New here and have a question

[ONEBIGFISHUNTER]

Hi everyone I am new to this forum and I have a few questions.  I would really appreciate some advice from those of you who have been there.

I was diagnosed with Hep C geno 1 and am getting ready to start treatment.  I have been reading about the side effects and the fact that alot of people have had problems driving and with memory.

My question is I am a semi truck driver and I drive over 500 miles a day and go through major traffic in detroit every day.  With the side effects you have had is it going to be possible for me to do my job or will I have a problem with the driving and concentration I need to do my job.

I have had  Hep c they think for over 20 years now and my liver biopsy showed that I was at a zero with no liver damage.  With that being the case should I or would you even go through the treatments at all.  Is it worth the risk of these treatments, the doctor is pushing this but she also said that if they don't work that it won't matter because I will be fine anyway.

Thank you for any advice you can give me.

[ONEBIGFISHUNTER]

Thank you all so much for your help.  I am sitting on the fence about starting treatment since I have had no syptoms as of yet.

I am 52 and have had this for at least 20 years so with no liver damage as of yet maybe it wouldn't be so bad to wait a while.

Thanks again for your input it was muchly appreciated.

[Xenigma]

I drive daily for work (not a semi) and average 190 per week mileage.
I'm OK with the driving, it's the snowbirds down here in Broward County
that I worry about on the roads.  The only thing I have noticed is that in traffic
I get a bit ansy, OK real ansy (I'm claustrophobic)  Other than that, it's OK.
I don't get sleepy, but at times I'm tired from the physical work once I get to the job site.
I'll do shot 23 Thursday.  Everyone is different, and sides seem to come, go, &
change throughout tx.  It's something you may just have to try and see how you do.
BTW, I was S1-G1 on bx when I started tx.  I chose not to wait til I had significant liver damage.
I've been UND since wk12.
It's not an easy decision...
enigma

[working dog]

i was wondering how old you are...from what i read it seems that some folks start to notice sx in their early 50s...sooner with drinking...i'm 55 geno 1..stage 1 to 2 and grade 2...my internet friends as well as my doctor said maybe i should wait for tx for a few years when tx will be hopefully much better then now..so with no drinking and watching what i eat i seem to be doing better...i did have sx bad a while ago...anyway i would say wait for better tx..unless you are late 50s or older...and after reading this forum for almost a year i can't imagine you driving semis on tx.....good luck..billy

[nygirl7]

Personally given the kind of work that you do let me say it this way - the least that is going to most likely happen to you is that you will be tired...very very lethargic while on treatment. To me, it sounds like that might be MORE dangerous to you than just co-existing with the hepC until either your liver starts to show progressive damage or you have time off the road.

I don't know HOW you guys do it in the first place.  Whenever I have to drive more than an hour I start to get sleepy as it is.

Deciding to treat is a very personal decision and it's not based on just your job - although that is a huge consideration in some cases (like yours).  I worked all 72 weeks of treatment however I work at a huge company, mostly at a desk - and fortunately my boss is the founders son.  I did get leniency others wouldn't for certain.

Good luck on your choice. Looking back if I had been stage zero I wouldn't have treated (although at the time I found out I was so pro=treatment I had decided it didn't matter). Unfortunately I was stage 3 and had no choice.

[sfbaygirl]

You may want to wait as a 0, but that is a choice. Some tx with a low stage, I did. I had symptoms though and I relapsed. As a Geno 1 you have a 50-50 chance of clearing the virus and there can be long term effects from tx.  I don't want to scare you, just give you the truth. Many here work full time and are okay on tx. You know you will have to do 48 weeks? You may want to wait for the PI's to come out when tx time will be less.

I was one of those that had a hard time getting out of bed, let alone making it!  But others have done construction and all kinds of things. Depends and we never know which camp we will be in.  

Good luck on your decision, I am sure others will come along with their opinions. Keep coming back, this is a great place to learn about the disease.  

Linda

[Bill1954]

Fishguy--

You might want to ask your doctor to elaborate on her statement: “that if they don't work that it won't matter because I will be fine anyway.”

If you’ll be fine anyway, logic questions the need to treat this virus to begin with. There are many people that decide to co-exist with HCV, and it might be a path to consider.

Why is your doctor pressing you to treat? You haven’t demonstrated a tendency toward progressive liver disease, nor or you complaining of extra-hepatic symptoms, i.e. fatigue, depression, etc.

Answering your question about driving is tough; everyone responds differently to these meds. You will most likely experience a loss of patience, increased anxiety, and other side effects. Whether this will affect your ability to drive is unknown.

I'm a carpenter, and haven’t worked for several years now; however, we’ve had construction workers that seem to get by during treatment, and even a few folks that run marathons.

On the other side of the spectrum, we have folks that spend time in and out of E.R., and have trouble getting in and out of the shower, or making a bed.

As you can see, it affects us all individually. With little to no liver damage, I’d question the advice of my doctor. Are you seeing a specialist, or your Primary Care Physician? The former (either GI doc or Hepatologist) will be better suited to answer some of your questions.

Good luck to you, whatever you decide.

Take care,

Bill