Hi there. I am still just great. Almost too great. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. Even though I used to inject over 25 yrs ago it was still the weirdest thing I've ever done. I had to do the old 1 2 3 go three times before I stuck it in... I am alone this week though so we'll see how that goes. I keep thinking that I may have more symptoms as I get more of the drugs into me. Or maybe I am in denial that my new persistent cough is just my asthma acting up. I slept like a log last weekend after my shot but not sleeping so hot now. Wild dreams too. I will see how I feel Fri evening as I am doing shots on Fridays to recover over the weekend for Monday work. I hope everyone is catching these posts to see that this is totally doable and not everyone is down for the count with side affects. I am a positive very health person other than the Hep C so maybe that helps a bit... writing soon. b from the island of paradise up in canada
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Everyone is different. Some people have almost no side effects. Some people get so bad they can't work. Don't spent time going over the list of possible side effects too closely, statistically most of them effect less than 30% of the people. I am doing OK and working 32 hours a week, on the 48 week plan, and find that it is dragging but doable.
I also developed a cough, nurse called it the "riba cough" from a dry throat. Still comes and goes.
Hang in ther and let us know how you are doing.
Kathy
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February 3, 2010: Injection #11 (42%) was administered by yours truly, last evening. I am getting used to the process. I had the usual headache hangover the next morning, otherwise things have been ok today. I have been generally cold because of all of the water that I have been drinking, so my wife surprised me with an electric blanket! I turned it on for about an hour before going to bed and what a wonderful experience! Still have the fatigue, stuffy head, dry skin, and a scratchy throat that comes and goes. I mostly notice the scratchy throat in the morning from breathing dryness and/or post-nasal drip overnight.
Brigitte, I am so happy for you and your lack of major side-effects. Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between side-effects of the medicine, and symptoms of a cold or flu, or just playing head games with yourself. Either way, it sounds like so-far, so-good for you. Please keep in touch! Do you get your next injection tomorrow (2/4)? I don't know how long it takes for this med to build up to a consistent level. I'll have to check on that. I have heard that it takes a month, or so, to get it out of your system, though. Go with the "wild dreams", "that's entertainment"!
I just read that the interferon (Pegasys) is slow-absorbing and reaches its highest level, in the bloodstream, in 4-7 days. Since the dosage is generally every 7 days, it bounces a little but in general, the level is maintained going forward.
Last edited by Guardian1; 02-03-2010 at 05:58 PM.
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thanks for all the posts. I have had a headache for two days now and not sleeping at all so got something for that. I do the second poke tomorrow so if it goes the same as the first it should be all good. I will type this weekend with the outcome. having a hard time drinking water though. not quite there yet on that one. take care everyone b
February 5, 2010: The sore throat is back again. It is on either side of my throat, as it was the last time. I'll monitor it and if it gets almost as bad as last time, I'll see the doctor again. I prefer to ward these things off myself, but the last time, it turned out to be Strep, so we'll see what it develops into. Still feeling tired for most of the time. My energy comes in bursts that can last from an hour to several hours, before I feel like I need a nap. Fortunately, I am able to regulate it, during work, as I can choose what I will be doing and when I want to do it, unless an emergency comes up. I am not a natural water-drinker either, so I have to look at my water bottle occasionally to remind myself to continue drinking. Having the sore throat doesn't help either. My mouth gets really dry during the night, so I keep my water by the bed. My weight is down 17 pounds, since I started 11 weeks ago, so that is not too steep of a decline. I hope to continue with this weight loss.
Shot #3 under my belt. I find the hardest thing is the darn pill popping. I don't take pills and trying to not forget before I run out the door is hard. I carry one dose of Ribi in my purse in case I forget like I did once already. That won't happen again now. Still feeling good. Tired by the end of my work day though. Really tired like hard to drive home sometimes. I sleep really good the night of the shot and have a bit of a hangover the next morning. I have not slept in til 10 for 20 yrs. No real flue symptoms but dry throat. All and all going a lot better than expected. My blood numbers are down of course. Had my first blood work. Just watching the the anemia and stuff. So off to watch the olympics here in canada. Too bad it is mild and rainy this year. We had over 2 feet last winter and it stay for a month. Totally unheard of here on the coast. Oh well the mountains are high and I hope it all goes well. take care everyone. b
February 14, 2010: I am coming up on injection #13, this Tuesday. That will be my 50% point in this therapy. I haven't been writing much, lately, because the fatigue level has gone up. By the time that I get home from work, I am exhausted, and don't feel like doing much. Even sleeping does not seem to refresh me much. So, I guess that I would say that fatigue is the most difficult thing to deal with right now. Second on the list is the constant sore throat, caused by post-nasal drip. I never had cold symptoms before this treatment started, unless I had a cold, but it makes sense that since these chemicals, in these quantities, are foreign to my body, that I am having a kind of allergic reaction. The sore throat is keeping me from hydrating as much as I should, so I do what I can.
