Type 1a

Question

I have hep c 1A, I keep hearing how it is largely uncureable. Does having this type
greatly decrease my chances of a full recovery?? Has anyone on here had the same
and had a full recovery??? or know people that have??? I am 21 years old, stage 1 grade
1 fibrosis, about to start treatment, just trying to find out where I'm at...

Lady Lauri · Answer

Remember you from a few past post.

Chin up! I am in the 'all must decide what's right for their situation' category. Some want to wait for better, shorter tx, some want it gone now, some have more damage, etc. The choice is hard as there is no way of predicting progression of this disease. Some of us had for 30 yrs., minimal damage, some had 5 yrs. and a lot of damage and so on. It is generally a slow progressing disease, but if your not in that group, can be devastating.
  As said above, read, learn all you can on this. If you start now, as moahunter said, you'll know early in if your an early responder, if not, than re-think things, decide from there. I hope you both have parents-'grown ups' to help and support you in this. And stick around here for help thru tx too.

Drew and Youngfella......as many, I miss my wine or occasional beer TOO...but NO DRINKING with Hep or on tx. As Geno 1 you already have a hard fight, drinking reduce's your chance of cure also, along with REALLY damages your liver with Hep.
Sad, but true :}

Good luck guys, wishing you SVR and on with your life's.

LL

sfwandwow · Answer

what i understand vl load doesnt mean that much as how good or bad ur liver is doing, just eat healthy and exercise and stay up with ur dr and go to ur appts, we cant change anything we have to do the best we have to do

nygirl7 · Answer

I had both 1A and also 1B and I cleared them both.

There are good points to treating now (and not waiting for more damage or a higher viral load) or for waiting to see IF something new will come up and make treatment either.

Regardless to that unfortunately with hep you should not be drinking - at all.  It is the worst thing you can do in this world if you don't want more liver damage. If you do drink...it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that you'll go up stages into advanced liver disease.

While on treatment if you do drink it can completely negate the affects of the interferon and give those creepy critters the opportunity to come straight back in.

Try to determine if right now, being you and healthy you feel it's a good time personally for you to treat or not (do you have insurance? do you have a good support plan ie: family in place to help you, do you have a very physical, taxing job) things like that.

Nobody can ever be sure but you have the best possible odds to win right now that you are ever going to have. Remember that.

alagirl · Answer

With current drugs you do have a good chance of clearing this disease.  However, I do NOT agree with copyman that you should wait because of your youth.  Studies show that each year that goes by makes it more difficult for people with hepc to get rid of the virus.  Also, the virus attacks systems other than your liver, in particular, it also attacks your renal system.  And I think that your youth makes it actually, much easier for you to handle the treatment drugs.

There are many people on this board with both 1a and 1b genotypes who have gone on the current (or even earlier) treatment(s), and who have been successful at clearing this virus and attainning SVR.  I'm treating right now with genotype 1b and I'm a rapid responder (I do have the advantage of being an acute treater), and all of my viral load tests since I began treatment have been negative.

GrandmaA · Answer

Genotype la (or lb) are the most common types of hepatitis C in the USA. I have heard that lb is a little more difficult to become undetectable. The word "cure" is not correct when talking about viruses. Viruses are either detectable or non detectable, active or dormant. We want it to become dormant and stay that way. After you become nondetectable it can become active again, I know a patient with Lupus that was undetectable and a different doctor recommended she take Prednisone and the virus came back. The chicken pox virus comes back as shingles when you are older. Viruses lie hidden in the body.

Mikkimoe · Answer

I was just reading an article on this great site that was recent and it said <600,000 is the new range of better response. Looks like your good. To bad mine is over 3 million. Looks like I will be starting tx next month - I have 2 bad things going - age and VL but one very good - I am a 2b.

Here is the site - you will have to be a pretty good researcher - just click the abstract link under the articles to see the free overviews. (Wish I would of saved it)
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/117905614/ABSTRACT

mcmcorp45 · Answer

Yes When i said that drinking will affect the response to treatment basically I have heard either before treatment or during. But alot of what i read was about drinking during treatment. alcohol is shown to help the hep-c multiply in the cells.

HARRYBEADS · Answer

Below 800,000 increases your odds, it's concidered low. 

all my best
Harry

HARRYBEADS · Answer

First thing; learn as much as possible about Hep C and treatments, so you can make your own opinion about treating. This is a good place to start ask everything thats on your mind then confirm it with your Doctor. 

   I'm a 1a'er also and in my late 40's, stage 1, grade 1 and the first test at twelve weeks I was negative, 24 weeks negative and 48 weeks negative, now I'm waiting for the post 6 month test.
   
   You being young should help you tolerate treatment easier than us old farts can. Lookin back now treatment is not as bad as I had expected. In the worst case scenario you have a full life ahead of you if you start taking care of the disease now. It's not a death sentence, if it doesn't work there's new drugs coming out that look very promising.
  
    1a is the most popular form in North America and here, you have a good chance of clearing this virus with your Docs help.

 Keep us informed on your situation
  Best thoughts Harry

drew1985 · Answer

22 Year old male here as well with genotype 1.

I'm getting my biopsy done next week. I think that I'm just going to give the treatment a shot asap - I just want to get this done and over with.

mcmcorp45 wrote: "Just remember drinking beer can lower your responce to treatment"

Are you referring to drinking alcohol during treatment or before treatment?

My current VL is in the 300 thousands range - I read somewhere (I forget where) that if you have a VL below 400,000 before tx that your chances are just slightly improved of clearing. Can anyone confirm if this is true?

I'm currently seeing a local GI but I think that I'm going to get all my medical records faxed over to a university hospital located about an hour away from me (so I can see a hepatologist, etc.)

Right now my GI wants me to be cleared by a psychiatrist, eye doctor, and my cardiologist before starting tx. I have to see a cardiologist because of my constant heart palpitations and the psychiatrist because of anxiety.

youngfella21: Hey, I'll probably be starting tx within the next two months so we'll be in the same boat. When exactly are you going to start your treatment?

moahunter · Answer

1A is curable. There have been a lot of threads on whether to treat or not, or whether to wait for something better. Each person must make their own decision. My belief is that it is better to try and kill the virus sooner rather than later. It is only 4 to 12 weeks out of your life to find out how well you respond to the existing drugs, and how well you handle treatment. Might as well give it a go, but that's just me.

mcmcorp45 · Answer

I got the same exact thing. Hep-c1a stage 1 grade 1, but 22 years old, male. I have heard all the same stories... However I have seen and heard people with 1a do treatment and are just fine and it worked well. So never say nerver. But yes, 1a is overall a bit harder than others to respond to therpy. But I would not worry about that, your 21 S1 G1, and the fact that you are young helps also... alot of the studies done were on older people and younger people show a bit more promising rates of response to the treatment. I think you are in good shape. If you want to know more stick to this site and others! but your doing the best thing by looking. Just remember drinking beer can lower your responce to treatment... I had Hep-c my whole life and at 21 yea stupid me drank so well i just know how it is to be 21 hopefully u are smarter than me haha....

copyman · Answer

you doctor should have told you that you have around a 50% chance of cure with the present drugs. The drugs being used at this time are VERY harsh and this treatment is not without problems. Being young as you are with little damage you have the option of waiting for the new drugs coming out within the next 5 years. Or try and get into a trial with a shorter treatment instead of almost a year.  This is generally a slow moving disease and is why most people find out about it in their 40's & 50's after having it 20+ years. Best of luck with what ever you decide. One thing is for sure, you have come to the best forum for support.