stage 4 hep c

[jamesjimpops]

I have been told i have chronic cirrhosis and at age 69 they tell me that treatment woul wreck my body is their anyone there my age going through this, they also tell me i wont be able to work because of the side effects       let me hear from someone thanks jim in mississippi

[Lady Lauri]

  :}

[jmjm530]

LOL.

[Upbeat]

Being in  my 60's  I can relate to the decision not to treat.   Lets be real.  Your age,  Geno type, Viral load,  Gender,  how long you have had the virus, and liver damage,  all play into the odds for SVR.  The quality of your life weighed against the quantity is the question we of the older generation must take into account.  Only 20% ever develope serious liver problems.  I find myself asking is it worth the gambe to TX?  For the record  62   1B   viral load 3 million  infected since non a non b days.  Liver condition unknown.   Waiting on fibroscan. I do have diabetes and it may have come from from the hep who knows.  I do control it with diet and a hour every morning on the tread mill.  I have a BMI in the teens and am in the best shape I have ever been.  

                                                                                                                                          Ron

[Lady Lauri]

  Okay, jmjm......been here with my chest to the monitor for past 24 hours????
  Where'd ya' go ???? I'm getting cold here !

                                                                                 LL

[jmjm530]

LL: And could jmjm please look at this dark spot on my chest?
----------------------------------------------------
Remove your shirt and move closer to the monitor.

[Lady Lauri]

                          
  So you want to take over my tx :} ?? I won't sue ! Haven't sued the idiots that misdiagnosed me for 10 years! (yet!)

And could jmjm please look at this dark spot on my chest? ( UPPER chest, way upper chest:}

Do we have a GYN in the house? (opened a can of worms there I think!)
Ohhhh....worms, gyn.....maybe should rephrase that!!

  Time to sign off now!                                                                LL

[Lady Lauri]

  Question...... you were told 4 years ago you had Hep C, no damage????
Did you drink much? Do you drink now?  If so....... you HAVE to stop all drinking! That's a pretty fast progression , unless it was inaccurate 4 years ago. You must know Geno type??

                                                                                       LL

[mikesimon]

I am a doctor and I believe that Jim is too. With medical malpractice as it is today we don't hold ourselves out as professionals - the potential liability is limits that. And yes, we do pass all of the CME tests on HCV, liver transplantation and HCV treatment post transplant. I steer away from non-hepatic issues for the most part but, my practice is very specialized. I think Jim's practice is somewhat broader than mine and I believe he treats dermatological issues in addition to the hepatic ones I mentioned . Mike

[Lady Lauri]

  LOL !  

   www.ask hannibal.com for liver dishes !

                                                                                             LL

[Lady Lauri]

  Have to agree with mike s there! That's absurd!
  I am 49, ride a Harley, horse's, travel, snorkel, before tx very active, 'young' with a LOT of life left in me. Tell me I shouldn't treat at 52-55.......... I think not!!

                                                                                   LL

[jmjm530]

LL: Have either of you considered going back to school to become a liver specialist?
---------------------
Funny you should ask. Actually just considering taking an online course in the culinary arts, but didn't know one could specialize in liver dishes. I will look into that.

-- Jim

[Lady Lauri]

  Hi and welcome and sorry to hear your news.
jmjm, mike, all might also inform you that doing treatment can often slow down liver disease progression, if not cure you. Am I right guys/gals ? (learned from you!)

   Please DO seek a liver specialist, especially with your age and stage. Your Geno type is?
   Best of luck to you.
                                                                       LL
  

[Lady Lauri]

  Have either of you considered going back to school to become a liver specialist?
You both have tons of research, could probably ace any test on the liver and hep and would make excellant Dr.'s given the ones we have heard of on here !! :}

  "Never too old"..... that's my motto !

                                                                                          LL

[jmjm530]

MS:...then I think you have an idiot for a doctor...
----------------
Something tells me that our assessment of a signficant part of doctors that treat Hep C  growing closer and closer. Sometimes I feel like a broken record telling people to "get another opinion" but don't know what else to do when I see posts like this which seem more the rule than the exception. BTW I think "Andiamo" is treating at age 67 or 68?

That said, if one of we "seniors" had very little liver damage, I could see where a doctor might factor that into the decison not to treat. "James" on the other hand has stage 4 and needs all the help he can get.

-- Jim

[mikesimon]

If what your doctor told you was his general practice approach and was not based on your particular situation then I think you have an idiot for a doctor. And, if what was told to you was based on your particular situation, then I see no purpose for your comment. 49 years of age or 52 years of age as an arbitrary cutoff for the advisability of  treatment is just plain stupid and furthermore it is dangerous. Mike  

[Terrylee8]

I'm 60 and treating at 31 weeks. So far it's doable, not great but not that bad either.  Being undectable is a nice reward.  I don't know about work as I'm retired.  I suppose that I would be able to do 4 days a week if I had to.  Good luck

[tahoeunicorn]

i live in Southaven, MS. The doctor i use is in Memphis. Dr. Michael J Levinson, he is with memphis Gastro group on wolf river blvd. I  know that he has trials going on although i didn't qualify, They were lookin for Geno 1a. I'll check with a friend of mine her mother went to the dr. in Jackson.. I'll see if I can get more info.
Good Luck
Lynn

[jmjm530]

Oh, yes, "GrandmaA", a member is 65.

[jmjm530]

I treated at age 58 and it was successful. We also have several members who treated in their 60's, "Andiamo" is one that comes to mind.

[JodyLynn]

My doctor said before he started me on treatments had i been a few years older he wouldnt do it....im 49.

[jmjm530]

OK. See by your profile that you're in Missouri. Closest big-league doc I know of is in Chicago, but maybe someone else knows someone closer. But hey,  from your profile I see you're an ex trucker. So you ought to be able to do the trip and back, no problems:)

Dr. Donald Jensen: http://www.hcvadvocate.org/Medical_Writers_Circle/jensen.htm

-- Jim

[kcrandy]

sorry to hear of your situation.

i think that a little more info from you would or might possibly get some responses.

what type of hepatitis do you have?
have you had any blood test done that you could share w/the group dealing with cirrosis?
are you seeing a hep specialist?
have you done any research on your diagnosis other than in this group?
what type of tx  are "they" suggesting?

hopefully this might put you on the right track to get some answers to your questions.

[jmjm530]

First, welcome to the forum!

It's true, at 69 you would be one of the older treaters, but that should not stop you from exploring your options, especially since you are stage 4, which means cirrhosis. As far as treatment "wrecking" your body , sure it's possible you won;'t be able to work, or work as hard, but nothing is certain and some do have it relatively easy but certainly can't plan on that.

Have you been seen by a liver specialist (hepatologist) or by a Gastro?

Regardless, I'd get another opinion or two from a liver specialist (hepatologist) at a larger, teaching hospital. They tend to have the most experience in these things, and given that you're 69 and stage 4, you really want the most experienced people possible evaluating you. Liver specialists in larger hospitals also are more tied into some of the newer trials which might be right for you.

If you don't mind, tell us about where you live and maybe someone can suggest a liver specialist nearby. If not, some travel (even overnight) for a proper evaluation may in the end be a very good investment.

-- Jim