13. Dreaming- During Tx almost immediately I noticed I was dreaming more or at least it felt like it. I do not have good recall anyway, well I haven't had since I was a teenager when I did have good recall and dreamt quite lucidly.There was the occasional horrendous nightmare and I usually remember those, but this lack of dream recall has been present for most of my adult life. I'm now beginning to wonder it the virus was messing with that also?
Now even after treatment has ended I am aware those lingering memories/thoughts from a dream. I have a journal to jot down things that seem significant, I hope with time this will improve. Will get back about this one.
On one hand not being able to remember has been a blessing, because nightmares would affect my day, but on the other hand I want to remember those dreams where my dad was there or perhaps some relevant message from a distant star..lol, I don't know.
hey Hoodie! love that "train" of hearts, yea! chugging along. I'm feeling a bit better today and have already been out sweeping up a ton of ash tree seeds, boy them is little buggers. Your journey should be winding up soon. We'll see ya on the other side of the tunnel!
Thanks Cheddy, yea...I'm in a hurry to get better , maybe I should ease into it more. I did have a huge weekend at EOT and I may have been catching a cold in the days after, had to take some Cold Calm and drink my special recipe; lemon, cider vinegar, honey, salt, cayenne & ginger in a glass of water for a couple days.
Today I'm doing ok, I have much to do with that fair coming up and my mother turns 90 this weekend, I'm leaving tomorrow to go to her house. Tying up loose ends here, will be gone for a week.
I also wanted to say I had my EOT appointment with the hepatologist yesterday! The blood work was as we expected .UNDECTECTED !!!! She did say come back in 3 months and if I was undetected at that time I would be considered cured...I though it was a year. I asked for blood work at 6 months and a year, and she said ok.
So there's the update! blessings, Iris
Cheddy said
Oct 2, 2018
Geez, Iris. This has been a long and tough time for you. I applaud your coping/survival skill as it sometimes takes a lot to get though the treatment process. Then there's the second phase of recovery you are in now.
It sound like you are getting better, but not as fast as you would like. Give it time. Focus on what you like and want and continue to take the very best care of yourself.
As long as I'm daring to make recommendations...do something special to celebrate...anything...a trip, a party, a series of bubble baths, a visit with a nurturing old friend, a bon fire, something that marks the start of a new state of being well.
Nice ideas, but I did have to start on some antidepressants to break the habit of feeling like sh*t. For me, it worked right away. My brain had lost it's link to serotonin, I guess.
Again, congratulations on EOT and your long long journey to being HepC free.
Hoodietree said
Oct 2, 2018
Great job documenting all this Iris! I related to it a great deal and saw some similarities actually a great deal of similarities! Noticed some differences as well, some things you experienced that I did not. Your story is really inspirational and Im glad we could go through this together.
And since you like my string of emojis this one is especially for you:
This symbolizes how we are here for each other on this forum, and there is light at the end of the tunnel
-- Edited by Hoodietree on Tuesday 2nd of October 2018 11:36:15 AM
Iris Dragonfly said
Oct 2, 2018
Salutations!
I thought I'd better jot down my complete list of side effects before I forget exactly what went on. I'm going to list them as the most severe first and then with notations as to duration or how I dealt with it.
I suppose I'll also dedicate this thread to the healing effects experienced since completing treatment.
Iris Dragonfly's Harvoni side effects:
0. Taking the pill Daily within the hour of nine in the a.m. (I started out being real prompt at 9, but as the days went on I slipped and slipped and sometimes it was closer to 10, I meant to ask about this but I never did...hope that will not be a problem, I wouldn't think an hour to make a huge amount of difference) I used my flag of Wales to represent the dragon and traced the track the pill would take over the teeth and past he tongue and down to the liver, "look out were going to get better!" and down the hatch with a full glass of water in my black chalice. I more frequently than not took it on an empty stomach, that didn't seem to affect me at all and never had stomach upset of any kind. About 15 to 45 minutes after taking the pill I could feel it with heaviness to follow.
