hcv svr since 1998

[erv]

Hi, I am a lurker. I found some posts last week about long term effects relating to treatment. i have searched this off and on for 5 years and thank you to those who post and those who believe this happens. 6 months after finnishing treatment (i still wonder if i needed), i started feeling crappier. i made my doctor retest me each year for 5 years because as my symptoms got worse i was sure it must be hcv back and worse. really, the same symptoms i have read about here. neck, shoulders, hand pain, night sweats, chronic fatigue, feel like i am just waiting to die. And no one has any answers. Fibro and myofacial pain and depression are the dx's. only labs abnormal is the sed rate at 29 and now rhuematoid but barely. it really *****. i was so happy to hear i am not alone and so sad for those who treat thinking if you follow orders you'll be fine one day. I was treated before they genotyped and did 18 mo of alpha interferon and 12 mo of rebetron. 10 years ago. the rapid aging hit home. i can't keep up with my 81 year old mother. sometimes i feel like i am stuck in the book the emporers new coat. any way thank you to those who have spoken about this before me. you definately helped me to not feel like a loser and alone.

[jmjm530]

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/736808?personal_page_id=1234&post_id=post_3890840

[Willy50]

Jim I just saw and posted the study.  I hadn't noticed the discussion at Medhelp however.  You have a link to it?

Sorry for the duplication....

Willy

[jmjm530]

the study is problematic on a number of levels and was discussed at length in a recent thread. perhaps some things could be cleared up with the full text, but all we have here is an abstract. for example, it appears that this is an untreated population. also, the high negative to positive rate seems very puzzling. lastly, I do not believe there is a healthy control group to compare the liver markers with. it will be interesting to see how this study is received by leading clinicians.

[R Glass]

I am at work so I only had time to scan over this study. I didn’t notice the results from Biopsies prior to this study. I am at work and may have overlooked something so, please correct me if I am wrong. If I am correct and there is nothing to compare to, I don’t see the relevance of this study.

[nygirl7]

I am now anemic and weigh 9st 2lb , down from a max of 10st 8lb , so , not a lot to spare !! .

Have you spoken to your doctor about the possiblity of taking Procrit? I don't know if you hemo has dropped enough or not but it has helped many of us GREATLY with the anemia. I would not have been able to complete all 72 weeks of treatment without it, I would have had to stop (I kept fainting when I tried to stand up, and I"m no wuss I always considered myself a very strong woman).

The weight loss did slow down over time as I became used to the treatment meds and my body started to acclimate to having all the poisons put in - but the anemia wouldn't have stopped for me without the procrit.

You talk in kilo type measurements so I gather you aren't in the USA........do they have Procrit available where you are? What was your last hemo number on your CBC?

[DB 0]

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hep_c/news/2009/012309_b.html.This says liver damage ongoing after SVR.

[DB 0]

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hep_c/news/2009/012309_b.html.This is not good,

[hepdestroyer]

It seems we don't yet know how long the road to recovery from Hepatitis is . I am 50 years young , undergoing treatment for HEP C and now actually feel lucky that I caught the genetype 3 . I have actually resolved after 9 or 10 weeks of treatment but must continue to finish the 24 week course . This is the problem for me . I am now anemic and weigh 9st 2lb , down from a max of 10st 8lb , so , not a lot to spare !! .
        I cannot put weight on and am short of breath . More side effects , more drugs , more home research . I want to understand what is happening to me . I find it more and more difficult to see why I must continue treatment if I am indeed 'resolved ' . I have just read the comment by ' erv ' and my heart and thoughts go out there to you . You are indeed NOT alone or a loser . I was not aware of ANY long term side effects of Interferon and Ribivarin .

[jmjm530]

If you haven't seen it yet, we have one of our  Health Pages devoted to the long-term side effects of interferon treatment. You are definitely not a "loser" or "alone" and hopefully you'll get more relief over time from your symptoms.

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Hepatitis/Members-Comment-on-Side-Effects-of-the-Treatment-Drugs-During--After-Treatment-/show/530?cid=64