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My father was just recently diagnosed with the hep c virus.

So many questions don't know where to begin, What test does he need to take to know the severity of the disease?  What is the life expectancy after diagnosis?
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150807 tn?1194955315
Pigeonca if its a slow moving disease why do people take these treatments that make them feel so bad? I dont know now after reading alot of this forum that i want to start the treatments, most of you here seem so strong, i dont think im as strong you guys.
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Avatar universal
Hi Daddy's #1 girl,
No such thing as a silly question asked in good faith, just silly answers.
While Milk thistle may be harmless (and this is not certain) it is extremely unlikely to help your father's HCV.  It certainly will not clear the virus.  The only therapy that will do this, at present, is interferon and ribivirin.  I'd suggest conventional treatment and medical assesment.
Cheers,
Sonic
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137539 tn?1344379928
You have gotten some good advice here.  Get him to a Liver Specialist or Hepatologist that will treat, get a biopsy and then discuss where to go from there.  Many people have this disease but it is non-active and can stay that way for many years.  The Biopsy will determine the stage and grade of fibrosis/cirrrosis.  and blood tests will determine the Geno type of HCV he has.  That will also be a determining factor in when and how to treat this disease.  I learned  18 mos ago that I had HCV and truly thought I had just gotten a death sentence.... I didn't and neither has your dad.  This is very treatable and if he can wait a year or two the treatment will become shorter than what it is now... Right now it is either 24 weeks (types 2,3 and some 4's) or   48 weeks (1's and some 4s) depending on the geno type and for some who don't clear the virus right away it can be as much as 72 weeks depending on how late in treatment he clears.  Docs will do frequent blood tests and viral load tests to determine when he clears it.   It is a rough treatment but do-able.  I am almost done with mine and still working and for the most part still "having a life" .
One of the things I have not seen in any of the posts is if your dad is still drinking (even occasionally) he needs to STOP now.  The alcohol; will cause the disease to progress faster than it will if he stops now.  Good luck and give your dad all the love and support you can as he will need his family to understand what he is going thru.  
Nicki
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Avatar universal
Thank you all for being so informative.  My dad is scheduled to see a GI doc this week.  I'd like to get some feedback on all your thoughts on milk thistle??  I've heard some use this as a type of treatment???  I apologize if my questions seem silly.  
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Avatar universal
The life expectancy thing is really problematic; many patients with HCV may actually NEVER develop a problem; I saw one particular woman who had lived with HCV for 70 years without developing any issues; we know she aquired the virus from her mother because her mother was still alive (and with the virus at 92!!!) and they had the same genetically identical strain.  Now, this is the extreme end of the spectrum, but the message, increasinlgly clearly, is that for MANY (not all, obviously) patients a diagnosis of HCV is not the mortal illness we all assumed 10-15 years ago.  This frequently good outlook is also confirmed by many longtitudial studies conducted on "look-back" testing.

Nonetheless, it is also true many people (as you all know) WILL develop major problems as result of HCV, and it is therefore essential ALL people with HCV are properly assessed by a good GI doc / hepatologist / internist with an interest in the disease and have appropriate test including ultrasound / AFP / serial bloods and, possibly a liver biopsy.  A liver biopsy, as I have posted, MAY NOT be essential, depending on the clinical context. Obviously, as most of you appreciate already, the single most important thing about the virus is genotype, with viral levels being a close second, and virus diversity also being important.

A corollary of the above is it is also essential that individuals with POSSIBLE HCV exposure be properly tested and inf necessary, assessed as above.  The key, therefore, to asigning a prognosis (i.e whether or not the HCV will be a problem and what the life expectancy changes will be, if any, is access to full information.
Be well,
Sonic
Helpful - 0
137025 tn?1217764741
Thank god the second question my daughter asked when she learned of my diagnosis was not "what was my life expectancy".  It was about treating the disease, about the drugs I would need, what kind of help I would need, etc.

There is much here that is not what it seems.  And that is very sad for someone who truly needs help.  Us whinners (whiners) are slowly going away from here and taking a wealth of knowledge with us.

Willows
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Avatar universal
I thought her question  were honest ones.Same  ones i   was asking  when i heard my husband had it not knowing anything or  where to begin.
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96938 tn?1189799858
If you were not directing to her, why did you address it to her.  She's seeking help for her father who has a potential life-threatening illness and she's irresponsible?
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Avatar universal
I think it's time you stop your incessant whinning; you're worse than those you are complaining about.  The woman is frightened and she asked a pertinent question.  
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Avatar universal
Just remember that the best defense is knowing all you can about the virus.  It is beatable.   Hang in there.   There is lots of good knowlege on this board and we can recommend others as well.   Try and get your father here so we can chat with him and give him support.
Helpful - 0
96938 tn?1189799858
Near as I can figure, I've had it about 35 years.  And, except for the fact that  have it, I'm otherwise in ok health for my age.  When someone is diagnosed with hepc there are a series of further tests which answer thes question do  I have it? what type? (there are several 'varieties'), has it caused any liver or other health problems? (hep is a slooow moving disease, generally), and then the big question - what (if anything) to do about it - the answer may be nothing right now.  The best place to go for a full assessment for your dad is a a hepatologist (liver specialist).  You may need to be referred to one by his primary doctor.  On a side note, every once in a while I read here about similar questions that children ask on behalf of their parents.  Invariably, it's alwys daughters, never sons.  
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Avatar universal
Most people with hep c will die of something else (like old age) before the hepatitis gets bad enough to kill us.  It is a very slow-moving disease.  Nonetheless, untreated, about 20% of us will move on to cirrhosis and/or liver cancer.  And even more of us will find that our quality of life is affected by the virus.  But hcv is rarely a death sentence, so you shouldn't get unnecessarrily worried until your dad has gone through all the blood tests and biopsies.  
Helpful - 0
137025 tn?1217764741
It seems so irresponsible to ask the patients about life expectancy, as with any chronic illness, your dad needs a good doctor and you will feel much better when you go with him.  

Good advice, nygirl, so much good information used to be shared here, if a person did a search, they could find any answer they want.  We used to be a smart group of folks.  Still are, but now, fairly frustrated, at least I am.  Silly, repetitive questions, but, my dear daddy's girl, I am not directing this at you.  

Please just find your daddy a good doctor.

Willow
Helpful - 0
179856 tn?1333547362
He needs to have a biopsy to determine the amount of liver damage that has been done. Nobody can tell you how long that might be without even a CLUE of that fact.  In the meantime make sure he doesn't drink and he follows up with the appropriate tests.  A good GI doc or heptologist will help steer you along.

Good luck

In the meantime if you read previous questions on this forum you might get a better idea of what to expect, etc.
Helpful - 0
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