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Avatar universal

Hep C and Fatigue

Hi guys, thought I would post this on this side of the forum and see if any of you could respond that didnt on the other side.

I am doing research into Fatigue and Hepatitis C, I need your input:

1. Is fatigue your worst symptom.

2. What do you use or take to help with the fatigue.

3. What is your experience with fatigue before treatment.

4. As you know there arent many studies done that supply us with a remedy for fatigue, except the study done on Ondansatron by Piche et al in 2005.  Have any of you tried Ondansatron??

I appreciate all your help in this, thanks.  The findings will be written up in a report I am writing with a psychologist on the symptoms of hepatitis C.  A link will be provided once it is written and published.

I appreciate all your help in this, thanks.

Linda
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Avatar universal
That is exactly what is happening to my son. His test show that he has slight inflammation in his liver but yet he has overwhelming fatigue. The doctors think it is depression but he says he is depressed because he is so fatigued and can hardly function. The drs have offered no help. I found your analysis very interesting. Doesn't seem like the drs are willing to listen to what the patients are really experiencing to come up with a solution to the fatigue.
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Avatar universal
I also have had hep c for forty years ..my blood test are good my biopsy good.....nothing has changed for many years had everything checked last Jan everything the same ...minimal ....yet this last 8 months have felt heavy fatigue  not sure why ...in non related test...heart kidneys etc ok   I am looking for something other then interferon    did your meds work   and where could i get information on them...thank you
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1814148 tn?1332485798
Odansantron is an anti-naseant..not sure how it could play a direct role in treating fatigue. Anyhow I struggle with fatigue. I work 12 hour shifts on my feet and have a family with young kids, so I'm sure these are also contributing factors. Some days I drink excessive amounts of coffee and could sleep with a cup of java in my hand. I would advise against taking large doses of caffeine, especially no-dose or wakeups. Caffeine is toxic to the liver in large doses. I have found that good nutrition and adequate water is the best energy boost. Careful not to take fat soluable vitamins like A,D and E. These are stored in the liver and can cause acute symptoms of hepatitis. A B12 complex is great for energy. Eating small frequent meals is best. Fibre intake is important in helping the body to eliminate toxins that are sitting in the bowels. A gentle cleanse is a great idea. It helps to cleanse the digestive tract so the crud isn't blocking the little cells that absorb the vitamins and minerals. Hope this helps :o)
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Avatar universal
Thank you for you interest ,Yes Fatigue is my worst symptom ,not my only. Also suffer from bad bouts of heart burn,But the fatigue can be so bad and last about three days ..or so ,Seems to come and go just like that!! I usually ,just push on threw it to get things done ...I've never treated before ,Hopefully this year I 'll beable to get treatment ..never heard ofOndansatron
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1253246 tn?1332073310
Zofran Information from Drugs.com
www.drugs.com/zofran.html - CachedSimilar
You +1'd this publicly. Undo
Zofran (ondansetron) is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by surgery or cancer medicines. Includes Zofran side effects, interactions and indications.

1.yes
2.keep moving-coffee
3Not on tx yet
4.I have used Zofran-it puts me to sleep but VERY good for nausea         cindy
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Avatar universal
1. Is fatigue your worst symptom.
    Bad but not my worst.  I would say migraines and mood changes/depression
2. What do you use or take to help with the fatigue.
    Hydrocodone I dose on the night of the injection and follow the next 3-4 days with 1/2 a pill.  I am using Hydrocodone 5/500

3. What is your experience with fatigue before treatment.
   2nd round of tx.  Fatigue *****, I am exhausted all the time and I think this lends to my mood swings.  Before tx I was tired but nothing like this.

4. As you know there arent many studies done that supply us with a remedy for fatigue, except the study done on Ondansatron by Piche et al in 2005.  Have any of you tried Ondansatron??
   No, is this not used for nausea in Cancer patients?  Is there anyone that uses it and knows it works?!?
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Avatar universal
1. Is fatigue your worst symptom.          My answer: Yes, but I do have other symptoms as well.

2. What do you use or take to help with the fatigue.     My answer:  Nothing other than morning coffee.

3. What is your experience with fatigue before treatment.      My answer:  Since I've never cleared and I've done treatment umpteen times, my experience with fatigue is the same as it's always been, no change there.  I do force myself, PUSH myself to exercise because I feel that the alternative of laying on the couch and giving in to the fatigue is worse.

4. As you know there arent many studies done that supply us with a remedy for fatigue, except the study done on Ondansatron by Piche et al in 2005.  Have any of you tried Ondansatron??    My answer:  No, I haven't tried it and I've never heard of it either.

