Stage 2 Hepatitis, To treat or not to treat

[michelebeth]

I am a female, age 45, very healthy and live a clean lifestyle. I eat well, exercise and drink moderately. I have Hepatitis C, genome type 1, for 13 years now and have lived relatively symptom free from the disease. 9 years ago my biopsy showed 0-1 stage with mild inflammation, no scarring. My recent biopsy (July 2008) showed mild inflammation and mild scaring, now in stage 2.  

Being very proactive about my health, I am contemplating whether now is the time to try treatment which I know has very difficult side effects, or wait another 3-5 years, have another biopsy and see where I am at.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on “to treat or not to treat” at this stage; and point me to information and/or resources that may help impact my decision.

I’m most curious to know if liver disease progression is inevitable, and how much harder it is to treat ‘if and when’ it moves to stage 3. I hear it is easier to treat/cure early on.

[dgooding]

I am 47 year old female with Stage II. I do NOT drink alcohol at all and try to eat correctly. I have gone through the Interferon treatment and it *****! I had to go to counseling once per week because one of the side effects was suicidal tendancies. No kidding. After the treatment, I had gone from a healthy liver to stage II. I was upset beyond. Now I am experiencing memory problems, concentration problems, and joint pain. A lot has physically changed. Before you sign up for the treatments, please ask a lot of questions. Also I found out through a friend whom also had Hep C. After he took the same treatment, 2 years after he finished, he had a brain anurism and passed away. Apparently that was a side effect no one told him about until after he died. Get SEVERAL opionions. Thank you. God Bless you.

[rita863]

When i had my biopsy it was Stage 2, i decided then that i was healthy enough to go through treatment.  I am 29 weeks into and i was und at 12.  I am 44. and besides the hep have no health problems.  I felt that rather then wait until i was older and perhaps had some health issues, now was the time to treat.  

Agree with Nygirl, it is a personal decision, but you do have a great support system and good insurance.  i also believe it will more then a few years before better drugs come out.


good luck
peace
rita

[nygirl7]

i ditto Dances.  WheN I was diagnosed I was stage 3 as well.  Considering the fact that you have gone up in your fibrotic level pretty heavily in the past ten years I would say you might really considering doing it now. It won't get easier later when you have even more fibrosis. Also...just becauses it took almost ten years to get to the stage 2 it doesn't mean it will take another ten to get to stage 4 - it could happen in just a few short years.

It you are in a place now when you have a good support system and good insurance you might want to take advantage of it all while you are sure of it.  While we all HOPE the new drugs pan out - there is NO guarantee that they will or that you won't be past the point of no return by then.

It's a big decision.

Good luck.

[Trinity4]

It's a personal decision which you should discuss with your physician.  My only advise is to stop drinking, even moderately as your liver disease has advanced a stage.  Alcohol and hepc are not a good mix.   A good reference source is www.janis7hepc.com and going back through the archives on this forum will help as well.
Trinity

[danceswithbirdies]

Well, I never had the option of waiting because I was diagnosed at stage 3.  I would have treated much earlier if I had known.  If I were you I'd treat now and put the whole thing behind me.  The older you are when you treat, the harder its going to be.

Good luck whatever you decide.