Hepatitis C Support Group
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral disease which can cause liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. Many people with HCV infection have no symptoms and are unaware of the need to seek treatment. Hepatitis C infects an estimated 150-200 million people worldwide.
I am thinking about starting 3X in about 2 months. I was diagnosed 20 years ago. I have possibly been positive for 32 years. My viral load is 816,000. I am a CT and I have Geno type 1A. My last biopsy was 3 years ago and I had minimal scarring. I have had no symptoms at all of having hep C and my enzymes are fine. I am working through a large local hospital that has a clinic so my treatment is free. I have been stalking you guys and reading all the information and I see that there alot of new possible drugs coming out that have less side effects. My main concern about going on treatment is that I have a panic attack disorder and I'm already thinking that i'm dieing just about every day, not due to the Hep C but due to my panic attack disorder. I would really like to wait to see how these new drugs do in the clinical trials, but they really want me to start treatment. I almost feel like my hospital is part of ongoing research of Incivek even though its approved, I believe there still doing studies to look at the long term side effects. I'm getting alot of anxiety just thinking about it. I would really like to get rid of the virus and my clinic is claiming that out of 200 people they treated in the last year 198 are undie, the other 2 had to stop treatment. All opions are welcome, thanks. Larry
I recommend researching the new trials which seem to have a great cure rate with less side effects.
Everyone's situation is different so you are very wise to weigh all of the pros and cons prior to starting.
Welcome to DS, Nancy
I had the most horrendous depression, could not get out of bed because I was sooo very sici. I could hardly move, much less get out of the house.Not everyone responds this way but I was a very sick inciveker.
I personally would recommend waiting for the int. free trials, hell , you've waited this long, whats another year???
Good Luck and you have come to the right spot! Happy dayz......
It's NOT the Incevik that is causing most of the really sick feelings, it's the Ribavarin. Sometimes when I take my morning dose of Riba, my stomach feels like a front loading washing machine full of suds. I have found that if I eat a little canned peaches (or whatever fruit you like, but probably not fresh fruit), right when that starts, it goes away entirely. The worst thing about Incevik for me is having to eat all that fat before you take it. Instant Breakfast with 1/2 Cup of whipping cream, and thinned with water, has been a godsend for that for me. It's been the little tricks I've learned here and a few I have discovered that will get you through.
Take care,
kelly
No bad side effects is EXACTLY what we hope the next drug choices have.
Glad you're doing good
This is how he explained Interferon to me:
Interferon isn't really a man made drug. It is what your body naturally produces when you get the flu, hence the flu symptoms. It is used to boost your immune system into fighting the virus. I guess you'd call it a stimulant for your own bodies fight mode. It is used frequebtly for other things such as Cancer in oder to get your body to "snap" into gear.
The Ribavarin: won't let the virus replicate, so that's why it is given always with Interferon. This is the one that causes most of the problem with side effects and stays in your system for the greatest amount of time. Long term side effects, probably from Ribavarin instead of the Interferon. Just like when you get the flu, the Interferon leaves in a pretty short period of time.
The Incevik kills the virus.
Now that was the way it was explained to me, so I figure he knows what he's talking about. :::shrugging::::