Interferon Side Effects
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Interferon Side Effects

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Interferon Side Effects

  • Post
    • February 22, 2013 at 3:25 am
    neki
    Participant

    My dad just finished the high dose Interferon last week, and this is his first week of the low dose 3x a week. He's sleeping 20+ hours a day and starting this week is having a tough time finishing his sentences. Sometimes he's so out of it that it feels like he's disoriented/confused…but it may be that he's just asleep or sleepy. 

    Is this the normal fatigue that I read about in the side effects that people talk about? Did anyone experience similar side effects?

    My dad just finished the high dose Interferon last week, and this is his first week of the low dose 3x a week. He's sleeping 20+ hours a day and starting this week is having a tough time finishing his sentences. Sometimes he's so out of it that it feels like he's disoriented/confused…but it may be that he's just asleep or sleepy. 

    Is this the normal fatigue that I read about in the side effects that people talk about? Did anyone experience similar side effects?

    Thanks for any information. This board has been very helpful in researching what to do as we move along in this process.

    Thanks!!

Viewing 17 reply threads
  • Replies
      • February 22, 2013 at 4:29 am
      audgator
      Participant

      All I can tell you is what my experience was.  I slept more than usual, maybe 10-12 hours a day including naps which was very unusual for me.  My appetite was off & I lost about 20 pounds (which didn't hurt!).  I tried playing golf one day and only made it 3 holes.  No effect on my speech.  I watched a lot of TV…at least what I didn't sleep through.

      • February 22, 2013 at 4:29 am
      audgator
      Participant

      All I can tell you is what my experience was.  I slept more than usual, maybe 10-12 hours a day including naps which was very unusual for me.  My appetite was off & I lost about 20 pounds (which didn't hurt!).  I tried playing golf one day and only made it 3 holes.  No effect on my speech.  I watched a lot of TV…at least what I didn't sleep through.

      • February 22, 2013 at 4:29 am
      audgator
      Participant

      All I can tell you is what my experience was.  I slept more than usual, maybe 10-12 hours a day including naps which was very unusual for me.  My appetite was off & I lost about 20 pounds (which didn't hurt!).  I tried playing golf one day and only made it 3 holes.  No effect on my speech.  I watched a lot of TV…at least what I didn't sleep through.

      • February 22, 2013 at 4:40 am
      dian in spokane
      Participant

      well, I had similar side effects, though they were later along in the process.

      But.. it was at that time that I quit driving too, because I could not depend on my reflexes.

      I slept a ton.

      dian

      • February 22, 2013 at 4:40 am
      dian in spokane
      Participant

      well, I had similar side effects, though they were later along in the process.

      But.. it was at that time that I quit driving too, because I could not depend on my reflexes.

      I slept a ton.

      dian

      • February 22, 2013 at 4:40 am
      dian in spokane
      Participant

      well, I had similar side effects, though they were later along in the process.

      But.. it was at that time that I quit driving too, because I could not depend on my reflexes.

      I slept a ton.

      dian

      • February 22, 2013 at 5:21 am
      Gene_S
      Participant

      Checking out your profile that states your home town is Southborough, so forgive my igorance but where is Southborough?

      Also please provide what stage he is in and what other treatments has helped him out or not. 

      • February 22, 2013 at 5:21 am
      Gene_S
      Participant

      Checking out your profile that states your home town is Southborough, so forgive my igorance but where is Southborough?

      Also please provide what stage he is in and what other treatments has helped him out or not. 

      • February 22, 2013 at 5:21 am
      Gene_S
      Participant

      Checking out your profile that states your home town is Southborough, so forgive my igorance but where is Southborough?

      Also please provide what stage he is in and what other treatments has helped him out or not. 

      • February 22, 2013 at 12:27 pm
      Hstevens0072
      Participant
      I’m sorry your dad has to go thru this. I did the one month infusion and eleven months of shots. It is manageable. Interferon does wear you out completely but 20 hours a day seems a lot. Has your dad been given anything for depression? I worked full time for the first three months and found it impossible…. They lowered my dose slightly, from 19 M to 15M and I was able to work the rest of the time. I think it’s important to try and go about business as usual, it helped me to function. As to the not completing sentences, well, that does happen. The good news is that once you stop interferon it will come back. Have your dad talk to his Onc about the sleeping so much. Good luck.
      • February 22, 2013 at 12:27 pm
      Hstevens0072
      Participant
      I’m sorry your dad has to go thru this. I did the one month infusion and eleven months of shots. It is manageable. Interferon does wear you out completely but 20 hours a day seems a lot. Has your dad been given anything for depression? I worked full time for the first three months and found it impossible…. They lowered my dose slightly, from 19 M to 15M and I was able to work the rest of the time. I think it’s important to try and go about business as usual, it helped me to function. As to the not completing sentences, well, that does happen. The good news is that once you stop interferon it will come back. Have your dad talk to his Onc about the sleeping so much. Good luck.
      • February 22, 2013 at 12:27 pm
      Hstevens0072
      Participant
      I’m sorry your dad has to go thru this. I did the one month infusion and eleven months of shots. It is manageable. Interferon does wear you out completely but 20 hours a day seems a lot. Has your dad been given anything for depression? I worked full time for the first three months and found it impossible…. They lowered my dose slightly, from 19 M to 15M and I was able to work the rest of the time. I think it’s important to try and go about business as usual, it helped me to function. As to the not completing sentences, well, that does happen. The good news is that once you stop interferon it will come back. Have your dad talk to his Onc about the sleeping so much. Good luck.
        • February 22, 2013 at 12:45 pm
        Hstevens0072
        Participant
        Not sure why this replied anon. Silly board.
        • February 22, 2013 at 12:45 pm
        Hstevens0072
        Participant
        Not sure why this replied anon. Silly board.
        • February 22, 2013 at 12:45 pm
        Hstevens0072
        Participant
        Not sure why this replied anon. Silly board.
        • February 22, 2013 at 8:54 pm
        JerryfromFauq
        Participant

