Philzone.org Discussion Board: Archive 2004: Hep C Archive: One Week after Tx ends and starting to feel Human

Hey Now,
I have not been around for a while. Last I was here I had a couple of months left and was starting a much needed job. Well, the job did not work out and I slipped into depression. But I did my last injection on Dec 3 (on schedule) and it is finally leaving my body. I have been and still am worried that there has been permanent dammage to my emotional center. I have had severe mood disturbance throughout this treatment and had to move out on my own 5 months into treatment (leaving my girlfriend of 3 years) in order to not end up in jail for domestic disturbance. I am the kindest most relaxed person in the world, however, my ex was going through her own stuff at the time and was not really being sensitive to what was going on. Things got out of control on a few occasions (I never hit her or anything) but the neighbors (We lived in an apartment) called the cops. I knew they would eventually do something about it so I left to finish the treatment. Now Tx is over. I still have no work and I really need a break from somewhere. I just thought I would bring this up as one more testamonial to the effect that the Riba Rage can have on our lives.
I just pray it was all worth it. I hope the Tx is successful. I am geno 1a so it is difficult to get rid of. But I am hopeful. I cleared the virus at 3 months and had very bad side efects throughout. Both emotional and physical. I was plagued with horrible nausea throughout the Tx. Though I did manage it quite well. However it was very $$ for the herb. Now as the feeling of nausea lifts I still want the herb but I really cannot justify it.(Though I still puked up a glass of water 2 nights ago when waking at night. I could never do this during Tx and was wondering if this would happen or not). My sleep disturbance is still pretty bad though I have slept better the last couple of nights. I have about 1/3 of my hair left. There are no blank areas but it is just significantly thinner. I think I am just going to cut it all off. I know this is vain but it's a little humiliating to have really thin long hair when you once had a nice head of hair. So I think I am just going to cut it off.
Anyway, that is my news. I wish you all well and hope to be able to be of support to you when I am more together.

Good to hear from you remember none of us have to go through this mental,physical, and sprirtual wringer alone.We have power in numbers. The bus is reving its engine for you. You helped me a lot when I was a newbie.I identify with your feelings 110% I have 7 or 8 more shots to go and I went back to work today.I have finally learned to pace myself.Peace Rob You,ll be phine

GOOD to hear from you, Kikko!
You made it out the other end!
Please post from time to time and let us know how you feel, as the juice leaves your body.
Lots of us nearing completion are curious, how long to feelin' good again.
Congratulations, Bro- you made it!!!

Keith, glad you made it. It takes awhile to get the poison out of your body but you will feel better with each passing day and believe it or not your mind will eventually clear.

Congratulations!

Keith, it took a long while for me to get back on keel after two years of interferon. I would say it took another two years before I felt all the way right. But that was me. And two years is longer than most people spend on hte drug. Just give it a while.

I went out to dinner last night for my brother's birthday, and it was very loud, with all the conversation. There was a loud group next to us. I found myself affected by this. I would never have put myself in that position during treatment, however, I thought I would be OK with it now. I ate a steak for the first time in a very long time. I had a craving for meat. I only ate 1/2 of it though. My appetite is coming back. I lived on pancakes, mini wheats cereal and PB and J sandwiches.
Starting to have energy. I planned a busy Monday and Tuesday this week. They went OK, but I have been burnt out ever since. I really need a job. I am doing the online thing and was getting some job opportunities over the last two months of Tx, however, the oppurtunities seem to have all dried up. I am a PC technician, with some experience taking care of cross platform servers, UNIX/Linux, OS2, as well as Windows.
I know the two periods of Tx that caused me the most anxiety was the beginning of Tx and how it would be when I finished. This is why I am trying to share my experience to let you guys know how it is for me. Not to say that it will be the same for you but my biggest fear coming to the end of Tx was that the effects that the Tx has had would be permanent. That somehow the these drugs triggered a state that would persist beyond the end of Tx.
I am still not sure how much will lift and how much will remain. I am hoping I come out of this stronger both physically and emotionally and truely want to become a particpating member of this world of ours, once again. I hope to live to a ripe old age and be healthy and happy (more or less)till the end of my life. These are the reasons I went through this Tx. I want the payback, but I guess I am wanting it too soon. I have learned alot of patience over tha past 10 years. I spent 4 years laid up with a crushed lower right leg (it happened a month before Jerry died) and spent alot of time in the hospital while having a total of 8 sureries. Now having to take this year off. It really teaches us how to postpone life. I just want to engage life again, but I am having a hard time.
I need to remember I have come a long way. Those 10 years were also filled with a major pain killer addiction, which saddles me now with a methadone addiction. But I have left that life behind and have been through many major challenges to my commitment to stay off hard drugs and have maintained that comitment for almost 3 years now. I am still hoping this is a beginning. The beginning of a new lease on life.

