Hep. C w/HIV?

[angels4kelly]

Hi everyone,
I was just wondering about the effects of being co-infected with HIV & HCV.
I have had both for at least 16 years. I'm just wondering how one affects the other?
Of course when I get my lab tests, they test my liver and the progression of the Hep. C. I have no cirrhosis and a few years ago I had to do this treatment for the HCV called something like Peg-Intron? I had to give myself an injection in my stomach once a week and I took some pill everyday, but they said the treatment failed. This after most of my hair fell out and I was icky sick the whole time (6 months). I'm just curious as to if anyone else is co-infected with the same thing and if they know of anything I can expect?

P.S I quit the drinking and smoking and all that other fun stuff about 3 years ago 

[Ann]

Hi Kelly,

I had the coinfection thing going on too, but I was sucessfully treated for hep C in 2002/03 with the same stuff as you - peg-intron. (and yes, that treatment sucks!) I went for 52 weeks instead of six months because there is a lot of evidence that hep C is more difficult to treat in the presence of hiv infection.

Hiv is said to accelerate the progression of hep C and you might want to think about having a biopsy done. It is totally possible to have normal liver enzyme levels but still have significant liver damage when you have hep C - I did. There was only one time that my enzymes came back elevated but biopsy showed damage at the pre-cirrhosis level, which isn't very good at all.

Since my hep C was sucessfully treated, my hiv has been under control without hiv meds. My viral load has remained low and my CD4s in the 6-700 range with percents at 27-29%. So, I think my body is doing a better job of fighting the hiv now that I've got one less virus to worry about. At the time of my hep C treatment, I'd had the hep for around 18 years and the hiv for five. So now I'm nine years hiv positive and still hiv treatment naive.

There is a very good website you should check out called hiv and hepatitis.com They have the best coinfection information I've ever found anywhere.

Make sure you check out some of the up and coming hep C drugs . You might be able to qualify for a trial.

Ann

[angels4kelly]

Hi Ann,
Thanks so much for your response!!! I think at the time I did the treatment for the HCV they hadn't quite figured out that people with HIV also need to be on the treatment longer.
I did have a liver biopsy once, but that was before I did the PEG-INTRON thing. I'm pretty sure that they would encourage me to do the HCV treatment again and for longer this time. (I shudder at the thought) , but if it's absolutely necessary I think it's definitely worth it. My ID doctor keeps nagging me to go back to the Gastroenterologist guy, but I keep putting it off because EVERTHING that had to be done associated with him was MOST unpleasant!. I guess I better get it in gear and go ahead and get started with whatever unpleasantness is in store for me this time.

Thank you for those great links to those educational sites.

Take care, Ann
and
Thanks again

[angels4kelly]

Hey Ann,
Were you on meds for your HIV before you did the HCV treatment?
Peace,
  Kelly

[angels4kelly]

Hi Ann,
I just went back and read your reply to me and my last question was answered!

Over and Out,
Kelly