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Stage 3 liver fibrosis left untreated

What can I expect if stage 3 liver fibrosis with hep C is left untreated? My sister was just diagnosed and is reluctant to get treatment? How quickly does this progress? IF treated what is her longevity?
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Avatar universal
No one can answer how long it takes for stage 3 to progress to stage 4. In some people it has happened in a short time and in others it takes a very long time. I wonder why your sis does not want treatment. It is fairly easy now, of shorter duration, with fewer side effects than the old treatments. And best of all, it cures well over 90% of patients.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for your words of encouragement!
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Avatar universal
I'm 65, discovered the Hep C in 2000 after Dr. ordered test after seeing elevated liver enzyme levels. Probably had it since blood transfusions 50 years ago. Did 48 week treatment in 2009 (weekly Interferon injections, Ribavirin twice daily) which was unsuccessful. Re-treated in 2012 with triple-drug therapy and was successful. Fibrosis is Level 4 but overall I feel good, aging issues aside. Not sure where it will go from here, I eat organic now, no booze (of course) and look after myself the best I can. Treat the Hep-C as soon as you can to minimize damage. Treatments are easier now with some as short as 12 weeks and with high success rates. If the cost isn't covered by your insurance, or lack of it, it may help to contact the makers of the drugs. I was able to get a huge discount when I treated in 2009 by doing so. The co-pays would have been substantial. My lifespan may have been shortened by all this, the fibrosis may also contribute to that. I'm going to love life, love my wife and family, continue to pursue my dreams and be grateful for the life I have had. Someday there will be a vaccine and others won't have to fear this disease that now is expected to dwarf the mortality rate of HIV.
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683231 tn?1467323017
Hi

Sorry to here of your situation. If it helps I have had hep c since probably 1978 I treated three times with interferon based treatment but was a null responder. I have had cirrhosis since January 2008 but it took me many years to get to that point. And even with cirrhosis I am still basically ok.

There are new, highly effective treatments, that are much shorter duration and much more easily tolerated by most. So hang in there and see your liver specialist. The medicine you most likely will get is Harvoni possibly for 24 weeks since you are treatment experienced it depends on also how damaged your liver is.

Also I would suggest as this is a very old thread you could go to the link at the top right of the page and click the green link "post a question"

That way you will get your question noticed and more answers to your question.

Best to you
Lynn
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Avatar universal
Hi I was diagnosed with Hep C 1.5 years ago did Pegasys for 6 months said I was cured 6 months after treatment.  I wasnt feeling well a month ago so went back to doctor and now its detected.  I got Hep C from a pedicure I feel so lost and confused and now dont know what to do I am 46 and wonder how fast this will progress at my age since I have symptons now.  This is a scary disease I go see the dr tomorrow and I am very scared :(
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1 Comments
Hang in there i got same thing .just got aproved for harvoni..and am stage 3 fibborsis.
683231 tn?1467323017
Hi Fifty
Do you have hep C. Do you know your genotype?

If so you need to treat the underlying cause of your firboscan score. Are you seeing a hepatologist (liver specialist) they can best help you determine what is your best option for treatment.

Also I would suggest as this is a very old thread you go to the link at the top right of the page and click the orange link "post a question"

That way you will get your question noticed and more answers to your question.

Good luck
Lynn
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Avatar universal
what is the treatment for a person with stage 3 fibroscan?
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Avatar universal
Once you hit stage four and are compensated, if treated you have a 50% chance of being right where you are 10 years from now according to the doctor I saw a Duke.
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Avatar universal
I'm a 25 year old male. I have Hep C and Chronic Liver Disease with Stage 3 fibrosis, genotype 2B. I think I've had it my whole life, I have a younger brother with the same diagnosis and I found out when I donated blood after joining the Army at 18. I started treatment at 18 years old in 2007 and made it 5 weeks and unfortunately lost insurance and had to stop, but at least I did show no detection in my 4th week but it came back. I just completed 24 weeks of treatment with Ribaviron 1200mg a day, and 1 Pegylated Interfuron shot each week. I was really lucky to only experience feeling kinda tired and sore each day but it was not bad enough to stop or need anything to help. I'm just so happy to have been able to complete therapy this time. At least for now, I showed undetectable from 4 weeks again and I just did labs about 3 weeks after completing therapy and still nothing back. I know that a better treatment option just came out around the time I was finishing up. If anyone reads this and is still questioning treatment, please take it if you have the opportunity! Even if my virus comes back I know that for awhile I was able to keep the viral load down and I did see my liver enzymes come down to a near normal level. Its scary but your not alone...
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Avatar universal
Dear Randy,
I am reading your story and wondered how you are doing. My brother is your age and had the same diag. Just was wondering what we can expected from here.

