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That ol' hep C has popped up!!

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Posted 2/10/2013 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all

I post regularly on depression and fibro. I had labs done recently and doc said you know you have chronic hep c? BOOOIIIINNNGGG! Uh, no. We did inital labs and my enzymes(?) WEREN'T TOO BAD. Whatever that means.Then she said she would refer me to gastro guy and take interferon. I expressed hesitation on that , having had seceral family members with bad results. She said "If you had cancer, would you do chemo?" Same thing.

Anyway, I AM HAVING MORE LABS, ASSUME GENOTYPING AND VIRAL LOAD (sorry for caps). My reading tells me many relapse after tx. And what if I DON"T do treatment? I already suffer from treatmenmt-resistant depression, fibro, ptsd and lots of skeletal issues,

I don't know, I guess I am looking for what happens now, liver biopsy, success stories. My hubby is hep c too and will not do tx and we have a 16 yr old daughter...mostly I guess I am scared...too many variables...too much too much

Thanks for the ears

Mags

Posted 2/10/2013 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Bayoub2, and welcome to the hep forum. I'm sorry to hear that you have hep C. Your doc said it is chronic, but is it chronic active? The difference is that with chronic hep C, you have contracted it but your immune system kicked it out. With chronic active, you need treatment. Since your doc is talking about treatment, it does sound like chronic active.

You said that your hubby has hep C. There's a good chance that you contracted it from him. Although sexually transmitted hep C is rare, it does happen. Also, you can get it from using his razor or toothbrush.

All the treatments now consist of more than just interferon. There is the "combo" with interferon and ribavirin, and the newest one consists of three drugs: Incivek or Victrellis added to interferon and ribavirin. There is an even better treatment that does not contain interferon that will be available late this year.

I suggest you have a liver biopsy prior to treatment, to know exactly how damaged your liver is.

All the best to you.

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 2/10/2013 8:58 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Connie

No, hub and I contracted it separately, mine thru iv use in 1975, him in a plasma factory in 76. Our daughter was very lucky to be clean!

I am glad to hear of evolving treatments. But, if you opt out of tx, what are the chances of becoming cirrhotic if no drink or no drugs (me). I guess noone can really answer THAT question.

Well, I'll have the labs and biopsy and then I'll come back for more convo. I appreciate your time and wiush you the best connie and all of you.

Mags
Posted 2/10/2013 10:31 PM (GMT 0)
Mags, the chance of hep C causing cirrhosis is very high. Also, it can cause liver cancer. I had been cirrhotic since at least '07 and had cancer twice...in '06 and 2011. The last cancer necessitated a liver transplant. I was diagnosed with hep C in '93 through IV drug use in '68-'69. I knew of the risks of developing cancer, but just never thought it would happen to me.

The healthier you are going into treatment, the better chance you have of clearing the virus. Please take this very seriously and get treatment.

Best of luck to you.

Connie
Posted 2/10/2013 10:51 PM (GMT 0)
thanks for the wake up call Connie...that is what i need to hear. and my doc said I am in pretty good health so makes sense. Did you use or drink after dx, if it's any o my biz?

I am happy you had a transplant. Are your worries over? Are you able to take any meds? My quality of life would suffer without some of my meds>

I wish you all the best and appreciate your bluntness/honesty. I will certainly let you know when labs come back. I have survived ALOT and will fight htis too.

Love Mags
Posted 2/10/2013 11:28 PM (GMT 0)
Mags, at the time of diagnosis I had been clean and sober for 7 years. Actually, I never did hard drugs again after '69, though I did some hallucinogens in the 70s and still smoked pot occasionally until '86. I now have 26 1/2 years clean and sober. So it was never an issue when I needed a transplant.

The first year post transplant, I had a lot of problems, but now am normalizing except for the C. So they are preparing me for the 3-drug treatment.

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 2/11/2013 1:14 AM (GMT 0)
yeah I had read it can still come back even after transplant...I was praying that was not true for you-what a load you have carried Connie-you are quite a woman

I will pray for you and please let me know how the triad of meds does

God Bless
Mags
Posted 2/11/2013 2:22 AM (GMT 0)
Mags, as far as I know, hep C always comes back after transplant...it was never really gone. It is in the blood.

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 2/11/2013 1:34 PM (GMT 0)
Yikes!! I guess you can win the battle, buit never the war. I will pray for you in morning devotion Connie

Bst of luck Miss Connie will check in

Love Mags
Posted 2/11/2013 9:03 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Mags!

Hugs,
Connie
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