1. Fatigue- this was the most severe for the first 6-7 weeks. Made worse by exerting self in the out of doors, sun may have been a factor. Felt like a lead weight and this seems to tie into the weakness in#2. This began to lift around 8 weeks. I didn't nap, except a couple times, did a lot of couch potato yoga...(that would =nothing). Didn't have the gumption to do much at all.
2. Weakness- in my back between my hips and legs mostly, and arms to small degree. This got pretty bad a few times to the point I didn't think I would be able to stand for fear of collapsing. It wasn't that there was pain, it was extreme lack of strength. This was the slug in Peanut butter effect, moving took a great deal of effort. Like above I spent much of the time on the couch, went to bed earlier than regular time by an hour sometimes two. Had no trouble with sleep.
3. Headache- slightly worse in the first 3 weeks then more of a minor dull ache that was very tolerable at 4 weeks and beyond. Water helped to a degree and I only took a couple baby aspirin on a few occasions in the evening, but I'm supposed to take a daily baby aspirin anyway...wasn't good about that. I didn't want to take any other chemical meds.
4. Neck pain/sore throat- this was bad in the beginning and was one of the symptoms I remember having when I first got ill in 1978. This lasted about 3-4 weeks and then to a lesser degree through the rest of treatment. Nothing helped this. except the throat a little salt water gargle helped. It was sporadic at times in the degree of pain.
5. Brain fog/confusion- already had this from the virus but it seemed to get exacerbated from the meds. Had some real uh oh moments like forgetting which side the hot water was or where I was driving while in the car. Forgetting things before they happened and thinking I missed it. That was weird.
6. Dizziness- This lasted about 6 weeks. sit down.
7. Blaaaaa- Don't know what else to call it ...all in the ball park of fatigue and weakness, icky, flu-ish, just blaaaa and that would accelerate shortly after taking pill.
8. Hallucinations- These were minor but disturbing nonetheless because I thought I could see things moving on the computer screen and out of the corner of my eyes, this lasted about 4 -5 weeks, then only sporadically for another couple weeks. Eh, just tried to enjoy it ...must be all the buggies in the brain frying.
9. Sweeping- I don't know what else to call this sensation, but in the first 2-3 weeks I could feel a sweeping sort of sensation going across my brain and to a lesser degree through my body. It moved in waves and wasn't uncomfortable. After 4 weeks I didn't notice it as much.
10. Cooling- Don't know if this was a med effect or the lack of virus effect, but by about 8 weeks I started getting a cool sensation especially across my upper back. The burn of the dragon gone?
11. Energy- Someone said this was a Harvoni high. At about 8 weeks I started feeling a bit better, and was able to tackle my 30 foot wall of books to add 2 boxes of books inherited from a friend, this was a more rearranging than one might grasp, plus a ton of dust, I got to places I hadn't had the energy to for some time. This continued through the remainder of my 12 week treatment. 2 days after EOT I started to feel tired again, and less motivated. As of this writing I am one week 2 days post treatment.
12. Numb toes- week 12, last week of treatment the 3 middle toes on my left foot went numb. I have no Idea if this was treatment related or an old break being irritated. When the middle of my big toe went numb I ask to move up my dr. appointment. They are referring me to foot dr.
Post treatment observances:
1. Pain lessening- my hands and back hurt less than before. I tried some bread to see if I could tolerate it. Not so much, got heartburn and my joints flared up, was hoping my lack of tolerance was Hep C related. Maybe later.
2. Fatigue- I wouldn't say I'm tired like on treatment, but I am not perky. Also I have complained about dragging my self out of bed always waking just exhausted. Well that has changed. I wake, not refreshed, but not exhausted...that feels pretty huge.
3. Cooling sensation- This sensation I spoke of above seems to be continuing and I like it a lot. I had hot flashes for over 12 years that started with menopause and always wondered if the Hep C aggravated that I didn't sleep for almost 5 years the night sweats would wake me then keep me awake. Will be keeping an eye on this, so far I haven't really had a flash.
4. Less motivated/melancholy- I wouldn't really say I'm less motivated, more like back to pre treatment doldrums and ho hums, a little back of the mind sadness. This might be caused in part by the season shift, not sure, but I thought I would be more excited to finish treatment. This actually started about one week before EOT, and lingers still.