I hope this helps your research.   Susan400
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Avatar universal
I was a hepc carrier for 40 years.  I just started treatment two and a half weeks ago with remarkable new oral drugs.  I was always feeling like I was slogging through the day and was working two difficult jobs but couldn't do any more and it seemed like every day was a cloudy, tired day.  Sleep was not that good but adequate I suppose.  The new drugs caused a 4 log drop in the viral burden in 72 hours.  During tht time I have slept soundly and while I am fatigued from the drugs it feels different.  It is easily dissipated with a cup of coffee which creates a buzz!  The old hep c fatigue never responded to coffee although heavy green tea helped some.  
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the comments, here is a link to the research:

http://www.hepcaustralia.com.au/hep-c-information-station/fatigue-in-hcv-infection-a-review-1989-2011
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253566 tn?1219679699
Doubt we will get that link to the published report since this was originally started/ended in 2007...

For me it wasnt the HepC but the CureofC/Treatment that brought on my disabilities and one included: chronic low level anemia which brings on somekindafunfunfun fatigue... tried a few things suggested by various docs and my psych has been most helpful. Currently he has me on VYVANSE (currently 70mg). I think it is for kids with ADD or something like that but for adults without ADD it works as a stimulant. It seems to be effective once it gets me out of bed and into my first espresso...

Coming off it is another story and takes a boatload of pills to try to get my into sleep mode and it starts all over again.

Copay for me is like one or two dollars under medicaid - cool!
Helpful - 0
1636196 tn?1337801300
i'ts so bad some days, that all i can do is set. I never had it before tx . I have also tied every thing. I fact i get  it most days. I am woundering if i should take a amnio acids. to pick me up.
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Avatar universal
Hello i have hep c and fatigue is my worst sypmtom followed by night sweats and a body temperature that raises with just talking to someone or doing anything,another problem was skin infections which could go from mild to turning into abscess and needing hospital treatment [i v atibiotics because oral were not strong enough].Also affecting me with the fatigue was driving and falling asleep at work this had been going on for years and it it was only my DR hearing about the night sweats that she wanted blood test done and two blood test showed had and have got hep c,i have been to the hospital to see a specialist and had more blood test for which genology i have.,i am waiting for results and apointment back at the hospital and i guess treatment.I no now i have had hep c a long time because of the symptoms,also on my right handside below the ribcage feels lumpy i dont no if that is anything but its different to my left side.I hope this helps you.
By the way i am in Auckland New Zealand.
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Avatar universal
My H was very fatigued prior to dx.  He would sleep from the time he came home from the office until I got home from my job (much longer commute) every single day.  We joked and attributed it to our teens and our busy life and our "older" age. We did not realize that the fatigue was the Hep C.  The fatigue went away immediately upon starting tx.  He is now 1 month post tx and is no longer fatigued.
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Avatar universal
what is soc?
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Avatar universal
Fatigue and shooting pains were the pre diagnosis symptoms.  During each round of tx I got more tired, pain kicked up and brain phog came in off the coast (more so anyway).

Post tx I went hypothyroid, developed heavy RA symptoms and still have terrible problems with both the pain and fatigue but deal with it by pushing through till I drop.  A couple of sleep studies show apnea, but I couldn't tolerate the cpap machine they Rx'd so recently had surgery to remove tonsils, adenoids, zap the uvula, repair deviated septum and remove some "nodes" that were biopsied but showed clear.  Snoring is gone, breathing better and sleeping longer.  I'm just as tired as ever, fighting falling asleep at work and sometimes while driving...


LOOK OUT...........

Never heard of the med you listed.  I go in tomorrow (Thursday) to see the doc for the results of the last sleep study.  I know from the tech that the apnea is gone, but still something!

Kim
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Avatar universal
wanting to kill people all the time was my worst side but was to tired to do it. lucky for them. I never took any thing for it I just laid down an took a nap, lucky for I didn't have to work
Helpful - 0
86075 tn?1238115091
Hi, yes, fatigue is indeed my worst symptom, and the only one that "really calls out to me" lol...I have low liver damage and great, very normal labs, so I know that my particular fatigue is not due to any kind of advanced hep c symptoms, I have read over and over on these boards that others (usually women) who have fatigue, sometimes have low to no liver damage as well.

