PLZ HELP

[hammersjdj]

HI ALL. IM 22 YRS OLD AND I HAVE JUST FOUND OUT I HAVE HEP C GENOTYPE 3. I HAVE COUGHT IT AT QUITE AN EARLY STAGE. I USED TO TAKE DRUGS/INJECT WEN I WAS 18/19 THEN I MET MY LOVELY FIANCE (EX FIANCE) WE GOT TOGETHER AND HER CONDITION WAS IF WE ARE TOGETHER I AM NOT TO TAKE DRUGS AND STAY OFF THEM COMPLETLY.SO I WAS WITH HER FOR 2 AN A HALF YEARS, WE GOT ENGAGED I WAS DRUG FREE EVERYTHING WAS GOING GREAT FOR ME, THEN EVEN MORE GOOD NEWS SHE BECAME PREGNANT. I WAS SO HAPPY AN SO WAS SHE. WE THEN STARTED TO ARGUE REALLY REALLY BAD. HER PREGNANNCY HORMOANS KICKED IN AND SHE ENDED UP KICKING ME OUT. AFTER 3 DAYS OF BEING OUT THE HOUSE BEIN KICKED OUT, FEELING VERY UPSET AND DEPRESSED I WENT TO SEE AN OLD FRIEND WHO WAS HAVING A PARTY, WELL A SOCIAL GATHERING ABOUT 6 PEOPLE. LIKE A BLOODY DRUG DEN, AT FIRST I DIDNT LIKE IT THINKING WTF AM I DOIN HERE I HAVE BEEN CLEAN FOR YEARS AND I WAS QUITE DRUNK AND SO FOOLISH OF ME I ENDED UP INJECTING COKE THEN HERION ON THE COME DOWN...PROBLEM IS I SHARED A NEEDLE WHO MY MATE SED....IM CLEAN I HAD MY TEST ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO IM ALL GOOD IM CLEAN. THE ******* LIER HE WAS!! TH NEXT DAY I WOKE UP AND THORT WOT AN IDIOT FOR SHARING A NEEDLE AND WOT AN ISIOT FOR GOIN BACK TO DRUGS!! LUCKILY I STOPPED THERE, IT WAS JUST THAT NIGHT. ABOUT 7 WEEKS AFTER I BECAME QUITE SICK LOST MY APPETITE AN LOST WEIGHT....I THORT IT WAS STRESS FROM MISSING MY EX AND WANTING HER BACK SO BADLY. I WENT TO THE DOCS I TOLD THEM WOT I HAD DONE THEY HAD DUN TEST AND THERE WE GO I HAD A FONE CALL TO GO TO THE DR'S ASAP. I WENT AND SHE TOLD ME I HAD HEP C BUT I HAD COUGHT IT VERY VERY EARLY. NOW THIS WAS AROUND 3 WEEKS AGO. I WAS LIVING IN LONDON AND I WAS ON MY OWN. MY PARENTS LIVE IN NEW ZEALAND O I THOUGHT ITS BEST TO GO TO NEW ZEALAND TO BE WITH THEM AND HAVE THERE SUPPORT. IM CURRENTLY WAITING TO SEE THE GUY WHO DEALS WITH HEP C AND WAITING TO START MEDICATION AND IM QUITE SCARED. THEY SAID ITS AN INJECTION ONCE A WEEK AND TABLETS DAILY AND IT WIL BE FOR 6 MONTHS AND HOPEFULLY IT SHOULLD BE GONE BY THEN. PLEASE BE HONEST AND TELL ME THE SYMPTOMS FROM THE MEDICATION, WILL IT HIT ME AS SOON AS I START THE MEDICATION? WILL I BE BED BOUND FOR 6 MONTHS? ANY ANSWER AND ANY HELP I REALLY NEED I ADMIT IM VERY SCARED....I DONT EVER GO ON THE INTERNET MUCH BUT ONLY TO CHECK MY EMAILS SO PLEASE PEOPLE IM SEEKING ADVICE AN HONESTY I REALLY NEED EVERYONES HELP..... PLEASE PLEASE EMAIL ME ON    ***@****   and please can u giv me as much advice as possible thank you. once again please be honest if the symptons are very very very bad then please tell me. thank you all and if any of u have read this plz plz plz plz email me as i need anyones advice, remember my email is ***@****, my name is JJ please help guys an girls thank you all

[pooh55811]

I responded in the other topic/thread, the old 2006 thread. Glad to see you reposted your question here, under a new heading. I will just copy and paste the response I made to you in the other thread.

As far as the side effects of the drugs, they vary. It is true the literature lists a lot of bad side effects. Not everyone gets the bad side effects and even if you get some side effects, they may not be bad.

I am 4 weeks into triple therapy (Interferon, Ribavirin and Incivek). So far mu side effects have been mild. I don't feel great, and I surely am not going to run a marathon, but my side effects have not been bad. (Some itching, some rash, some hemorrhoids, some rectal pain, fatigue, slight headaches, body aches, general malaise, and probably something I am forgetting.) The point is, other than the rectal pain which lasted about 5-6 days, I have had rather mild side effects. (The rectal pain I believe was from the Incivek - I would have to check the package insert. You won't be on Incivek.)

