Could my pegylated interferon / ribavirin therapy of six years ago have cause my atrial fibrillation and hyperetrophic cardiomyopathy?

[MortyS]

Hello. I had hepatitis C for forty or forty-five years, and when I discovered I had it in 1989, I didn't take treatment until 2005 when I was 69 because I didn't have recognizable symptoms--just what seemed like being tired more than I should have been. I am lucky in not having a detectable amount of hep C in my blood after six years, but I have developed, in the past two or three years, atrial fibrillation and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and I'm wondering if this could have been brought on by the pegylated Interferon / Ribavirin therapy because I was under a lot of stress during treatment and felt some of the same symptoms that I have now. Thank you.

[copyman]

It is very possible these harsh drugs have caused your heart problems.

Of course being 75 yrs old is more likely to have something to do with it.

If you were in your forties or even fifties and in otherwise good health then I would say it would be more realistic.

Interferon & Riba will change your life in many ways. Hopefully that treatment cures you.  But unfortunately there is a price to pay, in some cases permanent damage to our bodies.

Stay strong & God bless

[willbb]

Hi  there. congrats  on taking  on treatment at 69 and  also on beating the virus.!

As we are not docs here it would be hard to answer if your post treatment  heart symptoms were specific adverse effects of the treatment drugs..however it is  a fact that some docs are reluctant to treat HCV past the age of 65..because of failing health problems ..especially as it pertains to heart issues. as the meds can cause side effects that can effect previous heart conditions.

Again .great to hear you won the fight and .. and hopfully the heart  irregularities can be  managed with medication.

Best to you..
Will