2 years ago my husband was diagnosed with HCV. He has since undergone Interferon/Rebotol Treatment for 6 months then Pegalate/Rebotol Treatment for 6 months. We thought he had beaten it, but it has returned. He is now in his second month of Infergen/Rebotol Treatment. He takes (from what I understand) the highest dose prescribeable of this medicine (.50ml injection daily + the Rebetol - 5 pills daily). Throughout all of this, he has always managed to maitain his busy work schedule and an overall positive mental outlook, until last week, when we went for our monthly check-up, I explained to the Dr. that I was starting to see signs of depression and that his usually mild tempered manner was becoming volitile at times. As a result, the Dr. prescribed Tofranil (anti-deprs - 75 mg, 1 time a day) along with Ultracet (for the pain). He has been taking these new meds. now for 5 days, and I am not seeing any improvement, in fact, if anything, it seems to me as though he has actually gotten worse (both physically and mentally) since adding the new meds to his regiment. Because it has only been 5 days, I am thinking/hoping that perhaps his body will adjust to it and that things will improve.
I am hoping that someone will be able to advise me on the following items:
#1, How long should I allow him to continue using the new meds without seeing any positive results?
#2, Should/can I consider trying Homeopathic remedies in addition to his treatment?
#3, I am having a very difficult time dealing with his new found anger and depression (neither of which he has ever showed signs of before). I know it sounds selfish of me, but for the first time in our relationship, I am feeling distant from him and am starting to feel as though nothing I say or do is right. I feel as though we have been able to succefully deal with his past treatments based partially on the closeness of our relationship, and I fear that the distance that is developing between us now will make this treatment much more difficult to deal with. I will do whatever it takes to help him, but at this point I find myself facing a horrible monster, that I do not know how to defeat. Does anyone have any personal experience and advice for dealing with this? Please advise ASAP. Your respons will be greatly appreciated.
The following user gives a hug of support to doodlebug: luyingjie (01-25-2012)
The Following User Says Thank You to doodlebug For This Useful Post: luyingjie (01-25-2012)
First, it takes up to SIX WEEKS for an antidepressant to stabilize in a person's system. Some take more time, some take less. You may see some effects right away, such as sleepiness, but these are the effects of the drugs, not a lessening of the depression.
Sometimes, anti-depressants will not help at all. Your provider may need to experiment some to get the right one for his needs. Give the medication about two weeks and if there is not improvement, contact your provider for another talk about this.
Second,do not try taking anything (I hope you are thinking of St. John's Wort--don't take that if there is liver diease!) along with treatment unless it is approved by your provider. You could make things worse, rather than better. Remedies are drugs, too, and can negatively affect your husband and/or the treatment results.
The last part of your message is the very easiest to write because I have been there. But it is a very difficult message to get across. I think it is because the treatment lasts so very long and the end is usually not in sight........
But here goes, assuming there is no medical reason for your husband to discontinue treatment and a really good reason to continue, the first thing you must understand is that you are in a "caregiver" role during treatment. Not before, necessarily, and not after, but definitely during. This is why I am so blunt about relationships and support systems being made part of the decisonmaking process. A treatment is not only about the patient, it involves his/her entire social/family circle) Maintaining a marriage, parenting responsibilities and employment, financial, and career considerations are incredibly difficult and impossible for some people to maintain during treatment.
Your husband is not going to be capable of stretching himself that far emotionally, physically, or intellectually during treatment and for a while after. You are asking the impossible for him to meet your needs during this time and, unfortunately, this will be a major test of your relationship and your ability to put your own needs on hold until it is over. We hear so much about being true to your own needs, taking care of yourself and all the rest and the message now seems contrary to all of that. So, remember, I am saying this is TEMPORARY, until treatment is over. You need to find other strategies to get YOU through.
The down and dirty truth is, that you may need counselling to help you through this. I pray you find a counsellor that "gets it." If you are blessed with a strong family or support system (or both, if you are really lucky) you need to let them in on what is going on and allow them to help you hold on until this is over. Keep telling yourself its the drugs its the drugs its the drugs.
It is a delicate balance if the behavior is disruptive. You and he need to have a strategy by which he removes himself or understand that this is happening. Between you, a stretegy to let him know that the situation or his behavior is escalating and that steps need to be taken before the situation is out of control. He needs to agree to trust you when you tell him that things are geting out of control.
We agreed in our house, for example, that disciplining children while on treatment was a very bad idea. Our son agreed, too.
If your husband is experiencing rages that look like they might result in harm to himself or others (you or anyone) the doctor needs to be notified and he should be taken off the medication.Any weaponds in the home should be put under lock and key, and preferably removed. I mean this.
Being on the highest dose may also be the cause of these problems, so discuss this with your provider as well.
Have your husband's thyroid function checked,. The last round of treatment may have knocked it out of whack and the current round is playing havoc even more. Just a tip.
I hope this helps,
thanbey
------------------
[url="http://www.hcop.org"]www.hcop.org[/url]
preapproved by moderator1
The Following User Says Thank You to thanbey For This Useful Post: luyingjie (01-25-2012)
Thanbey,
Thank you for your response. I certainly appreciate your insight. I am so upset over this sudden change in my husband and our life. We managed to make it through the first 2 rounds of treatment without having to deal with the depression/anger issue. I am accustomed to tolerating his occasional grumpiness (while undergoing treatment), but this is different. I guess I was hoping for someone to just tell me that it would go away as quickly it appeared. I am hopeful that the Tofranil will help him. I just dread the thought of having to wait a few weeks in the hopes of possibly seeing results. He is not violent, so I don't fear him, I just fear that his anger will push me away, and that is the last thing I want. I don't know that we are in need of couseling yet, we are still at a stage where he realizes and appologizes for his depression and grumpiness and I am still forgiving of it. I just don't want for that to change. Perhaps I should go to counseling to learn how to deal with his anger. Do you think it would be sensible for me to go alone?
The following user gives a hug of support to doodlebug: luyingjie (01-25-2012)
The issue is not your relationship. The issue is your need for support during the course of treatment because he can't offer it. Treatment is not the time for relationship counselling.
I am sorry to ask this, but why is he even taking a third round of treatment at all? There are lots of people that opt for two courses, but a third is very unusual and seldom leads to a response. In fact, the chances of a response are dramatically reduced if the first was unsuccessful.
A histologic imporvement may alredy have been achieved.
Than,
Thank you for your response to my previous e-mail. Today I have a far more important question, first of all just so you know, my husband is really only undergoing his second round of treatment, his first treatment was 6 months of Interferon A and the second 6 months they switched him over to Pegalate. He was thought to have beaten it, but his check-up viral load came back with signs of the virus, so we started him on Infergen (he is now 2 months into it). He has been horribly sick since last Thrusday (the day he had his last check-up)the Dr.s prescribed the anti-deprsnt and pain pills, which he startes taking that evening (last Thursday). He has since been sicker than ever. Last night we decided that he wasn't going to take anymore of the anti-depr. or pain pills and we decided to give his body a break from his nightly injection and pills, just for the night. I was hoping that this would give his body a break and that he would feel a little better and that we would return to his treament today. But, he was up sick all night and still doesn't feel much better. I have put a call in to his Dr. but have not heard back yet. Is this a bad idea? Should I wake him up and give him his injection and pills? I don't know what to do. Please advise immediately!!!
The following user gives a hug of support to doodlebug: luyingjie (01-25-2012)
The Following User Says Thank You to doodlebug For This Useful Post: luyingjie (01-25-2012)
Please Help me w/HepC and Depression 
Linear Mode
