Hep C & mild cirrhosis

[girlly166]

Hi I am a geno type 1a with mild cirrhosis. My doctor wants me to start the 48 week old treatment of interferon, rib, peg cocktail, My family comes from a long line of depression and it scares me to death to take something that can cause depression. Also have arthritis in hips. I have gone through so much in life and am much str  My life as of 2 yrs ago is caring for my daughter that has schizophrenia and my grand child since birth, they are my world. I have carried this Hep c for 15 yrs now never drank much, have been on methadone for 12 yrs just wanted my life back. I have been making myself sick thinking about this treatment how would i do this and live through it, I no there is newer treatment out there in Canada just can't seem to find out when the government will fund it for people that can't afford it. Some doctors are saying by jan 2015. Can someone help me, I no its not smart to wait because of my health, I just don't think i can do the old treatment.

[nan535]

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Cirrhosis-of-the-Liver/Cirrhosis-from-Hep-C/show/2287773

Just realized my link to the Cirrhosis community post was cut off.
Sorry about that!

Nan

[girlly166]

hi mac790 I was diagnosed with cronic pain yrs ago, this is why i stayed on a very low dose of M. I was tapering off because I just wanted to stop relying on anything and was trying to change my whole life because of my daughter and grand daughter. After I found out the doctors wanted me to do treatment they suggested I stay on Meth to deal with the side effects of treatment. I am going to call the Canadian Liver foundation and hopefully they can give me some help on what to do. Thank you so much and I will keep you updated, all the best.

[mac790]

  Hello, It is mac. Can I refer you to a document from the NIH:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17055063

There is a clear association between a large number of MMT patients and depression. Do you think your MD would consider putting you on a time released, slow acting but long lasting opiate such as Fentanyl patches, or Morphine Sulfate Extended Release tablets? This question enters an area which is nobody's business, that being whether you need the MMT because you were a recreational user who got addicted, or whether you need some kind of opiate analgesia for a chronic pain syndrome. I will tell you the year I spent on MMT was the WORST of my post accident/surgery life. Minimal pain control, dulled, foogy mental abilities, not depressed but numb to emotions completely. I made some decisions that year which I NEVER would have considered, if not for the M. Have you ever discussed this with your MD?
You might ask your MD what the Canadian studies show, but here in the US, the Roche Phama "Pegasys" tx of INF and RBV yielded a complete, permanent eradication of the virus in about 25% of patients. Pretty poor results when comparing the new meds coming out very soon. Some of the new generation of meds just might be available by Rx before you got done with your 48 week tx. Just a couple of items for thought, I'm not an MD, and I don't mean to come off like I know all there is to know. I'd really like to see you hang off on tx with "the cocktail" for as long as your overall health permits it. All The Best...    Mac790

[girlly166]

I keep hearing about the trials, I will look into it thank you so much and god bless good luck on yours, finding every1 here has given me faith.

[girlly166]

yes I am going to look more into this newer treatment, my doctor doesn't even listen to me and I think I no how this will effect me, when my heart is telling me so. he should listen,  so time to look for another opinion. I don't drink and I am trying to eat better. And my prayers are out there for you to be clear of this nasty disease.  

[mac790]

Girlly166, Sorry to hear about your situation, looks like you have your hands full. I can only offer encouragement and a little bit of hopefully useful information. Have you checked to see if any University Centers/Teaching Hospitals anywhere near you are running clinical trials on these new "DAA" (direct acting antivirals) and the sort of "supercharged" protease inhibitor family of drugs? You need no INF or RBV with these new meds. I am lucky enough to be involved in a trial, but am only 3 weeks into it. It is a dual medication formulation from Merck, and I am responding unbelieveably well. PLEASE, everyone pull for me, I am hoping my two week viral load will be "not detectable". That is my main point-- if you are not critically ill, can you hold on until these drugs hit the market? My Merck trial is in Stage III, to be completed in June 2015. They are recording 95%+ SVR, even with cirrhotics, like you and I. If these results continue and the virus stays eradicated in that huge of a percentage of people, would the Canadian Health authorities do as the US FDA does, i.e. "fast track" the approval for release? I sure hope you can wait, especially if you are concerned about the triple therapy side effects. I failed the PEG-INF/RBV combo miserably in 2009.  They stopped me at week 4. I hope this has given you some info and maybe some hope. Please hang in there, the field of HepC treatments using experimental drugs with success rates of 95%+ is EXPLODING, virtually every large Pharma outfit has various versions of these new meds in some stage of development. All the best, I hope this helped in some way. Mac790

[Sarah1949]

I would wait until your government funds Sovaldi but then I am someone who has avoided interferon for years now. I also have cirrhosis and if you're eating well and not drinking you should still have many years ahead of you. I also cope with depression bu. that is only one of my reasons. Remember though this is only my opinion.

[nan535]

Not sure why you are apologizing. Girlly166 can use all the help and support she can get from everyone here.
Thanks!

Nan

[Dee1956]

oops,sorry Nan, I guess I was writing and did not see your post

[Dee1956]

Hi there, I know how overwhelming it can be.  You have come to a very good place where people help each other.
The manufacturer of the new drugs are helping people who can't pay.  Are you seeing a specialist in the liver?  A hepatologist?
Have you had a biopsy?  Do you know your stage of damage?
I read someone post the other day that no one should have to do interferon since there are newer easier shorter tx's out there.  With the responsibilities you have your doctor should take that in to account.
At the top of the page where you posted your question is an icon with a magnifying glass, you could type in financial assistance and might find information there.  I am not sure how it works in Canada but I will try to find some information and come back as soon as I can

[nan535]

For the sake of others reading this, I refer you to the Cirrhosis thread where posts have been made in response to girllly166's  question.


http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Cirrhosis-of-the-Liver/Cirrhosis-from-Hep

I referred her to this community because I know she will get great support and advice here also.

Nan