Hep C Discussion Forum

This is my 4th time since 1991 on interferon - I don't how i did it for 48 either!

I work full time and go to school so when mental confusion began it was very hard for me, especially since one of my classes this semester is statistics and that takes mental concentration. But I didn't have the mental confusion for long and I think it was thanks to school. I had to plough through statistics which kept my brain sharp.

i have always been bad at taking medication consistently so before I started treatment I brought a cheap pill box that has morn and night slots. Every Saturday, I refill I he box with a weeks worth of meds and haven't had ant problems taking the meds. I may be up to an hour too early or too late but that hasn't been an issue.

because ribavirin can cause the confused thinking, I organized everything prior to the onset of tx and that has really helped. Keep plugging along. We all have our challenges and venting here is perfectly acceptable. You might ask a question that someone else is too scared to ask, that's how I try to look at things

PW, JoAnneh, Kellie, Rundout , newmex, and others - thanks for the advice. On the bad days I just think 'one foot infront of the other ' til the end rundout.

If you'ever travelled cross country in a car, that's what my couch looks like Kellie.

JoAnneh, I remember following your tx a few years ago, felt I just couldn't do the Incivek. All of you 48 weekers and multiple tx doers are the true pathfinders for us newbies.

Never realized TV could be so bad....

jimbob

You have my respect, I was set up  for this Tx before I found a trial  ... Stay hydrated ( makes everything more  tolerable )

Make it a one day at a time job, finishing the treatment is the only goal you should worry about.

Good luck and get it done

Hi all.
Wow, this has to be the most empathetic and selfless group of people I've ever encountered. Thank you for you responses.
Scruffy, you sir have earned your wings. For all you given I sincerely hope your hep c-free dreams come to pass. Forty-eight weeks is beyond my comprehenion. And you're on the last . A big congratulations to you.
Caryn, Isiscat and I both know  your words are from the heart. And Isiscat, as usual, a wise suggestion. Fortunately, tomorrow I go for my 8 wk draw even tho I'm in my 9th wk.
Tazcat I just don't want the levee to break (got no place to go).
And to everyone else thanks again for your support.
I've given this some thought and believe because I waited to retire to do this, I've become listless, not knowing what to do. Can't really get out in the sun or do much because I get winded and fatigued. Untethered might be the word, and anxious to be done with it. Also apathetic.
Isiscat, I bought oatmeal bath in anticipation of this tx.Just haven't used it yet-will do.
Thanks again everyone.
P.S. I was trying to recall a Hemingway quote re: moving away to escape ,"You can't get away from yourself by moving from one place to another" , and started to tear up while reading this tortured man's quotes It's hard to tell where the self ends and the drugs begin.
jimbob

-- Edited by jimbob on Wednesday 7th of May 2014 04:06:30 AM

Jimbob hang in there, i am a little over half way on the 48 week incivic program and i feel exactly the same way. Am on Anti depressants and am thinking they help but sometimes i wonder. Have found out watching your diet does help. For me sugars and chocolates are definitely not good, make me feel twice as dingy. I cant carry on a conversation longer than a couple sentences some days, then the next day i feel almost normal. Or at least what I remember as normal, lol

But vl is undetectable and has been since wk 2 on the Incivic, except for one week that showed detectable but  too low to count, liver enzymes almost normal. So much as i hate it am going to try to finish it out.  As dazed and confused as I am.

And best of luck to every one on here.

Isiscat2011 wrote:

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Caryn wrote:

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I feel the same way!  My mind is going 1000 mph, but my body can't keep up!  I totally agree, I have some serious respect for the 24 and 48 week people. Sticking with it for that long is some serious perseverance! 

 

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You guys are doing great but just a little friendly comment about the whole perseverance thing:  The Interferon/Riba combo can cause some very serious problems, both physical and mental, and this isn't just about perseverance.  If you feel like you are in any real trouble get some medical help.  

My tx was discontinued in week 10, and that was the third time my doctor suggested it was time to stop, because I was having systemic problems with the drugs (Incivek too) that he didn't think looked good.  But for my own stubbornness I would have stopped sooner and been better off both short and long term.  

Back then, the docs didn't know quite what to do yet,  because Incivek was so new and nobody outside of the clinical trials had been through it yet.  You guys are in a similar position with Sovaldi+Interferon+Riba but, fortunately, the tx time is shorter and Sovaldi does not appear to exacerbate the Interferon/Riba side effects.   You will probably be just fine but just be careful not to take the whole stoic thing too far.   

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 You are absolutely correct. Maybe I should have been more clear in my response. I used the word perseverance thinking of the members who made it through the long term of treatment and didn't quit. Not by any means because of severe side effects that could do extreme harm, but just the general miserable feeling of being on treatment. We are trying to kill a virus, not ourselves and I hope my comment didn't come across That way. I have been on this treatment for only 4 1/2 weeks and working full time. There have been a few bad days that have made me question if I could hang in there, that's all. 

I would agree with Isiscat about the blood work. At least rule out being anemic.

Yes, please don`t feel guilty for expressing how you`re feeling, Jimbob, this is the place to share what you`re going through, so do feel free to vent.  Anyone who`s suffered from riba rage and brain fog while on treatment understands what it`s like!

The tx you`re on with peg/riba isn`t easy and quite often the emotional and mental side effects are worse than the physical one, and that was certainly my experience.  Go easy on yourself and do whatever you can to relax and get through your last three weeks, it`s not much longer now.  And remember that most of us get confused about the dosage at least once over the course of tx, so don`t stress about it, just carry on as normal from tomorrow.

Try to relax yourself with things you enjoy, like music, favourite films or TV programs, whatever makes you feel good, and try to keep your day to day life as simple as possible.  Best of luck, hang on in there! 

Oh, Jimbob, I know the exact feeling you are describing.  Pretty common on the Int/Riba combo and it isn't pleasant.  The accidental early Riba dosing didn't help matters and I'm glad you called the pharmacist about that.  Getting confused about dosage times was also not uncommon with that combo.

I don't know if this will help because you are a guy, and some guys aren't that into baths, but it sure helped me.  I used to sit in a warm bath for up to a couple of hours at a time.  Also lit candles and played soft music.  A little lavender oil adds to the relaxation factor as does chamomile tea. For a while I had this odd hankering for country music but it was not always calming.  Massage therapy can also work wonders.  Whatever you normally do to de-stress is what I would do now (not including vigorous exercise).  

You should feel better by tonight and you won't have to take your evening dose of Riba since you already did that.  But, I understand this is an ongoing process.  If you need to don't hesitate to call your doc to see if some medicinal therapy may be in order to help you relax and get enough sleep.  Not my first choice, but I'd do whatever it takes to get comfortable, as long as it is safe.

Also, don't feel guilty.  Tx sucks and it effects everyone to different degrees.  

Hiya jimbob

You have to learn how to SLOW DOWN a bit. I'm going to do shot 48 this Saturday. I've been where you are now and then some. I'm about to finish the old triple tx with incivek I can't really tell you about the sov/riba bit, but I can say about the riba.. You have to slow down and brake out or find your way out of that riba fog.

Best wishes for your tx.