Hi. Depending on brand of treatment, the pharma.co. has programs you can sign up with. Jeff is on Pegassis, and the company offers a free program called Pegassist. You sign up, talk to a counselor, or a nurse. They send you a info. packet. The DVD was good info. on how to take the shot, etc. They also have a hot line in case you need to talk to someone. His counselor calls once a month to see how he is doing. I think it is a good program. The other company has Be In Charge program available. Jeff checked both out until he found out which one he would be taking. Very good programs. You should check it out. You are not alone. Good luck. Sue

I went thru 48 weeks of Hep C treatment. I injected inteferon once a week and took ribavarin on a daily basis. It was the longest year of my life.


My advice, for what it's worth:

Make sure you have psychological clearance before starting interferon. One of it's sides is depression and there have been incidents of suicide reported due to this. If you don't already take an anti-d, you might ask your doctor about prescribing one.

If you have other medical issues, please make sure that you have optimal control of them.

Drink a lot of water, the ribavarin is known to cause extremely dry skin and in my case, a 'riba rash'. The rash started out looking like measles but some of the 'bumps' actually turned into lesions resembling boils or chicken pox. Water helps the flu-like symptoms that comes with the inteferon injections and helps the dry skin associated with ribavarin.

Give into your body when it's telling you to rest. Eat good healthy food. Do not take HOT baths or showers, use as cool water as you can stand because HOT will dry your skin out more.

When you get discouraged or depressed, come online and let us know. Good coaching is important and we'll coach you thru. I have know McKenzie, a member of this community, for 3 years. We met on another website and both of us would have quit the treatments before finishing if we had not coached each other thru. In fact, McKenzie posted a list of things to do and have on hand while you are on treatment on the other website and I'm sure she'd be willing to post it here. McKenzie is my Canadian sister and she was there for me when my American and biological sisters were not. As soon as I win the lottery, I'm going to fly up to Canada and pick her up, and take her to Europe. But while I wait on the lottery, I'm going to visit near Ottawa. I'll never forget her and we both have showed no viral load since our 12th week of treatment.

I'm sorry this turned out to be so long and I'm sorry if I got a little sentimental about McKenzie but I wish you the best of everything with this dragon and I hope you find an internet buddie that you love too.

Hugs

I forgot, while you're on the meds, avoid temperature extremes. Don't spend too much time in the direct sunlight because ribavarin makes you more sensitive to the sun. Cold weather exacerbates the skin problems.

I had the Pegassist program working for me and it is top of the line. The name brand for their drugs is Pegasys (inteferon) and Copegus (ribavarin). When I started treatment, my doctor's office gave me a kit with all kinds of helpful things. There was even a little bag for you to carry you vials and syringes. There was a first aid kit and samples, tons of literature, diaries, tracking guides. It came from the same company that makes Pegasys and Copegus. Good luck!

Thanks Sue and Becky for some great information. I've been on antidepressants for a few years. Dr wants me to get clearance from the psych so that will get me connected again. The depression side effect is a real concern....been there done that and got the T-shirt so don't need to experience that again if possible.
Thanks for your replies

Hello everyone,
I am trying to locate a copy of THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW AND GET BEFORE STARTING TREATMENT, and will definately post it as soon as possible.
I have changed computers since 2003 but have been doing research on other sites where I had posted it, I've got people trying to locate it too, so I hopefully this week I will find it and post it.
I've been feeling under the weather but am feeling much better now, and will get it for you.
Thanks Becky for the beautiful words.
Mckenzie

Hey Swimguy
I posted the Survival Guide of treatment on one of the threads here. It's a great guide, you may print it and have it handy, believe me I use to refer to it quite often during my journey.
Take care
Mckenzie

Please tell me where that thread is for the Survival Guide. I am alos due to start treatment soon. My Doc is putting me in a study hopefully I qualify. She thinks I need warm and fuzzies and lots of attention so I am waiting for it to start. Thanks so much Kitkat

I too am preparing myself for tx. I'm in the process of loosing weight, getting my finances in order, mentally preparing (thinking on starting the head meds before tx) and most of all...gathering all the knowledge about this disease and the best things I can do to help defeat it and putting them into practice. Prepare for the worst...don't go into anything blindly is my motto.

i see you've been given the best info already!

come on here everyday and read all the posts...that will help a lot.

welcome to dailystrength!

hi there,

is this your second round of tx?

robin

I had terrible tx! but coming on ds everyday and saying what you feel and what you think is brilliant therapy and everyone will help as i found out' 'total strangers' who care and become friends, i know this sounds soft but it helped me alottttttttttttttttttttttttttttt

looks like this is an old thread that was dated back in 07, but welcome to the site octstar. The only thing you can do to prepare for tx is RESEARCH!!!!!!! As you said..... expect the worst, but hope for the best. We all react differently to tx. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! Read journals, peoples experience's on tx, get an ideal what you could be in store for.
Good luck~~

Good call, Cindy. Looks like he has had no activity since 2008, and has completed tx. Funny how some of these old posts get bumped up.

Would be nice to know, how he is feeling now post tx.

Wish nothing but the "best " for you!!!!!!!
Stick around, we're the best in town!