Ok! so this is what I have so far. I hope to be able to add updates, as I progress.
I forgot one
13. Dreaming- During Tx almost immediately I noticed I was dreaming more or at least it felt like it. I do not have good recall anyway, well I haven't had since I was a teenager when I did have good recall and dreamt quite lucidly.There was the occasional horrendous nightmare and I usually remember those, but this lack of dream recall has been present for most of my adult life. I'm now beginning to wonder it the virus was messing with that also?
Now even after treatment has ended I am aware those lingering memories/thoughts from a dream. I have a journal to jot down things that seem significant, I hope with time this will improve. Will get back about this one.
On one hand not being able to remember has been a blessing, because nightmares would affect my day, but on the other hand I want to remember those dreams where my dad was there or perhaps some relevant message from a distant star..lol, I don't know.
hey Hoodie! love that "train" of hearts, yea! chugging along. I'm feeling a bit better today and have already been out sweeping up a ton of ash tree seeds, boy them is little buggers. Your journey should be winding up soon. We'll see ya on the other side of the tunnel!
Thanks Cheddy, yea...I'm in a hurry to get better
, maybe I should ease into it more. I did have a huge weekend at EOT and I may have been catching a cold in the days after, had to take some Cold Calm and drink my special recipe; lemon, cider vinegar, honey, salt, cayenne & ginger in a glass of water for a couple days.
Today I'm doing ok, I have much to do with that fair coming up and my mother turns 90 this weekend, I'm leaving tomorrow to go to her house. Tying up loose ends here, will be gone for a week.
I also wanted to say I had my EOT appointment with the hepatologist yesterday! The blood work was as we expected .UNDECTECTED !!!! She did say come back in 3 months and if I was undetected at that time I would be considered cured...I though it was a year. I asked for blood work at 6 months and a year, and she said ok.
So there's the update! blessings, Iris
Geez, Iris. This has been a long and tough time for you. I applaud your coping/survival skill as it sometimes takes a lot to get though the treatment process. Then there's the second phase of recovery you are in now.
It sound like you are getting better, but not as fast as you would like. Give it time. Focus on what you like and want and continue to take the very best care of yourself.
As long as I'm daring to make recommendations...do something special to celebrate...anything...a trip, a party, a series of bubble baths, a visit with a nurturing old friend, a bon fire, something that marks the start of a new state of being well.
Nice ideas, but I did have to start on some antidepressants to break the habit of feeling like sh*t. For me, it worked right away. My brain had lost it's link to serotonin, I guess.
Again, congratulations on EOT and your long long journey to being HepC free.
Great job documenting all this Iris! I related to it a great deal and saw some similarities actually a great deal of similarities! Noticed some differences as well, some things you experienced that I did not. Your story is really inspirational and Im glad we could go through this together.
And since you like my string of emojis this one is especially for you:
This symbolizes how we are here for each other on this forum, and there is light at the end of the tunnel
-- Edited by Hoodietree on Tuesday 2nd of October 2018 11:36:15 AM
Salutations!
I thought I'd better jot down my complete list of side effects before I forget exactly what went on. I'm going to list them as the most severe first and then with notations as to duration or how I dealt with it.
I suppose I'll also dedicate this thread to the healing effects experienced since completing treatment.
Iris Dragonfly's Harvoni side effects:
0. Taking the pill Daily within the hour of nine in the a.m. (I started out being real prompt at 9, but as the days went on I slipped and slipped and sometimes it was closer to 10, I meant to ask about this but I never did...hope that will not be a problem, I wouldn't think an hour to make a huge amount of difference) I used my flag of Wales to represent the dragon and traced the track the pill would take over the teeth and past he tongue and down to the liver, "look out were going to get better!" and down the hatch with a full glass of water in my black chalice. I more frequently than not took it on an empty stomach, that didn't seem to affect me at all and never had stomach upset of any kind. About 15 to 45 minutes after taking the pill I could feel it with heaviness to follow.
1. Fatigue- this was the most severe for the first 6-7 weeks. Made worse by exerting self in the out of doors, sun may have been a factor. Felt like a lead weight and this seems to tie into the weakness in#2. This began to lift around 8 weeks. I didn't nap, except a couple times, did a lot of couch potato yoga...(that would =nothing). Didn't have the gumption to do much at all.