CLS
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Avatar universal
I also failed in tx - sounds like exact same path finally getting so anemic I could not walk and the bad labs shot back up. This was a few years ago and I am now told there is a new "shorter" tx but still with most of the same drugs and a new one added.The new Tx is only a couple months with a much higher cure rate .Problem is it is very expensive, and my docs don't think medicare will pay for  it. I dread tx but desperately need it as stage III. I HAVE LIVED with hep C for 40 years now after originally being in critical condition/hospitalized for 3 months. What I want to say is check for new treatments! I am disappointed that my doctor "forgot about me" and I just now found out about the new treatment. We need to stay aggressive on our own behalves.
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Avatar universal
fastrac
I'm a 72 year old man. Was diagnosed with hep c 7 years ago stage 4 cirrhosis.I Drove ambulance and had a partnership in a funeral home 1970
that's where I contracted the hep. it did not show up till 2006 when I was diagnosed I was down for 1 year. I hade a transplant sept. 21 2007 six weeks after my transplant I passed my dot physical two weeks later I was back driving a truck. I retired at 68 I now train drivers in handleing hazardous material and the proper way to drive a tanker. I went in for my 6 year check up on sept 20th and there have been no changes.The doctors say just keep doing what I'v been doing. I have never taken any treatments for the hep c. We have discust it, and I am considering it but at my age if I can not stay active I may just wait it out.
This is not to say any one else should make the same choice I have.
every one has to make the choice that's rite for them.
Good luck with what ever you deceid.
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5909323 tn?1376917435
As a wife of someone with Hepatitis C who's almost at the stage of having cirrhosis, I just beg anyone who is contemplating starting treatment, to please talk to your doctor and consider the treatment.  The people who love you don't want to watch you get cirrhosis or liver cancer and they will do whatever they can to help you through, trust me - I'm doing it right  now!

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Avatar universal
I was diagnosed today with stage 3 liver disease etiology unknown. No Hep C, no alcohol/drug abuse.
I have psoriatic arthritis and have been on Remicade and Methotrexate for about 10 years.
had a biopsy in hopes it could show what the cause is. No go.
I am going to UCLA Liver institute next week.
right now the thought is Methotrexate damage or Auto immune hepatic damage.
it's the pits! I am 61, I have a brand new grandson....my hubbie is retiring......
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Avatar universal
I've just found out I've liver fibrossis early onset of cirrhosis I've also got hep c does anyone have any useful info
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Avatar universal
I've just found out I've liver fibrossis I've also got hep  c does anyone have any info they can give
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5201394 tn?1365043128
Hi
I was just diagnosed with stage 3 fibrosis and I am just wondering if any1 knows wat the treatment is like and the side affects I am really scared and I want help to try and stop progression of this to stage 4
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Avatar universal
The treatment is very hard, I just finished mine up .. a change in diet and staying active during treatment really helped me, get on anti-depresents right away and ride it through.

It *****, but its better then a liver transplant or being dead
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Avatar universal
richace1974    I was diagnosed with stage 3 fibrosis today, and am starting treatment soon. Your comment is soo informative, and encouraging for me. Thanks, god bless, and good luck everyone.
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Avatar universal
i have just found out what the meaning of KPA is when they told me i had 10.8 kpa i had no idea what that meant in the scale of the stages 1234 but as the new fibroscan means the the biopsy of the liver will soon be a thing of old practice  i have found  little infomation on this kpa charts but my doc did show me the chart but was on he database and have not been able to find another chart but this is what i have found hope this help some 1

Hepatic stiffness was measured in kiloPascal units (kPa) and was interpreted
on the basis of Metavir score: no or mild fibrosis (score, F0–F1) when liver stiffness is below 7.1 kPa, and fibrosis with septa or cirrhosis (F2–F4) when above 7.1 kPa.
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Avatar universal
I am a 61 year old female, personal trainer group ex etc in great shape but just found out I have hep C stage 2.   Treating at Hopkins on clinical trial.
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Avatar universal
Greetings,
60 yr old male, Stage 2, plan to start treatment in about 6 months after returning from Afghanistan.  Have the best hepatologist and primary care physicians.  Can you do 6 months treatment, a break, and resume for another 6 months.  Thanks for all the info, God Bless...mark
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1747881 tn?1546175878
If you post your question as a new thread you will get better responses.
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1229931 tn?1383663339
My doctor said i have Stage 3 fibrosis and Grade B cirrhosis. How can this be if Stage 4 fibrosis = Grade A cirrhosis?  I asked him but he said the internet was incorrect. I've read a lot of stuff and they all say the same thing. I'm wondering if he knows what he is talking about?  The pictures taken when they took my gall bladder out a couple weeks ago show my liver as being all bumpy so it's still regenerating over the scarring.  What does this all mean?  I'm waiting on my blood tests to see what caused my cirrhosis and am not receiving treatment yet.  They told me five years ago that I had a fatty liver and because my liver panels were doubled even did a radiated MRI to look for bone cancer. After that nothing. Last year my liver panels were tripled and they just kept taking blood samples every month or two and gave me anti depressants.  I have been sick for a very long time and because of them not following up and taking anything seriously I am afraid to trust any of them.  Now I have cirrhosis and we could have stopped it. I'm so frustrated!
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