Hep C Discussion Forum

I know isiscat.  I have bursts of energy, feeling of euphoria and things of that nature,  it's amazing,  I fell badly that I feel so good,  I have joy. i wish this for everyone,  I talk to my docs about everything.  I talked to them about this too,  i am the unusual.  I am not on ribo and am glad I could do this without it,  but it's because of my exteemly bad reaction to the interferon and ribo,  as good as I am....I was really bad on the the other combo.  I was hospitalized for 3 weeks.  And talk about depression,,,,,,scheez.....

i was thinking about a friend that had LASIK done....he couldnt see without glasses.  I asked I'm how he felt......he said....it's ok.  I was floored.....ok?....it's fantastic to see.  I didn't understand his responce then and I still don't understand it,  I asked if this is how it is for people when they get cured,  she said yes,  they aren't excited about it...she did say it's mostly men that poo poo it as nothing big deal....as ok.....

my brain remembers everything now.....even when it wasn't sharp.  I never felt less smart, I felt slow....things came to me but not fast,,,,,now it's like lightening,  the info is there.  I'm praying that when you're finished the meds you'll be singing the same tune as me.  

As I said, I'm not on ribo.....i don't know this combo....alway err on the side of caution, I know these are powerful drugs...toxic drugs......I'm not allowed to ride,,...for a reason I'm sure....with the way I feel , I would probably kill myself.....it's the euphoric thing.  Lol.

XDSub wrote:

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3) Last thing, I am military and am worried about appearing sick/over tired at work. I dont want to explain to the masses that I am going through treatment etc. I am not sure that the severity of the treatment warrants something like convalescent leave but boy would I rather be at home resting and trying to make the best of the treatment as possible hoping for SVR! I am not sure what to do really, but I am dreading 630am/Physical Training. I cant wrestle around with my kids for more than 15 minutes before feeling exhausted. It is a little overwhelming to think of a 4 mile run. Especially when sleep is so hard to find.

 

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Hi Michael,

Caution is advised on this treatment, particuarly when strenuous physical activity and/or demanding mental tasks are involved. Ribavirin adds a component that can range anywhere between mildly annoying to downright debilitating. I think one of the keys to successfully navigating treatment is to stay honest with yourself about any limitations the drugs may impose upon you. If you feel you are becoming too mentally/physically challenged to perform your duties adequately, you would be better served to admit it to yourself (and others) at an earlier stage and help enable a proactive solution. Reduced workload, time off, whatever it might take. Clearing the virus and reclaiming your health is job #1.

As for the 4 mile run...  Pre-treatment I ran about 30 mi/wk, with a long run of 7-8 mi. By week 3 of tx, I was able to complete a 3-4 mile run, but it was ugly. After a month, I stopped altogether and settled for daily 2-3 mile walks. Easy walks at that. I hated it, but that was the reality of the situation. You are much younger and will hopefully fare better than I on this account, but do be careful and pay close attention to how you are feeling as you move through treatment. It takes awhile for the blood to become fully saturated with the meds. In my case that was about 6-7 wks.

Best of luck to you,

wayne

Thank you for all the advise and words of encouragement! I am really hoping for an experience similar to Mary's, it is strange to just not know what normal feels like!

As far as the military is concerned the same HIPA laws apply, but when work requires you to perform at a certain physical level your going to have to either let people think that you cant pull your slack and keep your fitness level up, or tell them. Id rather avoid both if I can. I happy to tell wonderful people on the internet who have the same or similar issues as I do, family and close friends... But certainly not a slew of random co-workers.

As far as the military medical situation... They no questions asked paid every dime for the treatment (A Huge blessing!). The downside is I have a military internal med flight physician and a civilian GI Specialist. I am the bridge between the two except for official correspondence. If worst comes to worst I can get my GI to write a recommendation to my flight doc. I am really just hoping my flight doc will accurately assess the situation and make the best decision. Convalescent leave is free but has to be approved by your military doc and your commander. I guess its my job to convince him of how important of a time this is!

Edit: I thought of a question for Mary (and anyone else with a similar experience!) Did past memories resurface at all, or was it from that point forwards things were easier to retain? I have been flying helicopters for many years now and maintaining all of the knowledge that is required is a constant, I just thought I had a horrible memory for years, but the more I talk to people about it the more I see it's relation to Hep C. Just curious! 

Hi Michael,

I'd like to welcome you to the forum! You'll meet lots of good people here and do feel free to ask all the questions you have. I'm like you when it comes to sleeping patterns. I can easily stay up all night and feel fine, but when I get tired, I get really tired! Don't push yourself so hard during treatment, your body requires the rest more than ever. I'm sure the issues you're experiencing with your skin are due to the Ribavirin. It's well known for drying out your skin and causes more than it's share of itching and rashes. Be very cautious when you're out in the sun. Ribavirin can and does cause problems with sun sensitivity. You can use sun screen, it will help but there is often reactions from just getting too much, regardless of how well you protect yourself. The heat from sun exposure, hot showers, physical exertion, can all cause heat reactions from Ribavirin. So limit your time out in it and even in the shower, try to use cooler temperatures and sometimes showering every other day will help reduce some of the skin problems. One other thing is vitally important. Wear good UV protective sun glasses. Ribavirin can affect your eyes just as hard as it affects your skin.

You may want to utilize some of that convalescent leave if you can get approved for it! After all, it's free leave if they'll approve it! You're going to experience a lot of fatigue while you're going through this and over doing it can be harmful, especially when you experience the over heating that often accompanies it. You don't want to push yourself so hard that you start having some medical problems. It might be a very good idea to share this with your CO or section leader. You're going to need to be careful while you're going through this. It's very important that you hydrate during treatment. You should easily be drinking 3-4 liters of water and if you're working out hard everyday, you'll need to drink that much extra. Failing to do that will add more skin problems, so be very aware of it.

There will be lots of good ideas coming your way. Feel free to keep the questions coming. If you would also add some information to your signature line, it will help us to understand you a little better, especially when replying to your posts. Things like genotype, recent lab results, etc. (look at ours for ideas) will help a lot. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Tig

Michael I too deal with memory problems (brain fog) and insomnia.  I don't discuss it with my co-workers but I'm sure they are aware I have problems.  It's only been in the recent years I've had sleeping issues.   This may be in part because I care give for my elderly mother who lives with us.  She is up frequently at night,  Sometimes I sleep thru it, other times not.  These meds can also cause insomnia, they definitely did for me.  Sleep apnea is often a contributor to poor sleep. Ask your wife if she sees you have irregular breathing while sleeping.  If so, you may need a CPAP.  

Good luck on you tx this is a good combo with high success rates.  It's commonly known that Riba can cause short temper, frustration, and anger outbursts. Try to be patient.  Sometimes it's very hard.  Would it be possible to take a medical leave of absence?  Maybe get with your doc to discuss this?  Perhaps light duty while on tx?  Hoping and praying this works out for you.  Are you on 12 weeks?

And oh btw, welcome to the forum.  Lot's of great folks here.  Very knowledgeable and willing to share.  Be well sir.

Not sure what happened to my post, first few lines were cut off?  reason for edit

-- Edited by Groupergetter on Wednesday 18th of June 2014 12:41:25 AM