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Hi, I am new to this discussion. I actually just discovered by accident yesterday that other people questioned whether the interferon/ribavirin treatment left them with long-term side effects or total physiological changes in the body. I had the 6 month treatment in 2014-2015. I had been in pain in my upper right abdomen daily for 2 years, going to the hospital here, even telling them I was a recovering addict with Hep c and asked if it could be the problem. Told no way..I had only been infected about 7 years at the time and was told not long enough to do any damage. Finally I went back to my family doctor and was sent to the liver specialist here...and I had stage 3 grade 2 liver disease and needed immediate treatment. At that time the new treatment was in the works but was still at least 2 years from being in Canada and the specialist felt I did not have the time to wait. So I did the interferon and ribavirin for 6 months...It was horrible to say the least. I was off work for 8 months and returning to work was really hard for a long time. But it is years later and I still am constantly tired, brain fog, vision loss began shortly after and has continued to worsen. I had perfect vision prior to...god, I could go on and on!!! I can't explain how relieved I am to see I am not alone and not crazy!
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Same here I started having vision problems within a month and developed Vascular problems headaches 29 years later I am here with same issues and Hep C is back
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I too was told that I could not wait after 2 biopsies, I was one step away from death, or so they said. It is hard to look but and trust anything Ann C, the rn who treated me said. Her medical reports were anything but factual. She did not list all the ways that the drug was affecting me, the medical reports were full of untruths. There is so much I'd like to say, but it is extremely hard to type on this small phone. This treatment damaged my eyesight to the point that if my head is ever jerked hard my eye will become detached. I also have a cataract. They love saying it was caused from aging. But... It happened during treatment. The very worse part is previous to treatment my doctor told me I had the bones of a 20 yr. Old. I was 5'10", always took csre of myself and took mega vitamins. I now can barely walk and was told I need knee replacement surgery on my left knee, the same knee that was affected by the treatment. My sister, who is older, doesn't have any of the problems I do. Doctor's should never be given a financial incentive to push medicine. I tried to sue, too late. The most alarming was when I found and read the va's manual for treating physicians. All of us should have been given a bone density test throughout the entire treatment, because it is known to damage your bones, get your bones I should say, it is also known to cause extreme damage to your eyesight and every organ in your body. Finding this manual was a very eye opening shocker. They should have lowered my dose. I was on the highest dose they could give. But of course they never did any of this for they would have received less money. I no longer trust any doctor and I won't ever take their medicine again. Talk about corruption. I can never get back to be feeling good again for it hasn't happened. Every day it feels like I have an elephant sitting in my legs. I can't walk without terrible pain and I can't get a pain pill. I could tell you so much more.