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Do the interferon side effects typically kick in right away?
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Do the interferon side effects typically kick in right away?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Do the interferon side effects typically kick in right away?

  • Post
    • October 17, 2012 at 4:42 am
    swissfarm7
    Participant

      Sorry to keep asking questions about interferon, but this is the particular part of the maze in which we find ourselves just now.

      Sorry to keep asking questions about interferon, but this is the particular part of the maze in which we find ourselves just now.

      Hans (stage 3B) began the high-dose treatment yesterday.  So he's only two days in, granted.  And I know that each person reacts differently.  But wow!  I must say, I'm kinda surprised at how little it's affected him thus far.  His treatment is late afternoon, and both days he had some chills after.  He came home and lay on the couch, drank some tea, and within a few hours was good to go.  Went out the barn for 1+ hour at 10 pm or so, as usual.  Got up early today and was out there working as per the norm until we left for his next infusion.  Really?!  Is it too good to be true?  Or are they doing the hydration and anti-nausea meds and forgetting to give the actual drug? 😉  Seriously, I'm curious (as always!) to hear how it played out for others.  Is it more of an accumulative effect, or…?

      Best,

      Colleen

    Viewing 5 reply threads
    • Replies
        • October 17, 2012 at 10:50 am
        Laurie from maine
        Participant

          hi

          I am glad he is doing well.  I can only pass along my experience, each person seems to be effected differently.

          Make sure he drinks alot, I usually drank one gatorade a day not just water ( I actually had overhydrated myself one time by drinking too much water so had to add gatorade or vitamin water)

          For me the first month was easier than I thought.  I had headaches but turns out was probably from coffee withdrawals.  I had nausea the first day or so but medicine helped that.  I did much better than I expected.  I definitely felt that maybe they werent giving me the drug at all and my my doctor kidded that I was doing too well.

          Once I started the low dose that is when side effects built up on me.  It took about a month.  My symptoms were very tired, dizzy when I bent down, hair loss, and the big one was most food tasted like it had gone bad.   I lost a lot of weight because it was so hard to eat anything. 

          I hope that he continues to well and has no side effects, you are in my prayers

          take care

          laurie from maine

            • October 18, 2012 at 4:55 am
            swissfarm7
            Participant

              Thanks for your reply, Laurie.  It's almost eerie how little affect this is having on him.  Today he pretty much just went on his merry way.  Interesting that you didn't really experience side effects until you'd moved on to the low dose treatment.  I wonder why that would be?  I hate that all of this is such a guessing game. :-/

              Best,

              Colleen 

              • October 18, 2012 at 4:55 am
              swissfarm7
              Participant

                Thanks for your reply, Laurie.  It's almost eerie how little affect this is having on him.  Today he pretty much just went on his merry way.  Interesting that you didn't really experience side effects until you'd moved on to the low dose treatment.  I wonder why that would be?  I hate that all of this is such a guessing game. :-/

                Best,

                Colleen 

                • October 18, 2012 at 4:55 am
                swissfarm7
                Participant

                  Thanks for your reply, Laurie.  It's almost eerie how little affect this is having on him.  Today he pretty much just went on his merry way.  Interesting that you didn't really experience side effects until you'd moved on to the low dose treatment.  I wonder why that would be?  I hate that all of this is such a guessing game. :-/

                  Best,

                  Colleen 

                • October 17, 2012 at 10:50 am
                Laurie from maine
                Participant

                  hi

                  I am glad he is doing well.  I can only pass along my experience, each person seems to be effected differently.

                  Make sure he drinks alot, I usually drank one gatorade a day not just water ( I actually had overhydrated myself one time by drinking too much water so had to add gatorade or vitamin water)

                  For me the first month was easier than I thought.  I had headaches but turns out was probably from coffee withdrawals.  I had nausea the first day or so but medicine helped that.  I did much better than I expected.  I definitely felt that maybe they werent giving me the drug at all and my my doctor kidded that I was doing too well.

                  Once I started the low dose that is when side effects built up on me.  It took about a month.  My symptoms were very tired, dizzy when I bent down, hair loss, and the big one was most food tasted like it had gone bad.   I lost a lot of weight because it was so hard to eat anything. 

