TYPE 2A

[bennett_st]

Does anyone else have type 2a ?I was told that it was the "best" treatment response.  I have had hep c since 1984 but have always been advised treatment was not necessary due to normal LFTs and a medium-low viral load.  

Is there anyone who has plodded along with a long history hep-c such as mine and then suddenly become sicker.  I am nearly that 50 birthday and have felt it would be harder to deal with treatment if needed as I get older.  Any thoughts?

[Eileen104]

I too am almost 50 and have type 2A.  No elevated enzymes but have had liver bx.  Shows some damage.  I tried treatment three times and am considered a non responder.  sorry if this wasn't helpful.

[jmjm530]

The old thinking was that cirrhosis (stage 4) was irreversible, hopeless, etc, etc.  Newer thinking is that cirrhosis indeed be reversible as a consequence of being succesfully treated. While no guarantees, a successful treatment could bring you down a couple of stages. All the best moving forward.

-- Jim

[R Glass]

I agree with everyone. Insist on a Liver Biopsy. They have come along way with the procedure. As Nygirl said it is mostly Painless and Boring. The anticipation is worse than the procedure. With out a Liver Biopsy you will not know the amount of damage (if any) has been done to your liver. Being a 2 only means it can be easer to treat. It does not mean it does less damage to your liver. Insist on a Liver Biopsy

[nygirl7]

Wow I'm so sorry for your bad news.......that is how much this disease sucks - we don't even get a chance to know we have it until things go bad and then you find out you are in such a late stage. I was lucky I was diagnosed stage 3 - treated for 72 and am SVR.  I only found out by accident because my enzymes were in the 200s or I NEVER WOULD HAVE KNOWN EITHER!

I had no symptoms, nothing.

I totally agree if you can insist that your doctor give you a biopsy GET IT.  It is really the only way that you will know the truth on how much liver damage has been done.

While being a genotype 2 is a blessing - we've seen enough relapses of geno 2s to know there is no lucky genotype really.  Be careful - seek the proper attention while you can so you have a chance at a long healthy life. You may have no liver damage at all but on the chance that you do...........get the biopsy.  It's painless and in truth boring.

[patti1957]

I have just been diagnosed - 2b and was told it is the best for response rate .  I am 50 years old and I never knew i was infected (i assume it was in the late 70's) and now I have stage 4 cirrhosis = be aware, liver damage is SERIOUS - if you can get a liver biopsy, DO IT - to let you know how your liver is doing. Although I will start the therapy, the damage is done and I can only hope the therapy offers my liver a little relief by stopping the damage. (even if the treatment is as bad as they say, any extension of my life here on earth is worth it) My first doc told me that the therapy was useless for me at this point but I found a liver disease specialist who has given me a little more hope - be proactive and find out what is going on inside your body

[Bobby1952]

Type 2a does have the best response rate. That being said have you had a biopsy yet. This will tell you if you need treatment. Some people with hep c don't get elevated LFT's. This doesn't neccessarily mean the virus isnt doing any damage. You really need a biopsy to find out if there is any damage and how much. If your DR says you don't need it find another DR.

Bobby