Another Interferon Question (sorry!) about Fatigue

Tracy,

I elected to do the IV Interferon for 4 weeks also (12/09-1/10), and received infusions every day for 5 days a week. During the 1st week I did not notice much fatigue although I had other side effects like fever, night sweats, headache, etc.. The fatigue began during the 2nd week and steadliy got worse, to the point that I slept up to 12 hours each night. My days started with getting the infusion, feeling good for a couple of hours afterwards (due to the pre treatment of steroids), starting to get the chills, laying on the sofa for all afternoon, wrapped in a blanket and going to bed at 8:30pm. It continue like that for 3 weeks after I finished Interferon. About that time my husband took me to AZ for a little break and I got up the first morning to sunshine and warm temps. Like a curtain lifting – all of my symptoms were gone! That fast I went from feel awful to wanting to go or a drive.  So that is a long ways to say, tell your husband hang in there, it will get better and if he is lucky he will recover faster than I did (I am 51 so someone younger might bounce back faster)!

Take care,

Pat O. – stage IIIa

Tracy,

I elected to do the IV Interferon for 4 weeks also (12/09-1/10), and received infusions every day for 5 days a week. During the 1st week I did not notice much fatigue although I had other side effects like fever, night sweats, headache, etc.. The fatigue began during the 2nd week and steadliy got worse, to the point that I slept up to 12 hours each night. My days started with getting the infusion, feeling good for a couple of hours afterwards (due to the pre treatment of steroids), starting to get the chills, laying on the sofa for all afternoon, wrapped in a blanket and going to bed at 8:30pm. It continue like that for 3 weeks after I finished Interferon. About that time my husband took me to AZ for a little break and I got up the first morning to sunshine and warm temps. Like a curtain lifting – all of my symptoms were gone! That fast I went from feel awful to wanting to go or a drive.  So that is a long ways to say, tell your husband hang in there, it will get better and if he is lucky he will recover faster than I did (I am 51 so someone younger might bounce back faster)!

Take care,

Pat O. – stage IIIa

Hi Tracy,

I did both high dose & low dose, but I think I had a little short break in between.  I felt pretty good within days of finishing high dose.  Give your man a hug, congratulate him on being half done, and take heart that he'll probably feel better in about 2 1/2 weeks!

KatyWI

Hi Tracy,

I did both high dose & low dose, but I think I had a little short break in between.  I felt pretty good within days of finishing high dose.  Give your man a hug, congratulate him on being half done, and take heart that he'll probably feel better in about 2 1/2 weeks!

KatyWI

I did pretty well during the first couple of weeks of interferon 'boot camp'(back in 2003) I had a horrible rash, but did not get the rigors and fever the way some do. My second two weeks were markedly worse, I ate less, vomited some, and stayed in bed a lot.

I did go ahead and start self injections the very next week, but I recovered pretty fast to the first month's treatment, rebounding within a couple of weeks. Fatigue DID become a big issue around the 6th month of my injections, along with a horrible cough and quit at the end of my 9th month.

Right now he needs lots of fluids and a cozy bed, just concentrating on getting through the next couple of weeks. I recommend dvd's and pudding, home brewed herbal tea and you to cuddle with if that's possible.

After that, with a little good luck, he'll bounce back quickly. When I finally quit interferon altogether, just about two weeks later I felt like I was infused with new energy and life.

good luck,

dian

I did pretty well during the first couple of weeks of interferon 'boot camp'(back in 2003) I had a horrible rash, but did not get the rigors and fever the way some do. My second two weeks were markedly worse, I ate less, vomited some, and stayed in bed a lot.

I did go ahead and start self injections the very next week, but I recovered pretty fast to the first month's treatment, rebounding within a couple of weeks. Fatigue DID become a big issue around the 6th month of my injections, along with a horrible cough and quit at the end of my 9th month.

Right now he needs lots of fluids and a cozy bed, just concentrating on getting through the next couple of weeks. I recommend dvd's and pudding, home brewed herbal tea and you to cuddle with if that's possible.

After that, with a little good luck, he'll bounce back quickly. When I finally quit interferon altogether, just about two weeks later I felt like I was infused with new energy and life.

good luck,

dian

My husband completed the high dose month of interferon the first week of June 2010, and has been doing the self injections since that time.  He is doing well and fatigue is his only major side effect.  I always say that being tired is his/our new reality.  We also have small children, so he tries to get extra sleep whenever he can work around our life.  Frequently, he goes to bed at the same time as the kids, or sleeps a little later in the morning.  Sometimes, I have noticed that if he exercises a little (he cuts our wood for the winter),  he actually seems less tired those days.  One of our doctors at Dana Farber told him to try and eat more, as more calories/weight on the body also helps lessen the fatigue.

We know a few people who have completed their interferon and they told us that they were feeling good within a few weeks to a month after stopping.  Good luck!                                Valerie (Phil's wife)

My husband completed the high dose month of interferon the first week of June 2010, and has been doing the self injections since that time.  He is doing well and fatigue is his only major side effect.  I always say that being tired is his/our new reality.  We also have small children, so he tries to get extra sleep whenever he can work around our life.  Frequently, he goes to bed at the same time as the kids, or sleeps a little later in the morning.  Sometimes, I have noticed that if he exercises a little (he cuts our wood for the winter),  he actually seems less tired those days.  One of our doctors at Dana Farber told him to try and eat more, as more calories/weight on the body also helps lessen the fatigue.

We know a few people who have completed their interferon and they told us that they were feeling good within a few weeks to a month after stopping.  Good luck!                                Valerie (Phil's wife)