Well here we go again. Hopefully this Journal will really be a long one. I'm counting on it anyway! I'll keep this updated weekly and will also have a running page of all bloodwork that we do while I'm on the Rebetron. I had no break in treatment between the Intron-A Monotherapy and beginning the Rebetron so my sides are pretty much the same ones I had with the Intron alone. I will update those as well here so you will know what I have been feeling.

Remember, you may not have the same sides as I do. Everyone reacts differently to these drugs so you could be side~less or, God Forbid, have more than I have. The first month is the worst as your body gets used to the drugs. I remember going through all sorts of different side effects, but after the first month or so, it settled into a routine.

I started Rebetron treatment on July 31, 1998.  My sides have pretty much settled into a routine. I do my shots on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday night. I always do them at 7:30. For the first 3 months my husband gave me my shots because of my fear of needles. In June I decided I better learn how to do it myself. It wasn't so bad, and I have gotten much better at it by now.

I usually have diarrhea daily. It got a bit worse when I started on the 50mg daily of Zoloft, but has settled back down alot. I usually take some Pepto Bismol and it takes care of the problem. (Be careful, Pepto tends to turn your stool a very dark color. Don't confuse this with blood in the stool!) Immodium is too strong for my system for some reason. My appetite is gone and I have lost over 40 pounds since starting treatment. (I was a chunko so this was fine with me!) The depression set in back in May so we began the Zoloft in June. It has helped tremendously. Don't be afraid to admit to yourself or your Dr that you may need something for the depression. Its not permanent, as none of the sides are, and it helps so much. Why feel like that if you don't have too?

I have constant daily headaches and take Darvocet for them. Some days they aren't too bad but they usually get me good the day after the shot. (My Intron hangover!) I usually also need to lay down about 2 or 3 every afternoon. My sleep is bad at night and sometimes I wake 3 or 4 times a night. I just can't seem to get comfortable. I still get that 102 fever on shot night too.

I will be posting all the bloodwork results on the RESULTS page, which is linked here. Hopefully as time goes by, they will so a drop to normal in my Liver Function Tests and a drop to 0 in my PCR!

I hope this journal will help give you some idea of what treatment may be like for you. The most important thing to remember is that everyone reacts differently to treatment. You may suffer no sides whatsoever! Also remember to drink more water than you can stand. It helps with the sides and is necessary as Intereron can damage your kidneys.

On July 7, 1999 my Dr. and I agreed to stop treatment. I have been on Intron/Rebetron for 16 months and still have the viral load. My enzymes have gone down to normal but with the viral load still being present we have decided to end this regime. I will be waiting 2 months, checking my enzymes every 2 weeks, then most likely will start on Consensus INFERGEN. When I start again, I will be adding a third journal to my pages. Hopefully, this will do the trick for me. Since I am in Stage 3 liver damage with bridging fibrosis, I feel that I have to continue to try whatever is out there. Anything that can slow my progression to Stage 4 is worth a try.