I just finished my last shot Sunday, 2-14-10. Yahoo! I had been on the treatment for a year, since last March. It had some really rough spots, but got better. My viral load was undetected at 4 wks. So my body responded fabulously. Now the virus has been completely iradicated.
The best of prayers for your on-going journey.
Stephanie
hi there glad you are well. week 3 and yes the fatigue is starting and it is hard at times. even as tired as I am I cannot sleep. stay in touch and take care... b
I slept about 15 out of the last 24 hours and my energy is up to a reasonable level again. Obviously, I can't maintain that kind of sleep schedule, but it is nice to get a glimpse of what I have to look forward to at the end of this, I hope. Does anyone have any experience regarding a month or two after going off the meds? Are there any lingering side-effects, or do they disappear? I took a vacation day, today, so it is back to work tomorrow. Looking forward to hitting my 50% mark, with the meds, tomorrow. It's all downhill from there, or is it uphill? Whatever it is, the "glass is half-full".
B: I am taking 5 mg of Ambien to get me in the sleep mode. It is a low dose, but it seems to work for me, without making me a zombie, or causing the other weird Ambien side-effects, like sleepwalking, memory loss, etc. Huh, what did I say?...I forgot...just kidding... Also, I have noticed a recent uptick in anxiety and unfounded fears, like fear of going to work, fear of travel outside of my "comfort zone", fear of good things as well as bad things. Xanax seems to help, short-term, and I am working with my psychiatrist on this. It's weird, but knowing that it is chemically-induced, by the meds, helps a little. Hopefully, this will also go away at the end of the therapy.
For everyone reading this, remember, these are my side-effects, not necessarily the ones that you will have, but you will most likely have some. You just have to deal with them as they come along. It's the price of getting better.
By my count you are halfway to stardom, you have gotten to the top of the hill and it is downhill from here. Way to go!!!!
My side effects are different from yours, of course, but I can only say your self-determination and positive outlook are a great way to approach this.
We are all cheering you on, can you hear the roar?
I slept about 15 out of the last 24 hours and my energy is up to a reasonable level again. Obviously, I can't maintain that kind of sleep schedule, but it is nice to get a glimpse of what I have to look forward to at the end of this, I hope. Does anyone have any experience regarding a month or two after going off the meds? Are there any lingering side-effects, or do they disappear? I took a vacation day, today, so it is back to work tomorrow. Looking forward to hitting my 50% mark, with the meds, tomorrow. It's all downhill from there, or is it uphill? Whatever it is, the "glass is half-full".
B: I am taking 5 mg of Ambien to get me in the sleep mode. It is a low dose, but it seems to work for me, without making me a zombie, or causing the other weird Ambien side-effects, like sleepwalking, memory loss, etc. Huh, what did I say?...I forgot...just kidding... Also, I have noticed a recent uptick in anxiety and unfounded fears, like fear of going to work, fear of travel outside of my "comfort zone", fear of good things as well as bad things. Xanax seems to help, short-term, and I am working with my psychiatrist on this. It's weird, but knowing that it is chemically-induced, by the meds, helps a little. Hopefully, this will also go away at the end of the therapy.
For everyone reading this, remember, these are my side-effects, not necessarily the ones that you will have, but you will most likely have some. You just have to deal with them as they come along. It's the price of getting better.
I'll check out that ambien. It is really a frustration not to sleep. By 3pm I am so pooped at work I can't stop yawning. I had a good cry last night I think feeling sorry for myself. I hate taking drugs to sleep to feel good mentally and then to kill the virus and I guess it got to me last night. I did all the drugs I wanted to do yrs ago so this is so against who i am today and sometimes I find it all too much. BUT moving forward I took the day off today for a regeneration day to enjoy the sunshine walk the dog and no one home but me.