Others here have had some rather serious side effects but most side effects can be handled and managed. One has to keep in mind that the consequesnces of not treating can be negative.  I am no expert, but I believe, being a Genotype 3, you have a very good chance of clearing the virus with treatment, a much better chance than those of us with Genotype 1.

I am sure the Hep C specialist you are going to see will do some further testing and will then advise you on the best course of treatment. He/she can also answer any further questions yo have.

Incidentally, your reaction is not uncommon. Most of us were freaked out and scared when we were first diagnosed. I thought I would be dead within a year. However, once I became better informed about Hep C and the treatments, I am now very optimistic and hope to be cured. It helps to learn as much as you can about the virus and about treatment.

I wish you the best of luck.

[scoleman]

You need to find out a couple of things before deciding about treatment.  What is your HCV genotype?  The genotype determines what treatment you do.  You should also know your viral load.  A liver biopsy should be done to see if there's any liver damage.  Please post this information when you get it.  

Once you have this information you can decide whether to treat or wait.  I decided to wait because I had very mild inflammation of my liver and the treatment for my HCV genotype was only 50% effective.  I'm now treating with a different treatment regimen that has ~80% success rate.  The side effects vary tremendously depending on the treatment and the individual.  it would be very unlikely you'd be bedridden.  You're young and healthy which is in your favor.  

The most important thing is not to do any drugs or drink since you have Hep C as this will cause more damage to your liver.  

Sherry

[hammersjdj]

thanks you so much that has really helped me out a lot. more than u can imagine. ive been having sleepless nights bad dreams etc etc and feel feel very embarrased about having this but i feel relieved to be able to jot down on the internet and speak to sum1 like urself who is in the same boat as me and i am very greatfull for ur reply. And im very sure my doctor said i wil be taking interferon and ribavirin, is that the injection once a week and tablets daily? also as soon as i take the medication (day1) wil the side affects kick in auto maticly? sorry to be a pain with the questions....but thank u so much already thats a huge help and a bit of relief for me

[hammersjdj]

im hep c genotype 3, i had more blood tests and as far as im awayre theres no liver damage done on the screen i read that it said by liver 440 jus a huge number but dont no wot that was for? im waiting to see the specalist as i just arrived in new zealand coz i needed my parents support. i do have an email with the information but its on my mums email account im trying to remember the  password if i can get into it ill copy and paste the letter my doc had wrote so u can read and see the info about my hep c, a big big thank you

[hammersjdj]

this is a copy of my email i had to giv to the specialist in new zealand as i have just arrive in new zealand 10 days ago finding out i have hep.c. genotype 3 so i came to NZ  for support from my parents i have no knowledge or understand much about the medication the side affects i hope with this email u can help me


Jason has recently been diagnosed with an hepatitis C infection in Guernsey. He was known to be hepatitis C antibody negative in June 2011. However, in July 2011 he shared a needle whilst injecting heroin in Guernsey. Jason then presented to his GP on 7/9/2011 with nausea, poor appetite and abdominal cramps. Bloods taken at this consultation showed evidence of a transaminitis with an ALT of 493 and an AST of 224. In view of these results he was re-called and bloods were taken for further investigations. These were taken on the 9/9/2011 and showed the following:

HBsAg Not detected by Roche Elecsys

HAV IgM Not detected by Roche Elecsys

  

Anti-HCV (Ref) POSITIVE

HIV Not detected by Roche Elecsys Combi PT


As Jason is due to re-locate to New Zealand we have not performed any further investigations at this stage. We have explained to Jason that he has an acute HCV infection and our initial management would to determine whether he progresses to spontaneous resolution (unlikely) or a chronic infection. If he develops a persistent viraemia our preferred option would be to opt for acute phase treatment with Pegylated interferon and ribavirin.

Knowledge of our local epidemiology would make it likely that Jason is infected with HCV genotype 3a and currently we have a 100% cure rate for people treated in Guernsey with this genotype.

I hope this information is of help. Please do not hesitate to contact

[pooh55811]

I agree with scoleman about finding out your viral load and having a biopsy and maybe some other tests and a baseline eye exam. Of course, these may already have been done by your specialist and perhaps you just did not post that they were done.

The interferon is the weekly injection. The needle is very tiny. You will not even feel it. Mosquito bites are worse, LOL. You do have to do it correctly, though, and I am sure the doctor's office will teach you how to do it.

The Ribavirin are the pills. I take one in the morning and one in the evening, 12 hours apart.

I am also on Incivek, which I take every 8 hours. You won't be on Incivek.

