Treatment for Genotype 1b

[Rene H]

I'm so grateful to of found this website, until now I swear I thought I was the only one who had 1b. Almost a yr ago my liver Dr. told me that you have 1b and there is no sense in getting treatment because it is the least receptive. After hearing that I asked him what I should do, he told me to keep an eye on the new research, (via internet) and maybe they will have come up w/new medications or whatever. I have done nothing with my hep, I don't know what to do about it. I know that I'm sick all the time, all I want to do is sleep, I wake up in the morning vomitting or feeling like I want to vomit, I inch all over, and sometimes I feel like I have a low grade tempature, where my bones hurt and ache. Dang, I sound like a big ole baby, but I just stating facts here. I'm scared more than anything, I have a job and it's gotten to the point to where my job is getting sick of me not being there and honestly, who can blame them. I have to work because I have nobody to help me and I also need the insurance. I guess what I'm asking is, what can I do to get more energy? What about treatment for this? What has other 1b's done for treatment? Any kind of advice I sure would appreciate. Thanks

[chellski]

welcome!  im 48yo fm, type 1, vl 1.5mil, biopsy show grade 2, stage 2.  my doctor is a gi and recommended treatment asap.  i'm now on week#20/48 and at my 12week testing - the virus showed undetectable!....i realize anything can happen, but i have great hope for future svr!  
you need a biopsy to decide on treatment and a new doctor if this one thinks you don't need to....i felt alot of same symptoms you have and most went away when i started treatment, although i've had quite a few side with treatment, i get to work everyday.
good luck,
<3 michelle

[HCA]

Could be worse-you could be 1a and 1b like me.
I am responding well to treatment.
I have known 1a/1b patients with cirrhosis clear the virus-so get fighting!!!!!!!!!!!!

[snook_man]

State Law in Florida requires pre-op blood tests. They have to do clotting factors and full CBC's.
Also, the biopsy is nothing. They will give you some Versed, and you're gonna feel great!! If the drug was legal, all of America would be addicts.
I would not go back to work after procedure, as they will hold you a minimum of 4 hours after and watch for bleeding. That is also state law. But you will be a little bit sore, and want to just lay down. I was sore for a few days after, actually felt like I did a few hundred sit ups or something!!
Good luck on your results!!

[Fubarcat]

I was a 1b.  I did the treatment, cleared at 12 weeks, still clear at the end of my treatment and still clear 3 months after treatment.  My viral load was low to begin with (600,000) and I was a Stage 2 or 3 (I forget now).  Here's the point:  If you want to treat, you should have a doctor that is willing to help you.  I am proof that 1b's have a fighting chance.  I will go for my 1 year blood work in December, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm cleared and I refuse to think differently.  Don't give up hope just because you are a 1b.  Find another doctor and do so ASAP so you can put your mind at ease and make the informed decisions that are right for you.  Good luck.

[Rene H]

Wow, thanks so much for the imput from everybody, you can not imagain how grateful I am to have read some of the things that ya'll wrote. I had all the blood tests, biopsy, all that, and he never told me a thing about any stages or about my results other than telling me I was 1b and to not do tx.

  Well I'm 43, I figure I've had it for about 19 to 20 yrs, I started feeling bad about 2 1/2 yrs ago and found out I had hep c 6 mos later. Damn, I feel like you people have given me hope today. I'm going to be a grandma for the first time in Dec, my son will be home from Irag in 20 days (yeah). I was going to just wait around for some other kind of tx, but not now. The person who said that they were on their 20th week or so and have been able to work, damn that could be me. Tomorrow I'm calling my Dr. and I'm going to get the results and I will let ya'll know where I stand. You know on one hand I feel like I'm on cloud nine, and then on the other, I'm pissed because of how my Dr. treated me and my illness.  Again, thank ya'll so much for everything said.

[avidreader]

You are not alone in being angry at a doc. It's appalling how little most family physicians/internists/primary care docs know about this disease and the need for treatment. I went years with symptoms that looking back were obviously related to my HEP C being treated by my primary doc who KNEW I had Hep C but who blamed by symptoms on everything but. I finally insisted on a referral to a heptoligist and it was the best move I've made in decades.

I'm one of those people who is actually feeling a little better on treatment (although I think it may be psychological--I'm just so damn glad to finally have a legitimate reason to be so tired and brain fogged  lol.) I'm continuing to work, and my doc keeps telling my that if I do respond I may feel better post treatment then I have in decades (and I'm 54!)

You owe it to yourself to see a doc who knows what (s)he is doing! Good Luck!