I bet a lot of people get it and don't know. I've been worried about my legs because they look gross and the pain is unbelievably bad. But now, the nodules on my lungs have me worried. I had been telling my boyfriend for over a week that my breathing was funny and now I have a cough. I read where someone on interferon and ribavirin got sarcoidosis but that it "spontaneously resolved itself" after treatment. I hope that's the case with me.

And I take Benadryl at night for the itching and to help me sleep. I have a lot respect for those who are on lengthy treatments because I don't think I could do it. This one is kicking my butt and I seem to have all these side effects that the study people say I shouldn't have. I hope I reach SVR. I went UND at week 2.

sofimore, I think you are doing the right thing to pursue. I love my study doc for getting me into this trial, but find that now his staff's job seem to be to RECORD symptoms to the pharm co they are running the test for t=rather than address them!

I reported nausea and vomiting for weeks and weeks, and they noted each time, but it took many weeks and my ASKING for it, before they gave me meds to prevent it!

We always have to be our own medical advocates!

I hope this is not a serious set back in your treatment and that it can be managed.

Thanks Rass. I finally asked for a couple days off work and my legs still swell but the pain is much less. I know 8 weeks is short and if it works I will be so grateful but to have my study people be dismissive made me feel crazy. I feel better now that my primary doctor is on top of it. The lung nodules scare me but hopefully when I take my last dose on July 31, they will start to go away.

I'm glad you have a good primary to talk to. I got red bumps on arms & other places and also had breathing problems/SOB from anemia. I never heard of sarcoidosis until you posted it. I also had the all over feeling of sickness, which is common with most tx for hcv.

Best of luck w/everything Sofi. I hope it all works out well.

Thanks Peaceful soul.

I had really bad sides from these drugs too, Sofi, and the trial people also kept telling me that I shouldn't be having them. I hope you're all better once you stop the meds.

Thanks, Sandydo. Are you still on the meds or done? How are your side effects now? And what is wrong with these study people? They just want to bill it as the miracle drug and lie about the side effects.

It is not a lie, rather denying responsibility id something happens to you. They just will claim it we didn't know, this is the first time we heard about this. As a trial drug they don't really want to report any unwanted side issues, what the drug can create, as it is waiting for approval.

Merck's Incivek was a huge chaos after approval as no one really know at the time what the drug will do to you, as the company under reported the issues, and the difficulties with it. They had setup a hotline to report any unwanted problems.Today the pill got FDA's black label warning. People died because of them. So yes you got to be your own advocate. If you feel something really wrong immediately address it with your doctor.

I had similar symptoms and an unresolved bronchitis that went for a couple of months-- My g.p. suggested possible sarcoidosis, and then my hep c doc recommended i stop tx (at 30 weeks, for multiple reasons). My symptoms disappeared after a month off tx and i feel pretty good....

both my mom and dad had sarcoidosis, and a friend has it, and their symptoms are wildly different from each other.... I think it is important to get an assessment, and yet be very optimistic that these things may resolve after you complete tx....

I talked to my primary doc today. He is not worried and thinks it will all go away on its own after treatment which is nine days away. I hope the sofos/led works without the ribavirin and gets put on the market soon for future patients. Ribavirin sucks. I have been an emotional basket case, can't be in the sun or heat (I live in hot humid Memphis, TN), and am tired all the time. Every night at 9:30, I cry like a mad woman. I have not been able to be active at all. I am however hopeful because yesterday, out of the blue, the arthritic debilitating pain subsided. It scared me at first because all of a sudden it was gone like pressure had been released or something. My ankles still ache and so do my knees and calves but it isn't like it was. I got so excited that I forgot and squatted to pick something else and that sent pain all through my legs, but it is still much better. And the bruises and welps were smaller today. So I am hopeful for the first time in a month. I go back to work Wednesday but am working short shifts until my legs heal some more. I also have a follow up appointment with my primary doctor next week. I feel better because he took me seriously. I am so over the study people. I just want people to know that this combo can cause scary side effects that are crippling. The pharmacy industry is something else....

Barbbey-- I am glad the symptoms disappeared. That gives me more hope! However, did you clear the virus even though your treatment was cut short?

Sofi...my last dose was 1/25, so the drugs should be out of my body by now. That said...my allergies are much, much worse now than they ever were before tx. I wonder if anyone else has had this happen. I rarely got colds or allergy flare-ups before tx, but have had 2 major ones within a 6-week period.