Hepatitus C infected ( Need a Treatment hrlp )

Hello Again, My name is Fayaz, My mother aged 55 is suffering from Hepatitis C. I'm from Pakistan. The virus was diagnosed in 2006 when mother used to vomit blood from the mouth. Mother had few tests including PCR and was diagnosed Hepatitis C. Being from a poor family I cold not afford the medication so I wrote few letters and visited many government officials for help and finally got help from a person who bought the interferon for mother and 6 month course of interferon were completed in end 2007,

Now after that being no knowledge of hepatitis, I came to conclusion that my mother was fine. But in late 2010 my mother was having pain in abdomen area so i visited a normal area doctor, who after looking my mother recommended a abdomen test. Then he asked us what was the problem with my mom and after knowing that she was a hepatitis C patient in the past, he recommended a HCV RNA test which was in result "DETECTED"

Now the doctor recommended me a specialist of hepatitis C who could help me determine the treatment. Whatever money I had I gave for tests. I can not afford a hepatitis C doctor in my country and also being the largest country of hepatitis C patients in Pakistan the fesses of doctors have gone high.

I would just like to request all the people who ever is reading this Please save my mom. I'm attaching all the reports. Please take soem time and recommend something if you know any specialist. I'm just asking for help of recommendation. Like what treatment is recommended for my mother so she can be saved.

Thank you very much and sorry for my bad english.

[satan22o4]

ALL THE FILES ARE HERE ATTACHED.

http://www.megafileupload.com/en/file/321157/MS-Zubaida-Medical-Reports-rar.html

[Anne1717]

Hang in, someone with more experience will respond.
I do know that she should have a liver biopsy if she has not already

[Anne1717]

Sorry - I hit send by mistake.  Your English is fine and best of luck to you and your mother

[HectorSF]

Okay I read the labs you posted.

Interferon alone is not effective in the treatment of hepatitis C. It should be used in combination with ribavirin. Was this done?

What genotype is your mother's hepatitis C? Is it type 3a? This is the most common genotype in Pakistan. The reason I ask is because genotype 3 usually has a 75+ chance of success and treatment can be for 6 months.

Okay let me state this before going further. I am not a doctor so my opinion is only based on my own experience with hepatitis C and advanced liver disease.

From looking at the records you provided it appears your mother has the early stage of Cirrhosis. Biopsies will indicated Stage 4. Why do I say this? Your mother has a low platelet count of 49,000 when the normal value is between 150,000-400,000. This is caused by the enlarged spleen seen in her ultrasound notes. This is very common when a patient has cirrhosis.

The blood tests indicate that something is damaging the liver which is way her AST, ALT, GGT and Alkaline phosphatase levels are high.

What needs to be done is for your mother to try treatment again. Although because her liver is so damaged it will affect the chances of the medicines working she still has a good chance of curing the virus while she is still healthy enough to try treatment. In time her liver may become so damaged she will not be able to treat and then she will need a liver transplant. Due to your financial situation that appear not to be an option.

So it is important to use this critical time to somehow get treatment for your mother. The medicine she will need is peg-interferon and ribavirin. There are other names for the same medicine depending on who manufactures the drugs. Peg-interferon is an injectable drug and must be keep at a proper temperature. Ribavirin comes in pill form. This medicine is very expensive.

So you should try to contact charity hospitals who will provide the medicine for free or a small fee.
In Karachi you might want to try Aga Khan University Hospitals. Contact the "Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology section". Indigent patients who visit the Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan can receive financial assistance from the Patient Welfare Programme and zakat assistance from the Patients' Behbud Society.
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Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre Karachi
Rafiqui (H.J.) Shaheed Road, Karachi-75510 - Pakistan
92 21 99201300      
E-mail: cpdc.***@****
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Published in the Express Tribune, June 16th, 2010.
KARACHI: Free treatment has been extended to over 55,000 hepatitis patients in 37 centres located across all districts of the province, said the Sindh chief minister (CM) on Tuesday.
So far, 50,000 hepatitis-C patients, 4,000 hepatitis-B patients and 1,000 hepatitis-D patients have received treatment at these centres, announced CM Qaim Ali Shah, adding that free examination, diagnosis and vaccination facilities have also been provided.
More than 790,000 infants and 580,000 school-going children have been vaccinated against hepatitis-B and the programme will be extended to the taluka level between 2010 and 2011, he said.
Shah inaugurated the hepatitis treatment camp organised for officers and the staff at the chief minister’s secretariat at the Chief Minister House Dispensary on Tuesday.
The officers and staff members of the CM secretariat were examined, vaccinated and treated at the camp set up on the day.
Shah informed the people present on the occasion that the Hepatitis Prevention and Control Programme has been launched under the chief minister’s initiatives by the Sindh health department at a cost of Rs2 billion.
He urged doctors and the staff of the programme to work hard for its success.
Deputy programme manager Dr Ali Anjum and programme officer Dr Amanullah Jhatyal briefed Shah, explaining how patients are given regular treatment at approved centres and that free camps are being organised in various towns and villages. Principle secretary to the chief minister Syed Sohail Akbar Shah, adviser to the chief minister Muhammad Siddique Abu Bhai, political secretary to the chief minister Nazar Muhammad Gaho, special assistant to the chief minister Imtiaz Mallah and others were also present on the occasion.
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Here is a good article on hepatitis C in Pakistan written by doctors at Aga Khan University.

http://www.tropicalgastro.com/articles/29/4/Hepatitis-C-in-Pakistan-Magnitude,-Genotype,-Disease-Characteristics-and-Therapeutic-Response.html
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Good luck to you and your mother!

Hector