With all my studying on the subject, and canvassing various doctors, it's probably due to the immune system fighting off an underlying, ongoing infection, something akin to what the body does in fighting off a flu virus. I've often talked to certain persons who had no  fatigue from this at all, no symptoms to speak of, yet they seemed to have a more aggessive virus, causin more excessive liver damage. I've wondered, is it because, for whatever reason, their own immune systems were not fighting off the virus? therefore no symptoms? I wonder. Of course, this does not apply to all people who have no symptoms, but it does make me wonder with those that have more advanced liver damage, and no symptoms.

For me, it's a stamina question as well, I can start something great guns, but I dont have the stamina to finish out a lot of things. I find myself having to take rest pauses through the day. Now I'm also suffering a bad case of menopause, with my hormones going all over the place, even though I supplement, so I really don't know if the hep is making that worse (I'd suspect) and if the fatigue is originating from the menopause or the hep, prob 6 of one and a half dozen of the other. I'm just hoping that treatment will alleviate some of this fatigue at some time, I can only hope. But I also know that expectations can play "gotcha" with many people, so I just hope for the best, and leave it at that, and try not to get too caught up in expectations.

The only thing I really do to help me with fatigue is some green tea in the morning, which does give me a definite boost (does have a little caffeine) and I find if I eat a giant veggie salad I get a little boost from all the vitamins and minerals. Speaking of which, my supplementation regimen does give me added energy against the fatigue as well. Course naps are a good way to relieve it too. Hope this helps you.
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86075 tn?1238115091
Hi, I've been meaning to give you my take on your questions, but I'm too fatigued! lol...but I will, I'd like to read the thread in it's entirety when i get some energy...Im so silly...anyway, just wanted to say hi! and I'll try to get to this tamale!
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Avatar universal
Thanks for all your answers, they will all help in the review.  I have quite a lot to research now from posts people have made.  Ondansetron has been trialled for fatigue by Piche et al.  With some good results, but the cost of the pill is expensive, between $25 - $60 per pill.
Take care everyone.

Linda
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Avatar universal
Ondansetron (Zofran) put me to sleep during treatment, but then again, so did most anything.
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Avatar universal
Ondansetron is mainly used for nausea... post op, post chemo, stuff like that. I've never heard of it used to combat fatigue

My fatigue just gets worse and worse (but I'm already at week 65 of 72). The only thing that helps really is to take a midday nap, and wake up slightly refreshed.  I haven't found any magic medicines that help. (some have suggested Provigil, but I was reluctant to add yet another medicine to my regimen.)

Mark
Helpful - 0
217229 tn?1192762404
I've been avoiding this post... cause fatigue sucks the life right out of me --- and the more I ignore it - the more I get done... LMAO!

I'm a mind over matter kinda gal. LOL!

Anyhooo I will try and answer your questions --- and I wish ya luck on your writing.

1. Is fatigue your worst symptom.

Sometimes. The SX merry-go-round was the hardest thing. Not as bad now --- but 6 months ago I think there were days that lifting my head off the pillow was so exhausting. Sometimes --- even now, I'll be at work and cannot move my body without extreme effort... However, like I said --- I try to keep that thought far far away. Otherwise I get nothing accomplished. And I hate feeling like I can't accomplish something.


2. What do you use or take to help with the fatigue.

For me --- I force myself to go until I drop. Or I just say to myself "one more minute - hang in there."

3. What is your experience with fatigue before treatment.

I was tired and achey all the time - felt like I was 90 years old... Or something like that. Like I should have been in a nursing home dozing in the sunlight like a cat. But it wasn't a comfortable snoozing... I do feel better now post treatment.

4. As you know there arent many studies done that supply us with a remedy for fatigue, except the study done on Ondansatron by Piche et al in 2005.  Have any of you tried Ondansatron??

No - didn't try anything except EMERGEN-C. I kind of live on that stuff. But it's not really an "energy" thing per se. I've never heard of Ondansatron.  What is it?


Well - I do hope that helped.

Meki
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Avatar universal
Fatigue has been one of my most frustrating symptoms. I have always been blessed with great health and abundant energy. I began taking USANA essentail vitamins about a year after I tested positive for Hep C because I had a host of other annoying symptoms leading doctors to diagnose fibromyalgia. Long story short, I have not had to take drugs at present because my body spontaneously cleared the virus (not sure I trust that explanation). I do believe God created each of according to His plan and has a purpose for each of us and apparently mine is not yet complete. I have to put my trust in Him moment by moment. He has been the author of so many miracles in my life! Every day I grow closer in my relationship with Him because He has been right beside me through all the trials.
nnyg
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Avatar universal
Fatigue is my only symptom.  I do not take anything except a little coffee.  Have not started treatment yet.  Never heard of Ondansatron.  Good Luck!
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