Aa
Everyday I struggle
Everyday I struggle with the decision to treat now or wait, but I'm getting all the test in order so when it's time I'm ready. This truly feels like the hardest thing I've ever had to decide.
CC allele? Treat now, regardless of genetics. If you get a less than ideal response at 12 weeks, rethink then. You might be finished and achieve SVR by the time any protease inhibitors are released and approved. I think if you’re honest with yourself, you’ll realize waiting for other drugs is another delay tactic, and I don’t think this serves you well.
--Bill
--Bill
Was just re-reading all the post. My liver is early cirrhosis but my liver functions are all still good. What you posted was how I have been thinking. I'll give it 6 months which will get me through the holidays and the winter. I'll have my 6 month check up of liver functions and talk to my hep doc about starting SOC this way if the telaprevir is close to being on the market I can add it. It will cut my treatment time if they release it and if they don't I can just continue on with SOC. My doctor doesn't think 6 months will change much.
By the way my results from the IL28b gene test came out cc. Was nice to hear some good news.......I wish the same for everyone......
By the way my results from the IL28b gene test came out cc. Was nice to hear some good news.......I wish the same for everyone......
My second opinion suggested I wait for the new meds. So that is what I am considering doing unless something changes and he suggests otherwise.
Good for you!
Go forward and we will be here supporting you and rooting for your success !
Go forward and we will be here supporting you and rooting for your success !
All the advise I have received here has been wonderful. As you all know this is a lonely disease so hearing from everyone has done wonders for me. I'm going along with my plans, but I'll tell you a month can seem like a year as you wait for all the appointment that are necessary.
Thanks any and all advise is always appreciated.
Thanks any and all advise is always appreciated.
Hi there, I believe this is the first time we've met. I'm an oldie from this group and I must admit that I admire the time you've spent debating over this matter. I agree with Bill that you are definitely heading the right direction whatever your decision may be.
I was diagnosed at age 15. It was denial at first, but as adolescent started to set in, I had to take my future into consideration. I was in college away from home and it finally hit me that I had to make a choice about what to do. I wasn't very familiar with the disease at the time and thought it could be transmitted by drinking out of the same cup as other people. Not knowing things definitely made me even more afraid. I've seen probably all the well known liver doctors in this state, many have insisted that I do a liver biopsy just to see how far the damage has gone bc it was speculated that I had received hcv during a transfusion as an infant. But I felt like I would want a future free of worry about this disease, why should I wait for the disease to get worse to treat? Wouldn't it be too late? Also what if the new medications have some not identified side effects that would affect me permanently?People have also said that the younger you treat, the better you are able to cope with the side effects. I am also planning to go to graduate school, have a family and children. I didn't want my future to be hampered by hcv. So I took the plunge in 2009 (oh gosh it seems so far away!) was it 2009? I can hardly remember. Trust me when I say this: you should be as prepared as you can but you are never prepared enough for the real thing. First month was great. I went from about 5 mil counts to only 26! The drugs definitely worked wonders but was also wrecking havoc on my bone marrow, I was on rescue injections throughout the rest of my 48 weeks of treatment in addition to other issues. So I guess in my case, being young and treating didn't necessarily prevent me from having more side effects. It is important to realize that everyone is different. Treating became incorporated into my life for a little more than a year. After that, I didn't know what would be next, I was lost! My first 6 mo post treatment pcr came back undetectable. I can't even remember if I did a 1 year pcr, but I'm always so nervous about pcr's!
I felt like I lost a part of myself during treatment. It was the hardest thing I've encountered in life thus far. I've lost many friends because they never understood what I was going through. Getting back to life is honestly harder than I thought it would be. But I will tell you that I do not regret making this choice to treat. Life has no guarantees I realized, even if you feel like you can't trust yourself, you must, because during times like these, no one will understand you better than yourself.
To help you make your decision it is absolutely vital to find the appropriate physician. Get second or even third opinions until you are comfortable with the choices you are offered. I am writing this not to sway your vote on whether to treat or not, but to hopefully make you feel more confidence about the choice you make. Whatever decision you make, I know it will be for the best.
I was diagnosed at age 15. It was denial at first, but as adolescent started to set in, I had to take my future into consideration. I was in college away from home and it finally hit me that I had to make a choice about what to do. I wasn't very familiar with the disease at the time and thought it could be transmitted by drinking out of the same cup as other people. Not knowing things definitely made me even more afraid. I've seen probably all the well known liver doctors in this state, many have insisted that I do a liver biopsy just to see how far the damage has gone bc it was speculated that I had received hcv during a transfusion as an infant. But I felt like I would want a future free of worry about this disease, why should I wait for the disease to get worse to treat? Wouldn't it be too late? Also what if the new medications have some not identified side effects that would affect me permanently?People have also said that the younger you treat, the better you are able to cope with the side effects. I am also planning to go to graduate school, have a family and children. I didn't want my future to be hampered by hcv. So I took the plunge in 2009 (oh gosh it seems so far away!) was it 2009? I can hardly remember. Trust me when I say this: you should be as prepared as you can but you are never prepared enough for the real thing. First month was great. I went from about 5 mil counts to only 26! The drugs definitely worked wonders but was also wrecking havoc on my bone marrow, I was on rescue injections throughout the rest of my 48 weeks of treatment in addition to other issues. So I guess in my case, being young and treating didn't necessarily prevent me from having more side effects. It is important to realize that everyone is different. Treating became incorporated into my life for a little more than a year. After that, I didn't know what would be next, I was lost! My first 6 mo post treatment pcr came back undetectable. I can't even remember if I did a 1 year pcr, but I'm always so nervous about pcr's!
I felt like I lost a part of myself during treatment. It was the hardest thing I've encountered in life thus far. I've lost many friends because they never understood what I was going through. Getting back to life is honestly harder than I thought it would be. But I will tell you that I do not regret making this choice to treat. Life has no guarantees I realized, even if you feel like you can't trust yourself, you must, because during times like these, no one will understand you better than yourself.
To help you make your decision it is absolutely vital to find the appropriate physician. Get second or even third opinions until you are comfortable with the choices you are offered. I am writing this not to sway your vote on whether to treat or not, but to hopefully make you feel more confidence about the choice you make. Whatever decision you make, I know it will be for the best.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis Social Community
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
