Thanks for the posting and yes I am too still feeling like death warmed over 4 months after stopping treatment.
It's fair to say not everybody suffers these sides and some folks are successfully rid of the virus.
For others it doesn't work and it does do more damage than good.
The thing is that what we have is all that we have and we have had to take a chance, yes a shitty chance and see what cards were dealt to us.
I'm hoping my sides will get better.
As for new tx next year, well it looks better.
I still can't decide if I should have tried at this point but I did and here I am.
As for next year and trying again ..I will h ave to see how I recover from this attempt first.

Mcslo First of all I want to congratuale you7 for posting such a Taboo Post in here. And please my Freinds and comrads dont hate me for what I am about to say. Ok I read about 30 od those replys and No it's Not the first time I have heard this. Ok I was diagnosed bavk in 95 but have had it sense the 70's. Well about 11 years ago I was tested and was told by not 1 but 2 Dortors that the virous was tyo advanced in me to take the TX. Now I continue to have bloodwork done from time to time. My last was about 6 months ago. Now people have told me ever sence that I should keep going to different docs till I find one who will put me on it. But I have choice not to do this. Now my ex took it right before I met her 12 years ago and is Still in remision. But the gielfriend I had Before that is like your wife......well and like me also. I can no longer work at all. But there is 1 BIG diffenece in mybloodwork than ALL others I have talked to or evenm heard of. My viral load is now at 5 and a half ( BILLION) Now I have NOT even heard of this number before. Most I have ever heard of is 5 and a half ((((( MILLION)))). Thats a BIG difference. So I Dont know what the answer is ecept US Ourselfs to educate ourselfs and learn how to read these blood work ups. Maybe that will tell us more of which way we should go. If the viral load and stats are fairly low then maybe you should take it ....Im not sure and IM NO Doctor. If Not maybe my 2 Doctors were right. Just my opion.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

I don't consider this a pro tx board, but we do support those who have chosen to do tx. Its a great place to get info for anyone new to the diagnosis or considering tx.
Many here have chosen not to do tx, or have been advised not to do tx, or whatever cannot do tx.
Its about the only place for those of us who are non responders.

Thought the post very appropriate.

mc, I commend you for stepping up to the plate and telling us your story. I have to agree with you. I for along time and still do worry about the sides of what tx have brought me. But I have been thinking more about the long term permanent sides that I could be stuck with for life post tx as well. I'm still on tx, and now wonder about the same thing........... Thanks for your honesty.

Sorry to hear about the continuing struggles with after tx Tom. I have always believed that there is not enough studies going on by the doc's and reps about what these meds do to us as opposed to living with hcv. There are so many variables involved...age, stage, grade, geno, fear. Just to hear that you have a disease is enough to make one grasp for anything. It's a great topic that is not discussed enough.Hope you get to feeling better soon.

great post - we all need to consider the consequences of our actions. Tx was a risk I was prepared to take which paid off - I still have some minor sides 7 months on but stuff I can live with.

I dont know if I would be so glib if the Tx didnt work and I was left with a heaps of sides that were worse than before - that sucks!

I really do believe that a person can recover from Tx by following the Gerson Therapy. Dr Gerson was actually poisoned in his later life when he was writing a book about his diet and its success. He cured himself with his diet. It has cured many many people of many diseases, including Hepatitis C and Cancer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY-HsoJ0gr0

It's in English with foreign subtitles.

Tx didn't work for me and left me with a new disease. I almost checked out doing the treatment. No one mentioned to me what could happen either. Wonder why?

I rarely talk about this....I never ever want to step on anyone's toes or hurt any one's feelings....I support all who choose to do Tx....but I will never do it....the risk & rewards just don't play out for me....I often wondered where are the long term studies of Tx????? What would I be like 10 years later???? Plus I always have in the back of my mind...Tx is a $$$$ maker for the doctors & drug companies.....I don't know....yes I have Hepc....but for me it isn't a death sentence....I am a realist....it is what it is.....while there are the realistic reasons for not doing Tx....getting sick...missing work...I only have me to take care of me.....Tx.... TO ME just doesn't seem like a viable option....

At this particular time, with the newer treatment meds just around the corner, I also believe that anyone who is not in the later stages of liver damage should seriously consider waiting to do treatment until the better stuff is available.

I did 48 weeks of TX, I was successful and I am one of those does not appear to have the long-lasting horrible sides that some here have spoken about. I'm 14 mos post treatment and, aside from a few things like aching joints, I'm doing just fine and I don't regret having done treatment.

However, if I had known that the newer treatment meds were soooo close to being on the market, I would have waited for them. At the time I started treatment (Sept 08), my doc said it would be 5-10 years before anything different came out so I went ahead and did treatment.

Anyone that is considering doing treatment should have a very serious discussion with their docs about waiting until next year when the newer tx meds are available...in my opinion.

There is something like 200 clinical trail going right now. Soon there will be better treatment. With all the money involved all those companies are racing for a better treatment.
BTW- I was SVR at 3 weeks and have been since.

When my daughter & I were diagnosed all the doctors acted like there was no choice but to do tx. And they all actually acted like it would be no big deal. Thank God that I found DS and started to get a clue as to what tx was really like. However even with all the research I did & all the great info that I got from here we were still knocked for a loop by the realitiy of what tx did to my daughter. We were told so many things that were misconceptions & fed so much false info by the doctors. After watching her go through what she did I was left quite tramatized. Now the doctors are pushing us both to do the new tx when it comes out & we are both on the fence about doing so. I must tell you that both of us suffer horribly from the effects of Hep C so therefore we are wanting so badly for a cure that would let us get back to a normal life. However neither of us are too sure that tx is the answer anymore. Everyone has to make their own decision, but I think the doctors need a reality check & should better inform their patients as to the consequentes.

Great post .....creates a lot of deep thoughts .... not just for me but for everybody ..... everybody is a bit differant and is affected differantlly.......me it zapped all my energy and I hoped it would come back after TX ...... NOT !! ....... But at least I'm SVR so far, the next test will be 1 year from now ! I can only hope and pray that it stays this way because I will not do it again !!!!!!!!!!

It's all kind of like being on a slowly sinking ship. Try to swim to shore. Some make it some drown. It's a shitty life boat the medical community is offering us but what do we do?
Stay on the ship or take a chance.
The rescue boats are getting better but it's their ETA that is the unknown.
I don't blame the DR.s. My doc said it would be years for telaprevir too just last Feb so recommended I start on SOC. Now he tells me it will be available in a few months.
I would not have started tx this spring otherwise.