        The anon box shows up first  if one doesn't scroll far enough down and be sure they are hitting the Post message box first.  Happened to me more than once too!  I have marked it when I meant to mark reply:       to this post.

        • February 22, 2013 at 8:54 pm
        JerryfromFauq
        Participant

        The anon box shows up first  if one doesn't scroll far enough down and be sure they are hitting the Post message box first.  Happened to me more than once too!  I have marked it when I meant to mark reply:       to this post.

        • February 22, 2013 at 8:54 pm
        JerryfromFauq
        Participant

        The anon box shows up first  if one doesn't scroll far enough down and be sure they are hitting the Post message box first.  Happened to me more than once too!  I have marked it when I meant to mark reply:       to this post.

      • February 22, 2013 at 4:58 pm
      Wolverine
      Participant

      Hello.  I am have been doing interferon since Nov. 2012.  My side effects were definite depression.  They gave me something for that and I have been in good spirits.  I really have slept more than usual but I still am working about 45 hours a week in an office setting.  I crash on Saturdays and relax on Sundays.  I have also had a lot of skin iritation and just really itchy skin which I used lotion on.  I have also had headaches.  I have suffered from dry eyes to the point where I quit wearing my contacts and my eyes always pretty red.  I did take one week off at the ocologist's request and by the end of the week was feeling like my old self gain.  Best of luck to your father.

      • February 22, 2013 at 4:58 pm
      Wolverine
      Participant

      Hello.  I am have been doing interferon since Nov. 2012.  My side effects were definite depression.  They gave me something for that and I have been in good spirits.  I really have slept more than usual but I still am working about 45 hours a week in an office setting.  I crash on Saturdays and relax on Sundays.  I have also had a lot of skin iritation and just really itchy skin which I used lotion on.  I have also had headaches.  I have suffered from dry eyes to the point where I quit wearing my contacts and my eyes always pretty red.  I did take one week off at the ocologist's request and by the end of the week was feeling like my old self gain.  Best of luck to your father.

      • February 22, 2013 at 4:58 pm
      Wolverine
      Participant

      Hello.  I am have been doing interferon since Nov. 2012.  My side effects were definite depression.  They gave me something for that and I have been in good spirits.  I really have slept more than usual but I still am working about 45 hours a week in an office setting.  I crash on Saturdays and relax on Sundays.  I have also had a lot of skin iritation and just really itchy skin which I used lotion on.  I have also had headaches.  I have suffered from dry eyes to the point where I quit wearing my contacts and my eyes always pretty red.  I did take one week off at the ocologist's request and by the end of the week was feeling like my old self gain.  Best of luck to your father.

      • February 23, 2013 at 5:40 am
      Ali
      Participant

      I had the same side effects, but maybe not as severe.  Depression meds helped a ton for me (if that is a factor here).  Also the interferon destroyed my thyroid (months after the high dose) which didn't help my fatigue.  Another thing that can be helped meds.  Best of luck, this is nasty stuff.  I do belive in my case it did what they said it could-delay a recurrence. 

      • February 23, 2013 at 5:40 am
      Ali
      Participant

      I had the same side effects, but maybe not as severe.  Depression meds helped a ton for me (if that is a factor here).  Also the interferon destroyed my thyroid (months after the high dose) which didn't help my fatigue.  Another thing that can be helped meds.  Best of luck, this is nasty stuff.  I do belive in my case it did what they said it could-delay a recurrence. 

      • February 23, 2013 at 5:40 am
      Ali
      Participant

      I had the same side effects, but maybe not as severe.  Depression meds helped a ton for me (if that is a factor here).  Also the interferon destroyed my thyroid (months after the high dose) which didn't help my fatigue.  Another thing that can be helped meds.  Best of luck, this is nasty stuff.  I do belive in my case it did what they said it could-delay a recurrence. 

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