Aa
Biopsy Results
Recently received results for a liver biopsy. Grade 2 Stage 1. What is the average time frame from this point to cirrhosis?
New to the disease myself, I was told if you are not already to that stage and you treat, you may never get there because the liver has amazing regenerative abilities comparative to other organs.
You can remove 1/3 of the organ, and grow back to a full sized liver in a year, which is why people can donate a part of their liver to someone. the Liver also replaces each and every cell every 18 months on average. the worse scarring and latter stage harm cannot however always be reversed.
But your chances are excellent if you do take care of yourself and these matters.
This assumes of course diligence on your part as copyman said, and giving treatment a chance to help your immune system fight before too much damage occurs, in my opinion of course.
You have between 2 and 4 times greater chances of clearing the virus with treatment than without help, depending on genotype and other factors of your own health.
You didn't say what genotype you have, some types have an 80-90% cure rate, some 50%. either way, that's better than nothing!!
I reasoned that even twice the chance of cure (I'm 1a) so 50%,,,even this was worthy of consideration.
Some in here will weigh in with waiting for potential better drug 2-5 years away, or availing yourself of clinical trials to get treatment if uninsured many of which will offer Standard treatment AND a drug still being tested as well. For some non-responders, and/or uninsured these may be better, or their only choices.
if you read up in here you'll soon discover why opinions vary. Many factors must be taken into consideration, and you should seek out a good hepatologist to advise you, not just we mere mortals.
In each case, regarding treatment, it's a personal choice based on information you absorb, extent of disease, and other myriad life circumstances. I don't think concentration on an average progression is ever anything beyond an educated guess because so much has changed in the last few years regarding the treatment of the disease. this disease does has baffling things about it, but still great hope. To quote one Dr. 2 years ago we could not have said this, but now we can, for many current treatment produces not a remission of the disease, but they now say a real cure. (kinda like when you are 5 years from your cancer remission....same idea.
If I had been given a choice by an early diagnosis, which did not happen, I would still say it would be in most peoples best interest to treat while they still have some health, or still have insurance, and not wait until they are really a lot sicker, or as circumstances of health care may change,... it just makes more sense to be PRO active in your own recovery for a whole host of such reasons.
Part of me wanted to just say to the docs, "OK, how much time, REALLY", do I have.
But remember people with HIV now live 15-20 years longer than they did in the 80's and the antiviral drugs for HCV are building on the same premises that HIV research began in earnest.
Since many people have the virus for 30-40 years before discovery....it's really hard for anyone being honest to definitely answer your question.
.
Having dodged a ovarian cancer bullet 12 years ago I can honestly say the more time spent on that particular question,...." how much time do I have left", the more likely we are to succomb to depression and despair. One foot in front of the other became my motto through that process....
Also I've seen people given a 2% chance to live beat things. Not always certainly, but docs don't know everything.
the more I read and learned about this disease, (a lot in this forum) the more the "time lines" seemed usless.
Plus to quote one cancer doc (on a TV show admittedly) "if I tell 'em they've got 3 months and they live a year, I'm a hero, if I say a year and it's not...well" ....you get the idea? There's far far less chance of predicting with this disease than many, that I have gleaned.
.
Look penicillin was a 100% cure for many diseases that one year earlier killed or cripped millions....so 90% for some genotypes for this disease so far....that ain't bad!!
Besides this, those percentages take into account all the drop outs and folk who just couldn't bear the side-effects, there are many that do this. So the stats may actually be better than stated for the people that do stay with the whole treatment.
to conclude: since you choose your handle,
Since only God knows how many days are left for each of us, I still prefer to think one day we will all go home, but in the meantime live each day like it does matter, focus on what you can do and change, not what you can't. No one is promised forever in our current corruptible homes of flesh but we are all granted joy unspeakable and fully of glory, should we choose to pursue Him...you know what I mean. Not saying that can't be work when things go wrong...but the resolve of Job is worth considering.
