3rd try, page keeps erroring. ? about hep-c and cirossis/transplants?/methadone

[RainyDayGirl]

Ok, I have a few questions:
1.  I did have hep-c, but the pegasus/ribavirin erased it from my system. Now that its gone, can the liver repair itself? Does a liver do that? Will it get rid of the cirossis?
2.  Will a board consider me for a transplant if needed, if they know I was on methadone, or will I be turned down because I got help with an addiction?
  I forgot the last question lol sorry. I hope someone out there can offer me some _honest_ advice here, as im scaird and this is all new to me. Ill await your reply.
Thank You,

[JennyPenny]

Congrats on completing treatment. You have to wait 6 months after treatment ends and if you are still undetected at that point, you can say you are cleared (some people cazll it cured).

Yes, methadone patients have been transplanted. I think you misunderstood about your stage of disease. Stage 3 is usually considered bridging fibrosis, kind of a step before cirrhosis. There is no such thing as stage 3 cirrhosis. The stages of cirrhosis are reported as Child's Class A, B or C. If you were Class C, you would be too sick to take interferon and ribavirin.

About the scarring, the HALT C trials show that after 5 years the scarring in the liver gets better in 20% of cirrhotic (stage 4) patients, 80% of bridging fibrosis (stage 3) patients, and all of stage 1 & 2 patients.

[RainyDayGirl]

Hi Bill,
     Thank You for getting back to me. No its only been two weeks since I finished those meds. My dr. said within the 1st week of meds the C was indetectable. She said that probably was due to the type I had, the easiest to treat? Its all new to me. So , it sounds like I need to do a follow up with her then wait that 6 months to see if its still true. They also said I had stage 3 cirossis, but no one has addressed this as of yet. I assume they will? It sounds like there is alot more I have to learn. Im so lucky to have found this site. Atleast you have given me some question to ask the dr. Ill keep watching the forum boards to see if there is any further advice. They knew I was on the methadone during treatment also, they said that was fine. hmmms. anyway ty and ty (-:

[Bill1954]

You say that “…pegasus/ribavirin erased it from my system”. By that, do you mean that you have competed treatment, and at least six months have elapsed since you have had any meds, and you are still virus negative? If so, you have achieved SVR (Sustained Viral Response). Assuming you do not have decompensated liver disease, you can probably expect your liver to at minimum hold its own ground; it shouldn’t deteriorate any further, and might possibly improve one or more stages in terms of fibrosis. If you have progressed to decompensated cirrhosis, you will eventually require transplant.

As far as transplant possibilities for methadone patients, I believe you can be considered if you can demonstrate six months of sobriety/clean; I don’t think previous use in itself will prevent you from being evaluated.  

Do you know what your stage of fibrosis is currently, or at last check?

Hopefully, others will chime in with some further information for you shortly. Take care—

Bill