Tired with Liver Disease? There's a Nap for That

How Long Does it Take with Hepatitis C Treatment

 How Long Does it Take with Hepatitis C Treatment -Sometimes while you are on treatment, it feels like you are a little kid in the back seat of the car on a very long trip. You cannot see out of the window without sitting on your feet. You are squashed up with your brothers or sisters. If you are like me, you had to go the bathroom. Some of those trips were to special places like the lake, grandma and grandpa’s house, shopping at TG&Y, or to the park. Car trips take forever when you are young. It seems like Hepatitis C Treatment goes on forever too, doesn’t it?

You may feel trapped in the back seat of a very long car trip. It can be downright frustrating. Sometimes you just want to climb out of the window. Impatience grows with every mile. But you are stuck. And probably asking a lot of questions. You deserve some answers, but they do not always come as quickly as you would like.

These 5 little words, How Long Does it Take, are the beginning of many thoughts for you while you are on treatment. Here are some common questions. I am sure that you have some of your own.  

How long does it take for me to get my energy back?

How long does it take til I can think better?

How long until my blood levels return to normal?

How long until my hair starts to grow back after Hepatitis C Treatment?

How long until the Riba Rage goes away?

How long before I get my life back?

How long until my skin rash stops itching?

And on and on your mind goes. Most of these questions need an answer. Some of them are not. Maybe you need reassurance that the end will come. Just like riding in the back seat.

It is not easy to sit still when you do not have a good view.  When you are in the back seat, you know that cool cars, people, and buildings are racing by you – but they are out of your line of vision. Treatment is like that. You may feel as though life is passing you by. Everyone with good health is going about their business and you are stuck down in the back seat. I brought a book most of the time when I was a kid. Then I could shut out the world. You are doing that right now by reading on this website. You are learning, looking for encouragement, and passing the time in a positive way. Other times, I just counted telephone poles or Beetle Bugs. If I could engage my brother and sisters in a contest, it always made the time fly!

Sometimes I looked up at the sky. Do you remember looking at the clouds and trying to make pictures of them? Imagine what they are? The same can be done with Hepatitis C Treatment. You can imagine what life is like while you are hunkered down. It is hard to see the future when your entire life consists of taking medication and fighting side effects from the Hepatitis C treatment.  This is a time for imagining a future that is Hepatitis C Free!

She touched me. We need a little space when we are on treatment. I had a big brother and 2 younger sisters. This was before car seats and I usually had one of the little ones in my lap trying to keep her happy. My older brother insisted that no one could be close to him. He pushed himself into the door and cringed if my sisters or I touched him. We need some space while we are treating. We do not always feel like being in a crowd. If we are in a crowd, we might want to be left alone. It is not that we do not love our family and friends, sometimes we just want to sit and BE. We want nobody pulling at us or trying to get us to get up off the couch and do something. Let your loved ones know when you need space.

He looked at me. This one is comical. My brother would give me one of those withering glances. You know, like I had horns growing out of my head. I would give him an ugly stare back, but deep inside – my feelings might be hurt. Why did he hate me? What did I do? I was stuck in the back seat too. I adored my big brother and a wrong look from him could bring on tears. When we are on treatment, our emotions can cause crying so easily. We know we look bad. Pale skin, bruises, dark circles under the eyes, hair falling out and scraggly as a broom – we see it in the mirror. It makes us self conscious when someone else comments on it.

 I complained to mom one time too many on a road trip and she yelled back, “What do you want me to do? Pop his eyes out?” I looked straight forward for the rest of the trip. Inside, I was pouting and promising myself that I would Never Ever look at him again. Of course I did eventually. Now there is a lesson for you when on Hepatitis C Treatment: Just ignore any stares. Most people did not mean anything by it anyway. If you have to get a little mad to shut out the world, do it. Just keep your sass to yourself as my mother would say.

I have to go the bathroom. If you have read on here, you know that I was born with 1 kidney. I drank a lot of water, and I always had to go. Still do. Mom used to make me go “try” before a car trip. I still had to go more than my siblings. I hated that! You know how it feels. You get wiggly at first and ignore it. Then when the pressure hits, you probably start to complain about the discomfort. Pretty soon, you are hopping around in your seat and looking for any gas station begging your parents to stop.

Pop goes the weasel, or my bladder...

Mom used to tell me to sing. I used to think that all families sang when they had to go. We would sing Pop Goes the Weasel or Clementine. My volume usually matched my need to go. Sometimes I was wailing so loud that my brother put his hands over his ears. I just stared at him and sang even louder.

The point here is that there is going to be physical discomfort while you are on Hepatitis C Treatment. It can range from mild to intense. It can include skin rash itching with red splotches, nausea, vomiting, dry mouth that causes canker sores, bones hurting, toenail pain… you get my drift. You may feel trapped inside an achy body. There may be no relief. Like I have said before, some things have to be endured.

So if you are starting Hepatitis C Treatment, just try and relax and know that you WILL get there. There will be lots of bumps in the road. The view may not always be the best. You will get some stares and for sure you will feel crowded. Think about your destination. Ah yes, finally jumping out of the car and stretching, moving toward the people you were longing to see. Maybe you will finally get to go in and pick out what you wanted, like when you were a kid and finally got to Walmart.

The excitement of the journey is what makes life worthwhile. Most of our life is actually lived trying to get someplace. We have to learn to embrace the time that we spend on our journey, even if it is rough and the conditions are not just right. We learn to live minute to minute. Accept each one as it comes and know that they add up to hours, then to days. Soon the 24 weeks are gone. You may be treating for the 48 weeks if you have cirrhosis. Time will pass and soon you will be at your destination. Sustained Viral Response – SVR!

I have been in the back seat of Hepatitis C Treatment wondering how long does it take. I am still there today because I live with End Stage Cirrhosis. I am on a journey to fibrosis reversal. We’ll get there. I’m with you. If I start singing too loud, just join in or cover your ears. Xo Karen:)

pics via babble.com, quality mobile video

How Long Does it Take with Hepatitis C Treatment? Check out my website at http://www.ihelpc.com for more about side effects and living with cirrhosis.