Am I rushing to have treatment

[nicci72]

Hello everyone.  I was so happy to hear the new drugs were approved by the FDA, I am Geno type 1a.  I have called and left a message for my doctor to see if I can start treatment as soon as possible.  I am a respiratory therapist and have a couple of close calls with needles.  The one that scared me the most was in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit).  I was wearing gloves and stuck myself with a needle when trying to care for a 28 week premi.  I quickly but quietly walked away riped my gloves off,washed my finger, than covered it with a bandage.  This incident as well as a couple others has gotten to me.  I am EXTREMELY careful when I am at work.  There are times I know someone is going to be a wild person that I ask a co worker to stick the patient.  

I am also still tired and napping.  I had blood work and my liver enzymes have increased, I know that this is what is going to happen as time goes on and I am not treating the virus.

I guess my question is if my doctor will not start my treatment is it a good idea to seek another doctor who will?
I know getting a 2nd or 3rd opinion is always a good idea. But I just want to feel like I am not  sitting here waiting for things to get worse.  I just want some advice from people who can understand what I am going through.

Thanks

[brianmo]

Your question was Am I rushing to Have Treatment?  That is such a personal decision. I was dx 10 years ago, 1/1 and I wanted all my ducks in a row. Also, I kept hearing wait for new drugs or you can live your life out with this..etc. Now, 10 years older, I a ready to treat and tired of waiting for new drugs. I have always been very healthy, triathlete, eat great but the last 10 years there has been a sig change in my liver. And, I can't see trying tx as I get older. It also became a very tiring mental game that I am tired of playing. And, yes, there are new grugs out but they have side effects also so after all this I am choosing to not add the new PI's, had the Gene Test done and found out I am very favorable for clearing. Have you had that test yet? Its a blood test and mine took 8 days to come back.

Good luck and be sure to stay in touch with your doctor.

Good luck to you. I totally understand where you are at.

[EyesofBlue55]

They experience no symptoms. Which is why most people with hepatitis C aren't aware that they are infected with chronic hepatitis C. Feeling tired is a symptoms of many diseases and is usually not a symptom of a hepatitis C damaged liver until the disease has progressed to a very advanced stage.

I have to disagree with you on this one.The main symptom that I have  is fatigue.It was how I got diagnosed(tired all the time)And I am a stage 0   cindy

[nicci72]

Thank you everyone for your advice.  

[R Glass]

Meakea-“Of course, there are many things to consider when trying to determine the "best" time to do treatment. Job issues, family issues, money issues, health insurance issues, time off available if necessary, etc. are just a few.”
I second this.
Make sure you have a Back Up Plan. There is no way of knowing how you are going to react to treatment. Hopefully you will do fine but there are no guarantees. Be prepared for the worst incase it happens.

[meakea]

There's always one thing for certain on this HCV board and that is the fact that HectorSF gives GREAT answers, suggestions and ideas.  Even though the questions posed aren't about me, I always feel a sense of calm after I read Hector's responses.  Hector, if you're reading this...you're the best!  :)

Nicci, the one thing that I want to add to Hector's response is that, even though you are Stage 1 and you have lots of time to wait to do treatment, please keep in close contact with your doctor for follow ups to keep track of the status of your liver while you are waiting for treatment.  And, of course, don't drink alcohol, exercise and eat healthy...as everyone should HCV or not.

I totally understand your feeling of wanting to be rid of HCV...been there/done that.  But, you might want to consider sitting back and waiting this out a bit so that those with a much more serious liver status can get treatment first.  Doctors will most likely be treating the most serious patients first and you might be given a "wait" card by most docs -- for now.

Of course, there are many things to consider when trying to determine the "best" time to do treatment.  Job issues, family issues, money issues, health insurance issues, time off available if necessary, etc. are just a few.  

I wish you the best!!

[willbb]

I would concur ,,with what Hector has mentioned on this....at stage 1 fibrosis   there is no real rush to treat as drugs in the future seem to be getting more efficient  and hopfully less harmful with the possible eradication of Interferon ....... hopfully in a few years down the road.

When to treat is always a very personal decision tho ...

Good luck..

Will

[aj7538]

who started new drug and what are the side effects

[HectorSF]

At stage 1 you will normally have decades of time before liver disease will become a major health issue for you. So the rush to treat immediately is not warranted. Whether you treat this year of next will make no difference. Liver disease develops very slowly, usually over 20-30-40 years before advanced damage occurs and scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) happens.

As a healthcare professional you must be aware that there are many people with advanced liver disease who need to treat with the new DAAs ASAP as time is running out for them because soon the degree of their liver damage will prevent them from treating in the near future and then their only option is a liver transplant.

Of course being concerned about hepatitis C is a valid and commendable as you are a responsible adult taking care of your health. Hepatitis is not something anybody wants to have with even if the damage from the virus is minimal over the first few decades. Also I would like to point out the the vast majority of patients with hepatitis C are asymptomatic. They experience no symptoms. Which is why most people with hepatitis C aren't aware that they are infected with chronic hepatitis C. Feeling tired is a symptoms of many diseases and is usually not a symptom of a hepatitis C damaged liver until the disease has progressed to a very advanced stage.

I wish you the best of luck in treatment for yourself in the near future.
Hector

[James10500]

I guess it all depends on how much longer you want to live with HCV.  Might as well wait until it messes up your liver. What would be the upside to waiting to treat ?

[it'sallgood]

me expectation for treatment is one thing - to stop liver scarring. personally, i expect that treatment will have long term side effects. i experience fatigue too, but i do not expect it to improve after treatment. if there were any way i could delay treatment until interferon is no longer necessary i would. But that is just me.  

[coeric]

i went to see my local GI two weeks and he said he would be willing to let his PA treat me -  in a couple of months when the PA gets up to speed with the new treatment.  the GI said he had one other patient that might be interested in treating with the new drugs. i spoke to a hepatologist in the liver transplant hospital located in my state last monday.  the doc said they had one patient in the triple therapy clinic at that time who would be starting on boceprevir soon.  from my small survey of two clinic i did not get the feeling there were many patients trying to get treatment.  others may have different experiences they could share with us.  

[coeric]

i went back and read your previous posts and it looks like you are stage 1.  so i guess you do have time.  from this post is sounds like you are concerned about accidentally sticking a patient and transmitting your HCV to a patient.  is that correct?  if you are set on treatment you will probably be able to find a doc to treat, assuming you leave in or near a city.  there was some discussion about docs wanting to treat the sickest first.  i am just not convinced there is a hugh rush of patients wanting to treat, but i could be wrong.

[nicci72]

I have had a liver Biopsy the results were 1:4.

[coeric]

welcome,
do you know how much scarring there is in your liver?  for an article that discusses staging see-
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/410846_2

other here that are more knowledgeable will undoubtedly chime in with questions about your situation
eric