Month 4
June 6 - July 3
June 6-June 12~Boy what a week. Got the Disability papers taken care of on Monday. I finally called the Dr and told him about my depression. He gave me samples of a drug called SERZONE. This is one bad drug. I only took 3 tablets but it made me so sick I couldn't even get out of bed. The sides from it were worse than the Intron sides. My head hurt worse than any migraine I have ever had. I felt lightheaded, dizzy, nausea, extremely blurry vision, cold chills. It was worse than the first Intron shot! I also read about it on the net and one of the effects of it was that it raises the Liver Enzymes. Just what I need. I called the Dr back and he gave me a prescription for Zoloft so I wll start it Saturday.
The shots went rather well but I felt awful on Thursday. Partly due to that Serzone no doubt. I haven't had much of an appetite all week either. I'm down to 120 lbs so I need to stop losing weight. Don't want to drift of into nothing! Its getting tough to find a good spot to stick. My legs seem to be toughening up. I'm trying to work up the nerve to do it myself. Maybe I'll finally do it, after we find out about the PCR, which should be next week sometime.
I felt much better on Friday. Thankfully the Serzone has gone from my system. I even had an appetite for the first time all week. I thought I may be coming down with a cold, but then how would I know? I have many flu like symptoms every day. I know its most likely the HepC and the Intron but how would I know if it were really a cold? Its become such a natural way to feel anymore. I'm real glad this week is over. Kind of like the week from hell. I'm sure next week will be much better!
June 13-June19~Well this week wasn't quite as bad as last! I got my SDI on Monday along with the back pay to February. I started on Zoloft on Saturday. No sides from it! I also got a call from the Dr. The Natl Genetics Institute is holding my blood hostage. They won't run the PCR until the Ins Company says they will pay for it. As it is an outside lab, no go. Back to the beginning. Re-did the PCR bloodwork on Wednesday. It will go to the usual lab instead. Now it will be another week till we find out. The shots were alright this week. I have been having lots of night sweats this past couple of weeks, tho. The diarrhea has been awful also. Nothing seems to stay with me very long. Immodium is too strong for me so I am trying Pepto now. It seems to work for a bit but not near long enough. The pain in my left back is worse. It still feels to me like my kidney. I will be sure to tell the Doc about this. I have an appt with him on the 26th to go over the PCR results. He said earlier it was something called costo condritis but it sure seems like my kidney to me. I've been very tired this week. Not alot of energy to speak of. The good news is the headache seems to be on its way out. I hardly have it anymore, maybe once or twice a week.
June 20-June 26~Its been a pretty quiet week. I have my Dr. appt on Friday and will finally get the PCR results. I've been trying not to think too much about it. Just makes me nervous. After over 45 shots, I finally got the nerve and did it myself! I've done 2 now, and they weren't near as tough as I had thought. Just slid the needle in nice and easy. No pain, no blood, no air bubbles! The diarrhea has taken a vacation this week so I have been able to eat a little bit better. I haven't had the pain in my back near my kidney this week either. I am tired though. I find when I walk the dogs I can't go too far. It just wears me out anymore. The Zoloft hasn't bothered me a bit. I'm glad we changed from that awful Serzone. I'll be glad when it starts working. These 'blues' are a pain! At least the sides have settled down alot. Only have the headache on the day after each shot anymore. Sleep is still up and down too but I'm used to it now. I've also learned to rest when I feel I need it, during the day, and that helps the fatigue greatly.
Well the trip to the Doc wasn't so great. First he realized the lab ran an HBV test and not the PCR. I don't have HepB but still don't know the PCR~we have to re-do it....again. He did say that he made an error back in March. He had told me my viral load was 4,145,710 when it is actually 414,571. Big difference there.
He feels I am a non responder since my enzymes are not at the normal level. Its been about 14 weeks and they still have a ways to go. He also is going to start me on the Combo treatment in a couple of weeks. It kind of feels like the last 3 months were for nothing, but at least the enzymes have come down. As soon as I get the PCR back I will post it. I think I'll start a new journal for my combo treatment. Hopefully the sides from the Ribavarin won't be too bad.
June 27-July 3~Its been a hectic week. I did my 3rd PCR test in a month and hopefully the lab will get this one right. They aren't going to charge my Ins company for this one, since they messed up the last one. We will stay with Intron alone for the next month and then I guess we will switch to the combo. I've had a reprieve from the diarrhea again this week so that has been wonderful! Only the headache and the fatigue has bothered me. Some days the fatigue is terrible, but others aren't so bad. I'm also only waking about twice a night now. I average about 4 good sleeping hours at a time. Still no problems with the Zoloft and I feel better too. It must be working now! The shots are getting easier and easier for me to do. No bruises still either. I do get the red rash around the injection site, but I think that will always happen. I've been having the pain in my back again the last week. My liver has also been hurting. My appetite hasn't been so great the past couple of weeks. I'm just never hungry it seems. I do eat, but not often or very much.
July 10~Well I got the PCR finally. I am a NON-RESPONDER. I kind of knew because of the ALTs not going down to normal but it wasn't even a drop by half. I started at 414,570 and its only down to 240,748. I guess I should be glad its at least down and not up. We will finish off this last prescription of Intron, then on July 23rd I go back to the Dr. He wants to go to the combo with the same dosage of Intron, but I want to get more aggressive this time. I may also have him give me Infergen as the results for it are so much higher. No studies have been done with the combo on non-responders and I don't feel like taking a chance again.
When we start the new treatment I will begin another Journal. Hopefully the sides won't be as bad as the first time. Thats another thing about the combo vs Infergen. I have heard the sides to the combo are much worse than Infergen and even than Intron alone. This Journal has been so very good for me and I hope it has helped some of you to prepare for your treatment as well.
The most important thing to remember as you go into treatment is that YOUR sides may not be anything like mine. Interferon has a mind of its own, and every single person reacts differently.
I wish you luck, no sides, and a Negative PCR at the end of your treatment!!
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