Alohas all.

[livindabest]

   Any number crunchers or statistic people here?
      I may be chickening out on starting tx . in 3 months.   I am "on a roll" at work doing some long hours but feeling fine, I have always had sense of humor from sunup to sundown,and past .  All is good in life right now.  I am 55yrs old and mild to mod. liver damage ,so far, and know I need to treat sooner or not too later.  
      Question is :  1) How many people total are in this forum? (seems like most  have sx.)   2) what % of people tx. work thru it.    
      Reason I ask, If the chances are that I will get even the mlid sides I will not be working and making the $$  that I am now. If we are a minority of heppers on tx. It may help me go for it, since you all are here to help,,,I am sooo confused..! (lol)    Thanks all ,I love this forum it will always be my support base, but dang feeling good now vs. feeling bad for 48 +weeks makes me reveiw my options.   Meki , lady Andiamo flguy all.   any and all ideas will help. Cya,
                                           Mahalos !...R
                                                                                            

[meki]

LLOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!

Well typos happen.. *G*

It all is up to you - no doc can make you treat... I respect your decision - even if it changes tomorrow.

Meki

[livindabest]

My header said : All!!
                            Aloha & Big Mahalos ...  
      Had to correct THAT!!!  lmao  
                                           C-ya,    R

[livindabest]

    Thank you all for the great  response!   I have been around this forum a while and thought I had it all figured out to just go for it. It  made sense. It still does !  But wanted all opinions from all . It did answer my Question that  its a good chance I will not be up to par for my job. I work in healthcare with elderly and disabled and only thing I relie on is my, energy and (most Important) my patience. I will hold off  on tx.  a while.  I have cool G.I. L.P.N. so hope she leaves my options to tx. at my will.   To any newcomers reading this, this is a quality of life issue for a 55 yr old male, I will treat but this is not a good time for me. I do not think holding off tx.  to wait for the next great white hope is a good idea. Treat as early as possible, but have all your ducks in a row first !  
    To all Responders , Thank you so much. I will always be here for you as you were for me.    
                                         Thxs.  
                                                    R.

[meki]

Livindabest - yanno - it's very personal.

I am pro-treatment. Even knowing what it can do to you.

I was able to work 75-80% of the time - but not at full capacity. I'm still somewhat diminished - but I'm coming back now...

It's different for every person.

I would say that deb prolly has the right numbers --- and life is probably tough for most folks.

I would also say - that you're not going to get any younger --- and tx gets harder and harder as you get older.

I will also say --- you most likely will lose a year of your life --- quality of life is not very good for those who have side effects.

However --- if you have minimal sides --- then whatcha waitin for? LOL!

You won't know until you try it.

Remember --- most folks on this board have had sides --- the reason they are here is because they google'd the side effect with HepC - and came to the forum to ask specific questions regarding their sides... And they stayed...

Or --- because they just found out about having HCV - and they have stayed.

So --- you have to make the decision for you --- based on what you believe and what your doctors say.

I wish you the absolute best of everything - either way you decide. OK?

Meki

[JRenquist]

I managed to work about halfway through therapy, then took a leave.  Talked to someone who "never missed a day of work", but said that they were unable to walk up a flight of stairs by the end.  I had to do that many times a day at my job.  So I guess a lot of it depends on how physically demanding your job is. I'm trying to save up all of my leave days now so that I can try again without working at all.  Depending on Vertex coming through  with the new medication.  Have you thought about waiting to see if that will work?  Supposed to come out in 2009 and many trials before that.  I think that they are planning on the length of time that you need to treated being a lot less than now.

[itzallgood]

How long have you known that you've had hepc?  was tx put on hold because of work only or did something else change your mind about starting tx?  and hope i am not too nosy, but i live in your area, do you think you have a good gastro doc?  i go out to mercy san juan.  Terry all the best to you in your tx and i hope to hear only good news!!  -R

[Terrylee8]

I'm 15 weeks into tx and I waited to treat until I retired, I've had it for 38 years w/2/2 bx/.  I'm glad I waited.  I'm doing OK with the sides but if I had to work I'm sure it would be a different story.  My main side is fatigue.  I attend Sac State and some days are harder than others.  Memory loss is my second problem.  

[wyntre9]

becky, deb, livadabest, all

Becky,

i asked in another thread what kind of cancer you'd had.

