Aa
life expectancy hepc
i was diagnosed with hep c when i was 20 im 25 now i also have gout in the feet im a social drinker on average what would be the life expectancy of a person in my position
Once again you provide a well written and thoughtful disertation on the current subject thread. The thought that occurs to me in reading your posting is what part alcohol plays or is it the sugar that affects HCV and the body?
I've been told that sugar feeds a virus. If this is correct and alcohol turns to sugar in the body is this feeding the virus at a faster rate than say a twinkie would?
Any ideas?
I've been told that sugar feeds a virus. If this is correct and alcohol turns to sugar in the body is this feeding the virus at a faster rate than say a twinkie would?
Any ideas?
What I find really interesting in this thread is the information in the link posted above on Alcoholism and HCV. I am going to stay out of the debate on drinking with HCV and drinking even after SVR, because every doctor seems to have a different opinion, and lots of research can be shown to support either case (ie: light social drinking - vs. abstinence). I don't think we really have a clear cut answer, and since we are all adults, we should read all of the available research and make our own decisions. I know that I drank moderately for decades before I knew I had HCV. I stopped completely when I found out, and in fact had almost been abstinent for more than seven years before I found out , since alcohol was affecting me more and more when I did drink. Now, I have two to four glasses of wine per week on average, almost four years after SVR. Is it a problem? Who knows? I don't think I will ever be able to determine whether this is causing harm or not, compared to total abstinence. Probably the same could have been said before tx, when I had active HCV. Alcohol use could lead to certain episodes of abuse, or overdrinking, which then could be very harmful to someone with HCV...etc. But a drink or two per week???? Who knows. I don't think you will find a clear answer.
Now here is the issue I am intrigued by, and here is an excerpt from the above linked article on HCV and Alcoholism:
"In addition to the high incidence of HCV infection in heavy drinkers even in the absence of classic risk factors, other observations suggest that heavy alcohol consumption enhances the ability of the virus to enter and persist in the body. For example, several studies demonstrated a correlation between the presence of virus in the blood (i.e., viremia) and the amount of alcohol patients reported they consumed (i.e., self-reported alcohol consumption, or SRAC) (see figure 2). Furthermore, moderation of alcohol consumption was shown to result in a decrease in the number of virus particles in the blood (i.e., the viral titer) (Cromie et al. 1996). Researchers do not yet fully understand the mechanism through which alcohol affects the viral titer. It is well known, however, that alcohol impairs the function of certain components of the body's immune system (Ince and Wands 1999). An impaired immune function, in turn, may influence the ability of the virus to persist in the body rather than be eliminated by immune cells. "
More than a few references in this long article were made to people 'acquiring' HCV because of alcoholism, in the ABSENCE of normal risk factors...like IVDU, transfusion, etc.
I have read several research studies in the past saying the same thing, and have several times noted that on the forum! Here is what I think may happen:
Be warned, the following is my theoretical speculation, and is not intended to be interpreted as fact!!!
OK, I think, as I have said in the past, that some or many people may harbor an 'inactive', or 'dormant' version of HCV that is either passed on from birth, or acquired casually, sexually, etc. and does not cause an active, detectable blood liver infection. Thus, no antibodies on testing, no elevated enzymes, no sign of HCV. In this subset of the population, those that become alcoholics may allow the virus to move from a 'latent, dormant' phase, into an active infection....the mechanism might be immune system suppression, alcohol's effect on multiplying the virus, or any number of other unknown mechanisms. The point is that most of these alcoholism studies indicate that alcoholics become (acquire) HCV positive at a much higher rate than the normal population. And, they are alcoholics who have been weeded out for other risk factors.
All of this fits my theory that HCV can transmit and be harbored by individuals in other ways than the typical active/ chronic/ acute blood liver infection.
For all we know, a major portion of the population could have a dormant HCV virus that would remain unknown, and virtually harmless for life, unless triggered, or activated by something (like heavy alcohol abuse).
I find this subject to be extremely thought provoking, and if you read the research article posted way above in this thread, you will also sense the surprise and curiosity of the researchers who are seeing this data in alcoholics, and trying to figure out why they 'acquire' HCV at such a high rate. Maybe they already had it, but it was invisible!!!
So, this is my off the wall thought for the week, and I look forward to the comments it generates.
By the way, if I haven't said it before, I really do believe there is much more about the behavior of this virus that we do not yet understand, than what we do currently understand. Look at the studies every week implicating a new disease, or manifestation to HCV. This week, the articles on Diabetes, and the continuing evidence of a link to HCV.
Have a nice day all of you!!!
DoubleDose
Now here is the issue I am intrigued by, and here is an excerpt from the above linked article on HCV and Alcoholism:
"In addition to the high incidence of HCV infection in heavy drinkers even in the absence of classic risk factors, other observations suggest that heavy alcohol consumption enhances the ability of the virus to enter and persist in the body. For example, several studies demonstrated a correlation between the presence of virus in the blood (i.e., viremia) and the amount of alcohol patients reported they consumed (i.e., self-reported alcohol consumption, or SRAC) (see figure 2). Furthermore, moderation of alcohol consumption was shown to result in a decrease in the number of virus particles in the blood (i.e., the viral titer) (Cromie et al. 1996). Researchers do not yet fully understand the mechanism through which alcohol affects the viral titer. It is well known, however, that alcohol impairs the function of certain components of the body's immune system (Ince and Wands 1999). An impaired immune function, in turn, may influence the ability of the virus to persist in the body rather than be eliminated by immune cells. "
More than a few references in this long article were made to people 'acquiring' HCV because of alcoholism, in the ABSENCE of normal risk factors...like IVDU, transfusion, etc.
