How SERIOUS can Hepatitis C be?

[red_67]

Hi. I recently had some lab work done as I am bi-polar, and was told I have Hepatitis C. I have a ton of questions, but mainly, how serious is this really? I have been an alcoholic for a very long time, but haven't had any alcohol in about 6 months. I used to do many drugs, also. Don't do that anymore either! But now, this. I am a little scared. What should I know?

[red_67]

Oh yeah, I have read some of the other forum posts on Hep C, but because I am new to all this and a little ignorant of the details, PLEASE use laymen's terms! :)

[red_67]

Thank you all for the comments and for making me feel welcome. I just got these results last week, and I am currently making a doctor's appointment. I was told I had to have a referral to see a specialist, so right now, I am just going to a "regular" doctor. Hopefully one day  next week. Does anyone know what this means:  

Hepatitis C Ab (Reactive)           A         Nonreactive              F
Signal to Cutoff   25.70              H         <1.00                       F

I know this isn't a place to seek diagnosis and  treatment, but I figure others dealing with this might give me a little insight. When I go see the doctor, I want to know enough to be able to understand what they are telling me. I am trying to educate myself on it before I go in there.

Also, any suggestions as to what kind of questions I should be asking the doctor when I go in?

[mikesimon]

"Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2006;8(6):361-6
.
Hepatitis C treatment of patients with bipolar disorder: a case series.

Rifai MA.

Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.
Abstract

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronic infection affects 10% to 15% of patients with bipolar disorder. Patients with HCV infection and comorbid psychiatric illness pose a tremendous clinical and therapeutic challenge. The cases presented in this report illustrate several critical issues facing clinicians who manage patients with comorbid HCV infection and bipolar disorder.Method: Five cases are described in which patients with DSM-IV bipolar disorder were treated with interferon-alpha-based therapies and ribavirin to induce viral clearance of HCV. In all cases, the patients were treated using an integrated model of care, and the treatment decision was a consensus between the treating hepatologists and psychiatrists.Results: In the first case, the patient had no significant neuropsychiatric adverse effects and had viral clearance. In 2 other cases, viral clearance of HCV was achieved through the delicate management of affective symptoms induced by interferon-alpha and ribavirin. Interferon-alpha and ribavirin treatment was halted due to mania and suicidal ideation in the 2 remaining cases.Conclusion: These cases suggest that patients with hepatitis C and bipolar disorder should be evaluated for HCV antiviral treatments, as these patients can receive and tolerate these treatments if assessed meticulously, observed carefully, and followed extensively during interferon-alpha and ribavirin treatment. This case series will hopefully spark a dialogue about when HCV antiviral treatment should be withheld or delayed in these difficult cases."

[22hamilton]

Firstly well done on the changes in your alcohol and drug use !! You have probably saved your life by making those kinds of lifestyle changes, try to remain sober at all costs. Do you have any specialist care  either in psychiatry or hepatology/GE. It would be wise to arrange for further tests/discussions around your future treatment/management of hep c.

Welcome and good luck

[Diane12855]

Hep c can slowly destroy liver cells to the point where the liver can no longer perform all of its millions of functions. This can take from 20 to 40 years. We can't live without our liver.

The best way to find out how much damage you have is to have a biopsy. There is treatment now that has about a 50% success rate, but if your damage is minimal, there are new drugs awaiting FDA approval that have a higher success rate with less treatment time... Ex. I'm doing treatment now for 48 weeks... once the new drugs are out, my genotype should be able to clear the virus in 24 weeks.

Knowledge is power with this disease. You need to learn as much as you can, and find a doctor who has treated lots of hep c patients because there are a lot of doctors out there who know very little about this disease and you don't want one of them.

Welcome to the forum... ask anything you want to know.

Diane

[nygirl7]

Since you are bi-polar I dont think they are going to want you to do treatment as the interferon can negatively effect your condition; however with your history you should get a biopsy to determine how much liver damage you have.  One condition might trump the other and perhaps they can treat you and keep you under close observation for any depression, I'm not sure.

Keep living as clean a life style as you can so as not to cause anymore liver damage in the meantime......perhaps by some miracle you have limited liver damage and don't really need to do treatment.  Not everyone does and most people will die of something else rather than hep. But you have to know where you stand/