Kieth, Walt and I were discussing that very same posttx fear earlier tonight. MUch Kudos to you on your three yrs. May they become 30. Or inyour young case, 50.
Good luck on the job front.
PEACE, Mark

Everbody remember that for several months after you stop taking these meds you have to keep the water intake at about the same level as when you were on Tx. The meds can stay in your system for as many as six months. I let my intake drop when I was taken off of treatment, and a month later got arrested over a road rage incident, and two weeks after that almost killed myself. Please don't let this happen to you.

Keith, I've been off the juice since mid-August, and my hair is coming back at least as thick as it had been, and with little or no grey.

Good luck,

Jim

Keith, keep the faith... Better days really are coming, as a matter of fact you've already started into them. But it does take awhile for this stuff to wear off. The first time I got treated the doctor didn't want to hear anything about me not feeling just great the very next week (I didn't feel great), but this last time, he admitted it could take six months "or so" to get rid of all the side effects (doctors keep learning more and more about TX).

I don't know exactly when the horrible mental side effects left, having had a traumatic brain injury right after I got off treatment. But, even though my memory and thinking are pretty much f****d up in many ways, from the accident, I can still actually tell that my thoughts are not angry and hostile and disturbed like they were on ribavirin, that part of my brain at least is "me" again. You do get this part of yourself back.

It's been around 9 months since TX ended, for me. My hair still isn't the same, it's still not thick like it used to be although it's definitely normal. It didn't even stop falling out right at the end of TX, in my case. And the first place it came back was those "unwanted facial hairs" that plague middle-age women and instead of being glad to see it I ran for the tweezers. Go figure....

I can't tell the temperature of water on my fingers, and, my hands and feet (and nose) get super cold even in moderately cold weather, I think this is an aftereffect of treatment because it started during TX, and I never had it before. I've got a doctor's appointment in the near future (family doc, I don't have to go back to the liver doctor!!!!!) and I'm going to try to find out about this.

I developed a "fat intolerance" or something during TX which sent me to the emergency room once with pancreatitis after eating half a bagel with cream cheese. I eat fairly normal now, it's no longer a chore I actually have some appetite. I even eat regular food for the most part. But I still get sick, to this day, if I eat anything with more than a little fat (maybe not the worst lingering side effect, hmmmmm)

Just recently, people have been telling me that my color is better. I don't know if this has to do with no longer having hep C, or no longer being on treatment, or recovering from the car accident. But it can't be a bad thing....

And, the little baby I am godmother to, is a methadone baby. She's almost been weaned off of it now (which is how it's done) and is thriving in every way, even started smiling! Methadone is a blessing when it's needed and when it's done right. Take care, Peace and Love, Fran

Take one day at a time. I am starting in January and will have a year to wait and say I'm done. I read this everyday to keep faith.
You have persevered thru Tx and much more, It is hopefully over but the body's turn to clean out the toxins now.
Keep the faith, we are here for you...

Kikko..great to hear from you...I know all about the impatience you are feeling...but the time will pass and you will start to feel better. I hope and pray for SVR for you..peace...mack

Kikkoman,

What a wonderful feeling to be DONE with tx......

There's a lot to be said about finishing treatment. The most important: it's over! You've put your all into a successful duel with the dragon and you are winning. Your insights will guide other pholks. Every day that beast is dead brings a new and better day. Savor it.