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Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: CJWAUS on February 11, 2009, 06:06:07 pm

Title: My Hep C is gone
Post by: CJWAUS on February 11, 2009, 06:06:07 pm
Hello Chad,

I have good news for you. Your last hepatitis C virus load count was negative. Indicating Hepatitis C virus is not detectable. You do not need treatment and it looks like you have cleared the virus. Please continue to f/u with Dr Smith. If you would like to see us at any time we would be happy to see you.

Take care,
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: emeraldize on February 11, 2009, 07:55:55 pm
Is this the wording from a letter you received regarding your status? I'm guessing that is the case...what great news! Congratulations.
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: Assurbanipal on February 11, 2009, 09:02:57 pm
Great news! Congratulations.

(... and ... er ... ahem ...good luck continuing to f/u with Dr. Smith  ;)   )
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: tash08 on February 11, 2009, 09:10:13 pm
Congratulations CJWAUS I'm very happy for you. So you have cleared Hep C on your own huh?? Pretty rare I believe.

There is a very small chance of clearing the virus spontaneously in chronic HCV carriers 0.5 to 0.74% per year. However, the majority of patients with chronic hepatitis C will not clear it without treatment.

Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: HIVworker on February 12, 2009, 12:07:21 am
That's great news. Congrats!
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: CJWAUS on February 12, 2009, 12:10:55 am
I got it in late fall/early winter 2008. it came and went fairly quickly, but I learned a huge lesson.
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: tendai on February 12, 2009, 05:02:58 am
that is good news, congrats!
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: Ann on February 12, 2009, 06:37:29 am
Congrats, CJ! You're one of the lucky 20% who manages to clear the virus. That's fantastic news!


There is a very small chance of clearing the virus spontaneously in chronic HCV carriers 0.5 to 0.74% per year. However, the majority of patients with chronic hepatitis C will not clear it without treatment.


It's true that chronic  (had it for a while) carriers rarely clear the virus on their own. People who are in acute  (recently infected) hcv infection have a 20% chance. Granted, 20% isn't much, but it's better than 0% and it's not what I'd call "rare".

Hep B has an approximate 80% spontaneous clearance rate (just an FYI).

Ann
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: CJWAUS on February 12, 2009, 07:08:01 am
When i first found out about it the viral load was 69 MILLION, then it was down to 5,000 two weeks later good god was I tired for a few weeks there all I wanted to do was sleep.  I'm not into god but I vowed that if I cleared that damn little bastard bug I wouldn't use again.

It just isn't like my luck to be in the 20% but I took lots of milk thistle as well as a bunch of other stuff, I blame it on the milt thistle and not using meth
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: next2u on February 12, 2009, 08:11:24 am
dude, whats the other stuff? also, are you on meds?

i was recently diagnosed with hep c and would love to get some info on ways to help push me to the 20%. i understand this is highly unlikely  but tell me when you get a chance.

best,
d

oh,,,ConGraTulatioNs!!!!
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: CJWAUS on February 12, 2009, 08:31:02 pm
No alcohol, and I also took my own version of the K-Pax vitamins, more specifically the anti oxidants, I tried to eat as low fat as possible and didn't use meth.

600mg of milk thistle morning and night, I also looked at my head meds one of my anti depressants is known to cause liver problems so I dropped that as well as my ADD drug.
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: next2u on February 14, 2009, 01:03:44 am
good looking out! ill definitely try that regiment. wow, thanks for the advice. can you talk more about the kpax? im doing a little creatine throughout the week but i can drop that for a few months.
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: next2u on February 28, 2009, 10:41:11 am
i picked up the milk thistle and antioxidants. dude, ill try anything to avoid a year of medication. im scared shitless i wont be able to work while on treatment. my 1st set of labs have not come back yet but my doctor told me if my hep c is active he wants to start me on treatment before i have to start hiv meds. im pretty healthy now so i guess i could tolerate it.

for anyone taking interferon, or who has taken it, were you able to manage your normal routine? i can drop out of school and cut back my work, but not working would require me to leave my job. and yes, i know my health is more important, but unfortunately my job helps define who i am. without it, i would be insecure and unable to manage my out of control debt.

here's to milk thistle and antioxidants...hopefully when my hcv test comes back my virus will be inactive.

but, like everything else in my life, most likely it will be active. one day at a time, right?
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: Buckster2005 on March 02, 2009, 08:45:27 am


for anyone taking interferon, or who has taken it, were you able to manage your normal routine? i can drop out of school and cut back my work, but not working would require me to leave my job. and yes, i know my health is more important, but unfortunately my job helps define who i am. without it, i would be insecure and unable to manage my out of control debt.

here's to milk thistle and antioxidants...hopefully when my hcv test comes back my virus will be inactive.

but, like everything else in my life, most likely it will be active. one day at a time, right?


I took Pegasys + riba for 48 weeks and did not miss one day of work.  It was tough but doable.  I would do the shot on Friday night so that I would have the weekend to rest.  I was tired alot but I think that was mainly from the riba pills.  I took a little over weight limit for the pills and all of the vial for the shot.  I have been hepc free for 6 years now.  I found the pegasys gave me energy for some reason.  I had to be doing something all the time.  I would have some really weird dreams too.  I had geno 1a which is the hardest to clear.  I was also on hiv meds at the time.  It is my understanding that you need to have hiv under control in order for the hep c meds to work better.  I think you can try them for 12 weeks and test to see if they will really work for you or not.  Hope this helps. 
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: next2u on March 02, 2009, 10:59:09 pm
thanks buster,

that is great info. there are a few of us out there that need to hear this. i have been communicating with others and they have confirmed that it is bad but tolerable. also, was there any depression?

best,
d
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: Buckster2005 on March 03, 2009, 07:52:37 am
thanks buster,

that is great info. there are a few of us out there that need to hear this. i have been communicating with others and they have confirmed that it is bad but tolerable. also, was there any depression?

best,
d

My Dr. gave me a script for lexapro but I never filled it.  I won't lie it does mess with your head but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.  I had some wicked dreams and my partner said some nights I screamed in my sleep.  But I never really felt depressed just tired mostly and maybe more emotional.  But just think in one relatively short year it could be gone forever.  They can't say that about many other diseases.
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: next2u on March 05, 2009, 11:41:10 pm
i spoke with my dr today. he told my hep c was inactive or nonreactive. i guess thats good. im not sure what happens next.
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: Ann on March 06, 2009, 12:19:09 pm
Next, was that the result of your hcv viral load test? If so, that's VERY good news! If your hcv VL is nonreactive, that means you've cleared the virus on your own and are in that lucky 20% of people who manage to do so. WOW! That will make two of our forum members who've cleared it. Fantastic news!

Happy hugs,
Ann
xxx
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: CJWAUS on March 07, 2009, 12:15:23 pm
Good luck, and I hope you are oine of the lucky 1 in 5. I can tall you it changed my whole way of thinking about a lot of things. 
Title: Re: My Hep C is gone
Post by: next2u on March 09, 2009, 03:11:40 am
im not sure what it all means. it was a conversation my dr's nurse and i had over the phone. i got a letter from my gp and it says my hcv rna is low. <50; <1.70. i have no idea what this means. i also don't know how long ive been this way for. i got my first piercing over a decade ago and i have never been a iv user. this could have happened recently or years ago.

so, ann.  ive taken your advice. ive cut back on the drinking (im smoking pot but i gave up the nicotine as well) and ive given up pursuing my hcv infection route. thanks again.

best,
d

p.s. i've also just ended my 4th date with a really great guy!