How long will my mom live

Hi,
My mother was diagonosed with HEP-C Genotype 1 last year.
Before the treatment viral load was 673000 iu/ml.During the treatment it went to 600 iu/ml.Now after 2 months of the 48 week treatment the load is 543000 iu/ml.

She thinks she is going to die in 2 years.i am too scared too.The doctor does not say anything.
if possible plz explain in detail.

Regards,
Nisheeth

[doglover28]

welcome to the forum.  Sorry to hear about your mom.  None of us here are doctors.  Do you know what stage her liver is in?  Although she relapsed after treatment, keep in mind that treatment does help heal the liver even if it doesn't kill the virus.
I am a geno 1.  I don't know my stage yet because I haven't had my biopsy.  It will be done this month.  However, I plan to live for many more years.
Hep C is not a death sentence.  Try to remember that.

[nisheeth]

not really,all i know is the viral load.how does it effect life

[doglover28]

I was recently diagnosed in April during a routine physical.  I had no symtoms (symptoms). I just had elevated liver enzymes.  That made my doc do additional liver tests. I work, raise my family, ride my mountain bike 20 miles a day, and walk the dogs 3 miles a day. I have a good quality of life.  I do get scared time to time since I've been diagnosed, but I come here for reassurance.  From what I've read, lots of people go many years without symptoms.  How did your mom find out that she has Hep C?  Did the doc perform a liver biopsy?  That tells the condition of the liver.  From what I've read, a high viral load does not mean the liver is getting damaged more than with a low viral load.  There are many people on here that have treated more than once and have become undetectable "cured."  There are some new drugs that will be out in a couple of more years, too

[Holly44]

I'm not a Dr but to my knowledge it's the liver damage that effects my life. A person can have hep c forever and not even know it.  

[nisheeth]

Thanks guys for your valuable time.Do you know some website whre i can send my mums reports to get a opinion.

[Holly44]

I don't know where to suggest you get an opinion with only the viral load. You really need more information.  Maybe someone will come along who can give you more assistance.
Good luck to you and your Mother.

[Alady1620]

Whether your mom dies soon or not depends on the state of her liver.  She needs a biopsy.  

when I found out I have hep c, I thought I was going to die too.  Now, I know I have a long time to live.  I wish the same for your mom.

[Dale_Ray]

This is a very slow moving virus. The biopsy will tell your mom where she is as far as condition. After that it is a guess but if alcohol or other health conditions are not involved she can live a normal life. This comment is based on what my doctor has told me. Nice to see a daughter watching over her mom. Dale

[niceguy2007]

my friend,

life and death is a totally different issue.  plz don't get depressed, if God wills ur mom will have a long life, just pray for her.

keep in mind hepatitis c is  a slow moving disease, and not lethal for the majority of patients.  get her liver checked regularly by biopsy to see how the disease is progressing.

virus load is not an indicator of the liver condition.

[can-do-man]

says...........Whether your mom dies soon or not depends on the state of her liver. She needs a biopsy.

I'm a stage 4, My Own Hepo Doesn't even know when i'm gonna die May you could enlighten him?

[Alady1620]

With your spunkiness, I give ya another 150 plus years.  :0)

[fishdoc]

Hey there, where you been!!  I needed backup man, and you was out having a good time!!  Told one TINY little insignificant joke and got chastized for not being sensitive to, oh well never mind!!  Hope your doing good, and that you were out on the town for the weekend.  Have you heard from Dyce lately?  Might have to get that boys phone number so we can keep up with him....

[can-do-man]

Nope, home all weekend. Had a fight with interferon and lost. Hadn't heard from dyce, hopes all well. So you slipped up and tried to keep a little humor huh? Thats why theres so many threads now. It can get buried quick. So lets keep the doom and gloom only please.:)

[Dale_Ray]

In reference to you life and death statement I would like to follow up with this."May you live to be 150 years old and may mine be the last smiling face you see". Dale

[strator]

nisheeth - Sorry about your Mom and the fear you both feel. Try not to let the fear spend a lot of time in your head, or your Mom's. Right know both of you need more infotmation from the doctor, but no the dr is probably not going to give you a timeline estimate about dying, and probably has no clue how many years your Mom and you will be enjoying each other's love. Hopefully that will be very many. You didn't mention your Mom's age. I would think most of us here range in the 40s and 50s, some older some younger. I'm 53 and a few years ago my doc and the biopsy doc told me that It would be likely I wouldn't make it through the decade,in my case, if I continued to drink the way I did with hep c. Considering my pattern for 24hr a day drinking that was probably optimistic. Eventually I stopped for other reasons, I'm treating the hep, I've had a biopsy, but I doubt my dr would try and estimate now my lifespan. There's way to many factors involved. I did go through all the fear factors about hep and about treatment. Well so far I don't think anything I worried about has come to pass other than treatment can be difficult, but can be gotten through.For all we know your Mom may have led a very healthy lifestyle. People heal despite percentages against them, people get sick despite percentages intheir favor. There is very little about this disease that and treatment that is not random and unpredictable from individual to individual. What he should tell you if asked is how much liver damage and if there are other health factors your Mom needs to be aware of. Your Mom needs to hear this put in black and white.
So for right now don't be focusing on the possibilities. Focus on planning your days to get more information, and maybe getting help for the 2 of you t deal with your fears.
Oh and start practicing your hugs for all of the many years you may very possibly have together.
Be Well,
Don

[Dale_Ray]

She does wear the pants at my house I pretty much have the Hugh Heffner look less the robe and well the pipe and well add some socks and a belly that looks like a purple dalmation.