                  I hope that he continues to well and has no side effects, you are in my prayers

                  take care

                  laurie from maine

                  • October 17, 2012 at 10:50 am
                  Laurie from maine
                  Participant

                    hi

                    I am glad he is doing well.  I can only pass along my experience, each person seems to be effected differently.

                    Make sure he drinks alot, I usually drank one gatorade a day not just water ( I actually had overhydrated myself one time by drinking too much water so had to add gatorade or vitamin water)

                    For me the first month was easier than I thought.  I had headaches but turns out was probably from coffee withdrawals.  I had nausea the first day or so but medicine helped that.  I did much better than I expected.  I definitely felt that maybe they werent giving me the drug at all and my my doctor kidded that I was doing too well.

                    Once I started the low dose that is when side effects built up on me.  It took about a month.  My symptoms were very tired, dizzy when I bent down, hair loss, and the big one was most food tasted like it had gone bad.   I lost a lot of weight because it was so hard to eat anything. 

                    I hope that he continues to well and has no side effects, you are in my prayers

                    take care

                    laurie from maine

                    • October 18, 2012 at 10:23 pm
                    patobs01
                    Participant

                      Colleen,

                       

                      Glad to hear that your husband is doing well on it so far. During my first 5 days of high dose interferon I felt just fine too and wondered if I escaped all the side effects. When I hit the first weekend they came on strong, but I believe that was, in part, the result of no anti nausea drugs. I felt so good all week, it didn't occur to me that the pre treatments that I received via IV were probably the reason I felt OK. I didn't ask for any and I wasn't prescribed any. I think you can mitigate some of the side effects by ensuring that he has some anti nausea drugs to take at home  over the weekend.

                       

                      Patricia ( NED, previously Stage 3A, dx 9/09)

                      • October 18, 2012 at 10:23 pm
                      patobs01
                      Participant

                        Colleen,

                         

                        Glad to hear that your husband is doing well on it so far. During my first 5 days of high dose interferon I felt just fine too and wondered if I escaped all the side effects. When I hit the first weekend they came on strong, but I believe that was, in part, the result of no anti nausea drugs. I felt so good all week, it didn't occur to me that the pre treatments that I received via IV were probably the reason I felt OK. I didn't ask for any and I wasn't prescribed any. I think you can mitigate some of the side effects by ensuring that he has some anti nausea drugs to take at home  over the weekend.

                         

                        Patricia ( NED, previously Stage 3A, dx 9/09)

                          • October 19, 2012 at 5:18 am
                          swissfarm7
                          Participant

                            Patricia, I'm not sure what you mean by "pre-treatments"…?  Each day his infusion treatment includes hydration, anti-nausea med, and interferon (39 million units).  He's  had no nausea whatsoever, just some mild fatigue, but we do have some anti-nausea med here at home should that issue present itself. 

                            Best to you,

                            Colleen

                            • October 19, 2012 at 5:18 am
                            swissfarm7
                            Participant

                              Patricia, I'm not sure what you mean by "pre-treatments"…?  Each day his infusion treatment includes hydration, anti-nausea med, and interferon (39 million units).  He's  had no nausea whatsoever, just some mild fatigue, but we do have some anti-nausea med here at home should that issue present itself. 

                              Best to you,

                              Colleen

                              • October 19, 2012 at 5:18 am
                              swissfarm7
                              Participant

                                Patricia, I'm not sure what you mean by "pre-treatments"…?  Each day his infusion treatment includes hydration, anti-nausea med, and interferon (39 million units).  He's  had no nausea whatsoever, just some mild fatigue, but we do have some anti-nausea med here at home should that issue present itself. 

                                Best to you,

                                Colleen

                              • October 18, 2012 at 10:23 pm
                              patobs01
                              Participant

                                Colleen,

                                 

                                Glad to hear that your husband is doing well on it so far. During my first 5 days of high dose interferon I felt just fine too and wondered if I escaped all the side effects. When I hit the first weekend they came on strong, but I believe that was, in part, the result of no anti nausea drugs. I felt so good all week, it didn't occur to me that the pre treatments that I received via IV were probably the reason I felt OK. I didn't ask for any and I wasn't prescribed any. I think you can mitigate some of the side effects by ensuring that he has some anti nausea drugs to take at home  over the weekend.

                                 

                                Patricia ( NED, previously Stage 3A, dx 9/09)

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