Has anyone here gone through hep c treatments? Please tell me did you go through!
Question: Has anyone here gone through hep c treatments!? Please tell me did you go through it alone!?
i'm not going to get the regular treatment because i'm old!. Born june 29th 1947 my grown children don't care, or they don't really understand my disease!. my GI Dr!. recommended a therapist and the therapist recommended i go through another type of treatment other than the interferon and riboflavin!. So does that mean i die !? Well what I'm really trying to say is, my therapist said without family support, i'll not be able to do the treatment!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Alexis,
I have had the current treatment and am what is called a non-responder!. My HCV viral count actually grew higher while on treatment!. I'm 53, and I'll try it again as soon as something is OK'd by the FDA!. Age usually isn't considered when talking about treatment, health is!. If the HCV hasn't been detected prior to the formation of cirrhosis in the liver you may not be able to take treatment!. There are other criteria that Dr!.'s look at also, such as heart disease, kidney diseases, general health, etc!.
No, it doesn't mean you will die!. Although that really depends on how close you are to liver failure, not necessarily depending on the level of HCV infection!. You may be put on a waiting list for a donated liver, or if the HCV isn't causing too much damage they may just keep an eye on your AST & ALT enzyme levels (indicators of liver damage), and have annual ultrasound readings to keep an eye on any lesions in your liver!. They would also test alpha feta protein which is a very reliable indicator of liver cancer when test levels come in at over 100!.
Interferon and ribavirin can cause severe depression,(which I've had for years prior to being diagnosed with HCV) and that may be why your therapist is telling you not to have treatment at this time!. I don't know your situation, strengths, etc!. so your therapist may be entirely correct!. Losing hair, aches and pains of all sorts, possible blindness, and other side effects of treatment are difficult to cope with even with support!.
Please remember this though, most people who get HCV die WITH the disease not FROM it!. It can be very unpleasant and severe symptoms will change your lifestyle, but it isn't an automatic death sentence!. If you need or want more info just email me & I'll get you on the right path!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I have had the current treatment and am what is called a non-responder!. My HCV viral count actually grew higher while on treatment!. I'm 53, and I'll try it again as soon as something is OK'd by the FDA!. Age usually isn't considered when talking about treatment, health is!. If the HCV hasn't been detected prior to the formation of cirrhosis in the liver you may not be able to take treatment!. There are other criteria that Dr!.'s look at also, such as heart disease, kidney diseases, general health, etc!.
No, it doesn't mean you will die!. Although that really depends on how close you are to liver failure, not necessarily depending on the level of HCV infection!. You may be put on a waiting list for a donated liver, or if the HCV isn't causing too much damage they may just keep an eye on your AST & ALT enzyme levels (indicators of liver damage), and have annual ultrasound readings to keep an eye on any lesions in your liver!. They would also test alpha feta protein which is a very reliable indicator of liver cancer when test levels come in at over 100!.
Interferon and ribavirin can cause severe depression,(which I've had for years prior to being diagnosed with HCV) and that may be why your therapist is telling you not to have treatment at this time!. I don't know your situation, strengths, etc!. so your therapist may be entirely correct!. Losing hair, aches and pains of all sorts, possible blindness, and other side effects of treatment are difficult to cope with even with support!.
Please remember this though, most people who get HCV die WITH the disease not FROM it!. It can be very unpleasant and severe symptoms will change your lifestyle, but it isn't an automatic death sentence!. If you need or want more info just email me & I'll get you on the right path!.Www@Answer-Health@Com