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Lingering Interferon

Forums General Melanoma Community Lingering Interferon

  • Post
    Jaime.30
    Participant

      Eston was on Interferon for 10 months and it was stopped in late August due to what was thought to be stage progression to stage IV…so far doctors say the inflammation in his brain was not from Melanoma because not one cell was found.   He still seems to have what we call around here Interferon fog…memory slips or sometimes he just does not seem with it and some days he will wake up and you would have thought that he had just had a shot because everything hurts.  His joints are sore most of the time still.

      Eston was on Interferon for 10 months and it was stopped in late August due to what was thought to be stage progression to stage IV…so far doctors say the inflammation in his brain was not from Melanoma because not one cell was found.   He still seems to have what we call around here Interferon fog…memory slips or sometimes he just does not seem with it and some days he will wake up and you would have thought that he had just had a shot because everything hurts.  His joints are sore most of the time still.  I was wondering if this happens with a lot of Interferon patients.  Will these side effects go away eventually.  We have not seen the Oncologist since stopping the Interferon to ask these questions because he has been seeing the Neurosurgeon and was expected to go on to do WBR…so his appointment is not until the end of the month.  Thank you Jaime

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        amybusby
        Participant

          I had alot of trouble with inf and the effects varied from permanent to improved to time, to went away over time.  I have some cognitive problems like aphasia (tip of tongue syndrome), sort of drifting off in the middle of sentences, and short term memory loss.  I lost most thyroid function and have to take synthetic thyroid.  The fatigue stayed around a long time but gradually got better – until recently when I started other treatments what brought it back!  The Ritalin I take for fatigue seems to help a bit with the "fogginess" I still have.

          Most people who have a hard time inf find that their problems lesson over time out from the inf.

          Love,

          Amy

            Jaime.30
            Participant

              Thanks for responding Amy!  I feel so bad for him at times with the joint pain…hands get so bad he has to wrap them up in ace bandages and take something.  He wants to get off all of his pain meds now that the brain tumor was not a brain tumor.  Hoping that the pains will ease up for him.♥ Jaime

              Jaime.30
              Participant

                Thanks for responding Amy!  I feel so bad for him at times with the joint pain…hands get so bad he has to wrap them up in ace bandages and take something.  He wants to get off all of his pain meds now that the brain tumor was not a brain tumor.  Hoping that the pains will ease up for him.♥ Jaime

              amybusby
              Participant

                I had alot of trouble with inf and the effects varied from permanent to improved to time, to went away over time.  I have some cognitive problems like aphasia (tip of tongue syndrome), sort of drifting off in the middle of sentences, and short term memory loss.  I lost most thyroid function and have to take synthetic thyroid.  The fatigue stayed around a long time but gradually got better – until recently when I started other treatments what brought it back!  The Ritalin I take for fatigue seems to help a bit with the "fogginess" I still have.

                Most people who have a hard time inf find that their problems lesson over time out from the inf.

                Love,

                Amy

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