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I went thru treatment with intron A in 95 and then again with ribavirin and peg interferon in 2010. I'm SVR now and clear but this year is the first year I've felt some (but not much) improvement of my brain fog, malaise, bone aches, joint aches, and everything else. I was tested for everything under the sun and was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia and myofacial pain syndrome. I spoke with my gastroenterologist doc and my family doc about long term side effects. They said there was no evidence of any documented. I showed my gastro doc forum after forum of people who had my symptoms and said I'm not going crazy and how do I get someone to study this? I still dont feel like i did prior to treatment and have widespread pain. I often wonder if my symptoms are from fibromyalgia or from the interferon? There are so many hep forums where 50% of the people complain of long term problems that are all similar. Oh ya.. my eyesight is also shot now too. Happened rapidly the first 3 years after treatment. Just sayin. I hope we make enough noise to make a difference and get someone to HEAR us. Thanks!
Replies to "I went thru treatment with intron A in 95 and then again with ribavirin and peg..."
Hello I share the same health issues with you I have spoke to everyone in the medical field including the veterans administration gastrologist who prescribed the interferon ribavirin for five for 48 month treatments those treatments almost killed me I am sure now has been three years but it was the Havonia .i was on a pain maintenance management program through the VA for almost 15 years clinical diagnosis was degenerative disc disease lower back and after two cervical spine surgeries and clinical diagnosis of degenerative cervical spine disease as well
I was given 60 mg of Vicodin a day I didn’t have any pain in my body unless I fail to take my medicine on time
With all this new VA in opiate loss I was taken off I suffer today with pain but the feeling I’m having along with the other clinical issues is the body pain that is deep in my legs bones and in my arm bones I still have many headaches and I also have memory loss of some sort
I have asked the doctors for the medication back told them about the ribavirin and the interferon years of use no one has any evidence of long-term issues could it be people do know this I don’t want to add minutes maybe legal purposes I don’t know but I’m very very exhaust Feeling this way after reading your article I see you I’m not alone
My question is to the mayo clinic is there anything that can be done for the people here on this site feel this way we’re all we doing here is talking I realize talking is great end it helps understanding that there are other people with the same health issues but it comes a time when action is needed
Thank you
That's the same thing I've ran into. None of my Dr's even want to talk about interferon,or ribivarin. Or post interferon syndrome The minute I'd bring it up, they just ignore it,and move on. I don't even bring it up anymore,vary rarely. My eyesight also went. Post treatment. One day I could read just fine,the next I needed glass's. Thank you for sharing, I appreciate that I'm not the only one having trouble finding a doctor that will listen. growly.
I also was treated in 1995 and have been sick ever since. I was able to work up until 3 years ago and am now on disability
I took Prednisone burst to figure out fibro pain from osteo pain. Widespread pain from fibro subsided osteo didnt. Backwards.
For me it has to be 48 wks interferon and ribavirin. It was only thing different at the time. I have 23 different comorbidities that keep increasuing. Im 11yrs post tx.
Fibro. Feels as though ive been forgotten about.
In the 11 yrs how much money has been made. It makes my blood boil. Oh ya . Neuropsychiatric problems. My rage has grown. It was one of first side effects.
I found out I had Hepatitis C in 1997 and I refused treatment because I was at Stage 1 Mild. Ten years later 2007I had a biopsy and I was at Stage 4 cirrhosis. I started treatment with interferon and ribavirin and after 13 weeks the virus was still detected. Then I tried treatment again with the same medication and went 26 weeks the virus was still detected. In 2011 I tried the same medication with Televir and after 4 weeks I was finally undetected. I took the Televir for 10 weeks and stayed on the interferon and ribavirin for 38 weeks. While on the last treatment they discovered that I had cancer in my liver. It was small and they took it out and immediately but me on the transplant list. I got my new liver July 1st 2012 and I quit the treatment at 38 weeks. It’s been 8 years since my transplant and I feel fortunate to be alive. I do have body pain and they called it fibromyalgia and put me on a different antidepressant called Cymbalta at 60 mg which really helped. I’ve now gotten it down to 30mg. As far as brain fog I definitely have that. I had fatigue for years but that has gotten a little better. I don’t like these side affects and many people don’t understand it but I’m very happy to be alive and would do it all over again. Do I wish I could have waited for a better treatment, yes definitely but I’m still here and I’m happy about that.
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1995 Intron A for 6 mos. Relapsed then Intron A for one year. Long term symptoms of weakness, muscle atrophy, fatigue, hypoxia, and down the road finally of heart block and pacemaker (how long was that going on?). Not sure if psychiatric is a treatment symptom (probably), or loss of health, income, personal independence and identity. How about Hep C symptoms (severe) were caused by something other than that virus?