On 14 Jul 2006 19:07:57 -0700, "Jeffrey" <Jeffrey98837@gmail.com>, in
message ID <1152929277.819792.174530@m79g2000cwm.googlegroups.com>, in
the newsgroup alt.support.hepatitis-c wrote:

Hard to say how you're going to do on tx as it's early days.  It's
hard to accept the inactivity when you are used to being active but
that's exactly how those tx drugs can be.  I used to get fatigued just
by thinking too hard.  You'll probably need to pursue interests that
are less physically demanding by the sound of it.
It may sound a bit corny but I sometimes spent an idle hour or two
feeding the ducks in the park or reading a book if my concentration
levels were up to it.  There is a price to pay for getting rid of this
disease but if used positively, you can discover things about yourself
that you never knew before (such as feeling angry because the person
behind you wants to walk faster than you or the idiot in front dared
to brake at red traffic lights :-)   ).  Yes I know it's hard when you
feel unwell.  I had a bumpy ride at times too.

Hey, Jeffrey!  Welcome to the group.  Sounds like you're having a pretty
normal response to the meds, side effect wise, to this point.  Don't
expect to feel any more energetic than you do now, it'll probably get
harder, especially since you're doing physical labor.  Drink a whole lot
of water at work and take naps in your truck if it gets too bad.  I know
it sounds ridiculous, but you'll know where I'm coming from soon enough.
Best of luck to you and keep the concrete coming.  Stick around and
whine with Puckertoe for awhile.  :-)
elmo

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

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

Jeffrey,

Good of you to bust that denial about having a delusional mind now. I
got used to it after the first weeks, the problem with taking myself
seriously at a time when I shouldn't be taking myself so seriously.

I'm at shot 16 now, and I remember it was most difficult to adjust to
role-performance issues when the side effects kicked in during the
first weeks. I felt better when I learned to do other things, even if
that meant just doing less. By the way, it was and remains important to
separate mental anxiety from the actual weakness and fatigue, because
one is not necessarily the cause of the other.

I think you are doing well. You are aware that you not only are not up
to speed physically, but also appreciably impaired emotionally. Thus,
you are in a good position to adapt to what comes. That said, I don't
think you will find the experience to be like a breeze. For what its
worth, my fatigue really kicked in around the 4th shot too. After that,
there have been episode when things got worse. Those episodes resolved
after a few days each, but I can't say I breezed through it as the
experience was more like wading knee-deep through a pile of bricks
while puking my guts out.

Anyway, you are aware that 10 minutes of physical work, or whatever
exercise you get, is a good thing. Keep doing it. Know that you are not
playing games here, and keep foremost in your working mind that you are
engaged in a regimen of intensive antiviral chemotherapy that could be
the biggest job you've ever taken on. Your pursuit of the goal to save
your liver takes a lot, so much, in fact, that other projects may just
have to get out of the way.

You will continue to adapt.

- BG

about what I did for months. Movies sometimes, mostly just stared out the
window waiting for night.

I lasted 3 months working construction. After that no way. I was just too
wasted. Sounds like the animea is catching up with you. Perhaps try a little
more time in the pickup truck and less working. You can still manage your
job for a bit without the physical labor.

Best of luck, it will probably get worse so take it easy ok? You'll make it.