Do I? Dont I ?

[Riffster79]

I have hep c, geno 1, seen doctor today about starting treatment, (triple vaccine) not sure if it is right for me. Can anyone tell me if the side affects are bearable, and really if I do go ahead what to expect. Thanks

[Idyllic]

You are in the UK? Treatment for triple is very different in each country when it comes to treating side effects and having access to medication to help treat the side effects. Ditto with having labs at certain times on triple. I encourage you to learn about triple so you can at least mentally prepare yourself with what to expect.

[orphanedhawk]

I think nobody should begin treatment without first knowing the true health of their liver. There are new easier to tolerate treatments doing very very successfully in clinical trials and will be available in the not too distant future.
If you have a healthy liver, I advise waiting.
Although I have no regrets,I would have waited if not for my situation.

Now is the time to educate yourself. The virus moves somewhat slowly so do not jump into tx without first knowing fully what to expect.

Good luck,
OH

[Riffster79]

Hi, is just like to say thanks for all the warm comments from you,& everyone else.
I don't have anything else to comment as yet, I've got to go back to the hospital in couple months to let then know if I'm starting treatment (I am). As & when I know more I will let you know. Once again thanks for the kind words, hope your hubby doing ok

[lrup1952]

Hi and welcome.  I am beginning my 21st week and I agree for each person sx are different.  I have had some bad weeks but more good weeks.  I have continued to work and with a few exceptions I have been able to continue my walks.  When I came off of incivik it became a lot easier.  Do I still feel bad some days, yes but all of it has been tolerable.  

I remember in the beginning I read the journal of someone who completed tx and hung on my bathroom mirror the "rules of the game" and I read it on my worst days and read it on my best to remind myself why I am doing this.  I didn't clear at 4 or 8 weeks so still have 27 weeks to go but in the whole of my life that is just one small blip and I want to be rid of this virus.

While I don't post much I do read what everyone is going through and I keep everyone in the thoughts and prayers.  This is not easy but when you read that someone has reached SVR you get another pound of hope to keep yourself going so you can one day post those three little letters.

I also consider myself very fortunate since there are so many on here who are going through so much and those are kept close to my heart.

Okay, enough said.  You will find so much help on here and the one thing I did learn was to continue to search and research and be my own advocate.

I wish you the very best Riffster!  Hold on because this will be the ride of your life LoL

[Riffster79]

Thanks for all the comments, I am going to do the treatment as it's for the best,(alternative not great) I'm not sure which 3 meds they are offering yet, but thats neither here it there. Being Ill from side affects it's only for a while & at the end it seems it's working for everyone. Thanks to everyone who answered me. & to the person who asked about insurance, I'm in uk so I'm very lucky it's nhs (free).

[cheflady]

hi there and welcome to this fantastic site my hubby about 7wk post tx and no i wouldnt lie to you the tx is hard and horrible for everybody (yourself&partner) but so worth it! Hubby was UND at wk4 and remains so , but only you can decide remember you are not alone we are all here for you and will try and help you through it all. Please keep us informed and very best wishes to you Jules

[Star971]

It also depends if you can afford the treatment now. Do you have insurance? For me I have insurance threw my company and I don't want to work in the restaurant for the rest of my life. So I decided to do the tx. I am glad that I did it. My treatment was hell! Some have it bit better. Some have it much worse as far as the tx. but you need to make that choice. I was 1b genotype stage 0 age 35. I was clear of the virus at wk 4,8,12,24. There are a lot of GREAT people on here and we are always here for you no matter what.

xoxo
Star

[Babs08172012]

Hi.  I wish I had seen this sooner.  I started last year, August 17th.  I will finish July 17, 2013.  I am totally fed up with the whole affair, but still grateful that I stuck it out.  And I think I found this forum at just the right time.  God is always on time.  Riffster this treatment is right for you if you want to live.  It's up to your doctors which treatment and when.  And as for the possible side effects, they are hellish.  Don't let anyone lie to you.  Ask me anything you want to know.  I should tell you, though that I am 60 years old.  So maybe litle old ladies get different blow back.  At any rate, I am recovering and looking forward to that last injection of pegasys and the last ribavirin pill.  I finished the hellish Incivek November 9, 2012.  I found that it left my system in a way within 2 weeks and is still there in another way.  I still feel like I'm on the heaviest medication I've ever taken in my whole life.  And believe me I've both self-medicated and the other kind some serious stuff.  I suspect that Incivek may stay with me for life.  Isn't that why it's a cure?  But the jumpy, dopy, hazy effect cleared away when I discontinued the Incivek.  I just want to add right here that I swallowed a lot of nuts and extra virgin olive oil and got reaquainted with chicken salad and sardines, too.  I woke up at 6 a.m. Napped during the day.  And had my last meal at 9 p.m.  I was lucky to be able to regiment myself like that for 12 weeks. I hope I've been helpful.  I remember starting out and looking for this.  I didn't find it then.  

[medic54]

Peg/Rib for 24 weeks:
Roughly speaking-
wks 1 & 2 very mild flu like symptoms some days..others about normal.
wks 3 to 12- mightily increasing negative side effects with dry itch rash on abdomen, back, arms and legs...rash moved around a lot but itched on arms and back.  Dropping/breaking things...fatigue, insomnia and pissed off.
wks12 to 24- slight gradual increase in same symptoms.
12 weeks post treatment and only minor lingering issues that seem to be improving and am back to pre-treatment work out schedule. I know some have little problem with treatment, but I believe they're in the minority. There was no way I could have worked and I suggest you plan to cover unemployment as a back up in case you need it. Good Luck

[dustbear]

I agree with pooh. Also, the side effects may or may not change. For me, no two days are alike. The side effects can change daily, hourly and weekly and without warning.  If I work within my limitations (knowing this after 20 weeks of treatment on Peg/Ribavirin) and it is bearable, but I am not able to work due to fatigue, irritability and pain mostly. I have experienced most of the side effects from the above link in pooh's post, except vomiting. Everyone is different that is for sure.

[pooh55811]

Welcome to the forum.

It would help us to respond better if we knew a little more about you. We know you have Genotype 1 and that the doctor wants to start you on Triple Medication Treatment. (It is actually treatment to sure Hepatitis C, not a vaccine to prevent it.)

Do you know what your liver biopsy fibrosis stage is. In otherword, how much damage do you have to your liver. If we knew your liver biopsy fibrosis stage we would have a better idea of how urgent it is for you to do treatment.

Also, have you ever treated before? It sounds like you have never done treatment before, but I don't like to assume.

The treatment usually does have some side effects but they do vary from person to person. Some people have few side effects and some have more side effects than others. Some have mild side effects and some have more severe side effects than others. A person really does not know which side effects he/she will get before starting treatment.

For most, the side effects are doable. There are remedies and helpful hints for dealing with the side effects. There are also prescription medications that the doctor can order if you need them for some side effects. Overall, the side effects are no picnic, but they are doable. Many of us on the forum have done treatment, completed treatment, and we are now cured. So we are living testament that the side effects are bearable.

Which drugs will you be taking? The side effects can be somewhat different depending on the drugs. I know you will be taking Interferon and Ribavirin, but will you be taking Incivek or Victrlis as the 3rd drug?

Here is a link to some of the most common side effects:

http://gitract.mngastro.com/mngi.nsf/patient_education/mngi-838ueg.html