It's Working!

It's working! The treatment is working. The viral load is the number of Hep C viruses in a given sample of blood. It's way, way down.

While this is not a guarantee of cure, it is very good news indeed.

Only Miserable

For two weeks I was miserable. I felt as if I had a huge, crushing weight on my chest. Headaches, muscle aches, sinus congestion. Still, it was only misery. It could have been worse. Fight that virus, T-cells!

Now I've had some respite. I had been anxious about all the things I wasn't doing, so it's a relief to plod through and do them. I've even had some creative ideas.

I'm making an effort to stabilize awake times, so I can get my medicine in a better rhythm. I'd better keep some liquid meals in stock, so I can get quick nutrition at times when even boiling water for coffee or instant oatmeal seems beyond me.

I hope to get viral load test results this week. Is the treatment working?

It's Friday Again

Friday again; tonight I give myself another shot of PegIntron. En garde, virus! You don't hold all the cards anymore.

Tired, tired, tired of being tired - but it's all for a good cause.

And More Patience

Ribivarin depletes iron quickly. I'm taking the iron supplement again. In another week I'll get the results from the viral load test. Now and then I'm strong enough to do errands, and go for tests. Yesterday I saw the sky colors at sunset.

Patience

The ribivarin is educating the interferon, which is alerting T-cells that the Hep C is a virus and needs to be killed. I hope.

My forehead is always hot, my arms flush red at times, I'm achy and lethargic. So, it does resemble a mild flu. I address symptoms and try to get lots of rest.

Next week the lab tests will include assessing viral load. That may give us an early clue to how well the treatment is working.

Patience and hope.

More Tests

Today I had my first set of follow-up lab tests. Riding the city bus down the green ravine of Fairmount was like a trip to the country for me. My range has been very limited lately. My bones and muscles are so heavy - did I move to a planet with greater gravity when I wasn't looking?

Still Okay

Lon Chaney and Spencer Tracy get no competition from me. I gave myself the second shot of PegIntron last night. I did not turn into a werewolf or Mr. Hyde.

I have been feeling fluish, and low in energy. Intestinal cramps yielded to the usual remedies. More water, drink more water.

Anticlimax is better than fulfilled prophecy, in this case.