I have read several research studies in the past saying the same thing, and have several times noted that on the forum! Here is what I think may happen:
Be warned, the following is my theoretical speculation, and is not intended to be interpreted as fact!!!
OK, I think, as I have said in the past, that some or many people may harbor an 'inactive', or 'dormant' version of HCV that is either passed on from birth, or acquired casually, sexually, etc. and does not cause an active, detectable blood liver infection. Thus, no antibodies on testing, no elevated enzymes, no sign of HCV. In this subset of the population, those that become alcoholics may allow the virus to move from a 'latent, dormant' phase, into an active infection....the mechanism might be immune system suppression, alcohol's effect on multiplying the virus, or any number of other unknown mechanisms. The point is that most of these alcoholism studies indicate that alcoholics become (acquire) HCV positive at a much higher rate than the normal population. And, they are alcoholics who have been weeded out for other risk factors.
All of this fits my theory that HCV can transmit and be harbored by individuals in other ways than the typical active/ chronic/ acute blood liver infection.
For all we know, a major portion of the population could have a dormant HCV virus that would remain unknown, and virtually harmless for life, unless triggered, or activated by something (like heavy alcohol abuse).
I find this subject to be extremely thought provoking, and if you read the research article posted way above in this thread, you will also sense the surprise and curiosity of the researchers who are seeing this data in alcoholics, and trying to figure out why they 'acquire' HCV at such a high rate. Maybe they already had it, but it was invisible!!!
So, this is my off the wall thought for the week, and I look forward to the comments it generates.
By the way, if I haven't said it before, I really do believe there is much more about the behavior of this virus that we do not yet understand, than what we do currently understand. Look at the studies every week implicating a new disease, or manifestation to HCV. This week, the articles on Diabetes, and the continuing evidence of a link to HCV.
Have a nice day all of you!!!
DoubleDose
Your comment is buried far down in the thread - not sure if it will get picked up by anyone else or not. Don't feel like you're being ignored if not, okay?
The only way to know for sure what kind of damage you have today is to do another liver biopsy. After 5 years I'm somewhat surprised your doc hasn't suggested one.
I know there is talk about the fibrosure/fibroscan but it's not widely available at this point. Right now it's still the biopsy that gives the best info for the widest amount of people.
The only way to know for sure what kind of damage you have today is to do another liver biopsy. After 5 years I'm somewhat surprised your doc hasn't suggested one.
I know there is talk about the fibrosure/fibroscan but it's not widely available at this point. Right now it's still the biopsy that gives the best info for the widest amount of people.
I don't think stage 2 is that terrible - that's what my biopsy says I have - and with treatment the fibrosis can actually reverse itself. There have been cases cases of people with stage 2 reverting to stage 1 or even 0 after tx and with, of course, a healthy lifestyle. Milk thistle is great, but not advisable during tx, according to my doc - but others say it's okay then.
I don't understand why you say that you have only a 1% chance of clearing. If they're keeping you on treatment, they have a reason why. Generally people with a 1% chance are pulled off treatment fairly early in the game. Even if you don't get SVR, moreover, the interferon/ribavirin can cause your liver to get better. Don't lose hope. You're sick from the medicine right now and not in a position to think logically. The meds are verry depressing - are you taking any anti-depressants? if not, ask your doctor for a prescription. Time heals all ills, and you will feel better, I promise.
I don't understand why you say that you have only a 1% chance of clearing. If they're keeping you on treatment, they have a reason why. Generally people with a 1% chance are pulled off treatment fairly early in the game. Even if you don't get SVR, moreover, the interferon/ribavirin can cause your liver to get better. Don't lose hope. You're sick from the medicine right now and not in a position to think logically. The meds are verry depressing - are you taking any anti-depressants? if not, ask your doctor for a prescription. Time heals all ills, and you will feel better, I promise.
I have hepc and im 31 the doctors found varices in my esohpgus and start banding friday,I had a biopsy 5 years ago they found finding of cirrosis,but now I am not sure my doc does not say much,how do I found out how much damaged I have now?my ast is121,alt188,afp serum marker is14,that is all I no. Mike
Anybody can decide to stop drinking, if they WANT to. I decided for me, I didn't think that it was a good idea to continue. I never really considered that I was a functioning alcoholic (I didn't drink in the morning, didn't seem to have hand shaking or noticable withdrawal symptoms), until I went to give up my nightly mixed drink that I look forward to every night after work and I occasionally had a glass of wine w/it (even got tipsy on more than one occasion-or so I rationalized). When my husband to be, got made at me one night when I took money out of the ATM to pay the babysitter and didn't remember doing it, he took my booze and poured it down the sink. When I didn't have my nightly relaxer, I had a noticable problem with it. This was years before I knew about the HEPC, although I was infected at that time. I think back in hindsight, that maybe if I hadn't been pouring that fuel on the fire that I would be having SVR by now. This is my own personal observation. I had a positive non-A/non-B blood test in 1985, but was told that it was an 'old' infection and never warned about any drinking. Finally tested positive for the Hep C in 1994. I had the major risk factors back in 1983, do I'm 98% sure that's when I was infected.
Susan
Susan
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