hep c and marijuana

[bettyeck]

I recently had a biopsy to see if there had been any changes since my  last biopsy in 2002.  My hep c was almost nonexistent in 2002.  to my surprise the results showed grade 2 fibrosis and cirrhosis.  
When I turned 65 I decided to smoke a little marijuana with friends.  It became daily.  I believe that is the reason this happened.  I had no idea that it would affect my liver.  I don't drink at all.  I tried the treatment in 1996 and again in 2002.  I was taken off both times before I had been on it for 3 months.  I broke out with rashes and my white cells went dangerously low.
My question is  could the daily use of marijuana for 2 years have caused such a change so quickly?  


This discussion is related to Relapsed, from Roche  R1626/Prodrug.

[nicolettemarg]

What were the results of your biopsy back in 2002?

[JennyPenny]

There are way more than just one study on liver fibroswis and smoking. Smoking also means smoking anything on a frequent basis.

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/news/newsRev/2008/NewsRev-284.html#_
Cigarette_Smoking,_Hepatitis, Cigarette Smoking, Hepatitis C Virus Synergistic in Raising Liver Cancer Risk, Reuters Health, Retrieved November 23, 2008, medscape.com, Hepatitis C Support Project, 2008.

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hep_c/news/2006/070706_a.html, Smoking May Worsen Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Hepatitis C, Retrieved November 23, 2008, hivandhepatitis.com, July 2006.

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18104, Smoking With Liver Disease - A No-No, Jay W. Marks, MD, Retrieved November 23, 2008, MedicineNet Inc., 2008.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez, Effect of different types of smoking and synergism with hepatitis C virus on risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in American men and women: case-control study, Hassan MM, et al, Retrieved November 23, 2008, International Journal of Cancer, October 2008.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez, Impact of smoking on histological liver lesions in chronic hepatitis C, Hezode C, et al, Retrieved November 23, 2008, Gut, January 2003.

[HCA]

Grade 2 fibrosis and cirrhosis are two different things-do you mean cirrhosis with grade 2 inflammation?
There is one study that says daily marijuana smoking is bad;
http://www.hepatitis-central.com/mt/archives/2008/01/risk_of_fibrosi.html
I wouldn't beat myself up over it as  seven years since your biopsy is a long time,so it hasn't necessarily happened quickly.
Also there is emerging evidence that age-particularly 60+ is compatible with accelerated disease progression.

[JennyPenny]

The grade 2 is your inflammation and activity of the virus itself. Fibrosis is scarring and it's reported in Stages. Cirrhosis is Stage 4 fibrosis. Your age and the fact that you are smoking anything can help the virus progress. As we age, the immune system is not as strong and people tend to progress more quickly. Smioking has also been shown to hurry the progression of the disease.