Hep C symtoms -

[LuckyLiver2009]

I am 46 year old female. I was diagnosed with HCV over 20 years ago. I started treatment around 15 years ago, but found I did not respond as hoped. Last year my biopsy showed a stage 3/4. Over the years, I have experienced fatigue, and more sick days then well.  I drank alchohol, consciensously knowing of the damage, but unable to feel any energy at all, unless I was drinking. I have not drank in over 6 weeks, but I am now expereincing severe fatigue, foggy thoughts, dizzeness and the shingles.  I fainted at work and ended up in the ER. My AST was 244. I am sick more days then well and I am without any insurance.  I recently started a job and am concerned about staying well to help finance my essentials, like food and heat. :).
I have 4 questions :
A- Why do some people have no symptoms at all, while others seem to have the same symptoms that I am experiencing?
B - Why do the doctors act like I should not be experincing any symptoms and that my sick days are something I should just roll with?
C- Those infected, that are experiencing symptoms and continue to go to hold down a job, how do you do it?
D - How can I get insurance to help me through this time and start my treatment? ( I am in the process of being sued from my last biopsy )


This discussion is related to The truth...what next?.

[jugs0615]

Have you had your Ammonia levels check recently?

[nygirl7]

A- Why do some people have no symptoms at all, while others seem to have the same symptoms that I am experiencing?
>> If you were diagnosed 20 years ago and know that previously you were stage 3/4 last year but have been drinking you could now be cirrhotic.  People with little to no liver damage are of course apt to have much less symptoms...but if you are now stage 4 and moving forward with cirrhosis well - you need to think about doing something, somehow.

I don't understand about being sued for your last biopsy but I would move on as if I had progressed to stage 4 and find out about government assistance if possible or a clinic. It's time that you do something proactive to take care of this situation before it is too late.

[ponyshel]

HEY!!!! Haven't been on here in some time but needed to do a little research on my neberending quest for some real answers. How are you doing post 72 weeks of tx??? Do you have any residual side effects?  I have been on a rollercoaster ride since tx ended. I had "lyme" and treated with rocephin for a month only to end up in the hospital with septic arthritis and on a bag of vencomyecin hooked up to heart monitors from almost coding in the er. I  recently was told by my rheumotologist that I never had lyme disease. I had some issues with my knee joint swelling after tx. The dr thought perhaps it was a meniscal tear.....yeah right...I had to wait for hubbys insurance to kick in last september before thay could really dx my knee issue. I went for tests and the told me I had swelling outside of the knee,,,ie water on the knee...they drained it and pumped it upo with steroids for a "fix"...only to go back and have both knees swollen and alot of joint pain. I struggled for a year waiting for the drs to try to figure out what was going on. I had been poked,prodded,drained,shot up etc. went through the lyme and septic ordeal ony to end up with a rheumotologist telling me I have ankolosing spondliothropy...(AS)..not cureable very rare painful autoimmune arthrtis. Tx is to include a wonderful drug called remicade  that is a tnf blocker and would involve once a week sitting in the office recieving a bolus of remicade...to try to figure out the correct doseage for my AS. I haven't started the medication because when I spoke to my gastro he told me to be sure to make an informed decision. before starting this medication as it could very likely activate my HCV....I will not go through tx again until something safer is available or I have cirrosis. I wnated to share this with you and not scare anyone away from treating. I know that I am still clear of the virus but my gastro did admit it is lying dormant in other body organs so I am in remission from it but not cured. I knew this going into tx but never thought it was going to change my quality of life. I thought at least it would improve it where as it has destroyed it. I can't even walk some days,It takes me hours to get out of bed and dressed. I have developed weird rashes especially on my face where I have scars from the riba rash. My hair won't grow, I can't lose weight,disturbed sleep. I  just went through a hysteroscopy and D&C friday  due to early menopause. I hope they found no cancer. I hope your story is much better than mine post tx. I always wish you the best! Shelly

[nygirl7]

SHELL!  I couldn't believe it when I saw your name come on! I was like what are the chances someone else could copy the name!  

I am so sorry my friend, I have a lot of the same problems as you but not the more serious ones.  Just so you know you aren't alone.  Except my hair is growing like wild fire I think it's longer than some of my wigs were.

I can't lose weight or sleep and have the rashes but nothing like you are going through with all the pain etc.  

There is such a debate as to whether or not we do have the virus inside of us still or not.  Some say yes some say no.  Per chance some people do and some people don't I'd imagine. That to me makes most sense honestly.

gosh I haven't talked to you in so long and now I'm so bummed.  My post tx problems are just pretty banal - they bother me but aren't really THAT bad at all comparatively.  I don't know why you had to be one of the ones that get the whole magilla.  You were alwasy one of the nicest most fun girls that the forum ever had.  You totally don't deserve it AT ALL.

PM me if you want I'm still around sometimes on here - not on the weekends or at night anymore though........after all these many years I have to say enough is enough if you know what I mean!

My friend i have missed you.  I was so excited when I saw your name now I'm still excited to have talked to you but not so excited about all of the rest.  You know what I mean for sure!

Write me whenever you can......some of the other guys are still in here too and I'm sure they will be as happy to see your name as I was.

A few of us old timers left but not many.  I'm sure they will come on and say hello when they log in.