Hope that helps.
You can remove 1/3 of the organ, and grow back to a full sized liver in a year, which is why people can donate a part of their liver to someone. the Liver also replaces each and every cell every 18 months on average. the worse scarring and latter stage harm cannot however always be reversed.
But your chances are excellent if you do take care of yourself and these matters.
This assumes of course diligence on your part as copyman said, and giving treatment a chance to help your immune system fight before too much damage occurs, in my opinion of course.
You have between 2 and 4 times greater chances of clearing the virus with treatment than without help, depending on genotype and other factors of your own health.
You didn't say what genotype you have, some types have an 80-90% cure rate, some 50%. either way, that's better than nothing!!
I reasoned that even twice the chance of cure (I'm 1a) so 50%,,,even this was worthy of consideration.
Some in here will weigh in with waiting for potential better drug 2-5 years away, or availing yourself of clinical trials to get treatment if uninsured many of which will offer Standard treatment AND a drug still being tested as well. For some non-responders, and/or uninsured these may be better, or their only choices.
if you read up in here you'll soon discover why opinions vary. Many factors must be taken into consideration, and you should seek out a good hepatologist to advise you, not just we mere mortals.
In each case, regarding treatment, it's a personal choice based on information you absorb, extent of disease, and other myriad life circumstances. I don't think concentration on an average progression is ever anything beyond an educated guess because so much has changed in the last few years regarding the treatment of the disease. this disease does has baffling things about it, but still great hope. To quote one Dr. 2 years ago we could not have said this, but now we can, for many current treatment produces not a remission of the disease, but they now say a real cure. (kinda like when you are 5 years from your cancer remission....same idea.
If I had been given a choice by an early diagnosis, which did not happen, I would still say it would be in most peoples best interest to treat while they still have some health, or still have insurance, and not wait until they are really a lot sicker, or as circumstances of health care may change,... it just makes more sense to be PRO active in your own recovery for a whole host of such reasons.
Part of me wanted to just say to the docs, "OK, how much time, REALLY", do I have.
But remember people with HIV now live 15-20 years longer than they did in the 80's and the antiviral drugs for HCV are building on the same premises that HIV research began in earnest.
Since many people have the virus for 30-40 years before discovery....it's really hard for anyone being honest to definitely answer your question.
.
Having dodged a ovarian cancer bullet 12 years ago I can honestly say the more time spent on that particular question,...." how much time do I have left", the more likely we are to succomb to depression and despair. One foot in front of the other became my motto through that process....
Also I've seen people given a 2% chance to live beat things. Not always certainly, but docs don't know everything.
the more I read and learned about this disease, (a lot in this forum) the more the "time lines" seemed usless.
Plus to quote one cancer doc (on a TV show admittedly) "if I tell 'em they've got 3 months and they live a year, I'm a hero, if I say a year and it's not...well" ....you get the idea? There's far far less chance of predicting with this disease than many, that I have gleaned.
.
Look penicillin was a 100% cure for many diseases that one year earlier killed or cripped millions....so 90% for some genotypes for this disease so far....that ain't bad!!
Besides this, those percentages take into account all the drop outs and folk who just couldn't bear the side-effects, there are many that do this. So the stats may actually be better than stated for the people that do stay with the whole treatment.
to conclude: since you choose your handle,
Since only God knows how many days are left for each of us, I still prefer to think one day we will all go home, but in the meantime live each day like it does matter, focus on what you can do and change, not what you can't. No one is promised forever in our current corruptible homes of flesh but we are all granted joy unspeakable and fully of glory, should we choose to pursue Him...you know what I mean. Not saying that can't be work when things go wrong...but the resolve of Job is worth considering.
Hope that helps.
i do not think this can be answered. many factors determine progression. age, drinking alcohol, diet, exercise, etc. some never progress to cirrhosis. this is a long developing virus. take care of yourself and monitor LFT's a few times a year. once they rise over 100 you should think about treating
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