Aa
Email I received from a girl named Cathy
Hi Ron,
I have recently stumbled upon your e-mail address from Dr. Ren's web site message board. Which I had gotten out of a Hepatitis magazine.
You seem to be pretty informed on all this. I will tell you MY story, if you would listen, i would appreciate it. I don't know what to do at this point.
I am a healthy (5'6", 125 lb) 46 year old female. When I was 22 years old I was in a bad accident (was hit by a train) they saved my life, but gave me blood. I found out about 10 years ago I had Hep-C, type 2-b (the cause of my divorce), I have mild fibrosis, I think stage one. Had several biopsies done(every 5 yrs), results stay the same except the viral load keeps going higher, I believe it's 700 million. My doctor feels that because my liver is close to normal no need for treatment, because there wouldn't be anything to compare test A to test B to.(damage) He said treatment will only lower the viral load some, not irraticate it.
When I first found out, I had the biopsy done, I used to drink socially, I quit everything, smoking , drinking and took up the gym(running 3 miles a day and lifting every day, 5 days a wk) I did this for 3 yrs. and had another biopsy done, the results stayed the same (except for the viral load going way up) He wouldn't treat me. Said I was too healthy. My concern is that I now have had this for 24 years, I am starting to really worry about my mortality. And am afraid if I don't get treated while I am young enough to handle it, that I will get "sick" when I am, in their eyes, too old to be treated. I suffer from what you all call the "symptoms" depression, memory loss, fatigue, I haven't worked out in 2 years, and just sit and waste the days away.....just don't know where to focus anymore...do you have any ideas? I know that it's easy to say to get motivated, but I just need some answers about what to do with this, I feel helpless just sitting here doing nothing. I have a hard time dating , it's a big turn off to people...Thank you for your time, Cathy Collins
I have recently stumbled upon your e-mail address from Dr. Ren's web site message board. Which I had gotten out of a Hepatitis magazine.
You seem to be pretty informed on all this. I will tell you MY story, if you would listen, i would appreciate it. I don't know what to do at this point.
I am a healthy (5'6", 125 lb) 46 year old female. When I was 22 years old I was in a bad accident (was hit by a train) they saved my life, but gave me blood. I found out about 10 years ago I had Hep-C, type 2-b (the cause of my divorce), I have mild fibrosis, I think stage one. Had several biopsies done(every 5 yrs), results stay the same except the viral load keeps going higher, I believe it's 700 million. My doctor feels that because my liver is close to normal no need for treatment, because there wouldn't be anything to compare test A to test B to.(damage) He said treatment will only lower the viral load some, not irraticate it.
When I first found out, I had the biopsy done, I used to drink socially, I quit everything, smoking , drinking and took up the gym(running 3 miles a day and lifting every day, 5 days a wk) I did this for 3 yrs. and had another biopsy done, the results stayed the same (except for the viral load going way up) He wouldn't treat me. Said I was too healthy. My concern is that I now have had this for 24 years, I am starting to really worry about my mortality. And am afraid if I don't get treated while I am young enough to handle it, that I will get "sick" when I am, in their eyes, too old to be treated. I suffer from what you all call the "symptoms" depression, memory loss, fatigue, I haven't worked out in 2 years, and just sit and waste the days away.....just don't know where to focus anymore...do you have any ideas? I know that it's easy to say to get motivated, but I just need some answers about what to do with this, I feel helpless just sitting here doing nothing. I have a hard time dating , it's a big turn off to people...Thank you for your time, Cathy Collins
I was reading the Pegasys insert and it does not read the same. I guess the sides are a tad easier with that peg.
your quote does seem to include everything from ideation to completion in that one %, which still leaves suicide completion at less than 1%?
your quote does seem to include everything from ideation to completion in that one %, which still leaves suicide completion at less than 1%?
Cathy said:
the "symptoms" depression, memory loss, fatigue, I haven't worked out in 2 years, and just sit and waste the days.
pkcolo said:
Take a deep breath, relax, and just keep doing what you've been doing. :)
Ina
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Eisbein, LOL, summin just don't seem right there does it?
the "symptoms" depression, memory loss, fatigue, I haven't worked out in 2 years, and just sit and waste the days.
pkcolo said:
Take a deep breath, relax, and just keep doing what you've been doing. :)
Ina
_____________________________________________________________
Eisbein, LOL, summin just don't seem right there does it?
Keep doing what you've been doing. Get a biopsy every 3-5 years. Viral load is not an indicator of damage. However, your ALT and AST can be very good indicators of ongoing (viral activity) damage. Yours are in the low range. Not high-low, or medium-low, but low-low. You have absolutely no reason to treat at this point or any other point in all likelihood. You have been infected for 24 years and have not progressed beyond stage one on repeated biopsies. The risks v. rewards don't add up. Keep getting regular labs and biospies. You will not progress a stage overnight. You will have alot of time to react should your fibrosis increase. The decreased odds of clearing at stage two v. stage one is extremely insignificant. These meds should be respected for what they can and cannot do. You don't take meds that result in appx. one suicide per 100 patients unless it is APPROPRIATE. And stage one after 24 years of infection is not what I'd call appropriate, barring the presence of any other known extenuating circumstances.
