I'm HEP C FREE!!

Blood work for Thyroid check up and final results for the Hep C were done on the 16th and the results are in... my thyroid is "normal" and I'M HEP C FREE!!! It's been a hard long road, but completely worth it!! I can't thank any of you enough for the love and encouragement through all of this!

Thyroid and other stuff

I called my primary care last Friday to see about scheduling an appointment regarding my leg pain and body aches. My doctor almost always has a week wait but luckily she happened to have a cancellation for her last appointment of the day so I got in. After talking about everything I'm dealing with, depression, fatigue (still), weight gain, and most of all my body hurts! Mostly just my legs but truly my entire back even into my arms and down my legs often hurt every night. She went ahead and upped my anti-depressant (I was on a low dose anyway), put me on thyroid medication (apparently my specialist saying it was "back to normal" was only a partial truth, it's still really borderline to not being ok), and was supposed to prescribe me a different muscle relaxer that didn't make me so tired but I haven't received that yet. I'm not too worried about that part though I do need to call soon before I forget. It's really too soon to tell but I hope these changes make a big difference. She really believes they will so I've got my fingers crossed. The only thing I don't like is taking the thyroid medication on an empty stomach. I'm afraid to even drink coffee because I put creamer in it and can't find anywhere that tells me if that's okay or not. So water it is for at least the first half hour after I take it. Not horrible I suppose, we can all use more water!

When does it end??

I hurt. A lot. It's mostly only bad at night but starting last night and carrying into the entire day today my lower back and legs have hurt so bad I keep finding myself in tears. Right now is no exception. I went to the doctor recently and they gave me muscle relaxers which have done no good however I'm in enough pain right now I'm willing to take it just to fall asleep. I am moving this weekend and have a lot of other things on my plate right now and yet I can't focus long enough to get anything accomplished.

I have spent the last 13 months trying so hard to be strong and for the first 48 weeks I at least knew there was an end in sight. Right now I have no idea if or when these side effects will completely go away. My energy level seems to keep increasing though I know the fatigue is not completely gone. As an example I was awake for a total of 11 hours the other day out and about doing thins and slept for 13 hours as a result. This is much better than the 4-6 hours I used to manage at the beginning of treatment but still not where I'd like to be. The nausea seems to have left for good (or so I hope) but these body aches are killing me!! I was starting to have more frequent headaches too but I honestly don't think that has anything to do with treatment. However I am starting to wonder if the fact that my upper and inner thighs were my main injection point for the entire length of treatment has done something to my nerves. My lower back into my upper legs are what hurt the most though my entire back, arms, and the rest of my legs will often hurt the later it gets at night.

I find that walking or standing hurts less than sitting or laying down. It's also odd to me that while the body and/or muscle aches (whatever they truly are) continue to get worse post-treatment. The constant up and down of post-treatment side effects is really fucking annoying. Ultimately everything but the body aches are improving but even then the fatigue comes and goes and the nausea was hit or miss for awhile but I'm trying to stay positive that those will continue to decline. The body aches are still a mystery why are they getting worse and why is nothing helping? How can I be expected to go back to work, even part time, when I hurt like this? I thought I was ready and even told my doctor I think I could work 20-30 hours given my fatigue improving but after the last 24 hours I really question my ability to do anything.

Tomorrow I'm going to call the doctor and get another appointment. Something must be done about this. The only thing that seems to help are hot baths and that's only while I'm in the tub. If I could live in a hot bubble bath for the rest of my life I'd be just fine. Unfortunately that's not very realistic and just seems kind of weird. Enough from me. Goodnight.

a little more awake, a lot more sore

Upside: The last few days I've had a bit more energy, not a ton, but more. For example, I haven't taken a nap in the middle of the day for days now! Progress!! I'm still pretty damn tired but progress is progress and I'll take it!

Downside: My body HURTS!!! My whole back (from head to lower back) is very sore during the day and come evening/night my legs start acting up too. My arms are also really tense when I wake up in the mornings but tend to get better after an hour or so. Right now my legs are so sore I can't even imagine going to sleep but I am thoroughly exhausted and ready for sleep!

Mental focus seems hit or miss, I wish I could say that has gotten better. Some days I think I'm doing great, other days I can't concentrate to save my life! Today would be the latter.  Yep, I don't know what else to say... goodnight.

Hypothyroidism

My Specialist just called. My viral load is still negative (YAY!!!) however my thyroid is under-active which is explaining the major fatigue, body aches, and probably quite a few other symptoms. He said the last time they tested my thyroid levels (Oct) they were "normal" however I recall seeing my naturopath in Nov and after reviewing my results she told me that they were not good but still in an acceptable range to a doctor of western medicine and therefore they wouldn't do anything about it. Looks like she was right! At this point he is not having me take action just yet. He said since it is a side effect of treatment my levels may very well return to normal. So, Feb 27th I will be going back for blood work and we will take it from there. I actually feel at ease knowing this. I found it maddening to feel more tired and in more pain AFTER treatment had ended than while I was on treatment. Thank god there is a reason for all of this. I really started to feel like I was going insane.

Side Effects

For anybody interested in better understanding the general side effects of the type of interferon I was taking, here is a link to the Mayo Clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR602541/DSECTION=side%2Deffects

Doctor Visit and Disability

Monday at 3pm I went for my second to last visit with my GI specialist. To date, all blood work has come back exactly as they need it to and on July 23rd I will see him for hopefully the last time, at least for 19 years when he says I should come back for a colonoscopy... thanks doc! ;)

If my viral load is still undetectable 6 months after treatment I will be considered CURED!!

Monday I felt extremely tired, disoriented and extremely sore. Yesterday I seemed fine and today I'm very achy and tired again. The doctor did inform me that the fatigue takes 1-3 months on average to completely go away. He thinks it would be good for me to take another month off work see how my body decided to bounce back and take it from there.

I talked to Long Term Disability today. My case manager said he will request the notes from Monday's visit and likely just follow up with me sometime in mid-Feb to see how I'm doing. As much as I'd like to think I would just bounce right back and be ready to return to work I'm glad that my doctor and disability case manager alike are not trying to rush this process. It's going to take as long as it's going to take which is something I'm still coming to terms with.

It's been 344 days, thank god it's finally OVER!

From the first interferon shot to the final ribavirin pills I took tonight, treatment has lasted a total of 344 days!! A medical treatment full of harsh drugs, harsh side effects, and a lot of physical and emotional pain. That's 48 shots and 1,720 pills. Not to mention the daily anti-depressents, heartburn medication, endless amounts of ibuprofen or aleve and any other supplements such as multivitamins, iron pills, etc. The most trying eleven months of my entire life, hands down. I can't believe it's over!! I blood work done and see my specialist on Monday at 3pm. Assuming he tells me my results still look good I won't see him again for approximately 6 months. what a life changing event that is taking place. When I wake up in the morning I no longer have to think about treatment. I have to remember to ask the doctor how quickly he thinks the fatigue will start to subside if there is one side effect that has kicked my ass more than any that would be it. I would love to get on a regular sleeping schedule, go to the gym regularly and be able to work again! I look forward to returning to some form of normal life within the next couple of weeks to a month. On that note I can barely keep my eyes open and my body is sore and tired so I'm headed to bed... more after the doctor's visit on Monday!