Reason for no week 23 and 24 video updates
Devon Nicholson did not do updates during week 23 and 24 due to being overwhelmed with side effects. The past two weeks of treatment have been tougher than usual for Devon knowing that his treatment was originally scheduled to end after 24 weeks of therapy. Unfortunately he Hepatitis C specialist recommended that the treatment be extended by 12 weeks to ensure best chances of permanently clearing the virus from his system.
Due to the increasingly dangerous side effects he was experiencing Devon stopped treatment at week 19 of his first treatment. 36 weeks of treatment is almost double the time of what he completed during his first round of the chemotherapy like treatment regime.
Incivek “Triple Therapy” can lead to medication induced psychiatric side effects in many patients. Insomnia, irritability, memory loss, concentration, feeling of light headedness, headaches and depression are just some of the possible cognitive related side effects patients can experience. The medication can cause a great deal of financial stress on a person. A 24 week regime can cost around 60k. This does not included other therapies and medications a patient may have to pay for to help manage side effects or cost of living.
The liver is the only human organ capable of regeneration. Devon’s liver has shown signs of improvement since he began treatment on October 15th 2012. Itchy rashes, lymphoma, cognitive side effects and shivering are just some of the side effects caused by Ribavirin that Nicholson must potentially deal with to be cured of the disease which would lead to a great extension on his live, improving it in a positive way all around. Devon’s has recently been prescribed a new medication attempt to help control the medication induced itching. The itching has been severe enough to wake him up at night.
Nicholson is determined to fight on and not let the disease beat him.
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