bluepeople

For my husband they put a new port in weekly.  They put it in on monday and took it out on friday.  He had pretty much the same symptoms as you.  DUring the HD, he ended up working just 5 hour days but went back to a normal work schedule once the LD started. 

For my husband they put a new port in weekly.  They put it in on monday and took it out on friday.  He had pretty much the same symptoms as you.  DUring the HD, he ended up working just 5 hour days but went back to a normal work schedule once the LD started. 

Hi there,

It is definitely a personal decision.  My hubby is stage 2C, and was offered interferon due to the depth of his melanoma.  He decided to do it, and has done 4 months of the 3x/week injections, so I can tell you how it's been for him so far.  The month of high dose was pretty hard, but not unbearable.  He worked for 5 hours, came home to take a nap, and then went in the afternoon to the hospital.  He slept alot, had headaches, a little nausea at first, but overall it was just the fatigue.  Now that he has been having the shots for 4 months, he is just very tired, and sometimes  gets headaches in the evening after a shot.  He's working full time but pretty much wears himself out at work, and then sleeps when he gets home.  His appetite has gone down alot, and he has lost probably 30 lbs so far.  Luckily he had weight to lose, but it's getting to the point where I'm kind of getting worried about that.  We have a 1-yr old and he still makes time to spend with him, but Saturdays are probably his worst day, and Sunday is the day we try to go out and do stuff since he's usually the least tired on those days. 

Overall, he knows about the limited effectiveness, but feels that so far it is not unbearable.  Whether or not he completes the whole 11 months, we'll see.  Good luck in whatever you choose.,

Hi there,

It is definitely a personal decision.  My hubby is stage 2C, and was offered interferon due to the depth of his melanoma.  He decided to do it, and has done 4 months of the 3x/week injections, so I can tell you how it's been for him so far.  The month of high dose was pretty hard, but not unbearable.  He worked for 5 hours, came home to take a nap, and then went in the afternoon to the hospital.  He slept alot, had headaches, a little nausea at first, but overall it was just the fatigue.  Now that he has been having the shots for 4 months, he is just very tired, and sometimes  gets headaches in the evening after a shot.  He's working full time but pretty much wears himself out at work, and then sleeps when he gets home.  His appetite has gone down alot, and he has lost probably 30 lbs so far.  Luckily he had weight to lose, but it's getting to the point where I'm kind of getting worried about that.  We have a 1-yr old and he still makes time to spend with him, but Saturdays are probably his worst day, and Sunday is the day we try to go out and do stuff since he's usually the least tired on those days. 

Overall, he knows about the limited effectiveness, but feels that so far it is not unbearable.  Whether or not he completes the whole 11 months, we'll see.  Good luck in whatever you choose.,

 Sounds like all is well so far.  Watch out for infection.  One of my hubby's WLE sites got infected (red, swollen, fever) but I think he was in denial so he didn't get in to the doctor as quickly as he probably should have.  Doctor had to re-open the wound, clean it out, and then we had to pack the wound for a couple weeks till it closed up.  All is fine now, and I don't know how often this happens, but it is something to keep an eye on.  Good Luck

Akilyn

 Sounds like all is well so far.  Watch out for infection.  One of my hubby's WLE sites got infected (red, swollen, fever) but I think he was in denial so he didn't get in to the doctor as quickly as he probably should have.  Doctor had to re-open the wound, clean it out, and then we had to pack the wound for a couple weeks till it closed up.  All is fine now, and I don't know how often this happens, but it is something to keep an eye on.  Good Luck

Akilyn

 I'm going to repeat what Valerie said.  My hubby is currently in month 4 of the lowdose interferon and he is tired all the time.  If he could, he said he would sleep all day.  With that being said, he does all the day to day stuff, goes to work, plays with our son, etc.  He gets frustrated with the lack of energy and has lost weight.  He started taking an anti-depressant because he was starting to get a very short temper and was getting mad quickly.  That has helped to relax him a bit, and we haven't noticed any side effects.  His doctor has left it all up to him whether to contininue for the rest of the year or not.  He kind of goes back and forth.  He really hates having the shots, but at this point he is going to continue with it.  Maybe that will change in a month or two, I don't know, but I don't think it will hurt either way.  Good luck with whatever you decide.  the good thing with interferon is that you can stop at any time, you aren't locked in.

Akilyn

 I'm going to repeat what Valerie said.  My hubby is currently in month 4 of the lowdose interferon and he is tired all the time.  If he could, he said he would sleep all day.  With that being said, he does all the day to day stuff, goes to work, plays with our son, etc.  He gets frustrated with the lack of energy and has lost weight.  He started taking an anti-depressant because he was starting to get a very short temper and was getting mad quickly.  That has helped to relax him a bit, and we haven't noticed any side effects.  His doctor has left it all up to him whether to contininue for the rest of the year or not.  He kind of goes back and forth.  He really hates having the shots, but at this point he is going to continue with it.  Maybe that will change in a month or two, I don't know, but I don't think it will hurt either way.  Good luck with whatever you decide.  the good thing with interferon is that you can stop at any time, you aren't locked in.

Akilyn

 Hubby is stage IIC, diagnosed August 2010.  He's in the middle of the LD interferon and all seems to be fine now.  I always worry that it will come back, but we have a life to live too, and that's more important at this point.  We have a 15-yr old and a 19 month old who definitely keep us on our feet.  We just bought a couple dirtbikes which we hope to get out riding soon.  You can't let it run your life.  Good luck, keep your spirits up!

Akilyn

 Hubby is stage IIC, diagnosed August 2010.  He's in the middle of the LD interferon and all seems to be fine now.  I always worry that it will come back, but we have a life to live too, and that's more important at this point.  We have a 15-yr old and a 19 month old who definitely keep us on our feet.  We just bought a couple dirtbikes which we hope to get out riding soon.  You can't let it run your life.  Good luck, keep your spirits up!

Akilyn

 Hubby had 2.  One was a regular mole that got quite large and started bleeding.  The other was not very big, but was dark and kind of hard??  He had asked his doctor about them about 6 months before being diagnosed and the doc said they were normal.  Finally 6 months later he asked him again and he finally agreed to remove them and Voila – melanoma. 

Akilyn

 Hubby had 2.  One was a regular mole that got quite large and started bleeding.  The other was not very big, but was dark and kind of hard??  He had asked his doctor about them about 6 months before being diagnosed and the doc said they were normal.  Finally 6 months later he asked him again and he finally agreed to remove them and Voila – melanoma. 

Akilyn

 we do the shots at home so my hubby has to go pick up the stuff about every month and at that time he pays a $25 co-pay to the pharmacy.  I think he would stop doing the interferon if he had to go in to the hospital every MWF.  It's pretty easy, he won't do it himself, but I do it for him and it's not too difficult. 

Akilyn

 we do the shots at home so my hubby has to go pick up the stuff about every month and at that time he pays a $25 co-pay to the pharmacy.  I think he would stop doing the interferon if he had to go in to the hospital every MWF.  It's pretty easy, he won't do it himself, but I do it for him and it's not too difficult. 

Akilyn

Hubby was diagnosed August 2010 at Stage IIC.  He is in the middle of the year of LD interferon.  We are lucky it is only stage II, but I feel like we still live with it always hanging over our head "will it come back or not?"  Doctor basically says it is 50/50. 

Akilyn