Life after TX 24-03-10

Hello All

Tonight I would like to talk about the role of Anti-Depressants with Tx, in my case i was lucky to be on them well prior to Tx and I feel that helped me quite a lot. I have often read on many forums about people who are participating in having Tx for the first time don't seem to take the use of the medications as recommended, in many cases of following peoples journeys these forums you can clearly see that these are needed as times goes on with the therapy. Which in turn has caused much unwanted mental and emotional stress, then when the people finally come to the fact that they need this medication, it is another four to six weeks for it to take effect. Personally I found that these meds helped dramatically compared to other people who didn't take any and at times the Tx can even need extra medication in this area as in my case and also others.

Another good practise I found was to keep one's sense of humor as much as you can while treating, calling other people on Tx and keeping in touch and discussing the pro's and con's of the therapy with each other and also the mere fact of contact itself helps with isolation that also follows the depression and anxiety. To me support of others is like the rungs of a ladder where we form to help each other combat these feelings, take time out to reflect and don't take to much on board while in these strange moods. Support, Friendship and Openness are the keys to making an almost insurmountable task achievable, it's good to see the professionals and doctors for help but as far as I am concerned all the the studies and training cant take the place of talking to or doing the Tx and all that goes with it better then someone who has done it or doing it.

I have had my medication changed now for my depression and it's only early days yet of seeing if it is of any benefit, I sort the different meds through my Doctor and explained to her how I was feeling and that coping was not one of my strong points since finishing Tx and I needed help with this. The trouble is that because I am cirrhotic it narrows down the strengths and daily frequency in which I can have these meds, sort of dammed if you do and dammed if you don't scenario, all I can do is keep positive and not shut myself away from everybody and everything and face these issues head on. Lucky I have my family, friends and great acquaintances to help me along this road to recovery......

Take Care

John

Life after TX 16-03-10

Hi Everyone

Well another couple of weeks further into Post Tx and still I have very mixed emotions and feelings going on, I remember hearing of others that have been affected in similar ways and at the time kept wondering what they really meant. It is a strange sensation, almost like a life changing event, the direction of where and how things are perceived is now very different and makes one question one's life direction. I have heard also of ongoing affects even quite some time after Tx and no sign of things improving, don't get me wrong here, this is not a doom and gloom scenario but more fact then fiction.

Is it possible with the effects of long term medication that some of the effects of this very potent drug can have permanent lasting effects that do change mannerism's, outlooks and temperaments of the patience who have been exposed to these treatments. I for one do put some credence into this as I feel it has changed me in all of those areas, finding myself questioning these issues often.

How do others perceive us after the treatment, do they expect that we will bounce back to our former selves or will they recognise the difficulties and changes that are upon us now, will they understand. At first I thought I just had to combat treatment and that would be it but I have since found out that is not the case, now we have to confront the remnant side effects from enduring this powerful medication and the ongoing symptoms it carries with it.

Who will understand ? who would have thought about this transition period ? I myself have found that it can be a very lonely place to be and a fragile place at times even with support and I have come to the conclusion that the outcome of curing a disease can bring with it unknown territory of isolation in many respects.

I have sometimes had expectations that cant be met and before would have brushed this off but now find it more difficult to come to terms with. This is not the raving of some depressed person but rather that of someone who is finally starting to confront things that may have been there for sometime and it took the brutal learning curve of Interferon to bring them to the front.....

Life is good, Life is what you make it, but life is empty if you can't be yourself....

Take Care and Be Well

John

Life After Tx 02-03-10

Hi Everyone

Well its been a while since I last updated my blog and a lot of things have been happening, I went to my Liver clinic in February to see my Specialist and he was happy with my result with the HepC and told me that when my bloods get back to normal, they will start treating me for my HepB which will take 3 to 5 years of taking medication. This medication will be much more kinder then the Hepc Tx and only involves a tablet once a day, so will be much easier and nearly no sides with it.

My weight and my blood levels are still very low and I still get very tired and run out of energy quickly, on the psychological front I still find focusing on tasks and concentration difficult and at times the depression sneaks back, but I must admit things are getting better. Some days I seem as if I am on top of the world and others just cant get started on anything, I do know one thing that the Tx has done for me other then curing my Hepc, is that it has also changed me. I no longer am the same person, whether that's a good thing or bad, only time will tell, but I am definitely different to how I was.

Where to from here, well, I really don't know, I feel I have to do something but I don't know quite what it is, that makes a lot of sense doesn't it, if you get what I mean.

Well till next entry I hope all are well and take care.......

John