GIVEN UP

[JCNFlorida]

53 year old male with Hep C. Stopped seeing doctor 2 years ago after seeing her for 5 years. Doctor would never treat me due to her belief that I have an "overly aggressive" personality. I  finally got tired of driving 120 miles (one way) to see her. Such a waste of time and gas. Took her 5 years just to do a biopsy!   She feels the medication would be too dangerous for me to take. My biopsy of 2 yrs. ago indicated I was in Stage-2, Genotype-1. Question #1: How long does it take for each Stage to progress to the next level? Question #2: I have been taking Lortab 10-500 mg. 4x daily since 1999. Last month my Primary care doctor switched me from Lortab to Vicoprophen 10-200 4 x a day. Is the newest opiate medication a better choice for me? I also take Soma 350 mg x 3.  

[JCNFlorida]

Thank you Mike for the encouragement and the doc advise. It sounds like you handle treatment much better than what most do...at least from what I have read so far from others who has been treated. Good luck. Jeff

[Growzer]

I too have an aggressive personality. This is my second time on treatment once for 48 weeks with riboviron and interferon , and now I'm in my 19th week of 24 weeks of triple therapy with interferon ,riboviron and incivik. Both times I had a couple of out bursts still not sure if it was the drugs or just me. I myself would look for a new Dr . At stage 2 your still in pretty good shape and it's best to rid yourself of this before it gets to far.
Mike

[JCNFlorida]

Thank you for the info on the new meds that are forthcoming. I need to get more focused and seek out a different liver doctor. Thanks again.

[BoceprevirGal]

  I dont know about the pain meds, but there will eventually be an Interferon Free Treatment available, perhaps as early as 2015, for geno 1's.
    Also, this December, a new Treatment will be available, that I think you could probably handle, because it is only 12 weeks, and uses Sofosbuvir, Ribaviran, and Interferon.
   I have an "overly aggressive personality" as well, and I did just fine with 28 wks of the Interferon(Ribavirin and Victrelis also), and I am cured.  I just yelled rly loud, a couple times, nothing too crazy.
   I havent looked up those meds but I am thinking anything called "Vicoprophen" cat be great for the liver, as Ibuprofen is hard on the liver, but if you dont have cirrhosis,  a low dose may be alright, everybody reacts differently.