For anyone reading on this site these are all very pesonal experiences and not advice or what anyone else should do. God bless and take care all
February 23, 2010: I had to go home, from work, today. Since Sunday, I have been having flu symptoms, but it is apparently not related to the medicines that I am taking for Hep-C, as it appears to be a standard stomach "bug". I seem to be getting over it now. I dropped 7 more pounds as a result, even with hydration. Pressures at work, even when I am feeling halfway decent, are getting worse. I am increasing my daily dose of Xanax, going from "as needed" to one in the morning and one in the evening, along with the Ambien before bed. Physically, although losing weight, and having low energy, being tired, etc., I don't feel that badly. Psychologically, though, I am getting worse (depression). I continue to keep in touch with my psychiatrist and she seems to be getting more concerned. She asked me to call her in a week or sooner if needed, after we see how the Xanax goes.
My Hep-C doctor wants me to finish out the 26 weeks, so I will be taking shot #14 this evening.
i took my first shot yesterday afternoon at the drs. i came home ate dinner then took 2 of my pills. almost exactley 1hr later i had severe chills and chould not move. i must have fallen asleep when i woke up my head and bed totally drenched from sweat. i did feel better but was still sweating. when i woke up about 5:30 i was a mess. my bed was wet my hair was stuck to my head and my clothes were cold and wet. i ate some breakfast and will eat a bit more before i take 3 pills. i am afraid to take them. will i get the chills again or was that from the shot and the pill combined?? i hope i can do this. i am by myself and need some support to continue. the dr is one thing but hearing from others who have just began would make the difference. i was not ready for how chilled i was. i did drink 2 bottles of water. the fluids are important (water especially). i am scared and just hope i can do this. last night i was going to stop. but when i woke up after midnight i sort of changed my mind. still getting so sick is what i am wondering about is it worth it. i am 58 and what is the worse that can happen if i don't do the treatment. unsure but going to take the 3pills this morning and then the 2 pills tonight. i will give it a few days but if the chills and fever
are a daily thing forget it. i hope it was the shot.
Guardian:
One of the side effects of TX is a low white blood cell count, which increases risk of infections. Tell those people at work you are sick and they can pound sand (Oh, I'm having one of those days, maybe I should go home from work, too) at lease I kept it clean,LOL.
Hang in there, watch a funny movie, whatever it takes. YOU CAN DO IT. We are pulling for you and praying for you and pushing you and cheering you on (I"m sure you get the idea ) 14/24 is well past 1/2, it is all downhill from here.
Kathy
Last edited by churchkp; 02-25-2010 at 11:12 AM.
Reason: spelling
Hey hang in there past the first of it. I am only on shot 5 with little to no side affects except for fatigue and that can cause some snappiness at times with people and I feel a bit drugged but nothing unmanageable. My sleep is the worst thing affected so that's another pill now.. but great news is that my liver enzymes are well below what they have been for 15 yrs. Unfortunately up here they don't give viral load on type 3. Not sure who's idea that was... guess because it is a treatable strain with good results. I feel good knowing I will hopefully be virus free by summer and that is enough to keep me going. b
Hi there all. Very tired and stressed and weepy so taking a stay at home day.. Hope to catch a nap later too. Does anyone have any marks at the injection site. I have big red circles where I have injected. 5 red circles still even the mark from my first shot. very odd. Very stressfull at work these days so that doesn't help with being a bit depressed. I take a low dose cymbalta and still getting weepy. even the sleeping pills don't keep me asleep for more than 3 or 4 hrs if I am lucky. The first 4 weeks were fine but I feel it is starting to catch up to me and I am not very good at stopping to smell the roses as they say and I must listen to my body more and stop working at my pace and slow down to a normal pace.. Hope everyone is well. take care. b on the island
Yes I had those big red blotches, they seem to "renew" with every shot at first. Then at about shot #12 they stopped, but kind of faded into bruises. Haven't worn shorts in almost a year, but it is supposed to go away after TX is over. It is a b1tch trying to sleep most nights, I eventually get so exhausted I sleep 10 hours once a week or so. You feel so good the next day. Hang in there on the island.
Kathy
Re: Just Getting Started 
Re: Just Getting Started 
