Liver damage

[prettydamscared]

Hi all,  I learned on 4/4 that I have hep C.  I'm 51, female, 1a, VL is over 5M & I could possibly have contracted this as long ago as 35 years or as recently as 20 years.  BX won't be until June.  To say I'm scared is a major understatement.  I've spent hours reading old posts and links to articles.  You all are a wealth of information. I'm just figuring out the abbreviations.  I'm so glad I happened across this site.  I'm ashamed and embarrassed to talk to anyone about this and I'm so scared.  I feel like this disease is gomna kick my butt because it hits me in so many areas where I already feel weak and susceptible.  I understand high viral count isn't supposed to be an indicator of liver damage.  To me, it stands to reason that high VL and duration of time that I've had this would have to play into it.  Am I right?  What I'm most concerned about are prescription drugs.  I take ambien, xanax, or temazepam every night and have for years.  I take phentermine during the day & have been for almost 10 years.  I can't seem to find any info online about these drugs & have no idea how to broach my doc with this info.  I'd really appreciate any info about harmful drugs and/or supplements.  I drink very moderately so I'm not too concerned about that or should I be? My biggest concerns are the above mentioned drugs, how long I've been taling them and the fact that I can't sleep without a pill.  BX is 2 months away.  I'm afraid I'm going to completely freak myself out worrying about this between now & then.  Thanks in advance for any help.
Char

[prettydamscared]

Hi friole, Thank you for your welcome. I took your advice and googled all my meds with the words liver damage.  I was surprised that even HRT (estrogen & Progestin) can cause liver damage.  Don't know enough yet to know if all meds say that and I'm not sure that my doc is going to have all the answers to these questions.  I'm thinking I should try and find as much info myself as possible.  Thanks for the link to the janis 7 website.  Excellent site.  I'm glad to hear that your biposy was stage 1, grade 1, even though I'm not crystal clear on the relevance of the grade.  I know it means level of inflammation but exactly how it corresponds to the liver damage, I'm not sure.  It does sound to me that if you've had this disease for approx. 35 years, and liver damage is grade 1, that you're luckier than many.  Are you currently treating or finished?

[prettydamscared]

Thanks for your welcome and your vote of encouragment.  I've read a lot of your posts and look forward to reading more.

[prettydamscared]

Thanks for your welcome and for the heads up about the old doctor's office records indicating elevated AST and ALT.   You mentioned not drinking at all anymore.  I'm not a big drinker but I have to admit the idea of never going out with the girls again and having a few, not having a glass of wine with dinner, etc is tough for me.  It's do-able but I am having a hard time digesting that.  But, you did it and others did it and I'll be able to do it too.  As you said, I'm in it for the long haul now. Thanks for your reply.

[prettydamscared]

What you said about taking a drug every night, needing a drug every night, simple but true.  This sleep thing is a real problem for me.  Possibly the self hynosis would work for me as well..... Something else you said that I think is so important is trying to relax and put things into perspective.  I'm understanding more and more the role stress plays in our lives and it's downright scary.  I've always been a "Type A" personality, lots of worrying and stressinig myself out, lots of control issues, etc.  In my old age here, I'm starting to learn how not to be so stressed all the time but I probably have a long way to go. Thanks for your words of support.  Have you undergone treatment?

[NYgirl]

Well it sounds like you really HAVE done your homework!  :)  THAT is going to be one of the things that helps you beat this disease you know :)  I really think we can get overly obsessed too but knowledge of all the "how to's" is so important.

You should realize that just having it for that long does NOT necessarily mean that your liver is Stage 4.  I am a stage 3 BUT I drank and drank and partied and drank for my entire life. I've supposedly had this for 25 years and during that whole time I didn't spend all that much time sober. I'm talking partying every day to excess. Not good for the old liver!

I wish I could undue but can't so now I just take as good care of it as I can and hope with treatment that at the MINIMUM I regress a stage in the progression you know?

Try not to freak out (although it's just about impossible isn't it) and realize - every BODY is different and you COULD still have hardly any damage!

Make sure to tell your doc all the meds you take.  The one's you mention well I'm on NOW (Ambien, Paxill) BECAUSE of this disease - so certainly they are not any banned list since the doc put me on them when I was first diagnosed!

Best of luck

[SJL]

Stay away from the Ambien.  Their is an active lawsuit going on against this drug right now. I had been taking it for at least 5-6 yrs., and did not really know what was going on. It promotes sleep walking & sleep eating. I would get up in the middle of the night & carry on conversations with my grandaughter. She would tell me the next morning. I also found many signs of eating in bed and did not remember any of this.

Tell your Doctor everything, all meds taken. Welcome to the forum & as many has said before me, their are many knowledgable people here, willing to share information. Just ask!

Sandy