I can only speak for myself. Other may have had totally different experiences. We all differ. I took the pills (Ribavirin and Incivek) at 6 am. I went back to bed. When I got up I have to admit, I felt spaced out and a little light headed. I rested a lot that first day. That spaciness and lightheadedness went away after 2-3 days. The same day that I started the pills, I took the interferon in the evening. I did feel sort of like I had the flue for the next couple of days (aches, slight headache, a little weak, tired, just not feeling right). That feeling lasts 2-3 days but lessens as the days go by and also as the weeks go by. The flu feeling goes away quicker now that I am into week 4. I take Tyleno about 30 min. prior to the injection and about an hour after the injection and I take the injection at about 8 pm so I can sleep some of the side effects off. Then I take another Tylenol the following am. That takes care of the headaches. I use hydrocortizone cream and benadryl for the itching and rash, but mine has been pretty mild.  (I also know my side effects could change as I get further into treatment.) My Hemoglobin has dropped a little, but still okay. My white count has also gone down, but still okay.

Whether the side effects will kick in right away or not for you cannot be determined prior to starting treatment. You might not get any side effects or maybe only a very few mild side effects. Of course, you do have to be aware of the serious side effects so that you can get prompt treatment if they occur, but many people have just mild or very few side effects. The drug information sites and, I believe, the package inserts wil tell you the percentages of people who get the various side effects. Most serious side effects affect only a very small percentage of people. The milder side effects, and even the low hemoglobins and low white counts, can be managed by taking appropriate medications for them.

I am sure you will do fine. Also, you are very lucky that you have your parents to help you. That is a big plus. (Some days I just wish someone would cook something for me so I did not have to cook it myself, LOL.)

I am sure you will do fine. Just learn as much as you can. This forum is a good place to learn things, but also there is some good information on the internet and the doctors should be explaining things to you as you go along. I find it helpful to ask for and receive copies of all labs and tests (printed copies) so I can track the changes myself.  The printed copied have the normals listed too so you will see how your results stack up against the normals.

Also, as scoleman said, you really have to stay clear of drugs and alcohol as they will speed up liver damage (they can damage your liver even if you are not Hep C postive).

Again, best of luck.

[pooh55811]

That letter seems to indicate that you are positive for Hep C and were in the acute stage of the infection at the time of diagnosis.

Therefore, the specialist will determine if you clear the virus or if you go on to develop chronic Hep C.

They appear not to have tested you for your Genotype. He said Genotype 3 based on the fact that in that (Guernsey) area most people have Genotype 3. That does not mean 100 % that you have Genotype 3. The specialist should test you for your Genotype because it makes a difference in what type of treatment you receive. (Genotype 3 would treat with Interferon and Ribavirin and Genotype 1 would treat with the triple med protocol.)

At some point they will also do a viral load and other blood tests.

Again, best of luck.

[scoleman]

You have a 15% chance that your body will clear the HCV on its own. The doc in England made an educated guess that you have Genotype 3 but he didn't do the lab test to determine genotype.

I'm not sure how long it takes if your immune system can clear the Hep C infection on its own.  Your doc in New Zealand should be able to tell you.  

Take care, Sherry

[willbb]

Given the fact you were tested in June /2011 and were neg . for HCV ,it looks like the exposure in July resulted in contracting HCV ,given  you had symptoms of possible "acute phase" infection , combined with very high liver function tests (alt & ast)

The specialist will more than likely run more blood tests to ascertain whether or not you will clear the virus by your own immune system (as this happens about 20  -25 % ) of the time
The doctor would be only surmising at this point as to whether or not you have geno type 3 as that is more prevalent in your part of the world,however  If in fact you  don"t clear the virus and are going to treat now(and that is usually recommended in the acute phase) this would not be of much significance  as either would  a biopsy as there would be no liver damage anyway . The  treatment protocol for people in the acute stage regardless of geno type is the drug combination of Interferon and Ribavirin for a 24 week period.
The doctor stating the success rate is 100% effective may be a tad optimistic,however in the acute stage it has been shown in studies to be appro. 90  - 95%   ,,so a good outcome for you would be expected.


Good luck with the specialist and feel free to ask any further questions you may have and welcome to the group...
Will

[pooh55811]

The  treatment protocol for people in the acute stage regardless of geno type is the drug combination of Interferon and Ribavirin for a 24 week period.

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That is something I did not know. It is good to know that information.

[willbb]

There are many articles on HCV acute infection ...this one below may be of interest..
Good luck..
Will


http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/503764_2

Those who have been identified as being acutely infected need to be monitored closely for the first 12 weeks to establish whether or not they will undergo spontaneous viral clearance. Serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA (qualitative i.e. very sensitive) needs to be measured as close to baseline as possible and this test should be repeated at least before 12 weeks have passed.[10] Rapid viral decline in titre after the initial identification of viraemia may predict those who will spontaneously clear virus although this is not 100% reliable.[11] In those who remain viraemic at 12 weeks after initial seroconversion, antiviral therapy is recommended if there are no absolute contraindications to its use. The largest uncontrolled study which employed induction dosing with standard IFN alpha 2b indicated 95% of treated patients achieved a sustained virological response with only 6 months of therapy.[12] It is unlikely that the newer forms of IFN, namely PEG-IFN alpha in combination with ribavirin are going to be much more successful!

[lynda607]

Agree with willbb, according to the tests he was infected recently.  Biopsy is certainly not necessary.

[scoleman]

Once again, I learn from your extensive store of knowledge.

Thanks, Sherry