Post Treatment Blues - 21 days

Hair and Body Care

It has been 28 days since my last dose of Interferon alpha 2a and 21 days off the dreaded Ribavirin. Here are the updates of the lingering side effects from the Hepatitis C therapy:

Dehydration - no change
Dry eyes - no change
Myalgia - no change
Arthralgia - intermittent
Fatigue - no change
Insomnia - no change
Loss of Appetite - no change (loss 4 kg!)
Alopecia - no change (balding soon!)
Visual Change - not better
Taste/Noise/smell sensitive - no change
Lower backache - intermittent (thank God! at least one!)

Medicated Creams

These are the new developments from the heavy duty medications:

Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders (TMJ) 
Tinnitus
Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis 
Degenerative Disc Disease

I have not been patient enough ... 

Since hair is still falling like crazy, even without taking medications and cut my hair short, I just cannot wait to get those gray clumps covered. Sorry to my scalp ... did an ammonia-free hair color just to boost a little of my self-confidence and image. I do not want to look not my age (older). Those were the days when I received lots of compliments that I did not look my age though (younger) and that was not too long ago. I need to find myself and hear again "hey! you don't look your age". No pain no gain.

Every morning I still wake up feeling like a 100 year old but now with an exceptional new symptom - ringing in the ears/head. It is like an electrical static noise, mini motor buzzing at the back of my head that does not have a switch. The moment I step into my room, it feels like I live in a forest full of of insects, crickets buzzing, whooshing. It never go away, not even with earphones or the sound of the fan. With the added pulsations or "internal trembling", vibration and buzzing inside my limbs, my nerves seem to be in over-drive. I guess I am sinking into isolation again, into a strange world.

The only time when the noise disappear is when I am underwater. What a relief! I have finally discovered my love for the sport which alleviates the Tinnutis!