Is anyone happy they were treated for Hep C?

Is anyone free of side effects after treatment for Hep C? I am having trouble finding anyone who is happy they were treated. Everyone seems to have side effects long after finishing taking interferon etc. Is there ANYONE who can tell me they are well and happy after, say, a month after finishing with the regime?

[Bill1954]

I can’t help but wonder who you’ve been discussing this with, Jane. I personally completed roughly three years of interferon/ribavirin therapy in 2008; I cleared the virus permanently and feel fine afterward. I’m six years older than when I began, so the normal age-related complaints are there, but these are expected. Most residual side effects from the meds were gone within thirty days post treatment.

I think my experience mirrors many in here, if not most. If you’re basing your conclusions solely on internet discussion groups, you might not be getting an accurate portrayal of the whole treatment population.

Have you treated and are you having post therapy issues, or are you on the fence considering it?

Good luck; we wish you well,

Bill

[carol411]

11 weeks after finishing treatment I'm feeling pretty darn good.  The lingering problems are less and less every week and I expect them to be gone for good soon.  How happy I am that I treated will be easier to measure once I'm assured it's gone for good.  If it isn't, I'll do it again.  A month after finishing the drugs is just too soon to evaluate.  The ribaviron is still in your system doing its job.  If this is the case with you, give it some time.  And expect it to get better.  Sometimes looking for the worse makes the worse happen because we can't see the good.  

[goldenrule]

Janie,
it took me a year to fully get over side effects, Physically and def. emotionally. Heck I still struggle with the emotional part, but really dnt think that has anything to do with the meds.!! LOL!!
I am very happy I followed through with the treatment. Goodluck and prayers coming your way!!

[JaneinMelbourne]

Thank you so much for your quick - and positive - response.

Yes, I am about to start treatment in about a month. And, yes, I am basing my conclusions, so far, on the discussion groups. They are alarming me! So many say they are experiencing significant side effects long after treatment. I do not want to make my health any worse. I cannot find any studies either on post-treatment health.

I seek the reassurance from people who have completed treatment and do not regret it.

Thanks again

Jane

[Bill1954]

Oh, heck no- in fact, I’d do it over again in a moment if I thought it was needed. I had pretty significant fibrosis (stage 3-4) so it was imperative I clear the virus.  I was fortunate to have tolerated it pretty well; fatigue, some odd skin stuff etc, but over all it was okay.

The thing is, many folks that post in internet support groups are there because they’re having trouble of some sort; there is a large group of people that go on with their business with little need to post in here; those folks are often underrepresented in this setting.

Stick around and ask questions, and get some info under your belt. This particular group is set aside as a ‘social forum’ to chat about non-HCV related subjects; you might get more info by posting in the main Hep C forum:

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Hepatitis-C/show/75

Welcome to the nuthouse :o)

Bill

[paen53]

I treated long and hard for 72 weeks and have had some bumps in the road since EOT - went hypothyroid and some residual aches and pains - but overall, not too bad considering the length of tx and cirrhosis. Reached SVR at 6 months in Dec., one more test to go in May, and yes, I'd do it again if I relapse - at stage 4 there isn't really a choice. I got my life back and a pretty darn good one at that! :-D  I'm going on a women's adventure weekend to learn dog mushing next month, not too shabby for an old broad at 8 months post tx......

[GoofyDad]

Hey Jane;

I treated about 5 years ago now, and experienced none of the lingerie problems that carol411 mentioned. I mean, well, the blue teddy's a little tight, and the lace thongs are no more comfortable than they ever were. But what do we expect, right?

I was stage 4 and definitely needed to treat. It took probably a couple years for me to feel pretty much back to normal. I ended up with a permanent thyroid issue, but who's to say whether that had anything to do with treatment?

The drugs are serious, and this shouldn't be undertaken lightly or by the uninformed. But by and large think most people come through pretty much OK, and many have no long term affects at all.

Ooops... re-reading her post, it looks like carol411 reported lingering problems, not lingerie problems. Well, this is embarassing.....

[hoofinit]

Oh my, that made me laugh out loud GoofyDad.  

[skersj]

I am happy I treated. I just found last week that I am still undetected one year post treatment. What a peace of mind knowing those little virons aren't attacking me night and day.
It did take some time for me to feel as good as I do today but I treated 72 weeks and my husband got transferred and we had to move to another state during my recovery time. I think the stress of the move slowed my recovery. I fatigued easily for 6 months post treatment but by 9 months I felt great. I started feeling even better when I started walking 2 miles everyday.
I do take synthroid now for hypothyroidism but many women have to as they age. I know several women taking it that have never had hcv or treatment.

[FlGuy]

Treated a couple of times, cured once.  If it didn't work the second time there would have been a third.  But, you asked about happy.  My wife complains about everything all the time which means no.... - you know, my son announced a change of major and an additional semester before college graduation, my 15-year-old daughter is now driving and just bought a  24 x 7 deluxe subscription to *****-o-mania and our 10 year old dog can't see, whines and is incontinent.  Yeah, life is just peachy.

[mikesimon]

Yes, I finished treatment in June 2004 and I am thrilled that I treated and am SVR.

Mike

[meakea]

Goofy...how do you find those gems day after day...LMAO!!!

Jane, I finished TX 18 mos ago and I have never regretted doing treatment...never.  I feel great now.  I do have hypothyroidism for which I have to take one pill a day but that is no big deal to me and I'm not even really sure that the treatment caused it; I believe HCV caused it as my numbers were beginning to change before I started TX.  I have some joint aches that I didn't have before but I am learning that if I reduce my carb intake it minimizes that issue greatly and it's not really even an issue.

