Aa
please help
I've had hep c 21yrs. Im geno type 1. I'm only a stage 1. Grade 2.. I'm 46 yrs now, so i think I'm going to wait on treatment another year. But i get afraid that it might start moving faster. Do you all think it could? Thanks
Thank you all so much. It means alot to have people to talk to. I will take all of this into consideration when making my decision :)
FinIt’s hard to imagine a qualified, knowledgeable medical doctor insisting that you urgently treat stage 1 fibrosis. In fact, a good case could be made to never treat unless that changes sometime, or other factors present themselves.
Some patients don’t seem to develop progressive liver disease; you might end up being one of them. The thing is, these decisions aren’t made here in internet discussion groups... but you can take some thoughts here and use them to frame a discussion with your doctor.
Knowing what I do now I’m not sure I would ever treat HCV with stage F1 liver disease unless the doctor could make a compelling argument to do so. There are other reasons to weigh including social issues, etc. though.
Talk with the doctor, but it’s difficult to see any urgency right now-
--Bill
Some patients don’t seem to develop progressive liver disease; you might end up being one of them. The thing is, these decisions aren’t made here in internet discussion groups... but you can take some thoughts here and use them to frame a discussion with your doctor.
Knowing what I do now I’m not sure I would ever treat HCV with stage F1 liver disease unless the doctor could make a compelling argument to do so. There are other reasons to weigh including social issues, etc. though.
Talk with the doctor, but it’s difficult to see any urgency right now-
--Bill
It's a really tough decision. It is important to consider is whether your personal life is in order enough that you have what support you will need to make it through the treatment. Especially with the new triple TX, you need to try to ensure in advance that you won't have to quit the treatment due to problems with your home life or finances. Stopping treatment early can cause drug resistance, and you would probably have to wait until the next kind of treatment is readily available before you could try again to treat it. It's a tough treatment to go through, and you really don't want to go through any of it for naught, not if you can avoid it by better planning. Some people can manage to pull together miracles to make the treatment work, and maybe you can too, but if it seems a lot more likely to be successful if you wait a year, then waiting a year might be the best choice. That doesn't make waiting a risk-free thing, but your doctor can probably give you a better idea of what the risk really is.
Not an expert opinion here but if you have had hep c for 21 years and are only stage 1, like others have stated above, I would think there is a good chance you will not jump to stage 3 or 4 in another year if you are living healthy. There are no guarantees and you should ask your doctor for his advice on waiting. You are taking medicine and I have no idea if this could also be a risk.
Hi, I have a gastro doctor but I've lost my insurance as of October 2011. So he has got me set up for the drugs free from the drug companies. If I want it. I lost my job so my financial situation is not good, therefore i need to find a job asap. As far as family support, i only have my 18 yr daughter but she works & school. My medical history is I'm on blood pressure meds now and i get anemic a)out every 6 months cause of heavy menstrual xylem. That's it for medical history though. I have been on Zoloft 100 mg for 5 years for anxiety, however i do get depressed sometimes . I know I'm the one who has to make the decision but I need opinions cause I'm confused. I want to wait for a year cause my 20yr daughter will be coming home from being out of the country and can help me of o need it. Plus i need another job so i can get insurance. What do you think from the info I've given? THANK YOU ALL SOOOOO MUCH.
As Bill pointed out, your medical history, financial status, current insurance coverage, job demands, support from family, mental attitude, etc. etc, all come into play with this complicated decision. This is something no one here can tell you. Only you can decide if and when is the appropriate time for trt.
The new medications have increased the odds for SVR, but they are more difficult to tolerate for some and this will be no walk in the park. It sounds like you have time to consider your options so continue to explore. Again, only you can make this decision with the guidance of your doctor. There are many very knowledgable people here that can also give you support and opinions, but since you doctor knows your history, you should discuss and rely on their advice the most. Good luck making this decision.
The new medications have increased the odds for SVR, but they are more difficult to tolerate for some and this will be no walk in the park. It sounds like you have time to consider your options so continue to explore. Again, only you can make this decision with the guidance of your doctor. There are many very knowledgable people here that can also give you support and opinions, but since you doctor knows your history, you should discuss and rely on their advice the most. Good luck making this decision.
Hi Bill, last year when my doctor got my biopsy results back he ask me what I wanted to do. At that time I said i wanted to wait until the Telepavor came out. And he told me to just let him know when I'm ready then. I want to wait for at least another year and half. What do you think Bill?? Becki
What do you *want* to do? With stage 1 fibrosis, and being 46 years old you might never need to undergo therapy; periodic liver biopsy can help determine medical urgency. There are a number of other reasons to eliminate the virus; medical, social and financial issues are some of them.
You clearly seem to have some concerns; maybe talking them over with some of us might help you figure out if you want to do this now? What has your doctor discussed with you; he has your records, there might be other reasons to undergo antiviral therapy that we’re unaware of.
Good luck,
--Bill
You clearly seem to have some concerns; maybe talking them over with some of us might help you figure out if you want to do this now? What has your doctor discussed with you; he has your records, there might be other reasons to undergo antiviral therapy that we’re unaware of.
Good luck,
--Bill
You might think about doing one of the trials with the new oral meds if you decide to do treatment soon.
if it was only a year ago maybe wait....maybe find out if your a cc...tt...or whatever to see how you might respond to tx....
i would get a recent biopsy...then if you can wait i would at least wait until /we all know more about the triple tx..so many are doing triple right now and lots of info is coming in.....and if you can.... look into the new interferon free tx that may be around soon...that sounds like a neat way to beat this virus to me...good luck...billy
I had my first biopsy a year ago, November 2010. I was a STAGE 1.
I found out i had hep c. September 2010. So you think i would be ok if i want to wait for another year ? Thanks
I found out i had hep c. September 2010. So you think i would be ok if i want to wait for another year ? Thanks
Yes, it might very well progress faster than either you or your doctor expect; advancing liver fibrosis isn’t necessarily a linear process.
This is why it’s recommended to receive a liver biopsy every 3-5 years if you’re going to sit on the fence and wait. If you’re currently stage 2 and had a liver biopsy say, last year it’s highly unlikely you will progress to cirrhosis over the next couple of years. An additional liver biopsy in perhaps 2014 should offer clues as to progression and any additional urgency to initiate therapy.
Does that help answer your question? Be sure to go over this with your doctor at your next appointment and ask if they feel this is a safe and prudent course of action.
Take care,
--Bill
This is why it’s recommended to receive a liver biopsy every 3-5 years if you’re going to sit on the fence and wait. If you’re currently stage 2 and had a liver biopsy say, last year it’s highly unlikely you will progress to cirrhosis over the next couple of years. An additional liver biopsy in perhaps 2014 should offer clues as to progression and any additional urgency to initiate therapy.
Does that help answer your question? Be sure to go over this with your doctor at your next appointment and ask if they feel this is a safe and prudent course of action.
Take care,
--Bill
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis C Community
Learn about this treatable virus.
Getting tested for this viral infection.
3 key steps to getting on treatment.
4 steps to getting on therapy.
What you need to know about Hep C drugs.
How the drugs might affect you.
These tips may up your chances of a cure.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