Been hangin on but somedays are a real chunk of coal. Heat has really knocked these Ichabod Crane legs in the dirt. You still hanging in there? Dale

[can-do-man]

Belly looks like a set of polk of dots. Know what you mean about the heat. Don't let this out, but hangin in there is about it for me.:(

[can-do-man]

said.......With your spunkiness, I give ya another 150 plus years. :0)

Is that a date then? June 05, 2156. Got it marked in my calender.:) Hope your well

[HCA]

As previously stated viral load has very little to do with long term prognosis.
The two year forecast sounds like nonsense to me.
Where did it come from?
An individual for whom mortality is predicted would have decompensated cirrhosis-internal bleeding,swelling,confusion ect.
If your mother has no real symptoms it is much more likely that she has far milder liver disease.
As mentioned she needs a biopsy.That will tell you how serious it is,and stop the morbid worrying.

[sindog]

I read what you wrote and based on what you said I can tell you that your mom is not going to die in two years. read the 5 stages of denial (?), it talks about fear. I was also very afraid when I found out. I have known about my hepc for over a year, i am also geno type 1. I had a much higher viral load (20 million) and am doing fine. I have been treating for 36 wks.

It is difficult for me to get on the internet, so if you want more information I will respond when I can, which may be a day or two. just wanted to let you know that if i did not respond it is not because i do not care. Jim

[OnAPrettyPoison]

At least your brain still does math - I am beginning to wonder if mine will be able to again after today at work.  ;o(  I have missed you, hope you feel better after the interferon hangover!

[new-sojourn]

I have(had) all those symptoms-decomp'd liver, encephalopathy, ascitis, ruptured esophageal varicies.  I was given days, if not hrs, then a few months.  That was in Sept 2001.  Obviously, mortality, like immortality, is hard to predict.

I tx'd and cl'd over 4 yrs ago w/interferon and riba for 24wks, infected via transfusion in '67.

And as to everyone's misconception that this is a slow moving disease easily lived w/--try living w/o hep c and you will see how it colors every facet of your lives.

Thinking that its not affecting your quality of life is the height of denial.  Hep C sucks your energy and the joie de vie right out of your soul.

[can-do-man]

Not sure what would be worse, being a 150 or seeing your smiling face last?:) Caught a post where you tell your wife about her dresses look nice. Sumin about not lying. Now i heard she wore the pants in the family. So whats that leave you? Maybe i do want to see that smiling face last. Hope all is well with ya.

[GoofyDad]

<i>"Thinking that its not affecting your quality of life is the height of denial. Hep C sucks your energy and the joie de vie right out of your soul."</i>

Holy Cr^p! And I thought I had been feeling pretty good for a good long time. Well thanks for clearing that up.

[Mister beagle bailey]

I would say you have many years ahead of you,  heck in dog years I'm almost dead (63) and you think you have problems.

BTW-  Have not seen Dyce and Fisheress postin, hope their doing well.

Beagle :)

[sindog]

What do the French know anyway.

[2irish]

goof...sounds like you are in fine form.  Your trip to bonny ol' scotland must have done wonders for you.  had an interesting experience with a couple of kilted guys at st. andrews..hey, maybe it's the kilted guy here, who knows?  anyway, i sincerely hope you are improving more and more each day.  you are one of the good guys!  not around much anymore...unfortunately, way too busy but a little birdie told me to drop in and read some posts.

4C...hey, are you complying with those Irish Rules???  hope all is well, angie, i'll catch up with you next week.  Just thought i'd let you know..7 more to go after tonight!!!  

WISHING THE VERY BEST FOR EVERYONE HERE!!!  AND SPECIAL WISHES FOR THE NEWBIES!

kathy, how are you doing?  the finish line is even closer for you.  i am happy for you.  how are you feeling?  are you more tired or just tired of it all?  I can't decide which one it is.  Sheer will keeps me moving and busy & i really believe it's helping me keep most sx at bay...who knows?  thinking about you & hoping you are getting along well.  j

[GoofyDad]

What do the French know anyway?


Mmmmm.... how to make their razors last?

[Forseegood]

No one knows when any of us is going to kick the bucket cept the entity/entities upstairs, and sometimes you can fool them too (just like the docs are often fooled)....I know toooooo many people who shouldn't be here but here they are....

One thing I do know, we need all the positive energy from our minds that we can possibly muster up, and putting timetables on our own demise ain't anyway to do that...I know it's easier said then done, but get your mother to try and be a bit more optimistic if you can...best of luck to you and yours...

[Forseegood]

ha ha ha, I think, youre doing so well cause you have a healthy attitude and a healthy lifestyle, imho (and you keep yourself laughing!)...talk to ya soon!