I'm 56 years old and I can keep up just fine with my very athletic 30-something sons and their significant others.

[GoofyDad]

"Treated a couple of times, cured once."

Was your cure on the first or the second time? I've been doing an informal survey and it seems when people SVR it's almost always on the last time they treat. It's almost as if the Hep bugs can tell this is gonna be the last train leaving the station and they better get on it if they want a ride out of town. Weird, huh?

[meakea]

Goofy maybe you can answer this for me since it might correlate to SVR on the last attempt at TX:  Why is it that every time I lose something I find it in the last darn place I look?  

[GoofyDad]

Because you stop looking too soon. Like duhhh.

[nygirl7]

Bwah enjoyed this thread immensely.

Been SVR for 4 years and although I am 6 years older (treated for 72) and have more wrinkles, pains and aches but I'm just not 25 anymore and they are to be expected.

Darn glad I treated and just as glad (if not more) that I found everybody in here who carried me through the times when they were tough.  Treatment can totally suk but it's not the end of the world and life does go on.  But we are all responsible for finding our own happiness in the end. Interferon can't do that.

[GoofyDad]

"Bwah enjoyed this thread immensely. "

That's just 'cause you get all twitchity thinking about the blue teddy. You gals have one track minds.  

[gauf]

For your survey: Treated 3 times and cured on the second go round. Did the 3rd treatment just cause I was bored.

[GSDgirl]

Yes I am glad I treated and attained SVR.  I will take the new aches and pains over ESLD any day!  I would definitely do it again if I had to.

Denise

[desrt]

7.5 years after stopping tx I feel 8 years older than when I started tx.
Which is a lot better than cirrhosis or HCC.

[blondie717]

  Im still treating. Have not really had any issues with sx..to complain much about , 2 problems came but left rather quickly...I hope your TX goes as well as mine...I just got my 12 wks back and Im virus undetected.... I feel very lucky as I got into a clinical trial.  just before my health insurance got cancelled or terminated...  I dont think I will have any problems when done. as Ive had none so far...Im Happy...Im Happy that liver disease wont be the one to take me out :-)

[HectorSF]

The "silent majority" are happy.

As others have said, talk about unhappy, have you talked to someone with decompensated cirrhosis or liver cancer?
"Happiness" is all relative.

Hectorsf

[bahamasnut]

Hello my husband has geno 3 and did 24 weeks of tx and at week 4 und-23 then at23 his vl shot back up so he had a breakthrough and his doctor referred him to a doctor at the university of Virginia we just got back .The doctor said he thought if my husband treated again he would probely have the same out come I don't understand that with so many people have done more than one tx like yourself.i read you took supplements also could you give me you thoughts on this please Thank you Joan

[orphanedhawk]

Did you notice this post is one year old?
Its hard to know when you ask people questions on old posts whether they still come to the forum.
Why don't you try sending a note to that person instead?

trying to help~ OH

[charm27]

I was happy I treated , I am now cured.
No..I wasnt happy about the sx but knew it was the only way and I had to see it though. It was a hard 55 weeks for me and I was home bound the entire time. Dont think anyone is happy about side effects, but we all need a shot at SVR. You have to know going into this what your in for possibly.

Yes Im happy now its over and elated Im cured.
Tx was a 24 hour battle for me but so well worth it.
There is a price to pay for everything.
Sure beats liver failure.
Luckily for this forum I had so much support, I went through tx alone and found this forum unbelievable comforting in so many ways.

Charm

[charm27]

It took me quite sometime to feel somewhat so called normal again about 9 months. Still have effects, joint pain, mobility issues but doable....

Im grateful in spite of it all.Charm

[leebambee]

Wishing you all good health...goofy dad, stay funny, we need a laugh!

[willbb]

I was very happy I treated.....was somewhat less happy with the results...however life is like that sometimes.

Reminds me of an old saying:

"Not everything is meant to be ..But everything is worth a try"

Will

[orphanedhawk]

I tried to ignore this since it's a bit old but here goes. . .

First tx I relapsed.
But I don't regret doing it simply because how could I have accepted my daughter's giving me part of her liver for a transplant without feeling I'd tried everything I could first?

Now, I'm doing tx a second time, post tp, und since week 4.

Regrets? No way.
Even when we don't succeed in ridding ourselves of the virus, tx often improves the condition of our liver.

If the choice is doing interferon tx or having advanced liver disease, a transplant or dying, who cares how well you feel one month after?

[GoofyDad]

..I wasnt happy about the sx

I was married for 20 years and I wasn't too happy about the sx either. Try internet videos and let me know how it goes ... worked for me.

PS your "e" key isn't working. Don't worry about it, my keys get sticky too.....

[can-do-man]

"It took me quite sometime to feel somewhat so called normal again about 9 months"

Wow charm i didn't know, congrats......... Boy or girl?

[fretboard]

"I mean, well, the blue teddy's a little tight, and the lace thongs are no more comfortable than they ever were. But what do we expect, right?"

You gotta take this stuff on the road buddy.  Way too funny and you can make some money!!  lol

[charm27]

Very funny!!! It was neither!! no boy no girl.. heheh

It was 9 months though....


Hope you are doing well!!

Funny man.

Charm

[libzo2]

This site is theraputic.  This thread is priceless.  GoofyDad unleashed is a marvelous thing!!!

[sherritaylor12]

So happy I treated.  SVR after just 16 weeks of treatment..so blessed.  Just wish hubby had such good response.  He is still recovering from sx but gets a little better everyday.  I still have aches and pains I didn't have before but life goes on and what a gift that is.  Good luck.  Love the laughs. Happy Trails