Wow.  Pancreatic and you beat it.  Congrats.

Just my 2 cents here;  I recently moved coz of money problems due to not working and I had to find a new PCP.  (My gastro is the same - i drive to NJ every 6 weeks or so).

When the new Dr. went over my case and I asked whether HE thought I should have started treating ( just for another opinion although it's been 9 months now - but the SX are just getting worse)

he said that he'd never seen anyone go through TX without a lot of side effects, that interferon was a nasty drug, but that the repercussions of not treating and progressing to liver cancer is far worse than anything you go through on TX.

He said he'd seen numerous patients with end stage liver disease and it was a horrible way to die.

So his recommendation was that even though treatment is difficult, it's well worth it.

that's pretty much the same thing the gastro told me when I'd been DX'd in December 2006 and asked why i had to start TX now.

"How long do you want to live," is what he replied.

I'm only stage 1, grade 1, and I know there are (supposedly) new drugs on the horizon but who knows when they'll be availble?

So i decided to take my chances with current SOC.

Thanks, becky, for pointing out the possible consequences of NOT treating.

Deb,

i've seen the gish video and I remember the stats that only 1 out of 10 people is ever diagnosed with hep - c - of every 100 diagnosed only about 10 percent ever finish treatment. . .

He seems like such a great Dr.

wyntre

ps - I know what you mean about how being laid off might have been a 'blessing in disguise."  I'm going through a similar scenario.  While I never would have CHOSEN to have hep-c, in a weird way it's forced (allowed) me to start over again . .

I'm now on permanent medical leave from teaching and while money is VERY tight, I'm looking at my situation as giving me another chance . . .

[debnevada]

I think you need to get the whole story.
Here's what Dr. Gish told me and he is one of the best hepatologists in the country (others will agree with me). He said nine of ten people he treated had sides, about 6 out of 10 had significant sides and one out of 20 had to stop treatment.

I was fired for work performance at the end of June after working mostly full time during 14 or so weeks of treatment.  Admittedly, I worked in a five person company as a technical project manager with a great deal of focus on me and also drove 50 miles a day to get work in heavy traffic. What my boss doesn't know is that when I went into work at 5 a.m. i would sleep for an hour on the couch to get over the commute from about week four on.

It turned out to be a good thing, really a blessing. I have had five or so infections, costochondritis and fatigue, slight anemia, sometimes significant nausea.  Prior to my operation last year that caused all of this, I ran a California half marathon and did boxing training for several years. so I wasn't weak. Also, I never paid much attention to physical pain (how else did I grow a football sized cyst in the midst of all that physical training and not know it?).

So for me the sides were and are real. The doctor has allowed me to inject B12 and it is a lifesaver. I hope it keeps working. The energy and "normalness" that it gives me is great.

IT IS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE. I understand about money.

That is what I experience.

[orphanedhawk]

Howzit!
      I think if you begin tx you should do so knowing that it may indeed interfere with your job. It may not but don't assume that it won't.  
     I had plans to illustrate a story I wrote. I found I couldn't concentrate and my perspective flew off with my focus.
      I began tx with the idea of doing whatever it takes to clear. Fatigue was my greatest sx. How will you deal with this job if you can't focus, become unreasonable irritable, and extremely tired?   How damaged is your liver. What are your priorities? Only you have the answers.
  
   You're in Hawaii. Slow down and smell the plumerias. When I lived there I was glad the rush of the mainland was behind me.

[Becky D]

