Generic Name: peginterferon alfa-2a
Brand Name: Pegasys subcutaneous
Drug Reviews Drug and Medication User Reviews
I have Essential Thrombocythemia (high platelet count) and I have been on this medication for 15 months. My hematologist suggests I will be on this drug for life, so far it has kept my platelet levels normal. I do not look forward to having the side effects such as fatigue, sleeplessness, hair loss, dry skin, skin rashes and loss of appetite for the rest of my life.
I started this drug in April of 2012. I was fine until about the 2nd shot. After that, my life has been a living nightmare. My mood was like I turned bipolar. I would get upset and cry over absolutely nothing! Would fly off into uncontrollable rages. The positive aspect is that I have only 2 more shots to go. My initial viral load was over 4 million. By the third month, it dropped to undetectable levels. I survived the rage & mood swings by going on an antidepressant (Highly recommended). I will give an update when I am completely finished with treatment!
I FEEL AS THOUG I'VE BEEN RUIED IN REGARDS TO MY hEALTH & WELL BEING. I'VE HAD TO APPLY FR DISABILITY. I LIKED MY CARRER. I WAS VERY ACTIVE BEFORE TREATMENT & NOW I CAN ONLY WALK ABOUT 15 FEET WITHOUT STOPPING FROM PAIN & BASICALLY...PURE AGONY.
I have been taking Peg Interferon and Copegus(Ribavirin) since Jan 3 2012. I have type 1 of the virus. I have decided to discontinue the use of them because the psychotic effects are truly disturbing. The Rage and Anger now consume my every moment, and as get almost no sleep it is a living hell. The physical stress from Anger and Rage rings out in every cell of my body. I have experienced almost all of the side effects, Blindness in one eye, over sensitivity to light, nausea... read that list that comes with product and I have had/do have them all. I am discontinuing the treatment because there is hi probability that the long term effects (psychotic) don't go away. Everybody dies, it is just a matter of when and how. Not every one suffers from mental illness, and a life of mental illness is no life at all to me. So I am abandoning the treatment in the hope that my sense well being and inner peace will return. I don't want to exist in living hell of mental illness. Death is a massive part of life. I want to be concious of dying and engage with that process fully to gain the full benefit of death as it relates to cycle of life. You can't do that if you are mentally ill.
Diagnosed with Hep-c type 2 B. Was on treatment for 6 months.No bad side affects till 3 months- After injections would get nausea,aches,weakness and some forgetfulness.Also developed shortness of breath.Took vitamins,ate healthy things and excersised as much as i was able.Some dizzyness occured.Started treatment 2/10. Took a while to get my strengh back and had aches for months after.Now I feel great,still undetectable after over a year.Treatment was rough but,it worked for me.I do construction and have no limitations as of now.It won't work if you don't do treatment exactly as directed.3 others were on it at the same time and they all missed the Riboviron pills some days which is important for treatment to be effective.It worked for me and I pray it keeps on.Have bloodwork appt.next month to check levels.I beleive the result will be in my favor as i don't have any of the symtoms i had before treatment.My doctor said that it does not work on everyone.I thank God it worked on me!
i have got this drug for 48 weeks but not got pcr negative yet i am very worried about my illness
female 50-60 hep c geno type 4a viral load 850,000.undectable after 3 months-6 months-stopped treatment at 9 months.Told virus undectable and cured.Drinking a lot of water helped with treatment. Pray it doesn't return,dr. said I was cured.
very little sideaffects just at the start.
I have genotype 1 viral load now at zero has been since 3rd month of treatment. I will be finishing treatment in 3 weeks hope it stays gone.
Have only had 2 pepasys injections so far, beginning viral count 7.7 million. For 2 days after injections, very fatigued, nauseated. Riboviron has caused hives from face to ankles-see my doc today, so will hopefully get something for that. Plan to continue treatment if it shows evidence it is working with lab tests.
I started Pegasys and Copegus on July 31, 2009. My Viral load was 760,000 and Genome 1. By September 23, 2009 my liver enzymes were back to normal and when we repeated the viral load test on October 23, 2009, the results were negative, the virus is undetectable. Although the drug treatment was like chemo, it was well worth it. The side affects have been miserable at times, but I figured out that if you did not lay around and feel terrible and you moved around and did things to keep you busy, the side affects were not as bad. I will say this, the cycle of side affects varied and changed from week to week. I guess it affects everyone differently. My first 2 months were the worse. We have kept a close eye on my blood labs and so far I have fared very well. I do not wish this treatment on anyone, but I will say this, if you keep a strong will that you are going to beat this, you will. I also must say THANK YOU to Roche, they provided me under their patience assistance program the treatment free of charge. Roche has saved my life and I am forever grateful. Good luck to anyone who gets this virus. It can be beaten.....
my hepatis c was non detectable after the first 3 months using peg inferon and riboviran; however I am still having memory problems, now losing whole days that I do not know untl after the fact ususally tiggered by conversation with someone else w identifies dte for another reason. I live alone and unable to work due to these probems.
did not work for me,why
First day was very much like flu.A bit more. after the 3 day i was just fine.Lucky me that now after my 2 injection NO side effect at all...Will go to blood test next week to see how good is doing with the virus load.
my mom took this medication it made her very ill. and her viral load started in the millions went to undected during treatment. now it is back in the millions. the side effects are horrible and do not go away for a long time after stoping the treament
I have been taking Pegasys for a myeloproliferative malignancy (bone marrow cancer). It has been thus far very effective in achieving hematologic remission. My counts have returned to normal in 8 weeks at the lowest (45 mcg) dose. Very minimal side effects (a little fatigue). I have now reduced the dose to 35 mcg per week as my counts went a little too low (white cell count) and that seems to be keeping things stable.
I have genome type 2 so Im just starting my 3rd month of treatment. So far its been an adventure. I inject on fri. nite. Saturday and sunday are tough w/ aches and gen. fatigue. Dry mouth no appetite for the most part. Ive got 3 friends that have completed the treatment and they all had the same results the virus virtually gone. Im hoping for the same.
My husband was afraid to start the treatment. But after 1 year of treatment the virus was at undetectable levels. It has now been 4 years. We are very happy but still keep up with the vitamin regimin daily.
DIDNT WORK FOR ME