Everyone is different.  You'll really have to wait and see.  I just took
needle #4...the first two weeks I worked, but then my hemoglobin plummeted,
and I'm really not up to it.  I've got two weeks of sick leave, and
hopefully by then the EPO (for the red blood cells) will have kicked in and
I'll feel well enough to work.

Keep asking those questions, good luck, and let us know what the doc says.

David

Mags,
The severity of symptoms is different for everyone.  Some people seem to
have few, if any, symptoms.  With some, symptoms knock 'em on their butt.

I started out with taking each Monday off from work.  Would take my shot
Friday night.  Eventually, I had to start taking Mondays and Tuesdays
off....then right at the end of my six month treatment, I had to take
Wednesdays off too.
Luckily I only had to do six months of treatment.

The worst shot for me was the initial one.  I ran a high fever.  Some people
seem to have this happen with the first one, then the second shot isn't as
bad.  So, have a thermometer available,  a nice big container of water next
to the bed, some meds for fever.  Maybe something to settle your stomach if
your stomach gets up-set.

I have more to say on this....but I just took some pain med for this knee
that I had surgery on and I'm getting too dope.
Will write more later.
Susie

Hi Mags. You've come to the right place. Sorry you had to find this group...

- Yes, depending on your individual reaction to the combo drugs, you can work
while on therapy. Even though my blood work went to hell over the worst of the
winter, I've only missed one full work day in 30+ weeks on tx (though getting
from the parking lot to my office was a struggle during my worst month).

- Obtaining Disability status for HCV therapy may be difficult to achieve.
Don't count on it being made available to you.

- During my pre-tx work-ups I received the full Pegasys patient information
kit with all the plastic pieces and video tape. The tape and documents showed
the Peg IFN powder and diluent supplied in vials, and I learned how to mix
together and then load a syringe and all the other procedural stuff.

And what showed up the week of my first shot?
PegIntron - in Redipens. Sheesh.

So it might be worth verifying precisely which combo you'll be on before you
spend a lot of time studying the handouts. And if you have the choice, opt for
preloaded Redipens vs the two syringes and two vials crapola. Much simpler to
deal with...

Cheers - and here's hoping you have a nice weak Type 2 infection :-)

/greyhackles

[...]

It varies a lot person-by-person.  I was out of work for most of it,
other people continue working the whole time.  I think the best advice
would be to have everything set before you start treatment for whatever
happens.  The list that I'd make is:

- what do you need to do to go out on disability?  Is there a limit to
how long you can be out?  What forms do you have to fill out and who do
you have to talk to?

- what if you need help cooking, cleaning, shopping, or just need people
around to keep your head from turning in on itself?  Let some people
know that you might need help from them, and hopefully you won't.

- ask your doctor about antidepressants and sleeping meds.  Lots of
people use them during treatment, and knowing what you will get if you
need them can help.

For me, making decisions was hard and I'd get all stressed out.  So if
you've got things set up to just say "now, I need...." and you'll get it
without much effort, that would be a good thing.

Gordo

As you've heard from the others, effects are different for everyone. I
was able to work full time through my treatments, but it also depends on
the type of work you do. If it's physically demanding, it may become
hard or impossible to work relatively soon. If it's a desk job (like
mine), it may be easier to handle. As a 2a, you'll "only" have to bear
it for 24 weeks, and if you're lucky your sides will be mild. The
suggestion to get all the info you might need now while you can still
think straight is excellent. But try to keep a positive attitude, don't
expect the worst sides from the start (then it's a pretty safe bet that
you will get them).

Thomas

Hi Mags,
Before I started treatment I reviewed my options.My doc said he would
reduce the dose instead of have me go out on leave. Sorry, that
wouldn't do for me. I had to tell him twice that I have short and long
term disability and wanted to use it if I needed to. He agreed he would
let me. It was not my intention to use it. I did use intermittent FMLA
leave in combination with the short term disability starting around
week 12. But just this week (shot 23 of 48)folks at my job pointed out
that I was not doing my job to adequate standards. They knew it was
because of the treatment and had me call the HR office. Now I am in the
midst of getting all that paperwork rolling for disability. And if
everything goes smoothly I will be out till the end of treatment.
I think if my job had less walking and stress I may have been able to
do it longer.
There is no formula for knowing what sides you will have or when you
will have them. But rest assured , if you have a concern about side
effects, there is someone here who can relate.
So, glad you have found this group. It's a wonderful group of people,
at all stages of treatment. I've made very sweet friends here. Glad you
found us.
Take care,
Mary Ann

I could take myself to work but it was a struggle to perform my duties. I
managed to do this for nine months all up but next time, I'd try to take a
year off. Depends on you and your job. Wait and see how you go.

Jack

I'm a nurse and I worked up until the end of my 6 month and I wish I would
of stopped a lot sooner. I made my life and those I worked with really
miserable. I was truly blessed because my fellow employees welcomed my back
with opened arms!!!
hc