have many questions - Hepatitis Message Board

tt62177 · 07-14-2003, 02:25 PM

trying to find some answers on the internet i stumbled across this site. so i registered (because there seems to be a lot of knowledge here). here goes, my dad has hep c he has been on interferon for about 4 months, he takes a shot once a week (peg-intron)he also takes 4 rebetol daily amongst other meds the dr. has prescribed (even effexor for depression). his reaction to all these meds is what is frightening, he has lost over 30 lbs his appetite has diminished, he vommits frequently and the last month he has been passing out on a weekly basis. this week he passed out 3x's it is very scarry when this happens. he doesn't fell it coming on he just collapses where ever he is. i shoul also mention that he sustained a very bad foot injury before beggining treatment and his dr. has him on morphine pills which he is majorly addicted to and if not supervised will take many more than perscribed. we (my mom and i) have also learned that he has been smoking ciggarettes whenever he gets a chance. we really don't know what to do, he is like a misgievious little kid. we are all worried sick about him and his well being but he can't seem to do the right thing and take care of himself. the passing out is really my biggest concern because he falls so hard every time and hits his head it's very dangerous. i can't help but think it's because of the smoking or lack of proper nutrition. does anyone have any advise? is the passing out a common side affect? also the dr. says after a year of interferon he'll be back to his old self. is this true? we hate seeing him this sick, he wasn't sick before he strarted treatment and some family members don't understand why he's doing the treatment if it makes him this sick. but we want him to get better. (i can go on and on). can anyone shed some light on this situation?

thanks,
tina

kackles · 07-14-2003, 04:21 PM

Hi Tina - Does his doctor know about the passing out, poor diet and smoking? If not, he should be told, and maybe he can impress on your father how important it is that he take care of himself. The morphine addiction should also be addressed by the doctor. It certainly is not a good thing. Hearing you describe him as "mischievous" is disturbing to me. Does he think this is all a joke? Maybe you can print out some information for him to read.

As far as the doctor saying he'll be back to his old self in a year, there are no guarantees on that one for sure. Treatment is a gamble. It does not work for everyone and actually makes some people worse. I don't want to alarm you, but you and your family should know the facts. A lot of doctors don't tell you enough about what may or may not happen on treatment. Since I was diagnosed and started doing so much research, I will never get railroaded by a doctor again. Before I start ANY treatment recommended, I do my own research.

How old is your father? Is he open to suggestions at all, or is he like so many men I've known who don't pay heed to criticism or suggestion when it comes to their own well-being?

Hepatitis C is not a death sentance. All of the research I have seen indicates that the majority of HCV sufferers will die from something entirely different. Of course, it all depends on the condition of the liver. I have chosen to treat myself alternatively with my doctors backing me up.

You can find mega-information on the web. I am sure you will receive responses here from people who are on treatment also.

God bless you and your family. Love, Karolyn

Wes1212 · 07-15-2003, 01:38 AM

i might ask a doctor for a referral to a neurologist about narcolepsy and if the tx is aggravating it.

askherjohn82 · 07-16-2003, 09:10 AM

hi tt62177
and a warm welcome to the board.how long has he had the virus,also did his doc speak with him about what stage his liver is in. i do know that my liv-doc (when first diagnosed)mentioned to me about weight being a factor.i managed to reach the 125 mark now and he was happy with that.i'm not on treatment but have this 20+yrs.i have never heard of someone falling like that. though it could be the morphine pills.then again maybe see another doc for a second oppinion.as far as his actions, i would think he's scared but trying to cope with the virus itself. prayers are sent your way. take care.
keep the faith, bless you............mj

tt62177 · 07-16-2003, 12:09 PM

hi thanks for the replies
just to answer a few questions my dad will be 47 next month. he was diagnosed last year, but it is believed that he has had this for about 30 years. there is some liver damage (about 1/3 of his liver is damaged, according to his dr.) and this is why he started treatment. he was told if he didn't start treatment he would have cirrhosis within 10 years. the dr. is aware of the fainting spells and believes it is due to low blood pressure. he has told my father to use more salt in his diet and also precribed some kind of salt pill. the dr. is also aware of the addiction to the pain killers and is not concernd with it at this time. he will not give more than what is neccesary to control the pain. i will be going with him to his next appointment to get more answers and see if he could be monitored more closely. as of now he's only seen once a month that doesn't seem like enough to me considering how sick he has been).
well thanks for the support and idea about the nuerologist, i will ask about that -tina