I had been really busy at work all week, with myriad things to do right up to the Thursday. Thursday night I was at a City dinner getting home at 1am. So it was start now or wait another week.
I fried up two eggs and some left over fish fingers as I had been warned that fatty foods help when you take Ribavirin. Then I read and re-read the instructions for the Interferon injection - the dummy run at the hospital seemed very hazy and long time ago, even though it was only last week!
For the record the Interferon I am taking for my Hepatitis C treatment is ViraferonPeg, with a pre-filled injection pen with peginterferon alfa-2b, to be injected subcutaneously once a week, and Rebetol Ribavirin capsules (two lots daily - three in the evening and two in the morning). As ever there are two types of both that you can take, but apparently there is no difference in effect.
So I took the plunge - literally. The injection didn't hurt and it was all anti-climatically simple and straightforward. Then I took the three Ribavirin tablets with some water as instructed and crashed out. I had no idea what to expect - everyone is affected differently and the nurse had warned that on the first day I could feel very rough.
Woke up from time to time in the night - there was a sort of strange, curious excitement about what might be happening - I'm sure the adrenalin had got going too. I woke with a headache at 7am and feeling very woozy. I dozed till 9am and phoned work to report in sick.
Bathed, dressed and had breakfast and dutifully took my two Ribavirin tablets with much less trepidation - it's strange how everything sinks into a routine quickly.
I had two key telephone interviews to make for work and wondered how they would go. I developed a little tintinnitis in my ears and felt a bit unsteady and had a dull headache in the back of my head most of the day. I am determined not to take anything to alleviate any side effects. The interviews went well - much better than I had anticipated.
Then in the evening I developed what seemed like a severe indigestion. I took my son to a sports event in the car. Driving was fine but I got very restless sitting in the car waiting for the event to end. I had to get out and pace around to try to relieve the indigestion. Maybe more greasy food would have helped!
Bed at 11pm with the next dose of Ribavirin.
