I'm wondering who took the brand named Rebetol or did you use the generice Ribavirin when on the combo treatment with the Peg-Intron?

For the first 32 weeks of treatment I was on the Peg-Intron and Rebetol treatment. My side effects were fairly mild. The only side effects were a loss in weight and that I would tire a little easily. Of course I had the occassional flu symptoms and couple of headaches, but these were very few and fairly short lived. Usually only for an hour or so in the day or two after the shot.

Now my new insurance will not pay for the Rebetol, so I have been on the generic Ribavirin for the past couple of weeks. I now have constant headaches, daily flu symptoms, hot and cold spells everyday,.. I'm dizzy, tired, fog brain, and my heart about pounds out of my chest... I get depressed for no real reason... and today my eyes blurred to the point that I could not read... in short I feel like SHIT. All in two weeks, but still the doctor will not admit that I need to be back on the Rebetol and off the generic. If the doc would just write the perscription to read "Fill as Written", then I could go back on the Rebetol for an extra $20 per month. It probably does not help that my insurance in Humana... which never wants to pay anything... and always tries to have a say in treatment protocol. So, now I'm battling the system to make it through this without all the extra crap... while everyone tries to tell me that it is all in my head.

I was just wondering which one everyone else is either on... or has taken.... and what side effects they had with the one they were on. Everyone that I know of first hand, is on the generic and has always had a lot of side effect problems... I mentioned this to my doctor when I was first told that I had to switch (or pay) so now he says that it is all in my head. Well, I've got news for them... there were a lot more worries about side effects in the beginning of treatment. I kept waiting and looking and worried all the time about what side effect would begin and when.... but actually nothing much happened... no matter how much I waited... nothing. Now, in only two weeks I have become a physical mess, and it is just me talking myself into this.... and am making up side effects.... That's CRAP.

Sorry to be so negative guys.... but I'm PISSED and I'm going to war with the system!!!!

I only have 14 more of these damn shots to go... and I will not allow the system to derail it now. So, please... share your knowledge... I need the extra steam if I'm going to fight them on this... without letting the stress of the fight becoming too much for me to handle.

I plan on letting them know that WE ARE NOT DEAD MEN WALKING and I will not be treated this way... especially not just because the doctors allow the insurance company to call all of the shots.

After all, I pay them BOTH... so they work for ME. Besides, nobody should have to fight for the right to choose the best poison available... smiles
(see I do still have a since of humor... LOL)

Anyway, I'm just wanting to find out if others felt that the generic made them a lot sicker than was needed.

Keep Smiling.... and Keep Fighting,
Tonjha