Interferon Injections for Hepatitis C?

Does anyone know of any friends/ or family who have taken Interferon injections and are now on hard drugs?

I was asking because after my father finished taking the shots in 2003 he became addicted to Oxycontin...and I think it led to other drugs.

Hepatitis and symtoms can be very painful. It is a catch 22. Taking pain meds can destroy the liver quicker and are very addicting. If one does not clear on treatment, he/she must try to live a very clean healthy life style, which we all should anyways!No Alcohol/No drugs! until new treatment options or a cure emerge. Todate there are many in the works but no miracle one yet!!. Alternative pain remedies such has soaking in bath,listening to music,praying,meditating,walking,breathi... etc..and a healthy diet, moderation with iron and protein. I know many who give up or are just in so much pain they have to have them to have qualitity of life. He may have had an addiction problem before diagnosis?this can be a double whammy and one would fair to seek support and help! otherwise love this person support encourage and , he may think what the heck I am dying anyways! If you are really concerned ask to see recent biopsy/blood work and attend Dr appt's, everybody is different and he might really need this medication due to symptoms such as joint pain,flu like symptoms,extreme fatique,chills,nausea,pain in ab area beneath rib cage,gall bladder attacks(may need removal), depression, when I did interferon(chemo) treatment I went blind,lost hair,mind,weight and had to be taken off so I try to live healthy to be able to live until a cure comes!one can live many years with hepc and most do not die from it but die from other influences, the only alternative is a transplant at end. it depends on how far advanced is his disease.The less stress on the liver the better. The liver works continually detoxifying our bodies.so less toxins the better.I hope this helps! this is my personal experience and he and his Doctor can work together to determine what is best for him!

Interferon is a synthetic to our natural interferon our body produces. Interferon does not affect the part of the brain associated with addiction. Infact, it is hard for interferon to pass the blood brain barrier. Interferon actually improves the integrity of the blood brain barrier. It is much easier for the drug given for pain to cross the BBB. Especially if your fathers blood clotting factors were low. Chances are that the narcotic oxycontin was given for pain caused by hepatitis c- we are now fully aware that diseases like fibromyalgia and RA can run along side of HCV.
Your father did not acquire addiction because of interferon, he acquired addiction because of the pain associated with HCV infection and was given a prescription for a side effect or extrahepatic disease associated with HCV.

I am surprised but not totally dumbfounded that your dad was given a narcotic for pain. Many doctors give prescriptions for pain- for whatever reason and many become addicted.

Your father needs to wean off of the drug. Not only is it addicting, but it is bad for the liver- that is why I'm surprised to hear that his doctor prescribed it! Chances are the pain he was having due to HCV has resolved if he has a resolved case of HCV infection. Many extrahepatic diseases or symptoms deminish after a sustained virologic response to interferon therapy (or antiviral chemotherapy).

Here is a more scientifc article on the BBB.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interferon

Furthermore, your theory is backwards- HCV causes depression (and up to 150 other bi-directional diseases) that are usually chronic in nature. Many folks self medicate due to the issues related to HCV infection. When one is abusing drugs (of any kind) a good doctor will not treat until the patient is at least 6 months clean and sober.

It could be your father was an addict before or became an addict due to pain and depression associated with HCV infection. This is why so many are now allowed on treatment- because the doctors now know that depression is usually the first sign of chronic diseases such as hcv infection. Besides joint pain, depression is usually one of the first symptoms. Outstandingly so, many folks that are depressed have no idea they are depressed! That is why we have addicts in this world.

Disease=depression (or other mental illness)=drug abuse.

Some theorize that since interferon therapy has adverse psychiatric events it may leave one more succeptable to addiction following the post period after treatment for HCV.
This only happens if the person had a prior history to addiction.

Yes, I know dozens of people who have taken the treatment (I run a support group for hep c). I have done the treatment myself quite awhile ago. Why was he prescribed oxycontin? Very few of the people I know are on that because that in itself is somewhat hard on the liver (plus the addiction factor). Was he taking it for some other problem? Were all his doctors aware of what the other doctors were prescribing? Were there underlying (pre-existing) issues to his drug use? I haven't known anyone in the 8 years I've been with the support group that have gone on to hard drugs because of the interferon treatment. I hope he gets the help he needs, because abuse of any drug, prescription or not, will nullify the benefits of treatment. Best wishes.

My husband is on interferon. It has nothing to do with a person taking hard drugs. Absolutely none. Many who contracted Hep C got it from sharing needles and were doing other hard drugs. It is just their decision to further damage their health by back sliding and doing drugs again. Interferon does not make one want to do hard drugs.

I know someone on interferon. Normally if your levels do not go down with Interferon then regular meds will not work. Interferon is a last resort med. You need to really read up on what helps your liver. Stay far away from the things that irritate the liver.

Why would someone go through treatment clear HCV and then want to harm their liver again?

Makes no sense to me..I would suggest drug counseling
best wishes for your dad

2yr SVR
HCV Advocate