Hi There, I'm a 40 yr old female (41 in a few days, but who's counting, lol), amyway, I am on interferon for therapy, as are a whole host of others. I was raped last year by an IV drug user and contracted hepatitis c. I was fortunate in that I tested for anything he might have given me about seven weeks after the incident just to be safe, and I was positive for Hepatitis C. But at least I caught it early.

But moving on, I don't really even think about that stuff anymore, and quite honestly, I just gave it as background. I've been treating with interferon and an antiviral for about twenty weeks now, and I am still not certain whether I will have to go 24 weeks, or 48 weeks. I am on a pegilated(sp)? interferon, which is peginterferon alfa-2a, or as the drug company likes to call it, pegasys. It's a Roche product I believe, and I take 180 units per 0.5 ml, subq per week. I think I got that right anyway

What I can tell you for SURE is that after the very first shot, I had horrible pain in my joints, and I soon became aware that I had rheumatoid arthritis that has gotten worse with each shot. I've also had nausea and vomiting. There are many, many users on my medical help board who are taking some type of interferon or who have taken some type of interferon, and they report everything from multiple sclerosis, to lupis, to diabetes, to complete destruction of their thyroid. Rheumatoid arthritis is an oft-mentioned malady as well. The common denominater in all of these issues always appears to be that they are auto immune issues in one way or another.

So many of you talk of having taking Beta for your diabetes for a period of years. You know, I didn't even know that Beta was an interferon based medication. I am going to tell my best friend, who takes the medication for her diabetes, because I sure don't want her to end up like me.

Twenty weeks into treatment and I have rheumatoid arthritis that I'm afraid may last post treatment, and I have tremors in my legs that I can't explain. They are getting worse, and since I can't control them, they are difficult to hide from others. Often I drape my coat over my legs. But they just seem to jerk around for no apparent reason. I'm hoping it will resolve after treatment...