Clear After 6 months...now what?

[willie_mcgee]

Just found out from nurse practitioner that I am clear after 6 months post-tx.  I know that this is a solid indicator that I'm most likely cured, but it really hasn't hit me yet since I was undetectable by week 4 of treatment.  I was a naive patient with type 1B with only a 171K viral load to begin with.  I did not consume any alcohol during treatment, but have had a beer or two once in awhile after treatment.  I am a 36 yr. old male who leads an active life, but I'm not a health freak.  Oh yeah, I was one of the lucky ones who never experienced any bad side effects, but, the study I was in was cut short due to low white blood cell count and mine certainly went downhill.  Can you guess which study it was?  Oh yeah, my thyroid went kaput, even though I don't recall any symptoms.  I guess I was hyper and now hypo.  So that *****!!!

I have two questions that I will bring up again with my nurse practitioner and the doctor over the next few days, but wanted to get some feedback.  I know that these questions are posted frequently in this forum but want some fresh feedback:

1.  I was a social drinker pre-hep c diagnosis.  I know that alcohol doesn't cause relapse, but would it be okay to have a couple of beers or glasses of wine during one sitting once every week or three now that I'm clear of virus after 6 months?  Basically, in a social situation, not to get hammered!  I think I was a stage 2 after pre-treatment biopsy.

2.  I've been in a 3 1/2 year relationship with a woman and haven't been as sexually active as we once were over the past year for obvious reasons, but have practiced safe sex.  Oh I'll just put it out there....should I still practice safe sex on my end..if you know what I mean?  In other words...can a person in my shoes, or a person who has SVR'd, still put their sexual partner at risk of contracting hep-C?

Thank you

[newleaf09]

Hmmm, my GP had exactly the same reaction.  Acted like he could not get rid of me quick enough and like I was walking death.  Most hepatologists and their nurses have been supportive, except for one physician's assistant, who obviously dislikes those unsavory hep c patients and thinks we are all just plain stupid (I try not to see her...she brings out my rage syndrome).

I won't be going back to the same GP again.

[willie_mcgee]

thanks for all of your feedback.  your guess of which study i was in was correct.  hopefully, the others in the study waiting for their 6-month results will get the same news.

there are a couple of things that i will always remember at the beginning of my journey:

after returning for more blood work after my initial results showed elevated liver enzyme levels, i talked the receptionist over the phone at my general practitioner's office and got her to tell me that i had hepatitis c.  i asked if that that was curable, and she said, "...no, it's fatal."  i wish that i could call her back today and say that she doesn't know a damn thing.

also, when i went back to see the doc...he had this serious look in his eyes and i got the feeling that he was scared of me...like he was pissed off that he gave a physical to someone with hep c.

anyway, i can't point to a specific incident where i exposed myself to the virus.  i thought i was doing what normal single 20 somethings do as far as the party scene goes.  nothing hardcore like shooting up heroin.  i could've contracted it through an unprotected one-night stand on occasion.  i wasn't a saint, but i never thought that i had participated in an activity that would punish me with such a bad virus.  that's what's scary.  

a few of my close friends know about what i had contracted, but i haven't gone out and preached to the public about being careful.  i have been to parties where people are doing lines in front of everyone, and i have participated in that activity just a few times.  but i didn't know that sharing a straw or rolled-up dollar bill could expose someone to this virus if that's how i contracted it.  i don't ever remember a PSA about this subject.

anyway, good luck to everyone who is battling the disease.  i thank god everyday that i was one of the lucky ones who responded quickly to treatment.  hopefully, i have put this behind me.

[newleaf09]

My doctor advised that it would take a year post-treatment for the liver to break down the collagen (scar tissue) formed.  I plan not to drink again until that's gone (I have severe damage (3-4)), then I'll do a biopsy and move on.

One thing to remember post-clearance: My doc says the Hep C genome remains in the liver cells, unable to reproduce but still there.  Treatment leaves behind so many lymphocytes that it will stay held down and unable to develop.  However, do not do anything immunosuppressive for at least a year (maybe longer); like taking cortisone or other steroids.  They could potentially reactivate the virus if you beat your immune system down too far.

Congratulations! You're cured!  Just don't act crazy.

[apache1]

quote from willie_mcgee:
"Clear After 6 months...now what?"

Forgot to answer your title question...
Now what ?
...Well if it were me, would immediately kiss the ground I walk on, and celebrate my good luck at making it thru tx and being cured. You should "let it sink in" as this is as good as it gets for us. Time to be very happy, and pick up where you left off before hcv if possible.
A very big % of us do not get to where you are and have tried very painfully hard to be where you are right now. You did good.

If there ever was a time, this is it,

      Time to be thankful....,,,,, you made it ! SVR !

good luck
apache

[nygirl7]

Oh yeah, my thyroid went kaput, even though I don't recall any symptoms.  I guess I was hyper and now hypo

Lost my thyroid too but got SVR so I guess in the big scheme we won out :) Heck one pill a day isn't the hardest thing after all those riba's right?

Congrats. You don't have to go to another PCR for a full year you know - my doc said this (even though I wanted another one at 12 months) but he was right...........when I did go it said UND again. wahooooooooo!

Have a beer and celebrate - just be responsible you still do have liver damage most likely and you don't want that to get worse.......that was the whole point of treatment after all!

[apache1]

Best to talk with your Dr about drinking now after svr.
He knows your total condition and can make the best judgment call.
Some well known Hepatologist do say after svr, without other health problems, and little to no liver damage, that an OCCASIONAL glass or 2 of wine is acceptable.
This is a controversial subject around here. I never was a big drinker myself. In 2 more months if I continue to be und, and graduate to SVR status, I might have that OCCASIONAL glass or 2 of wine... with my hepatologists blessings.


Had hcv unknowingly for 38 years. Married 2.5 times, first for 17 years, with 2 children. Everyone tested, and NO one with hcv. If I was trying to transmit hcv thru sex, I couldn't have tried any harder. I unknowingly gave it my best shot, for at least 33 of those 38 hcv infected years.
So now your cured, with SVR, seems pretty much impossible to sexually transmit something you don't have, that is not sexually transmittable in the first place.


FlGuy, lmao... that reminds me of the morning after a college party many years ago. My girls friends, blond girl friend, asked my girl, if the sock she and Tom used the nite before would really work, like Tom promised her it would. Tom ended up with the nickname 'sockman', he wore that name for the rest of college.

apache

[FlGuy]

You are cured.

And, a person in your shoes does not need to wear socks.  If you know what I mean.

[Trinity4]

Congratulations on your SVR.  That is wonderful.

Stage 2....few beers or glasses of wine will not hurt you.  Just make sure you drink responsibly.  You still have a damaged liver

No, you can't transmit the virus sexually.  You are cured, you have no virus to transmit.
Besides, even if you weren't SVR sexual transmission of hepc is extremely low.  You are apparently in a long term monogamous relationship and even those with the virus are not advised to change their sexual practices

My guess:  R1626 study.   Trish was cut short in the same study and is UND after 3 months.  We have our fingers crossed for her too.

Good Luck
Trinity