It's done. I had two weeks to go to make the full 24 weeks, but my doctor has ended it.
I look like a crack addict with the numerous scabs from a severe reaction to the ribavirin. I have been so itchy; I'm trying to rip my skin off and it shows. Antihistamines didn't work, neither did the hydrocortisone cream they gave me.
I look like a crack addict with the numerous scabs from a severe reaction to the ribavirin. I have been so itchy; I'm trying to rip my skin off and it shows. Antihistamines didn't work, neither did the hydrocortisone cream they gave me.
So the lesser of two evils
was to stop treatment. I was told that it will not make a difference
with respect to my "sustained virologic response" because I "cleared quickly at 30 days." Let's hope so, because if it comes back, I WILL NOT GO THROUGH THIS
AGAIN. My son doesn't deserve it either -- cranky, cranky, cranky,
especially since I cannot stop being itchy.
Anyhow, tomorrow will be the first full day without meds. I hope this clears my system quickly, but I was told two to four weeks.
I NEED my hair to grow back.
I NEED the itching to stop.
I NEED the bitchiness to go away (at least back to the regular bitch I was).
I NEED my muscle mass back.
I NEED my breathing regular again.
I WANT the old person's skin gone.
I WANT to feel normal again so I can make up the last six months of lunacy to my son who has taken a lot during that time.
Next viral check is 30 July. Will keep you informed.
I am writing about Kathy. Your hair, and everything will come back. The itching will also go away. Ive been off all 3 hep c meds for 3 months. And Iam getting back to normal. My taste change, can't still eat certain foods yet. I know what you were going through. Need to talk just E-MAIL me. GOOD LUCK KATHY
Kathy,
I have been reading your blog entries for a while, thank you for sharing. I started treatment a few weeks prior to you, so it was kind of like have a cohort.
I too ended treatment early. I was having a lot of issues with breathing and sinuses, oh yeah, and the little factor that I was basically intolerable even to my doc might have had something to do with it - he gave me a scrip for Valium and said to stop. This after 18 weeks.
His reasoning was three-fold. I also cleared after 30 days. I was newly infected and it was detected within months. He also applied the 80/80/80 theory.
I had not previously hear of this, but I am so glad we decided to discontinue treatment. It is a theory, as I understand it, of less than 80% to chronic, more than 80% compliance to meds, this equals an 80% probability of "cure" after 90 days. I just had 45 day interim labs.
I am still having bronchial issues. This may or may not be related to the treatment. Right now my lung capacity is down about 20-25%. But, the hemoglobin numbers are back up to within normal range. So we shall see how this settles.
So congrats to both of us, and best wishes to all of those still in treatment. It does suck big-time. But, within a few days the nasty symptoms began to subside and more importantly, I could tolerate myself and those around me could breathe a sign of relief that "the bomb" temperament was not going to blow at the breath of a fly.
Better Living Living Through Perseverance