[Correction: I had interferon alpha 2b, not 2a, and yes, it was daily Rebetol.]

Hi,
I was treated for Hep C (genotype 2A) in 2001 with weekly 80 mcg Peg-Intron (interferon alpha 2b) and 400 mg daily Rebetol. (I know I had the ribavirin, I just don't remember the frequency.) The treatment lasted 8 months after which I had SVR.

In 2013 I injured my neck by moving it the wrong way. In 2016 I couldn't work anymore because I couldn't sit behind a computer more than an hour a day. I tried to get better with physical therapy and yoga. In 2010 I had severe exercise intolerance. My doctor said I might be going hypoglycemic, so I tracked my blood sugar. It would go low at the beginning of walking, then spike by the end. After five years, I figured out how to manage that: lower carb diet, protein snack immediately after exercise, and putting my feet up for at least 15 minutes a day.

I also had brain fog. I couldn't go back to my technical job. I tried freelancing, but it took too much effort to do it efficiently. I couldn't remember anything. I still can't remember anything and have to write EVERYTHING down. I attributed it to stress and post-menopausal menobrain.

Nothing improved and eventually I ended up with full-body pain, which is where I am now. My muscles cramp and my bones ache. I tried more exercise (which is what everyone suggested) and that made it worse, so I took two months off from that and just did physical therapy. It still got worse. The doctor ordered an MRI, which showed facet joint arthritis, in addition to knee and hand osteoarthritis that we knew about.

My doctor said to just take Tylenol (acetaminophen). After I picked my jaw up from the floor, I started wondering how something so life-changing would be judged as innocent enough as to be helped by acetaminophen. (I also wondered if acetaminophen was even safe for someone who had had Hep C.)

It wasn't until then that the words "post-interferon syndrome" popped up in my brain. I had read about it before, but didn't think it applied to me. My 8 months of treatment weren't that bad. Yes, I just went to work and slept and had to put my whole life on hold, but the doctor prescribed medicine for the nausea and any other side effects that I mentioned.

But here I am, almost 20 years past treatment, and I'm beginning to wonder. I am thankful that I have a liver left, and I realize that it might have been impossible to forecast such long-term effects, so I'm not angry. But I *am* frustrated by this chronic pain. I also worry that my doctors think I'm a big baby since they can't see reasons for the amount of pain I'm in.

I use a topical CBD cream, which seems to help, and sometimes also CBD drops. The problem with that is that is doesn't last. Every 3-4 hours the pain returns. I recently bought a CBD patch, which I'll be trying soon. CBD, of course, isn't covered by insurance, and I'm not working. The other less-expensive options (ice, heat, TENS unit, menthol rub, lidocaine rub) don't work as well or last as long, but they do help my medical expenses. Prescription lidocaine patches also help, but this is an off-label usage, so it's hard to get them prescribed. My doctor had me try Cymbalta, but stopped the trial because it wasn't showing any effect.

I'm curious to see how many others are around 20 years post-treatment and if you have chronic muscle, bone, and nerve pain -- I think I saw a few posts here -- and how you're dealing with it.

Mar2a