finished treatment!

I finished my 48 wk treatment last Wed. for Hep C type 1.
I had my blood drawn and my viral load is zero. Hgb still down @ 10.9.
I'll be redrawn in 3 months to check, I understand that is SOP.
Meanwhile, do I consume ANY alcohol?
I would like to have a beer every other week max - would I be doing more harm than good?
Thanks for the support & information this forum has provided, I'll stick around for a while myself!

[Gee704]

Congratulations on finishing treatment!

I finished treatment three months ago and would love a beer; however, I do not want to jeopardize the 48 weeks of treatment I have completed. I have had a few non-alcoholic beers and felt I was safe with this decision.

Ribavirin can remain in your system for up to 6 months as well so I didn't want to ruin the effect of drugs still in my system.

Best of luck to you in all your future tests. Please post so we can celebrate with you!

[bowyer2002]

I contemplated that same route of NA beer.
I also don't want to jeprodize the xt.

[Fnzol]

Ribavirin can remain in your system for up to 6 months as well so I didn't want to ruin the effect of drugs still in my system.


Serum half life is 12 days.  It is, however taken up by red cells, which can remain viable for about 40 days.  Drug labeling requires contraception for up to 6 months due to detectability in non-cellular components, but after 40 days, you've got all new red cells and likely have little to gain therapeutically from any residual.  

[paen53]

I think alot would have to do with your overall liver health too - staging and all. Even with an SVR, those of us with severe liver damage still have to watch our alcohol intake - if any.

I had an O'Doul's when I was out at a pub last weekend and lucky me, it was Happy Hour, so they brought me two!! Now that's just cruel...:-D

[babs824]

id not risk it for a while. hope u are back on the bike enjoying spring, i expect you will rebound fast. all the best, babs

[TaylorParker]

I need some information about this disease, I just got diagnosed today and i really want to know what to expect. So please help me out:)

[Bill1954]

Hi there,

You'll want to go to the top of this page and click on the green 'post a question' button; this will open a new thread for your own topic. Welcome to the discussion group--

Bill

[Anne1717]

Hi and welcome to the group !!  You are attached to someone else's thread and may not get the attention you should have.  To start your own thread, click the green "post a question" button at the top and re post your question.

If you give us more information, we can better share our experiences ,  Do you have a viral load, genotype, idea of how long you have had this?

It will be okay and we will help you through it.  The more you know, the less afraid you will be.

Anne

[Anne1717]

Hi Bill - oops, you beat me to it!!  Great minds think alike?????

[James10500]

Congrats cheers to a summer filled with mountain biking.  

[spectda]

Congrats on completing the 48 weeks. Here's to a prompt recovery and svr.
Good luck
- Dave

[Trish77]

Congratulations on completing treatment!!!  Be good to yourself the next while and allow for a bit of recovery time physically and mentally.  

As for the alcohol....six months isn't so long to wait...I'd hang in there.  And as others have said, depends on how much liver damage you have, whether you get back to it.  

Testing 3 months past treatment and still being UND - Undetectable - is an almost complete sign of cure, testing at 6 months after EOT - end of treatment - and still being UND is the clincher and considered SVR - here's hoping!

[bowyer2002]

Thanks everyone for your sound advice.
I will proceed as recommended.