You are woman, hear you roar!   (((((hug))))  Been there, darlin'.  It'll be
ok.

Good Luck Sue......Your gonna make it. Stay close to us here. Im 42/48 now
and have gotten little support from family (Wife and Son) too. I think they
still somehow think its my fault anyway and im too tired to try to make them
understand. I  just keep putting one foot in front of the other and acting
"as if". I am getting to the 48 WEEK DATE and so far  so good. I WILL beat
this.................................Good luck again...Don

Sue, from a hepper who understands {{{Hugs}}}.  But I think you should
share your feelings about this with your friends and loved ones.
That's one of the things they are for.  People who don't have a
serious illness with a difficult treatment aren't likely to understand
particularly if you are stoic.  Tell them how it is.  What your going
through.  Your doubts, your fears.  You'll be better off I think.

Sunday's a great day to start.  Take that shot before bed and maybe
you won't even notice it.  You'll be a pro at giving yourself
injections in no time.

I've done 10 shots, I started out with my closest friends by my side
and telling me that I've always been strong and independent and I could
do this. I HAVE done many things because of my strength and
independence, but support of my friends helps so so much. Now it is as
if the gods have decided I need to be a bit stronger, cause my friends
aren't giving me the hugs they started out with. It seems everyone is
having a crisis. One friend 's father is dying and his mother is
falling apart, another is heading for divorce after 26 years, others
have moved away. My son is in college far away.
But you and I we are strong and independent women. We are women who
need love also. I'll give you big hugs. And encouragement by saying
just take it easy.  Go only as fast as you can , love yourself everyday
and head onward to slay the dragon!.
Mary Ann

Smiling Wickedly,  burningdaylight answered:

you'll be OK Sue.   Here's one in Advance...

( ( ( BIG HUG ) ) )

Sue
Go for it Girl! (you found a great group!)
Only time will tell

I'm on week 14 of pegasys and copegus
Still minimal sides all treated with OTC stuff
(Tylenol for 1/2 hr daily Riba fever, Lanacane for slight rash)
Even my first shot was barely noticeable

Been experimenting with  sam-E lately but only to reduce the stress
of the psychological loading of knowing I have HCV and not telling
people, but not from TX induced depression.  (can't really tell if
sam-E's anything, it's just been a few days)

I'm 55, lift weights  in pretty good general health
(no allergies and that may be a key?)
My biopsy was a 2 out of 22 and my VL was 1.78M Gen 1A

No I'm not trawling for a date <BFG> I'm just trying to find any
commonality of people with severe or less severe sides.
(and also as others here have done I like to remind those new than
myself to TX it's not always a "walking nightmare" for everyone)

My weekly Pegesys shot still really has no noticeable effect other
than  the bizarre "mental one" of watching me injecting myself with
poison <BG>

As has often been said not everyone has the horrendous sides
and I don't believe most have all symptoms of them at the same time
If you read and believe the included RX docs the percentages of each
of the individual symptoms are all from 20 to 40%
(I don't have them handy and may  be slightly off but for most
symptoms less than half the people experience them )

Everyone physically and physiologically responds differently
to these poisons.   When I requested AD's prior to starting
TX my CRNP said "I prefer not to prescribe them right away,
Please try it without them, if you need them later I'll prescribe
them"  Believe me I have a lot of issues with this guy's professional
care  but so far he was right about the ADs in my case.  Still really
don't need them.  And since every thing gets processed thought the
liver I will wait until I need them (yeah I know they take a few weeks
to kick in)

Your Sunday plan sounds good for your schedule
I do my heavy exercise right before my Friday shot
So I can sleep or stay up  that night and can rest next day if
I need it

I truly wish you a smashing success with TX and the sides!
You sound like you've got a great attitude for it!

Hey while the self pity and sympathy probably can probably
be comforting (like food binging) Or you can replace one reward with
another (self pity for self satisfaction etc)  And even if you get
some nasty sides You'll find help and friends here for either or both.
It's a great group of good people",

May your TX be good and your SVR forever
(And good sales for your leathers this weekend)

DB




Thanks Be Well, Be Strong, Get Better!

DrBenway
(not a Dr nor did I even play one on TV,)

Hey Sue

It is okay to feel a little chicken, the closer I got to the first injection
the calmer I got about, but then I was wound up for months before so had
probably just run out of steam.  I too hate to show my vulnerable side, and
I have to admit that this is something that treatment has brought out of me.
I have a weekly counselling session which I find helps immensly.

On a serious note - I would always advise against wearing pink, especially
if you are blond as it has a tendancy to make you look like Barbie, being a
natural blond myself this is a rule I follow asiduously when choosing
outfits for work.

Good luck with it.
Jonathan

Congrats!!!  Jump right in, the water's ........!!!!!  Throw some towels
down on the bed where you're going to be sleeping Sunday night and have
a jug of water within reach.  No, you're not going to pee the bed, but
odds are you'll be sweating alot.  You'll do fine!!!
Elmo

http://community.webtv.net/elmoemerson/DocElmosHepFile

http://community.webtv.net/elmoemerson/TheFamilyAlbum

Good luck Sue. I'll be doing #33 this Friday. Drink LOTS of water and maybe
take a couple of Tylenol before your shot.
Life is good
Mark

Thanks to all of you. Don't want to bore you all with individual replies. I
use my imagination to put a face and body on all of you, that makes long
distance relationships more personal. When we all beat this thing, we
should have a family reunion in Las Vegas. We can wear little stickers
with "Hi My Name Is" on them. Or we can just moon each other!
Hugs back at ya!
Sue

In article
<8154903c060f16daab11f2947a922e21@localhost.talkaboutsupport.com>,

If they're real friends, they'd want to know when you need some support
even if you've never asked for it before.

I was freaked out before my first shot and for a couple of days
afterwards.  After that it sucked but wasn't scary.  It's a lot easier
when you know what you're dealing with.

That's it Sue!! Attitude is everything!!!