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Im 21, stage 1 grade 1 fibrosis and scared to death, starting

Hi everybody, Im a 21 year old college student who has had hep.c for about 6 years, due to IV use.
I found out recently that I have stage 1 grade 1 fibrosis. I have been drinking fairly heavily for sometime, and have recently quit. I am starting treatment within the next week and I am ready for it but am afraid it is going to affect my schooling??? will this be the case??? also one thing that terrorfies me is the fact that I have this fibrosis at such a young age, what are the chances that this will lead to cirrhosis?? when? in my 30's? 40's ? 50's? I have no idea, and i guess I just wants to know that there is a chance to have a long and happy life..... if somebody could please reply I would appreciate it so deeply, I am very down, and very scared.
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Avatar universal
Take your time to read, youngfella21.  I am 29 yrs old and diagnosed this past Oct.  I've done all the preliminary tests with the exception of a biopsy.  I'm not even having that done before the end of this summer.  I more than likely contracted hcv 9 years ago.  I was shocked to learn of my hcv status because I am healthy, strong and have plenty of energy.  I'm keeping my eye on some upcoming trials (not to enter but to observe).  If my biopsy is similar to yours, I will probably wait a few years.  A friend mentioned to me that once having a  baseline biopsy there is a fairly new procedure viewing the liver - "Fibroscan".  Perhaps having the status of my liver checked every three years until I feel comfortable with the type of treatment that becomes available - (well, as comfortable as one can feel taking drugs).  

I've read a lot here Sunday and yesterday, and believe education has to be our first step and you and I have plenty of time to do just that!  Take the time to read about the sides of those treating,  and you will learn that concept (importance of educating oneself) quickly.  A sweet member left a message in my inbox this morning,  quoting from a  good book of hers, "Be not Afraid".  It looks like we're in the right place, doesn't it?
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Avatar universal
last sentence to read: But in any event, as stated, once you do treat successfuly, your Fibrosis has a very good chance of reversing itself.
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Avatar universal
Youth is on your side in a couple of respects.

First, if you treat now the chances are your side effects will hopefully be on the milder side, at least based on a few anecdotal accounts of college-age students treating here -- but certainly no guarantees, especially if you are genotype 1 and have to treat 48 weeks. Always good to have a back up plan in case you have to cut back on classes, etc.

On the other hand as "Alek" suggests, you really have time if you want to wait -- perhaps until you finish college. Hep C is generally a very slow moving disease and in four years you will still be young and probably at a similar level of fibrosis -- and also by that time, some newer drugs now in trial may be able to cut down treatment time by half with even better results -- at least for genotype 1's.

But in any event, as stated, once you do treat, your Fibrosis has a very good chance of reversing itself.

All the best,

-- Jim
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Avatar universal
hey there young... I am 30 yrs old.. I also got hep c about 5 years ago due to IV drug use.. I finished treatment in May07.. I really believe that beceause I, too caught this early along with my age factoring in weighed in on how I was able to tolerate treatment. I am a single mom of two boys and was able to work full time along with juggling my home life.... It is doable....
Do you have any of your stats?? your genotype?? viral load??
Best of luck to you.... At least for now, it is important that you stay alcohol free. I have read that alcohol helps to replicate the virus at a quicker rate.. The lower your viral load is pre-treatment the better for you... Take care and stick around.... There is a wealth of knowledge here... And young-one, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER~!!!
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Avatar universal
Hi youngfella21

I was also a young fella when I acquired this virus, and also from IV use. I also was a regular drinker for quite a few years. I have had the virus for 37 years and have only recently begun feeling relatively mild ill effects from hep C ie mainly tiredeness-then again it could be that I'm getting older.
Five years ago I learnt that I was Stage 2 and Grade 2. What I want to point out to you is first of all don't panic, time and youth are on your side. The disease progresses quite slowly in the vast majority of cases. Your fibrosis may be the result of heavy drinking rather than from Hep C.
It is essential though that you avoid alcohol and adopt a healthy diet and positive frame of mind.
What I am asking myself is why are you treating now at this very early stage of your disease?
The indications are that there are new and more effective treatments of shorter duration just around the corner. Of course this question should be discussed with your doc but generally, provided you are not co-infected with Hep B or HIV, treatment in cases like yours can easily be delayed. When they told me that I was Stage 2 after some 32 years of infection, they also advised that I could delay treatment for a fews as the disease was slow moving.
As others have already stated, at this stage the most important thing you can do is to avoid alcohol.

Good luck, youre not alone.


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250084 tn?1303307435
    Hi there young man, So sorry your going through this so young, but also very good it was diagnosed young as many of us carried this 20-30 years before it was 'found' !
First, please stay on this site! It will help you so much. You'll learn a LOT, get a LOT of help. We can help you interpret your lab work, help with side effects, so many things. I knew very little when I came here 6 -7 mths. ago. We can also help you with all that fear and being so scared.
We need to know what Geno Type you are? Do you know that? Post which treatment (tx) your going to do., which drugs and how long. Do you have family or friends support in this? I will be realistic in telling you it could hinder your schooling, but you'll pull through. You may have to lighten your load in many things.
Please post more. Don't worry so much on the stage 1, it's very low and as copyman said, once this virus is gone, it will help your liver. Not drinking was your first and best move to help your liver. Drinking with this is the worst thing you can do.
Please relax a bit, or try. This is treatment and not a death sentence, especially at your age.

Feel better, glad you found this site.

LL
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Avatar universal
hi, welcome to the forum. i know it is easy for me to say dont be scared but you have some positive things to look at, having the virus for a short time and treating at a young age. these are very favorable to beating this disease. dont worry so much about the stage 1 fibrosis, if you cure the hep this will not factor into your life and will not lead to cirrhosis. as a matter of fact the liver can regenerate back to stage 0 with treatment. hope i helped some .best of luck
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