My dad has MS and he took interferon shots too for awhile but his body pretty much rejected it. He took it once a week but it wasn't doing him any good so he stopped. He is on other meds now for MS. He said most people with MS, if the shot helps them, have to take the shot for the rest of their life to help manage the disease, imagine that? 48 weeks is nothing compared to forever.

He said that his sides were similar, itchy skin lack of sleep, but they weren't as bad as my sides were with the riba pills combined.

MS is a horrible disease my dad has had it for about 14 years and MS is very similar to Hep C. when it comes to effecting everyone differently. Thats why there isn't a cure. There is also an ignorance of others to people with MS because some people can be fine one day and then be in bed, or others like my father, progress into a wheelchair. There are different stages of MS, like Hep C. My dad was diagnosed at the age of 41 and he had to walk around with a cane and people would be like "stop playing around you don't need a cane!" Because he didn't look "sick" at the time.

there are many different types of MS from what i understand, but u r right mcslo. some of them do use interferon. i didnt know that and my sister has MS! it's called INTERFERON BETA 1A . i dont know if it is exactly the same as our tx and i havent checked the dosage, but the symptoms are certainly very similar.

here's the link to one of the sites if u wanna read about it:

http://www.medicinenet.com/multiple_sclerosis/page4.htm#inter

thanks for sharing. a very interesting post:)
x

Yeap if you took interferon 1a, which many take, its the same one.

this thread is either very ironic to me, or a very bad sign...let me explain...I know this is hepC thread, I'll get there....

I have had MS for about 8 years and have taken interferon beta 1-a for it for 7 years. So far I'm doing pretty fantastic. Recently, I have built up antibodies to the medication, and it is no longer effective. My Nuerologist and I feel it is time for a change to the newest med.

Ok, that being said, here's where it gets weird. Long story short, the new meds are about twice as effective. However they carry a small risk of what's called Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy. Big words for debilitating, deadly brain infection, laying dormant in 80% of the general population. It is and opportunistic virus that remains latent until the immune system is suppressed or compromised in addition to the new med. (Tysabri). Here's where it relates. Today, Friday I found out the results of blood tests for Hiv and HepC. Hiv: Neg., HepC weak positive for antibodies (normal 0-.78, mine was 1.18). My Doc subsequently took the next step, don't if ripa or right to the viral load.

So, I have literally spent 13-14 hours on the net since I got home. I have basically surmised situations:

1. I have a false positive hepC that and I may find out next week or so. I'm rootin for #1...

2. I contracted hepC years ago and the interferon had a combo effect, knocking back the MS and hepC, double-duty style. I don't know if antibody levels drop when viral load levels do. I'm sure once they know you have def. hepC, they no longer need to check for antibodies.

3. There is speculation that MS is brought on many times by viral infection in combination with overactive immune system. I personally wonder if and infection (hmm. ..maybe hep?) caused my immune system to bug out and overeact.

and 4.= If I don't get cleared by wednesday, christmas is gonna kinda suck.

It was terrible finding out at 4pm on friday. My Neurologist is gone. I'm scheduled for the very expensive, non refundable, non-postponable first treatment of the new meds on the 30th. As far as I know if I take it w/ Hep in my stream, I'm likely a dead-man. And if I'm hepC positive, I hope my Neuro doesn't want to experiment on me. He is at a University teaching hospital.

Yeah me!!

Thanks for listening if you made it this far. I'll keep all posted if you want.......I think I'll go lie in bed awake for hours and call it sleep now 8^(

And yes Nic an Pep, there are four forms of MS, I have the relapsing/remitting kind, have been in remission for 8 years.....

Oh and sorry to semi-hijack..

Mcslo, if it is interferon beta 1-a, it was not so bad in my experience. 44 mcg, 3 times a week. Most common sides were flu-like ache, muscle aches, and headache. It comes with risk of depression symptoms but I didn't get those until about the 5th year in..You might feel like the common cold minus the cough and sneeze. 2--220mg Aleve an hour beforehand knocked all of that back. If you take a different regimine, like multiple times a day, try 2 in the morning, 1 at night or vice versa. No more than 2 in 12hrs, or 3 in 24hrs. Of course check w/ your Doc first, I'm no doctor ...8^)

I hope you had a false positive or maybe the drugs for the MS took care of the Hepc.

keep us posted and good luck with your results

interferon is also used for indolent tumors when chemo is unsuccessful prior to bone marrow transplant

Yes, also use for skin cancer, it chemo without the radiation.
But you see the interferon's side effects only lasts 36 hours, it's the ribavirin that is cruel.
See the riba pills weakens your immune system, so the interferon can by pass your immune system when injected, and kill the infected cells.
Which is why the more riba pills you take the more the side are harsh, but the quicker the patient responds, which is good in the way that you have to kill the virus at such a time, like in your case at week 12.
Maybe talk with your GP and ask him for a non addictive sleeping pill for the time you are on treatment.
Also Tom, make sure you take your riba pills 12 hours apart, some will take them to get it over with some days, that's when the sides hits the hardest, so 12 hours apart will help tremendously to minimize the sides.
Good luck Mckenzie
one day at the time.

Mck I agree. My dad did the interferon shots only for MS and only had a few side effects. Its those damn riba pills that really suck! lol

ahhh ribavirin. ya look at a handful of them and say " ive got to be crazy to eat these shits " then ya eat em and sure enough your crazy.

lol

haha capn so true!

cap- What you doing here? I thought you'd be out fishing