22 Years Old (just got diagnosed with hep c)

[drew1985]

Hello,

I am a 22 year old male (with two children) and have just gotten diagnosed with hepatitis C. I just have some questions about hepatitis and getting through life with it.

Here's my current situation:

I have two beautiful little girls - I just got out of a 5 year relationship with their mother (in September). We're just finalizing our custody battle with the kids (I get them 3 days per week) - I own an pretty successful Internet marketing business and have pretty much been stressed out since September (since the whole breakup).

I just starting seeing this other woman (8 years older than me - started seeing her in early November)... things were going along perfectly until I just found this information out from my doctor. When I told her she completely got disgusted and she's afraid she has it too. But the worst thing about it is that I think she is scared to even touch me. I laid down with her last night and she was completely on the other side of the bed and wouldn't even really go near me.

Obviously, this may not work out because of the whole hepatitis C situation but I am afraid that this is going to happen with every woman I meet in the future and in the end - I'm just going to be a lonely bachelor the rest of my life. I mean how do you even meet people when you have this disease? I'm a shy guy in general and am a pretty heavy drinker - now that alcohol is out of the equation, it's 1.) going to be hard to even talk to women. 2.) If I do meet another woman, how do you tell them this? I would think 19/20 of them would immediately get freaked out and run... far away. I know I should be more worried about my health but this is one of my main worries.

I just found out two days ago so I haven't talked to too many doctors about this. I just have a few questions.

1. I'm only 22 - I just had an ultrasound of my liver and it came back 100% perfect. What are the chances that they are going to put me on meds?

2. Since I contracted this early - do you think my liver is going to be blown out by the time I'm 50?

3. If they put me on medication and future tests show that the virus has been taken care of (for the time being) am I allowed to drink alcohol (maybe 1 time a week - 6 beers)?

4. How do I go through life like this with such little support? My mom died when I was 16 and I have little contact with my dad. The only people I really have to talk to are my two sisters (which I don't speak with very often).

5. I have really bad anxiety so I take 25mg Xanax twice a day. How am I supposed to cope with anxiety if I can have no Xanax or alcohol to settle me down? Can you still take anti anxiety meds?

6. If/When the doctors put me on meds will this make me loose weight? I am a freak about my weight and would hate to loose a lot of weight (would shatter my self esteem even more).

7. Is my doctor going to put me on a strict diet (e.g. no salt, caffeine)?

I have no idea how I contracted this. I have never used needle drugs but I did get one tattoo but I got it when I was 16 and I seen the professional place pull the needle fresh out of the box. The only more realistic thing I can think of is all of the IV's that have been stuck in my arm and the few surgeries I've had (never needed to receive any blood).

I have no idea what type of Hep C I have or how much of it's even in my system. My doctor is still doing tests on it to check the load/etc.

Thanks for all of your answers and support. I just feel really down right now - the only thing that is keeping me sane are my two daughters (both younger than 4).

[anwaar]

You're welcome, and see? Like I mentioned, this is place is great source of information.  You mentioned you would be receiving further results tomorrow.  Please share them and continue to ask questions and read.  

[drew1985]

Yea, I'm not 100% sure if my doctor ordered the Genotype test or not but their testing me for Viral load for sure and i'll get the results tommorow.

My initial test came back positive but my doctor said their wasn't enough blood to test it further to make sure it wasn't a false positive. He thinks I probably do have have it because my liver enzymes were pretty elevated back in November and are still above normal range. I was drinking pretty moderately (only beer though) but he told me their basically is no possible way that the alcohol caused such high liver enzymes.

So of course I could be one of those people who have the natural antibodies but it's hard to believe that because my liver enzymes were high at the same time.

I'm really nervous and have a few other q's about that test tomorrow. I'm pretty sure that he mentioned something about the Genotype being tested as well (but not 100% sure).

What are the chances that I just have the antibodies and my viral load comes back as undetected? I don't see such a high chance simply because of my high liver enzymes.

Can they test how long I may have had the virus? This would help me better recognize where I may have been exposed to this. I was hospitalized back in 2005 for encephalitis and had several IV's jammed in my arm in the hospital during that period. The encephalitis was caused by an unknown virus that attacked my brain (caused lesions, etc.) - The hospital I was at was terrible .. and believe they may have been unsanitary with all of those IV's and such. I was diagnosed with MS and then meningitis at first but after 2 weeks they switched their story and simply said an unknown virus attacked my brain and caused a thing called Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (recovered about 95% from it.. just small memory problems and made me have blurred vision). But I had about 30 needles poked in my arm during my stay there. They tested me for HIV and I thought they may have even tested me for hepatitis (not 100% sure) but I'm going to check my medical records.

Thanks for all of your support and answers.
I wish the best for all of you,
-Drew

[jmjm530]

Around 20% of men clear the virus naturally and around 40% of women -- and the fact tht your enzymes were more elevated before doesn't mean you couldn't be part of the 20%.  BTW exactly how high were your enzymes in November? I'm asking because it's possible you were in the acute stage then -- and still are -- which is often without symptons. Was there a reason why your doctor didn't run the tests then?