As you have been told, it is a personal choice. I begin tx Tues. Mine had to be put off becuz I was dealing with pancreatic Ca. Now I have the green light and will proceed as scheduled. I love life and would rather suffer for 52 wks and more including long-term side-effects and be able to have something to work with. I am 47 and I know I have alot of living to do so in my opinion it is a small sacrifice to pay for life. We are all afraid and I believe that its normal escecially when its of this magnitude but remember, fear is momentary regret is 4-ever.... My brother-in-law is in end-stage liver failure with no options. He would give anything to have mine. His hep wasn't diagnosed sonn enough and he drank alot. When he got sick the Drs just assumed it was due entirely to his drinking so they didn't check for Hep. He was turned down for liver transplant and has no options now, I see what he is going through as well as his wife and family. He is in so much pain. Check out s/sx of end liver dz and you will realize that no matter what the tx side-effects are they will not compare to complications of end liver dz. I would prefer to act now while I still have options but again that is a personal choice. There is the issue of the true meaning of life. It is defined as quantity or quality. Most of the time life is a trade-off. Personally, I prefer quality but with hep c I believe that you can have both if treated soon enough. Time is the key. I lost all quality of life with the ca. I was ready to die and wanted to. But I went for the chemo and now I'm glad. There are still many residual effects present after chemo but I have learned to work around them. I have a zeal for life and I refuse to let hep c take me out when I survived pancreatic ca. I fought for my life once and will fight again. Nothing but a thing. It all depends on if your ready to go and I'm not. Atleast not without a fight. Watching my brother-in-law slowly and painfully die and also having lost 2 friends, 1 to liver failure and the other to liver ca I know that I have no choice but to fight. Thats a horrible death abd one I am not interested in. I understand your fear and delimma but think about this. Your life may depend on it. TIme is on your side. Use it wisely !!!!!!!!  Side-effects/suffering will exsist with either decision. One holds hope and one holds none. Your decision will depend on where you are in this life. But it sounds to me like you enjoy life far too much to allow fear to rule your decision. Think about it, educate yourself about Hep C, the tx, and what happens if you don't treat. Be informed but know that this decision will force you to choose between the best of  2 evils. I'm not a quitter and you don't sound like one too. Hope this helps. Last pray and your answer will come to you. I will tell you that scripture says choose LIFE...................................  You will be in my prayers  

How is the weather in Hawaii??? ANy damage from the storm?? What part are you from. My neice live there so thats my next vacation spot. Love the beach, water and lots of sun. Start that tx and I'll see ya when I get there. We will both be healty and ready to enjoy the finer things that life has to offer. Understand finances. I'm single and worked as a Physician Asst. Making a whole lot of money.
Now, Im on disablity and thats not much but I do make it and so will you. Gotta think positive and you will be suprised how those thoughts will begin to manifest themselves in your life. Same with negative so be careful what you think and speak over yourself...... Take care and keep in touch.
P.S. You don't sound like a chicken to me so don't go there..............  LOL  Peace out  Becky

[wyntre9]

it's a tough decision, one made even more difficult when clouded by financial considerations.

At week 36 of 72, I haven't worked sionce starting TX and there's no way i can go back until I'm finished treatment.  

but then again, it could be psychological, to a certain extent, as I hated my job of 20 years (urban school music teacher AKA juvenile prison guard).

But I know I'm not imagining that I just slept 16 hours the past 2 days, that i crash every afternoon, that I have no patience to deal with others, . . . .

FWIW, it's getting worse for me.  Compared to now, the first 6 months were a piece of cake.  And I couldn't work then, either.

but everyone responds differently.  

best of luck in your decision,

wyntre

[itzallgood]

yeah, i understand your dilemma, like desrt and copyman said it is an individual decision... it will never be convenient or easy to undergo treatment... it is good that you are searching for information.  i have had hepc many years, but after liver biopsy looked pretty good, the doc and I decided to monitor... and see.  we left the door open to go into treatment if enzymes changed or if i changed my mind.  i am also thinking about the same stuff as you... worried that work and home life could suffer.  glad you are feeling good now though.  we are about the same age, and someone told me that sometimes after 60 years of age SVR is more difficult to achieve.  but have not seen studies (are there any anyway?) and still, my doc said that some people just can't stand that there is any virus whatever in them and they will treat... hope you have a good relationship with your specialist so that you can feel confident that they are giving you thoughtful and competent information.  

[desrt]

I did physically demanding, (to me) mentally demanding work - plumbing/pipefitting - without missing a day except for scheduled blood draws and doctors' visits. It's different for everyone and you won't know until you try. Don't let any of the recent talk about side effects and long-term side effects do anything except let you go into it with your eyes open. Given your age and liver damage I personally would go for it, but as stated by copyman, only you can make the final decision. Be an adult: educate yourself, meditate on it, decide, and then live with your decision.
Take care.

[copyman]

i'm trying to hold off tx as well. hopefully until the new drugs or a vertex trial. to keep things in perspective most people that post in forums are having sx and that is why they post, but there are many more that have no sx at all and have no reason to visit forums so we never hear from them. this is a very personal decision only you can make. wishing you the best