Please do share this with us who are about to go down this long road. You have an opportunity to help us who have this struggle ahead. Thank You Kitkat

i have been on peg-intron for 13 weeks and definitly wanted to quit numerous times, but if it does work than its worth it. what works for me is drink lots of raz-berry tea and water. if i don\'t feel like eating then i drink boost or milkshakes-high in calories. when i eat i eat what i want. granted if i eat HOT SPICEY Foods i feel crappy. but besides that i eat whatever- seem to crave seafood alot but oh well! The rash issue is definitly an annoyance! I have patches scattered on my body of dry itchy, sore skin. My head where my hair is thinning is extremely itchy!! It seems when i double up on centrum multi-vitamins for a while i feel extremely better.

Bump!!

This got pushed down to fast.
bump

I do quite well on treatment,my hair is the only issue....thinning. But I do eat banannas one after another.


hhhhhhhhmmmm maybe I am going crazy or banannas.grin

Drink lots of WATER, WATER, WATER! Husband has hepc going on week 10 and we have been fortunate that the only sides have been fatigue and his memory is really foggy. So keep that in mind if your spouse or significant other forgets something he/she normally should remember be gentle!

I did the peg-intron and riba combo....48 wks (geno 1a) and then relapsed 3 months after. My most significant side was anemia; we used procrit to combat that. If I had it to do over again, I'd push the doc for transfusions instead of reducing riba dosage b/c of anemia; I think we used a sub-threapeutic dosage of riba for last 10 wks or so.
Yeah, the hair thinnned bigtime, but grew back thicker! Yeah, I felt like I had the flu a lot of the time. B/c of the toll my tx took on my wife, I'm waiting for either better tx or worse liver before I consider re-tx. However, I did not make a mistake in tx'ing when I did.
I'm "cheering on" all of those on tx currently; I'm also understanding of those who choose not to tx---as I'm choosing to not RE-tx FOR NOW.
I wish I'd known about DS while on tx; it's the best support system around! k

I have been on pegusys/co-pegusys 16 weeks out of a 24 week tx.
Fortunetly, I have not been experiencing any severe side effects. Mostly, tired, some itching, not sleeping as well. I have maintained my full time position, taking the occassional extra vacation day, or a rare sick day.
I strongly urge anyone to check out hepcsurvivalguide.org for managing sides. I attribute my minimal sides to "a blessing", plus a willingness to take care of myself, and apply all the wonderful suggestions I received here prior to starting tx.
I drink plenty of water, eat lots of berries/and juice, eat fruit/veggies/chicken/fish
Make smoothies with fresh fruit when I have problems with appetite, and sprinkle in ground flax seed.
I take a multi-vitamin -iron, vit B complex, vit C/D/E, maybe not everyday, I just listen to my body and take regularly.
I am on a small dose of Effexor. The nurse monitoring my blood calls me weekly.
Oh yes, and I eat yogurt, lots of natural yogurt spiced up with fruit! I eat fresh sprouts almost daily, and take extra zinc (helps boost white blood cell counts and immune system)
I practice gratitude, stay positive, and have a cry when needed. I try and put me and this healing journey first, and believe!

Its been good. 100% positive! 12-18 hours after the shot I am back to normal. I even do my shot and then go work out. Done 45 shots so far and have not missed a day of work nor a workout at my version of the gym.

I must say I am new to this. Now in week three with interferon and rebitol. In truth I was very frightened, somewhat due to my age (almost 67) and having cryogolbulemia. However, I prepared well with an hour of light exercise (my stationary bike) and weights on a daily basis and lots of bottled water and electolyte drinks. I have had almost no side effects other than increased fatigue. My first shot did nothing to me, but a very light fever. I am genotype 2b and feel quite hopeful.

I am also on the peg-Intron and am on my 21st injection Sunday. My virol count went to 0 @ six weeks. I personally had alot of side effects. blood counts going crazy the riba rash all over my body. Aveeno oatmeal soap works great. I soaked from head to toe and what a relief that was. I was also put on the Neopregon and proquit for my red and white blood counts, so i did't have a good treatment and very few good days. One more week to go, then get checked in 3 weeks to see if it has gone south. Let me remind you the treatment is different for everyone. Some people breese right through it, but then their's the lucky one's like me that was hell the whole time. I recommend reading people's journals and learn from what they're going through. We don't mind you reading them, at least I don't mind. We're in this together right? I wish you luck in your journey. This is a great site, just stay with the positive people and you'll be fine. Kat

Thanks for the info in this post.

I hate to be the bummer downer person, but I was miserable thru 4 months of treatment. I had panic attacks, so bad that I went to the ER twice. I was halluncinating colors like oranges and greens, and darn it, they are my worst favorite colors..LOL. I got Anemic. I had to go on Procrit. I couldnt maintain my part time job very well..I was fogetting alot of things that i had done many times. just blanked out..I had a horrible temper on all of it.. I had the rash, lost hair, couldnt eat..I had the metal taste in my mouth constantly, nothing tasted good..I drank alot of electrolite drinks also. Im telling you, I hated most of it..LOL..Once my blood counts went too low, and I was so sick, I was so excited to get off of that stuff..I was on Interferon, and the ribvain.. I may try again some day, but I have big balls for a girl, and I have to tell you, Im scared to do it again.!! Theres more, but I think you get the idea.. Sorry for such a depressing post.. Dont forget to like me anyways. Okay?? Patti

I was on a dietpill called Meridia and that left a metal taste in my mouth for the first month or so...also felt real jittery, like I drank 100 cups of coffee. This pill did make me loose weight but also caused my blood presure to rise. Does the combo hep c treatment increase your blood pressure?
Does anybody know?

Thoses diet pills seem to always feel like you drank a ton of caffeine.. As for the high blood pressure, no I usually had a little bit lower blood pressure. I just had the lite head all the time, so I drank Gator aid alot to replace electrolites.. I hope you have a good journey, lots of people do I guess,I just didnt..Alot of depression too..