Just diagnosed- terrified and alone.

[DayLyn]

I was just recently diagnosed - March 2006.  1a.  In BC, Canada.

I've finally gotten the courage to post, but have been reading posts here for weeks.

I feel alone in this - the stigma is great, and many people are ignorant or uneducated, or both.

I'm being screened for treatment next Tues.

My question was - Pegasys or Peginteron?  Any opinions or suggestions would be welcome.

[TravisB]

DayLyn:  This is not a death sentence.  In fact this is not a disease that you may actually ever feel symptoms of.  Yes, it's something you have to deal with, but keep in mind that there are many, many people that die of old age without ever even knowing they had hepc.  You will learn to live with it and find the strength to wage a fight which you will win.  Either way, it's something you can deal with.  Good luck.

[Lonestar823]

You came to the right place then Daylin.  And I'm sure everyone else began where you are, terrified and alone.  And you're quite right about ignorance being the major cause for the stigma.  I had never heard of hep c before.  Maybe I'd heard the word but it never registered. Now I know more than I ever wanted to know.  Funny the little bubbles of a world we sometimes live in huh?  Jeez, I remember my heart pounding so hard and feeling like a little animal that had to hide out.  Later on I felt like the Dragon as I've heard some call hep c was really just a rotten little virus and I couldn't wait to put the "rat poison" down (interferon) to kill it.  Not sure which interferon is best.  I ended up doing a long haul with one called infergen.  It's kinda tough Daylin but quite doable if you want to bad enough and you can tolerate the treatment.     Hold your head up high, shoulders back and one foot in front of the other.  After a little while the stigma fades because for me anyway it was mostly in my own head.  If you choose to tell friends and you loose one or two, smile and pat yourself on the back for ridding yourself from them.  We'll all be looking out for you here.

[couchpotato]

What part of B.C. are you in? I'm on the Island and was a geno type 2, treated and cleared in '04. Husband had a liver transplant at Vancouver General in '04 also. This is a nasty virus, and although some people have a harder time than others, the tx is doable. I think the hardest past is the diagnosis and all the questions and fears it represents. You have found an excellent place to come for support and information,  most if not all of your questions will pretty much be answered here. Personally, I never cared about what anybody thought about me and my husband having hep, in the grand scheme of things, does it REALLY matter?

Mattie

[bobbyullc]

I AM SORRY BUT I NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE stygma PART?  THIS IS A SICKNESS THAT 170 MILLION HAVE IN THE WORLD AND 4 MIL IN THE US.
WOULD ANYONE BE ASHAMED OF THE FLU?
PEG-INTRON IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE BEST SUCCESS RATE BUT PEGASIS THE LEAST SIDES. THIS IS NOT THE END BUT SOMETHING TO LIVE AROUND AND FIND A CURE.

WHAT IS YOU BIOPSY SCORE. 1 - 4 ?
BOBBY

[mycoldfeet]

You are never alone here, we all were scared, confused, and didn't know what to do, we all here for you and way over a hundred years of experience in all this, and this forum is like a family. Welcome, and feel free anytime day or night to talk, vent, or ask questions, there isn't anything some of us hasn't experienced and willing to share.