This forum is for questions about medical issues and research aspects of
Hepatitis C such as, questions about being newly diagnosed, questions about current treatments, information and participation in discussions about research studies and clinical trials related to Hepatitis. If you would like to communicate with other people who have been touched by Hepatitis, please visit our new
Hepatitis Social/Living with Hepatitis forum
I wouldn't worry too much about the vicodin, unless you're powerless over that too. Check how much acetaminophen it's compounded with and try to keep it under 2000 mg a day.
Alcohol is highly destructive to a hep damaged liver. We fossils remember many alcoholics dying of esophageal hemorrhaging before banding was developed to treat varicose veins. Alcoholic cirrhosis is virtually identical to hep induced cirrhosis.
I have friends who were prescribed vicodin to alleviate symptoms of tx. Apparently their doctors don't consider it harmful.
In case I was unclear, please understand that drinking with hep C is suicide.
Of course. alcohol in any significant amount is a serious threat to any liver that is already fighting hepatitis c. You have to get control of this if you want to live. You are young and have a good expectation of not having to treat the HCV until the better treatments now being studied are available. Not everyone has this option. But to take advantage of that you MUST take care of your liver. I agree with Max, drinking with HCV is suicide.
Good luck,
Brent
DEATH
sorry dude you asked
i like vicodin and alcohol just as must as the next person... and alot of other stuff too... but i know with having hep-c its pretty much a death sentence .. seeing my friend billy die from just exactly waht you are talking about, hep c, pills, and alcohol last summer was not pretty... he was 54 ... how old are you?
i know what it is to have drug and alcohol problems if you cant stop on your own with a DX of hep c you should get some help
I agree, Trinity. When I was first dx'd, hearing that most of us will die WITH HCV, not FROM HCV made me feel better about my odds. Now I personally think it can lead to giving a false sense of security to many in our age group. Not that adopting healthy lifestyles can't up our odds, but we just don't know enough about the progression of this disease in the baby boomer sector to make a blanket statement like this one.
Pam
john
'You received a death sentence the moment you were born.'
ummm yea i know that no one lives forever .....
'Most people with HCV will die of something other than liver disease. '
ya this is true but people who drink ALOT with hep - c probably will die of it dontcha think???
im talking about people with stage3-4 liver damage ... i think stage 1-2 not so much and its all about quantity, i mean a drink or two here and there with dinner is not like binge drinking every weekend..... not even close
my friend billy drank ALL THE TIME and chewed percs on a regular basis... from the time he was diagnosed to death was about 6 years... im guessing he was cirrotic or close to it when he found out he had it....
good luck not drinking .... it does get easier... although its easier for someone like me (46) than someone like you (27)... i know i couldnt have stopped drinking when i was 27...im glad i didnt find out i had this until i was old haha i have had it like 30 years, just found out 5 years or so ago, and i was a pretty heavy drinker/drug user my whol life im still very surprised im only stage 2 ...
yes watch that acetomi thats what messes your liver up and mixxing it with alchol makes it worse
what stage/grade are you? fyi DX just means 'diagnosed'...