Active Hep C?

My boyfriend has had Hep C for more than 10 years.
Today his doctor's office called to tell him that he had Active Hep C.
We never heard of "Active Hep C" before and we don't know if things have changed or not.
This is a new doctor since his old doctor passed away or stopped practicing.(He just vanished!!!)
Could he have had "Active Hep C" for years? I guess the new doctor has the old files. Maybe the Hep C has reached a new stage? We don't really know what to think.Is it a lot worse when it's active??
He has to see his doctor next week so I am sure they'll discuss this but we are both confused.

[suezeeque]

If he's had HCV for 10 years, it has always been "active".  Also known as "chronic infection".

If he tested positive for antibodies, then had a viral load test and there was virus present 10 years ago, it is present now.  Unless he has done treatment in the past.  Has he?

[nygirl7]

The good thing is that generally HCV is a slowly progressing disease.  As long as he hasn't been drinking a lot or doing other things to harm his liver, he might not have any serious liver damage yet.

The first thing he should get after the blood work is a biopsy (sounds bad but it's not) to find out the stage of liver fibrosis.  Then you can make an educated decision as to whether he needs to do treatment now or if he can wait a while.
It sounds like the old doc dropped the ball on this.  Was it just a primary care doctor? He really needs to be seeing a doctor that specializes in hep, a GI or heptologist. PCP docs do not know the disease nor keep p with the amazing new progress that has been made in just the last year even.

The good news is, the new drugs have really upped the cure rate.

Do you know what genotype he has? That is an important thing you will want to find out.

Good luck!

[beefsteak111]

I don't remember the genotype but I think it's possibly one that is treated with great results.
He has seen a specialist a long time ago (probably about 10 years ago) but the specialist was all about interferon and he had decided not to do it at the time so that was the end of seeing that specialist at least for then.A few of my his friends did the interferon and apparently had some pretty scary stories to tell.
I know a lot has changed in 10 years.

[1oftheclub222]

Interferon and peg is what is approved for treatment for now... if he is a type 1 then they also add Incivek or Victrilus...the sides are different for every person, so it is hard to base exactly what your experience will be on what others have gone through...as for me (type 2, peg/rib dual therapy), the sides haven't been all that horrible so far, but I am only 3 weeks in, so the jury is still on that, ha...

I think a interferon free treatment is probably 3-5yrs out for FDA approval still and that is if everything goes as planned with their clinical trials

You could always look into clinical trials, but they have their own set risks, they are still in the learning process with these drugs, where as the FDA approved drugs you pretty much know what you are getting into.

[copyman]

get copies of his med history. make another set for you and take a set to a Hepatologist (liver specialist)

Doctors disappearing, not knowing stage or genotype etc.......
Time for you and boyfriend to get pro active with this before it sneaks up on him then it could be late to treat.

In the mean time don't share tooth brushes, razors or anything that may have his blood on it. Use condoms if you have anal or rough sex.

Best of luck