-- Jim

[drew1985]

I'm not sure of the exact numbers but my ALT levels (I believe) were in the 300 range in November. In mid December I had another test and the ALT levels dropped to around 100 (i'm not sure of the exact numbers - just the general range)... I just called the office - the nurse said she may call back today and tell me exact numbers.

The doctors ran the test because I simply couldn't eat much. I just didn't have the urge at all and it worried me because I was dropping weight. I thought it was all stress related but blood tests showed otherwise. I had no pain but even if I tried to drink alcohol it would make me nauseated. This only occurred for about 3 weeks and then my hunger came back (with the exception of the last week in December).

[Trish77]

Hi Drew,

I can relate to a number of things you've said.  

I can understand the massive swirl of questions you have going around in your head right now and I'm really glad you're here.  It's a tough thing to be told and there is alot to learn.  This is a good place to be for that.

Okay...as Jim said, first things first.  You need to get your test results so that you're dealing with knowns rather than unknowns.  Find out your genotype and your viral load and from the sounds of it, that's what the doctor is already doing.  Post back.  Having said that, what that will tell you is how LONG you will need to treat for if you decide to go ahead.  

The other thing.. is that, apparently, it's not unheard of to get a false positive on an HCV test.  If you've only had one, sounds like you're about to get a second.  I had my doctor test me twice because I had such a hard time accepting the diagnosis as it was thrown in with a bunch of other ones.  Bless him, he agreed. Then my GI did one and well, there was the trifecta.  So....again.....wait to see how your latest blood test turns out all around.

Once you have your blood test back.. if it's positive..then you go from there.  From there, I'd be wanting a biopsy.  A biopsy would tell you how much liver damage, if any, you have. There isn't any other determinate that's as accurate for that as a biopsy, not liver enzyme levels, not viral load, not genotype, not anything.  I suspect yours would be very low but there's no way of knowing.  A biopsy might sound like a big deal bit it's really a simple nearly painless procedure and the worst part of a biopsy tends to be lying on your side for four hours after it's done.  The actual procedure takes about 10 minutes.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to include this, however, if you're seeing the doc about the results of your blood test and if things end up positive, etc...then you can ask for the biopsy if that's what makes sense to you.

Then....once you know what your genotype is that will tell you how long you need to treat IF you are positive ... and once you know the level of your liver damage...the decision will be WHEN you treat.  That is a VERY individual thing.  Treatment currently is either 24 weeks or 48 weeks depending on genotype.  Big decisionmaking process goes into that as you have to figure out when you can fit that into your life.  I don't want to overwhelm you with all that..so I'm going to stop now and take that a step at a time once you know for sure what your actual status is.

As for your other questions....

Your relationship.  The hardest part of having HCV for me has been having to tell the men I date at a given point (before sex and after dating has reached the place that it's looking like it might go there).  The problem I encounter is the extreme lack of knowledge about HCV and the general misconception that this is a sexually transmitted disease and is the result of some kind of bad or immoral living on your part.  Not fun.  Your girlfriend needs some information.  And that might not be enough.  One of the best sites I've ever come across to explain the sexual aspect of this is the Hepatitis Australia website. They go into what sorts of sexual activity can be a risk and they explain it really well.

I have to admit...one of my driving factors for treating is that I'm single and it's not been a picnic with the various responses I've gotten from men in this regard.  I've had some very pleasant responses...but those are much fewer than the negative ones.  I'm not going to sugar coat that for you.  At the same time... still..take this a step at a time, okay??

As for how to explain it...I've taken to explaining it like this...I tell them... "if you were a vampire and bit my neck and drank my blood, with the exception of open sores in your mouth, you would not be at risk.  However, if you wanted to be blood brothers and you pricked your finger and I mine and we put the wounds together such that my blood entered into your bloodstream, that WOULD be a risk."   Maybe too simplistic, maybe some would say inaccurate but I don't think so (I'll wait to see if I get arrows shot at me for that one) but it's working for me to explain the method of transmission in a quick and understandable way.

As for getting through this without much family support.  I hear you there too.  I don't have a mom, not since I was five and I didn't grow up with my dad..I know him but we've had a difficult relationship over the years so.. while he's actually been pretty good, it's not totally comfortable to be turning to him for support. I have a sister I'm estranged from and who doesn't know I have this and my brother is a sweetheart but a real simpleton and he's more harm than good, so I don't talk to him much about this.  

What I've learned is that people will offer support and they mean well at the time even perhaps...but they don't necessarily come through.  So I now look at any support from others as bonus.  I do have those people that I'm reasonably sure I can count on but even them.. if I ask, I don't expect.  I just take what gets sent back my way.  You will have to get yourself through this first and foremost.  And you can.  Having said THAT....what Jim said is true. While you need to get yourself through this, the BEST and most valuable support will come from others who also have this.  And for that reason, I'm very very glad that you found this place.  If it comes to that, there might be a support group in your area too.  I found one in my area, small little group.. but SO good to be with people who understand what each other is going through.  You'll surprise yourself at what you're able to do.  Those three little girls of yours will be incredible motivation.

I hope I haven't overwhelmed you here.  You've asked alot of questions and I figure the information will settle you down.  I hope so.

Take care...and keep posting.

Trish

[drew1985]

BTW, thanks for all of your posts/responses Jim! I appreciate it very much,

-Drew