Being co-infected........sigh

[ubotts]

I just found out I have genotype 1a and 2 hepititus..

I have to start treatment, but i am going to wait till september..

My doctor said I could do that..

Anyway....Is anyone here going though this ..

Has anyone here, done this already and could help me out
understanding this a bit more..

Sure need some feedback...   

[Ann]

Hi Ubotts,

As you know, I did the treatment in 2002/03. Sure, it's a rough treatment, but what kept me going was knowing I didn't have to do it forever... there was light at the end of the tunnel.

I also knew that even if I didn't get a sustained response, my liver would benefit regardless. You see, while you're on treatment, it gives your liver a bit of a break from the virus (even when a person doesn't go undetectable - as long as there's a drop in the VL) and while your liver has a break, it will begin to repair itself. Maybe not completely, but there will be an improvement.

You can do this!

Have you had the results from the liver biopsy yet that tells you what stage your liver is in? They would have gotten the results of your genotyping from blood tests, not the biopsy.

Hang in there!

Ann

[ubotts]

HI Ann

My genotype is 1a and 2..

One is the hardest to cure, and 2 I believe is a fatty liver which can be controlled with
a diet plan.

I go back to the doctors this tuesday...The doctor said I can start therapy in sept..
Said theres no rush......So I guess my numbers arent that bad, but still, I would like to
get this over with..

My doctor also said, I want you to enjoy this summer..So you can start in sept..

I have gotten so many emails all negative of co infected people.

My cousin who isnt co-ifected said it was a bitch..She did it for nine months and now
shes going back for bloodwork to see if its still at bay..

All I know is I am scared shit.

I feel like crap now. My t cells are 161 and I have no energy, so I can only image incorperating Hep C drugs with the way I feel already....

Then at times. I say, just let it be...when my liver goes, it goes..

I am so confused about all of this...

I do see a therapist on tuesday as well as my Dr...Hopefully they can help me feel emotionlly better..

Thank you for your time and patience with me....

[pozguy75]

Ubotts,

I understand your concern. I too am co-infected with HCV g1.

Though I have yet to start treatment for it, I am pretty apprehensive about it myself. Fortunately right now, my HCV VL is quite low...but I still monitor it with the rest of my numbers.

I think Ann hit right it on...it's better to start when you can, and repair a little than nothing.

[Ann]

HI Ann

My genotype is 1a and 2..

One is the hardest to cure, and 2 I believe is a fatty liver which can be controlled with
a diet plan.

I am so confused about all of this...

What I'm gathering from what you wrote is that your genotype is 1a and the stage your liver is in is stage 2. Stage two is good, all things considered. You do sound confused - don't be afraid to ask your doctor for clarification on what he tells you. It sounds to me as though you would benefit from someone sitting you down with all your results and going through them point by point. It's your RIGHT to have this information, in language you can get your head around. Don't be afraid to ask for this clarification. If the doctor can't (or won't) do it, there may be a nurse who can. Don't be afraid to ask questions and keep asking them until you get an answer you understand.

I might be wrong, but from what I remember, 1a is easier to treat than 1b. That's a plus. 1b is the one that is an absolute bugger to treat. I was lucky - I had 3a, one of the easier to treat. But as I said, even if you don't get an sustained response, you will get some benefit from treatment.

Having a good diet will always help. The main thing you want to avoid at all costs is alcohol. I didn't drink for eight years because of the hep - but after being hep C undetectable for five years now, I've started drinking socially again. For a long time, I couldn't drink, it just made me too sick. I'm ok with it now, in moderation.

I had a lot of the side-effects that may come with the treatment. I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, my hair got really thin, my skin was Sahara desert dry, my mouth was constantly dry (and I have gum damage because of it), and the mood swings were terrible. If you suffer from depression, you may want to start on an antidepressant before you start treatment. I didn't go the antidepression route - just knowing that it was the chemicals doing it helped me get through it. Whenever I wanted to rip someone's head off, I'd remind myself that it was the drugs making me crazy, not the person. Not to the extent of wanting to murder, anyway.

And again, as I said before, knowing that it wasn't forever kept me going. It's a bit like childbirth - the pain while you're going through it is hard to bear, but not only is it worth it in the end, but you also won't remember a lot of it. I call the year I was on treatment my "black hole year", because I remember so little of it - it's all pretty much a blur.

You CAN do this!

Ann
xxx

[John2038]

Got a friend s+ since 5 years and having the hep B.

She's controlling perfectly well its hepatitis since his diagnosis.
All his functions counts are fine, and so the risk for her to infect someone else is limited (ID doc said so), even by kissing someone.
Its combo haven't change since then (reyataz, truvada, norvir)

That was just the message.

Note
Haven't you been vaccinated against hep a/b ?

[minismom]

Hun,
I have no answers to your questions. I can't imagine the rough time you are having right now. I just wanted you to know that Mini, the family, and i will be praying for you. 

Mum

[Ann]

Got a friend s+ since 5 years and having the hep B.

She's controlling perfectly well its hepatitis since his diagnosis.
All his functions counts are fine, and so the risk for her to infect someone else is limited (ID doc said so), even by kissing someone.
Its combo haven't change since then (reyataz, truvada, norvir)

That was just the message.

Note
Haven't you been vaccinated against hep a/b ?

John,

Ubotts is coinfected with Hepatitis C, not Hepatitis B. They are two entirely different forms of hepatitis (hepatitis simply means inflammation of the liver) and the treatments for the two are also entirely different.

Ann

[ubotts]

Hi Ann, and thank you for clarifying the difference for hep b and hep c..
I am pretty sure they said I have genotype 1a..

Anyway I have an appt tomorrow with my doctor and with my therapist...
I will have my notepad ready and ask a million questions...
As far as getting on anti depressants, I am not sure I want I want to...

I was on lexapro and got myself off it with in 2 yrs..I believe I didnt need it, so one day I took it and the next day I didnt..I got off without my drs knowing..

When I was completely off, there wasnt any difference in my moods..I did tell the doctor
afterwards that I got off, and she said thats ok..It your body and if you dont need to take them dont..

So I really dont want another pill on my plate, or should I say Platter....I know why I would be feeling down, due to this new therapy for hep c, so If I can keep myself in check with that, why take another damn pill..

I like what you said about knowing why you were feeling crappy, so why take a pill for that..or bite anyones head off, knowing its the meds that are making you feel this way
in the first place..

Anyway....It cant be that bad, because they wouldnt tell me that I can start meds in
September If I like....If it was real bad they would start me now..but then again, I thought it was because my tcells were 161, and thats why they were waiting..

I will find out more tommorrow...thank you all for trying to help me figure this crap out..
Cant wait to ask my doctor tomorrow, so many more questions..

When they tell you ..at first it all sounds like blur blur blur after hearing you inject your
self n take more pills for 12 to 18 months..

After hearing those words.. I really couldnt hear the rest,,felt like I was under water and
I couldnt hear nothing more..My mind went numb on me..

Guess my brain couldnt get though the first results the doctor said to me..

But this time I  am going to be all ears......
Thats for sure.............................................thank you all ..and thank you Ann for
clarifying hep c genotype 1a for me...........That's what I am going to ask the Dr again
tomorrow..
I Will post back any new info I get to keep you guys informed..