I was told i have Hep c 3rd strand.No medication will help.?!


Question: I was told i have Hep c 3rd strand!.No medication will help!.!?
My DR is cold, very little help, NO support given!. I have tried to find imformation about the 3rd strand, all talk about A,B, C but nothing on the 3rd strand!. I have gotten that the 3rd strand is the worst, but what do people like me do to help get through the day!. What can be done!?Www@Answer-Health@Com


Answers:
First of all, once again Mama, there IS a potential CURE!. It is called antiviral chemotherapy!!!
A person who has a "sustained" response to antiviral chemotherapy beyond a year post treatment are considered cured!. I DO suggest you call the American Liver Foundation and ask, they are seemingly more up to par than the doctor you get your information from!.

Now that I have that out of the way, on to the question!.
HCV has several genotypes and in those genotypes there are subtypes!.
Many in the United States have 1 with the subtypes of A, B, C!.
These are harder to treat, yet many more who are now opting for treatment are finding that we have a higher success rate in becoming "sustained" or "cured"!. The treatment with Infergen, a daily injection plus an oral anti-viral for 48 weeks have shown, even in non-responders to the typical time released interferon and ribavirin to be the treatment choice for those who didn't respond and those naive patients who have never treated!. In combination with time released/anti-viral oral meds and those who opt for the newer treatment, the success rates are increasing!. Between 18% up to 55% for harder to treat genotypes!.

The easier to treat genotypes are 2's (a, b, c ect) Some 3's and 4's!. Some are dually infected and although they show they are positive, the tests are unable to determine genotype!.

For your genotype!? If you are a 3a, 3b or 3c ect, you have an easier to treat genotype than 1's, yet harder to treat than genotype 2's!. However, if your damage to the liver is in the third stage, this may be what the doctor meant!. Interferon, depending on other circumstances may or may not allow for treating your HCV infection!.

I have known those who have grade 3 liver damage who successfully have treated their HCV infection!.

This sounds more like what the doctor meant, however, the only way to be sure is if you find a specialist such as a gastrointerologist who is up to date on current stratagies regarding HCV infection!.

All is not lost!. Do not let a bad doctor ruin your chance!. I would seek the advice of another doctor!. Many of us have seen doctor after doctor after doctor to find one that we feel confortable with!. Unfortunately, GREAT doctors are hard to come by!.

I do wish you much luck and more understanding of what is going on!.!.!.!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

Hep C has different genotypes, most of the ones seen here in the States is genotype 1!. Your doctor probably was talking about that!. In the beginning when a person first contracts hep c it can be the acute type, meaning that in a few months the body will get rid of it on its own!. If this does not happen, the disease becomes the chronic type that will last forever!. Not everyone that has hep c even knows they have it!. It is estimated that 1 of every 50 people here in this country has it and does not know it, many will never know it!. Veterans of the Viet Nam war have increased numbers, 1 in 20 have it!. Many don't know it!. Many with hep c do not need to have treatment!. If their liver is in good shape and does not have much damage, they can live an other wise normal, long life!. It is those that have liver damage that treatment helps the most!. It is not a cure for hep c, there is none, but it can bring the viral loads down to 0 and help the liver heal!. However, if the liver is too severely damaged, the person would probably need to have a liver transplant and once recovered from that surgery, would then start treatment for hep c!. (liver transplant is not a cure) My husband has had hep c for a little over 40 years!. The only symptom he has is that he gets tired quicker!. He never had any symptoms of the disease, and basically, other than fatigue, there are none!. Genotype 1 is the hardest to treat out of all of them!. It takes 11 months of the treatment to control the virus, the other genotypes have anywhere from 6 to 8 months of it!. There is no "strand" like you have mentioned!. There is a 3rd stage!. This refers to the amount of damage done to your liver!. You need to find a different doctor to help you!. And you do not always have to have a liver biopsy, sometimes you can just have an ultrasound!. That's what they did with my husband!. If the ultra sound does not look too good, then they do a biopsy!. If your liver is in good shape, take good care of yourself!. Don't drink alcohol or do hard drugs!. These are the 2 things that can really damage the liver, even if you don't have hep!. Doing it when you have hep will just speed up the liver damage!. There is treatment, it is interferon and ribivarin!. It takes up to 11 months for completion!. The side effects can be devisdating!. Some people don't have them as bad as other people!. My husband has been on the treatment since Feb!. and has had a blood transfusion, and is looking at a second one in another week if his red blood count does not come back up!. The treatment is not a cure!.!.!.!.!.there is none!. When you have a successful treatment, the disease can come back due to severe illness or extreme stress!. We have had group classes with some of these people!. Some times the disease resurfaces after about 5 or 6 years!. The virus remains in your body forever just like the chicken pox virus does!.
STEPHANI
You are speaking of a POTENTAL cure!. It has not been competely approved yet, and does not always cure and in some cases has a very small percentage of even helping!. I am up on the information more than you think!. As of today, there is not a cure for Hep C!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

It sounds like you need to find a new doctor!. I would find a new primary care physician someone who has time to talk with you and explain your condition in detail!. In the meantime have you tried looking up information on webmd!.com The website is usually very useful and has reliable information!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

i think you mean 3rd stage not strandWww@Answer-Health@Com

The first step is to start your education!.!.
Have you had a biopsy !?
Give your doctor a call and ask these questions!.
What is your Geno type !? Stage !?
What is your Viral Load !?
You need to be checked for Hep A and B if it comes back you do not have it you need to get the vaccine for hep A and B!.!.!.
Ask about a support group!.!.!.!.They will help you with the
Hep C!.!.Acronyms and how to read you



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