Back on the Interferon Bandwagon

After a reduced dose of Pegasys two weeks ago and a skipped dose last week, I am back under the hammer, so to speak. The dose reduction was due to my neutrophils being below 500. The study doctors believed my neutrophils would rebound without the interferon pounding down the white blood cells. They were right. The number popped up to 1250 and they put me back on a half dose of Pegasys.

It is amazing how much you can forget in 20 days. While I had a lot going on the past few weeks what with the acclimatization side effects of the antidepressants and the new drugs I was taking because of it, nonetheless the number of interferon related physical symptoms that disappeared without my noting their passing surprises me.

I injected Thursday evening and that night I had night sweats and had to change my t-shirt twice. By Friday late morning/early afternoon I had the mild headache and general crappy feeling in the head that you feel when you are coming down with something. By 5:00 p.m. my muscles started to ache, especially in the butt area (How can you mindlessly watch TV while feeling crappy and sore if you butt is aching?). That night I had a generally stuffy head and by Saturday morning the middle of my back was stiff and cramping. I had my first wave of nausea around noon and I also had a sore spot in my breast but with my general clumsiness of late, it could easily be the result of my running into a door, or wall, or chair, you get the idea.

All of these symptoms had disappeared over the past 20 days. Their disappearance was accompanied by completely forgetting about them. I didn’t really even register the fact that I hadn’t felt nauseous in almost three weeks. That would seem to be the sort of thing that you might take note of.

I think this points up the importance of keeping notes about your general health, side effects and mental state throughout your treatment. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. Just a small notebook wherein you note how you are feeling generally and any unusual or unique effects you are feeling. It really helps to be able to flip through you notes and realize that a particular symptom or side effect or your general state of health and feeling is something that you have experienced before. The interferon really affects your concentration and memory and it is very easy to completely forget about something earlier in the treatment cycle that seemed it would be unforgettable at the time. So make notes and keep records. A little notebook of the history of your treatment can be a great friend to you when something seems to be coming out of nowhere, but actually happened to you in the past.