitoring your blood regularly and will act quickly if your hgb drops.

I didn't get brain fog too bad, depression, or chills and body aches, so have nothing for you there, sorry, but the  www.hepcadvocate.org site that OH gave you is really good and there is an article on management of sx.

I used a number of supplements during treatment also that my Dr. Ok'ed
B complex (sublingual) with extra B12, folic acid, vitamin E (mixed tocopherols) and D3, Bee pollen (had to drop this eventually due to nausea), and SAMe.

Wishing you the best

[Idyllic]

I wish I could find this one post by a lady who was going to become a caregiver for HCV patients. She already had nursing experience but didn't know anything about the Incivek and the sides. so she wrote a post soliciting tips and advice from people who took Incivek.

This was I think back in March and it ended up being really long and had the tips about the sides (anal stuff, nausea, rash, itching the fat requirement). Plus it had a list of things to do prior to starting treatment from all the labs to certain kinds of shopping (bags of dog food) and the like. It covered everything. She said she already had one of the HCV pamplets and none of the stuff we mentioned was in there.

I have looked for the post on and off since last night and I can't find it. I wish we could have a section that has info for Frequently Asked Questions on here. I mean treatment for the Incivek rash is unlikely to change so why not have it in a FAQ section? Pooh has a few posts that I swear should be in the HCV Resource section plus some other members have one. OH has one about Q's to ask your doctor and stuff like that.

OK sorry about the ramble I will keep looking!

[debbiemac40]

thanks so much, its nice to know there are people out there to help you when you need it and I call them my friends.  Have a great day.

Debbie

[orphanedhawk]

Here's the pegasys web site to cover possible sx of interferon and ribavirin:
http://www.pegasys.com/

You also might want to look at :
www.hepcadvocate.org