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.
Managing mental health
Individuals and groups of people who have or are at risk of having hepatitis C may experience significant psychological distress. These can be caused by the effect of the disease itself, the effect of the disease on their sense of coping and well-being, discrimination, isolation, poverty, and/or homelessness. Common emotional responses to the diagnosis of hepatitis C include grief and loss and, often, more serious mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression are experienced.
Hepatitis C treatment itself may also affect a persons mental health, causing mood changes, anxiety and depression and may exacerbate a pre- existing mental illness. Treatment with peginterferon has been associated with depression and suicide in some patients.
People with physical and mental co-morbidities frequently experience difficulties in navigating the health and welfare systems and in accessing health services, in particular mental health services. The mental health of people with hepatitis C should be monitored closely, particularly during treatment. A coordinated approach to mobilising community support, and the necessary assessment and care from mental health professionals may be needed to meet individual needs. This approach can significantly improve the health outcomes for this group.
Individuals and groups of people who have or are at risk of having hepatitis C may experience significant psychological distress. These can be caused by the effect of the disease itself, the effect of the disease on their sense of coping and well-being, discrimination, isolation, poverty, and/or homelessness. Common emotional responses to the diagnosis of hepatitis C include grief and loss and, often, more serious mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression are experienced.
Hepatitis C treatment itself may also affect a persons mental health, causing mood changes, anxiety and depression and may exacerbate a pre- existing mental illness. Treatment with peginterferon has been associated with depression and suicide in some patients.
People with physical and mental co-morbidities frequently experience difficulties in navigating the health and welfare systems and in accessing health services, in particular mental health services. The mental health of people with hepatitis C should be monitored closely, particularly during treatment. A coordinated approach to mobilising community support, and the necessary assessment and care from mental health professionals may be needed to meet individual needs. This approach can significantly improve the health outcomes for this group.
When I did my journey, I knew absolutely nothing about these treatments, and what the side effects would be, except for the paper which was handed to me, when I first started day 1.
So you can imagine my surprise when a week went by and I found myself sick like I had never been in my whole entire life.
Depression had never been a problem for me, so my PCP wanted to wait to give me a prescription for anti-depressants, until I showed symptoms of depression, against the note my RCN from the gi office had sent to his office.
By week 12, I was ready to commit suicide.
My reason for thinking suicide, I had seen my husband the previous year go through his 48 weeks of therapy, and he had lost 32llbs or 15kls, so I thought good time to lose weight, yea right I gained 40 pounds.
I was so bloated, my face wasn't my face anymore, my body was expanding, not all of it, my stomach, why me? I said.
Having asthma at the time, didn't help my situation at all, since I had a hard time getting in the shower daily.
So no wonder I gained.
Back to mental health, this is why some on treatment will need to visit a therapist during their journey, and be monitered closely.
The mental health is a very big issue for the gi to decide if a patient can or cannot do this therapy, which is why before patients with bipolar disorder, clinical depression patients, were not eledgible to do these type of treatment.
I see now, almost a decade after my own experience, that more and more people with these disorder are accepted on these combo treatment, as long as they are followed by a therapist.
Deciding on doing treatment or not, is a major decision.
You should definately count the positives and the negatives and weight them out, if you can afford the wait for a better treatment, good for you, then the ones whom treatment is the last resort and qualify, then it can be a godsend, go for it.
But do weigh in the pro's and con's cause it just might be the hardest decision you may have to make in your life.
If I could turn back the clock, I would definately have waited for a better treatment.
Ok fine, I no longer have the virus, but I have been sick since doing treatment, the long lasting side effects have haunted me since.
Now over 5 years post treatment, this is the first year, that I intend to participate in summer activities, and start living as much as my health can take me.
After doing treatment, I had a large tumor removed from my vocal cord, benign thank God, was diagnosed with COPD Chronic Pulmunary Disease, and emphysema, mild case of narcoleptic, Osteoarthritis, Chronic joint and muscle pains, major brainfog, lack of concentration, depression, anxiety, all things except for the lung problem I had asthma before, I have developed during or post treatment.
Only 2 to 5% of patient remains with long lasting side effects, so they say, and I was one of them, so I am not pro-treatment, believe me.
But for those who have damaged liver, and have no other options it is a miracle that these combo drugs do get rid of the hep c virus, a virus that not so long ago, was considered uncurable.
So bravo to the Scientist who keeps working on making this journey on slaying the dragon easier on the patient.
Mckenzie
genotype 1a
viral load 665,000
status: undetected over 5 years now.
One day at the time.
Penny
depresion. but I have always work my way out
of it by using the 12 step of NA. When He asks
if I had a famly history of depression I lied
and said no because I had read that they may
not let me do treatmant if I did. I real life
my grandmom, Dad, and Uncle had taken thier own
life. I thought I could handle it. BOY was I
in wrong! By week 8 they put me on antidepresent. By week 30 after losing 2 jobs
(main and part time). All I could do sit and
rock back and forth while watching TV. My wilf
would ask me what I was talking about because
I would be talking to myself and we would talk
she help a lot. By the last month I had stoped talking all together and had a blank look on my
face and stoped talking to my wife when would
ask what I was thinking. I would say nothing
One day I did a google shearch on what it would
be like after treatment and this site came up.
I spend hour day after day reading posts
This post shure would of helped befor starting befor starting treatmant.
It not being weak to go for mental health help
and it does not mean your crazy. It just mean
you need help.
Thank you very much for this post. People need to hear this
Greg
PS I don't know if this is back to business
but it shear helped me to talk about it
It's subsided a bit, though, since I saw an acupuncturist. I went to take the edge off some itching that was driving me mad. It worked for that, cleared up my mouth sores and chilled me out. I highly recommend it. It's not as expensive as you think.
Of course, if you're feeling seriously depressed please, please, please seek some psychological help. You'd be amazed how well informed allied health professionals are about HCV. They're also very willing to ask questions to learn more.