2. Weakness- in my back between my hips and legs mostly, and arms to small degree. This got pretty bad a few times to the point I didn't think I would be able to stand for fear of collapsing. It wasn't that there was pain, it was extreme lack of strength. This was the slug in Peanut butter effect, moving took a great deal of effort. Like above I spent much of the time on the couch, went to bed earlier than regular time by an hour sometimes two. Had no trouble with sleep.
3. Headache- slightly worse in the first 3 weeks then more of a minor dull ache that was very tolerable at 4 weeks and beyond. Water helped to a degree and I only took a couple baby aspirin on a few occasions in the evening, but I'm supposed to take a daily baby aspirin anyway...wasn't good about that. I didn't want to take any other chemical meds.
4. Neck pain/sore throat- this was bad in the beginning and was one of the symptoms I remember having when I first got ill in 1978. This lasted about 3-4 weeks and then to a lesser degree through the rest of treatment. Nothing helped this. except the throat a little salt water gargle helped. It was sporadic at times in the degree of pain.
5. Brain fog/confusion- already had this from the virus but it seemed to get exacerbated from the meds. Had some real uh oh moments like forgetting which side the hot water was or where I was driving while in the car. Forgetting things before they happened and thinking I missed it. That was weird.
6. Dizziness- This lasted about 6 weeks. sit down.
7. Blaaaaa- Don't know what else to call it ...all in the ball park of fatigue and weakness, icky, flu-ish, just blaaaa and that would accelerate shortly after taking pill.
8. Hallucinations- These were minor but disturbing nonetheless because I thought I could see things moving on the computer screen and out of the corner of my eyes, this lasted about 4 -5 weeks, then only sporadically for another couple weeks. Eh, just tried to enjoy it ...must be all the buggies in the brain frying.
9. Sweeping- I don't know what else to call this sensation, but in the first 2-3 weeks I could feel a sweeping sort of sensation going across my brain and to a lesser degree through my body. It moved in waves and wasn't uncomfortable. After 4 weeks I didn't notice it as much.
10. Cooling- Don't know if this was a med effect or the lack of virus effect, but by about 8 weeks I started getting a cool sensation especially across my upper back. The burn of the dragon gone?
11. Energy- Someone said this was a Harvoni high. At about 8 weeks I started feeling a bit better, and was able to tackle my 30 foot wall of books to add 2 boxes of books inherited from a friend, this was a more rearranging than one might grasp, plus a ton of dust, I got to places I hadn't had the energy to for some time. This continued through the remainder of my 12 week treatment. 2 days after EOT I started to feel tired again, and less motivated. As of this writing I am one week 2 days post treatment.
12. Numb toes- week 12, last week of treatment the 3 middle toes on my left foot went numb. I have no Idea if this was treatment related or an old break being irritated. When the middle of my big toe went numb I ask to move up my dr. appointment. They are referring me to foot dr.
Post treatment observances:
1. Pain lessening- my hands and back hurt less than before. I tried some bread to see if I could tolerate it. Not so much, got heartburn and my joints flared up, was hoping my lack of tolerance was Hep C related. Maybe later.
2. Fatigue- I wouldn't say I'm tired like on treatment, but I am not perky. Also I have complained about dragging my self out of bed always waking just exhausted. Well that has changed. I wake, not refreshed, but not exhausted...that feels pretty huge.
3. Cooling sensation- This sensation I spoke of above seems to be continuing and I like it a lot. I had hot flashes for over 12 years that started with menopause and always wondered if the Hep C aggravated that I didn't sleep for almost 5 years the night sweats would wake me then keep me awake. Will be keeping an eye on this, so far I haven't really had a flash.
4. Less motivated/melancholy- I wouldn't really say I'm less motivated, more like back to pre treatment doldrums and ho hums, a little back of the mind sadness. This might be caused in part by the season shift, not sure, but I thought I would be more excited to finish treatment. This actually started about one week before EOT, and lingers still.
Ok! so this is what I have so far. I hope to be able to add updates, as I progress.
Thanks, Iris Dragonfreefly