Hi Sue,
I say it all as to do with age.
The more I read about the whole thing I think that a person's long term side effects are probably health issues that that person would have had to deal with in their future years.

In other words, the meds from these nuclear drugs, sort of activated the process, in my case.

See my huaband did tx, it took a total of 12 months for him to to get back to his normal self.

Then again my hubby was only 37 when he did tx.

In my case, well I always said I never got over the meds, today I think that due to the fact I was in my 40s and already had other health issues, it aggravated my already existing health issues.
For ex: I had asthma, well now my asthma has turned to emphysema, and COPD, also have a tumor to my right lung.

Then, had some arthritis due to car accidents, but now I daily chronic pain, got tested for RA last week, still no results yet, but am on pain medication daily.

I also developed a tumor on my right vocal cord during tx, and had it surgically removed a few months post tx, no more voice.

Then the brainfog, again meds do that, and still to this day have to write everything down cause I forget.

If you look it up on the net, you will see some of the long term side effects that the interferon is responsable for, for example Rheumatoid Arthritis...

Now not everyone is the same, see my husband had no long term side effects and I did.
Hope this helps...

Mckenzie
one day at the time

Hi McKenzie,
Thanks for getting back to me so fast. I'm sorry to hear about the tumors. I guess I will just have to wait and see if there are longterm effects for me. I'll also check the website. Again thanks.
Sue

Hey Sue,
Your dr would not be telling you that there would be any sides that would be permanent because there is no way to know!

Each and every single person is different. We all have sides, but no two people have the identical batch of sides. There are some that most people get and there are some that are pretty rare.
Just about all of them go away once your body clears all of the meds in your system.
Unfortunately, sometimes a few stick with you and sometimes tx sort of brings on other health issues and problems. I am thinking of RA and thyroid issues.

I have to say that I must be pretty lucky even though I relapsed because all of my sides cleared except a wee bit of a weight gain.

Now as for withdrawals, I have no clue what you mean. Withdrawals from which meds? I started feeling 100% better the very first week after I finished tx. I had no withdrawal issues at all.

I HAD THE TX, STARTED IN JAN AND ENDED IN JULY. IWENT FROM THE TX RIGHT INTO FIBROMYLGIA, WHICH THEY DON'T HAVE A CURE FOR OR EVEN KNOW HOW TO DX YOU. I STAYED WITH THE SAME INTERNIST WHO DID MY TX, SO HE HAD NO PROBLEM IN DX"ING ME WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK. I PRAY THAT THIS HAPPENS TO NO ONE, BUT IT IS SOMETHING I THINK YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF. MY DOC. SAID NOTHING ABOUT IT WHILE ON TX SO I WAS FREAKED OUT WHEN HE TOLD ME, I'D NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THE DISEASE BEFORE MY TX. I'M NOT SAYING IT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU, I JUST WANT TO BE TOLD THE TRUTH ABOUT THINGS SO I CAN BE PREPARED....PRAYING FOR YOU...LOVE...HELEN

hi there.i felt so ill before tx as i had cryoglobulinemia.i did affect my mind badly.and at the end of tx i was getting very tired.however i felt better on it and even better as i came of it.i was told i could have permanent problems with my thyroid.i was told this before i started tx.however i was at the jumping of stage and felt i had nothing to loose.im or was geno3 and i am clear up to now.im only 4 months of tx and get my 6month test in december.i was terrified to take the tx and it was a last resort for me.the relief i have felt since i stared tx and finished it is amazing.im so glad i tx'd as even if there is long term effects i had no life before tx and at least i'v got my health back.all the very best to you rubyx

I belive that one does carry alot of side effects. Me for one. All my treatments have torn me from limb to limb. And created new physical problems. So you can understand why I have a shitty attitude towards my DOC'S these days. Except for my PCP Doc she's cool!!!!!

This was a wonderful thread to read as I'm starting my treatment on Sunday night. Thanks all for your input. I really appreciated what you all had to say.. Kathryn

MY thyroid most likely is damaged for life now because of TX. I would be surprised if it goes back to normal after TX is finished. I read that if you have any weakness before TX they will come out during, which is why everyone has different problems. I have a couple more months to go Im hoping that I dont have anymore obstacles. The sides from my thyroid and the TX knocked me on my ass!!! Take care of yourself.

I have been off treatment for 3-4 weeks now. AND I FEEL GREAT!!! God I feel so good, energetic, happy!!! Woohoo!!! Good luck in all you do...

Hi, Suewho. First round my ole'man bounced right back after 6 months, tho he was a nonresponder. That was Interferon. The second round, also 6 months, was Pegalated Interferon and Ribovirin. He was a nonresponder and althogh he never was diagnosed with a s pecific problem, like RA or thyroid, he's never been strong again. Now he's on his 3rd round and his sides aren't nearly as bad as the first two times. He's on Pegasys and Ribovirin again, lower doses and he's tolerating it better than the other 3. It's very unpredictable.

I did wind up with RA but I also had a predispostion to the disease as my mom had it.

Mouse

yes, i was on tx 2 x's. both times i was a non responder. while on tx the sides were pretty bad,after treatment, i tested postive for rh arthritis and seems to be getting worse as time goes on.i am on pain meds,but some days,it doesnt even put a dent in the pain.after tx i found out i have chonic fatigue syndrom,due to ebstein-barr virus ,that is now chronic.hep c is an auto immune disease,and i think the tx sets off your immume system....

I just saw this today, guess IM a day or two late but I am permanently damaged from treatment and while I'm still relatively still young, (53), Ill never get my quality of life back from what Interferon and Riba did to me.. IM left with RA, Fibro and chronic Fatigue, Sarcoidosis and some other autoimmune issue that they've yet to diagnose.. But when I was diagnosed, I was really advancing in my liver disease so I had to treat. But if I'd only been a stage 0-1 I probably would not have treated and waited for better treatment that does not include Interferon and Riba.. they ARE coming,,,

Thank you to everyone that replied. Suewho

wow, this sounds icky....before I know I had HepC, I had a lot of back pain and came up RA factor positive. My sides seem mild to some here, and other than severe skin issues, lots of blisters and red itchy skin, fatigue, and constant congestion, I feel pretty darn good! LOL all the best to you xoxoxox