And your doctor is wrong about a couple of things. The virus CAN be eradicated. If you decided to treat, as others have mentioned, your success rate is >85%.
Taking a "watchful waiting" approach would be a prudent choice in my opinion. BTW, docs not wanting to treat stage one patients should be saluted. It shows they have an understanding of the dangers of this therapy and don't want to rush you on to tx just to get a check. Take a deep breath, relax, and just keep doing what you've been doing. :)
Best regards,
PK
And your doctor is wrong about a couple of things. The virus CAN be eradicated. If you decided to treat, as others have mentioned, your success rate is >85%.
Taking a "watchful waiting" approach would be a prudent choice in my opinion. BTW, docs not wanting to treat stage one patients should be saluted. It shows they have an understanding of the dangers of this therapy and don't want to rush you on to tx just to get a check. Take a deep breath, relax, and just keep doing what you've been doing. :)
Best regards,
PK
This is straight off off the peg-inntron.com web site.
Psychiatric adverse events, which include insomnia, were common (57%) with PEG-INTRON®, but similar to INTRON® A (58%). Depression was most common at 29%. Suicidal behavior including ideation, suicidal attempts, and completed suicides occurred in 1% of patients during or shortly after completing treatment with PEG-INTRON®
Appears that 1% at least consider it.
Sam
Psychiatric adverse events, which include insomnia, were common (57%) with PEG-INTRON®, but similar to INTRON® A (58%). Depression was most common at 29%. Suicidal behavior including ideation, suicidal attempts, and completed suicides occurred in 1% of patients during or shortly after completing treatment with PEG-INTRON®
Appears that 1% at least consider it.
Sam
I was infected w/tainted blood products in 1967 and wasn't dx until after my liver failed in 2001. I had been seeing medical professionals for a variety of symtoms I now know was cirrhosis and end stage liver disease. I also had both elective and emergency surgery and no one caught the hep c.
Anyway, I was a 2b, tx'd w /intron and riba, cl'd in 2wks and that was nearly 4 yrs ago. The amazing thing was the depression just was gone. the aches and pains of RA were gone, the voilent mood swings and constant fatique were all gone almost immediately, even during the rest of tx-24wks altogether-3 shots a wk and 5 ribas a day.
I drove half way across the state to see a specailist and the only AD/anti-nausea/sleep aid I used was medical marijana.
My meds were free. My costs were low and now I'm cured. And that's priceless!
Anyway, I was a 2b, tx'd w /intron and riba, cl'd in 2wks and that was nearly 4 yrs ago. The amazing thing was the depression just was gone. the aches and pains of RA were gone, the voilent mood swings and constant fatique were all gone almost immediately, even during the rest of tx-24wks altogether-3 shots a wk and 5 ribas a day.
I drove half way across the state to see a specailist and the only AD/anti-nausea/sleep aid I used was medical marijana.
My meds were free. My costs were low and now I'm cured. And that's priceless!
Ron,
I don't think Cathy's VL is correct. It is my understanding that the Quantitative Test cuts off at 100 million. Like her, I am a 2b with mild fibrosis. Took shot 16 of 24 last night. My starting VL was 77.6 million. At week 12 I was at less than 10/undetectable. I have seen several Drs about this and not one suggested that I should not do treatment. As a 2b, Cathy has a high probability of clearing the virus despite a high viral load. Also, I believe that the dosage of both interferon and riba is lower with treatment of 2. I am only taking 800 mg Riba/day which is lower than many others here are taking so sides may not be as bad.
As to passing the disease to her BF, it is highly unlikely. I have been with the same woman for 5 years and she does not have it. In fact, prior to last July we did not know I had it so we did not take any special precautions to avoid transmission. Now we just make sure not to share razors or risk her contacting my blood in any other way.
Sam
I don't think Cathy's VL is correct. It is my understanding that the Quantitative Test cuts off at 100 million. Like her, I am a 2b with mild fibrosis. Took shot 16 of 24 last night. My starting VL was 77.6 million. At week 12 I was at less than 10/undetectable. I have seen several Drs about this and not one suggested that I should not do treatment. As a 2b, Cathy has a high probability of clearing the virus despite a high viral load. Also, I believe that the dosage of both interferon and riba is lower with treatment of 2. I am only taking 800 mg Riba/day which is lower than many others here are taking so sides may not be as bad.
As to passing the disease to her BF, it is highly unlikely. I have been with the same woman for 5 years and she does not have it. In fact, prior to last July we did not know I had it so we did not take any special precautions to avoid transmission. Now we just make sure not to share razors or risk her contacting my blood in any other way.
Sam
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