You will have Nausea Tummy Troubles with Hepatitis C Treatment. There is no way around it. But there are remedies that I used and survived. You can too! If you are taking Telaprevir, Interferon, Ribavirin, or Victrelis, you’re going to know what I mean. The nausea can be debilitating. Nothing sounds good. Especially when you’re forced to eat 20 grams of fat. It gags me just remembering. Nausea Tummy Troubles with Hepatitis C Treatment are common. The diarrhea is a pain in the rear. No pun intended. It’s a period of time where you almost forget that you’re a human being. Honestly, I was reduced to what I felt was animal behavior. Kind of like the chick in the pic.
Bathroom Mess: I crawled from couch to bathroom to bed to bathroom…. You get the picture. I’ll just start with the arsenal that was assembled for combat. Tucks was recommended, and I used them some. I spent a lot of time in “that” aisle in drugstores until I ran across Balneol Cream. I’m not going into detail, but for bleeding, diarrhea and other issues, get a zipper baggie with Balneol, Tucks, and cotton swabs. This is where a nice warm bath should feel good. It created even more discomfort for me. For women, I’ll say one word. Vagisil. Do your best not to spend a lot of time on the throne. The pressure can create even more problems such as hemorrhoids. Even if you have to make a trip every 10 minutes, the less pressure, the better. A think feminine pad can also help if you’re afraid of an accident. It can also be irritating, so purchase a non perfumed type. That’s all I really have to say about that. Let your doctor know what you’re going through. I quietly went about my business. I told my co-workers that I drank a lot of water. By the way, I’ll address this more, but let me add that 64 ounces a day is extremely beneficial. Always. Every day. Just do it.
Nausea is depressing. Being depressed causes anxiety. Anxiety worsens nausea. It’s a cycle to be endured. There is NO beating it. It may wax and wane, but like the moon, it is always there while you’re in treatment. At least it was for me. Try eating bread or crackers to soak up any excess stomach secretions. If you’ve read the nutrition blog, then you will be stocked up on the things you can tolerate well. Please read about the protein. I have a personal friend who was pulled from treatment due to extreme weight loss. Drink a protein shake if you can. I kept one by my bed, in my purse, and a six pack in my car. I can’t even stand to smell one specific flavor now. You have to make it through without suffering malnutrition. You have to be as strong as you can to finish this race.
RX – Your doctor may prescribe Atarax and Ondansetron ODT for nausea. The Ondansetron dissolves quickly. This was another case where meds brought no relief for me. I was a tough case and had every side effect to the max. I used a chewable antacid a few times at my doctor’s suggestion.
Being nauseated can be a reminder that the treatment is working. Stick with me through this story: I talked in another blog about all of the lessons I learned through my DES exposure and the subsequent infertility. By the time I conceived my daughter, any thoughts of bearing a child had long been discarded. It was so miraculous to me that I barely embraced the thought. My doctor waited for me to miscarry. I recall going to school and then to my job at a doctor’s office and feeling so nauseated. I was thrilled! It was my proof that the pregnancy was still viable. I was sick almost every day for 8 ½ months. Morning, noon, and night sickness were a blessing to me in my strange way of thinking. When I was on treatment, I drew on that parallel and imagined that every roll and turn in my stomach was an opportunity for me to gain my life. The first time I was that sick, it was my daughter’s life and the second time it was my own. I took an odd comfort in being nauseated by remembering that the drugs were working!
If you can draw a similar conclusion while facing the side effects of the treatment, you will see them as a gift. Medical science has provided an opportunity for you to add years to your span here on this wonderful planet. A few years ago, Hepatitis C was incurable, now you are living with the side effects of the drug that has the ability to rid you of an inflamed liver. Keep chanting that til the nausea subsides: “I am cured. I am cured.”
Since I started this blog, a torrent of words have been pouring out of me. I did not realize how much information was crammed into my brain. It has been very therapeutic to write all of the news and how to’s associated around my battle with hep c. It reminds me of how far I’ve come since that dreadful day in August 2010. I know that more and more of you are being diagnosed daily. There are still many who are silently suffering with that deadly root of Hepatitis C winding itself around their livers. I have written all my remedies from a “been there, this worked” perspective just for you. I have learned a lot from online friends sharing their tips. I hope you will consider sending me an email with YOUR story of how you survived a particular battle.
We need to share our stories, combine our wisdom, and be best friends. This includes those who have treated, will treat, or who never got the chance. It also includes those who tried and failed the treatment. But for this day, you and I will look at the side effects and do our best to endure so that we can be free to enjoy the great gift of life.
With heartfelt empathy to you who are reading this and suffering side effects like Nausea Tummy Troubles with Hep C Treatment. Karen 🙂
P.S. Sometimes it’s okay to just feel the awfulness of it. Sometimes it’s time to re-read the Comic Relief Blog.
What remedy helped you the most when dealing with nausea or tummy troubles?
