I am still uncertain if I'm doing 24, 48 or somewhere in between. 48 sounds like a looooooooooooonnnnnnnngggggg haul though because it is. Sorry about ur headache and it sounds awful. I get some headaches too but not like that (yet?). I was hoping to only have 24 because I am apprehensive about long-term issues with Pegint. I hope you find it in you to stay the recommended course though. Definitely talk to your doctors about ur side effects. I am sorry that you're going through this at such a young age too. I've got 20 years on you and I feel I don't want to give up a prime year for me. The good news is that this can buy you decades of a good life. Please remember that. You have so much ahead of you to make ur life what you want. Post and share here more. Start a fun thread too.

Tell us about home some time maybe? Most of us have never seen Egypt. You all have been in the news a lot around here lately. Would love to hear about social issues and change. What an amazing time you're witnessing as a young man.

Hang in there buddy.

You vent and keep going, remember it is temporarily. Try to do little things to keep you busy. I am starting week 24 tomorrow. I also have to do 48 weeks. I have good days and not so good days.

I am approaching the end. After tomorrow, 9 more left..
Of 48.
I TOTALLY GET YOU PHARAOH.....

When things got rough a few weeks ago, i felt quiting would end many of my problems..... And then I realized, I came this far, what if? What if I am not undie..... I'll never know if I would have been...... And that kind of thought personal guilt is far greater an inner death than dying from our disease if HCV.

Quitting is NOT an option.
When we have the flu we feel absolutely awful, like we "want to die" .
going into tx we were told and given printed instructions on our experiencing flulike symptoms while on treatment.. When I got the
""REAL FLU" on top of flu like sx's.... I felt I couldn't continue, I came here and our friends kept me going.....

So here we are Pharaoh.... You and me and many others.......it's so easy to give up..... On us..... And on ourselves........
Be grateful this is not cancer or a transplant.... Be grateful the virus was detected and you caught it in time....... Know you are halfway there and the prize of freedom is the ultimate victory....the GREATEST gift of love that one can give themselves. This is temporary..... It WILL end soon...... Persevere, hold on...... Come here as soon as you are feeling bad...... Or good........ Just come here and we'll all go thru this together....

I believe you can do it......
Please discuss your pain to your Dr asap.

PS I take 2 tylenol and 2 benydryl one half hour before my interferon shot, drink water use the restroom and go to bed asap......
It helps the headache.....I strongly suggest it.....
Ask your Dr if its ok.....Before using...

Big hugs and I am soooooooo thankful you kept on......

Your friend
Jiffy Jiblet
Janet

cause i was so determined to get rid of this nasty virus,,hence my 3 rd tx........woo hoo....and 3 rd time is the charm.......

Hang on. You have so much life ahead of you and although I know it is hard to believe it now, one day this will be just a faint memory. 48 weeks is a long time though, no doubt. Try to baby yourself a bit. I hope that you are staying with family or someone who can take care of you during this time. I didn't realize that you were only 24 years old. My heart goes out to you and I will keep you in my prayers. I think this is one of those things in life that you just can't fight. You have to go along for the ride and try to look at all of these nasty sides as proof that the virus is being destroyed. Many hugs to you and hope and prayers for a long, healthy and abundant future. You are a fighter and a survivor!!!!

I was so fortunate to only have to take tx for 24 weeks. Docs said no asparin but tylenol was O.K. Damn - tylenol had never helped me with anything before but asparin had. I started getting headaches at about week three of treatment and tylenol did help. My headaches were always worse for the first three or four days after my shot, but eventually went away completely at about 20 weeks. Hope yours will just quit like mine did. Hang in there my friend. Love, Nancy

I did 48 weeks and tx failed me....only did the peg/riba. I got thru it several ways. Prior to tx I had all of my ducks lined up in a row. I contacted meals on wheels.....so I was given a hot lunch every day. I had to quit my hairdressing job and go on public assistance (Not embarrassed to admit it as I have worked and paid taxes since I was 16) so I was able to get food assistance and medical insurance. I also was given $212 a month to live on. So I had to find a way to pay my rent. A Catholic social agency hooked me up with "The Center For Independent Living" and I was given a grant to cover my rent. I also found out that Meals on Wheels could get me 20 items a week from Giant and they were all volunteers that brought my items to me.
Main thing....I stayed w/this group and there was such love and support back then...and it helped me so much! We would post such funny videos from youtube etc. I also made friends here which I talked to on the phone when I felt like I was ready to explode. Also, when I got my 6 month labs and I was undetectable, that was music to my heart! When I hit 24 week, I started counting backwards counting how many weeks I had left, not how many I did. I give every thing I do my all... either I'm 100% in or out. If I would have thrown in the towel midstream..... I would have ALWAYS considered it a personal failure. So I gave it my best shot.
Figured if I gave it one year of my life and gained an extra 10, it was well worth it. Now......I have to wait for a gentler tx. Plz...never give up! Peace Love and Light Always~

pharaoh,

When you feel like you just can't do it anymore, come here. All of these guys have helped me through those times when I can't remember " Why the hell am I doing this to myself!?" They'll pull you back up and remind you why, dust you off a little bit, and somehow get you back in the game. They're all wonderful people and good friends.

We all keep each other going! =)
Keep your eye on the prize!
Take care,
Kelly

when i started Vic they said it would be 48 weeks, and I thought that's no big deal. I was wrong, it was indeed a big deal

There were three things that kept me going
1-I went undie and stayed undie
2-I hate knowing i have hcv and can infect someone else. I guess it could kill me too but my livers in good shape
3-I kept imagining the little bastard virus's dying in great pain

Think of the good feeling you'll have when you're done with both treatment and the virus. It's worth feeling like shit for a year

PS, they ended up stopping me at 40 weeks, and i felt like a kid at Christmas, or like a prisoner getting an unexpected early parole
joe

I went through those blues on and off too, Pharaoh. I just now injected my 37th shot....have NINE more. It IS a long road. So is 24.....however I found myself getting more depressed after or around wk 24 knowing that alot of people only have to do 24 darn weeks, not fair....woe is me. Was feeling sorry for myself. You have to persevere. i thought i'd never see the end in sight......but is is now......counting backwards. If I relapse someday I will KNOW that I did all that I was supposed to.

You need to try to keep it in your head that you have a good shot to rid yourself of this in your 20s. Most of us. So many of us lived with it for 20-30 years. Treating while you're young is great. If it works, and it will......when you are 50 years old someday.....you won't be so tired all of the time. You will have peace of mind that your liver isn't dying off.

You CAN do this. You do it one week at a time. I'm here for ya.......hugs. Besides.....you said it yourself.....convince yourself to continue and not waste all the time you spent on treatment. Do your shot, take your pills, drink your water.......and come and get support.

Thanks everybody for your encouragement and advice...
One day at a time.....This seems to help.