Aa
6 months post tx -- healthy and happy
Dear Friends,
I joined this board in 2005 and discovered a wealth of information and caring people which gave me the confidence to take the treatment plunge. After several years of fearing tx and its potential for permanent side effects I completed 48 weeks of IFN/Riba/Alinia in Feb. 2009. Three month post tx PCR showed UND and although I haven't done 6 month PCR I know I'm still UND.
It was a brutal treatment and an uncertain six months of post tx recovery but every day of hell was worth it. I haven't felt this good since 1982 when I contracted the virus. I'm 55 but feel (and act) like a teenager. I have literally been reborn. I wake up at 6 am ready to go (never did that -- always needed 10 hours of sleep), play softball 3 nights a week, and tackle home improvement like the energizer bunny. Thankfully, I don't remember treatment, just vague memories of lying in bed.
I'm writing this to you undergoing or contemplating treatment--- there is light at the end of the tunnel and every day of treatment will hopefully bring you closer. My only regret is not being diagnosed and treating sooner. Twenty seven years of HCV has left me with autoimmune diabetes and I now spend much of my time on another board educating myself about this lifestyle-complicating disease. But if that's my only complaint I'll take it.
I'm no doctor but I would strongly recommend research into Alinia if you are considering treatment. I had several risk factors for non-SVR such as genotype 1a, high starting viral load (80 million), and diabetes. Yet I achieved SVR and want to shout it out to the world.
After years of feeling ill and obsessively researching HCV and treatment It feels strange to be on the other side. I can't say enough about this board. Many long time members know more than the medical community about HCV, treatment, lab results and relief of side effects. They'll be a great source of knowledge and comfort for those of you newly diagnosed.
I wish you all well in your journey against this disease
Kittyface
I joined this board in 2005 and discovered a wealth of information and caring people which gave me the confidence to take the treatment plunge. After several years of fearing tx and its potential for permanent side effects I completed 48 weeks of IFN/Riba/Alinia in Feb. 2009. Three month post tx PCR showed UND and although I haven't done 6 month PCR I know I'm still UND.
It was a brutal treatment and an uncertain six months of post tx recovery but every day of hell was worth it. I haven't felt this good since 1982 when I contracted the virus. I'm 55 but feel (and act) like a teenager. I have literally been reborn. I wake up at 6 am ready to go (never did that -- always needed 10 hours of sleep), play softball 3 nights a week, and tackle home improvement like the energizer bunny. Thankfully, I don't remember treatment, just vague memories of lying in bed.
I'm writing this to you undergoing or contemplating treatment--- there is light at the end of the tunnel and every day of treatment will hopefully bring you closer. My only regret is not being diagnosed and treating sooner. Twenty seven years of HCV has left me with autoimmune diabetes and I now spend much of my time on another board educating myself about this lifestyle-complicating disease. But if that's my only complaint I'll take it.
I'm no doctor but I would strongly recommend research into Alinia if you are considering treatment. I had several risk factors for non-SVR such as genotype 1a, high starting viral load (80 million), and diabetes. Yet I achieved SVR and want to shout it out to the world.
After years of feeling ill and obsessively researching HCV and treatment It feels strange to be on the other side. I can't say enough about this board. Many long time members know more than the medical community about HCV, treatment, lab results and relief of side effects. They'll be a great source of knowledge and comfort for those of you newly diagnosed.
I wish you all well in your journey against this disease
Kittyface
Thank you for sharing us your story. ALso congratulation for your SVR. I am also a Hep C + Diabetes (recently diagnosed of DM) and consider to start Tx. My sugar contol is not wevy well with fsasting aroudn 130 and 2hr PC around 180 under oral agents. Could you please tell me how you control your sugar before and during the Tx? How's about your fasting and postprnadial sugar level as well as HbA1c before and druing the treatment. Very appreciated for your response.
Tonwin2009
Tonwin2009
What an uplifting story. I'm 3 weeks post tx. and still playing the waiting game.
You sure are right about this Forum, I've learned more here, that the Docs. have had time to share with me. The peer support is wonderful and has got me through some really rough times.
Congratulations and best of luch - Lynne
You sure are right about this Forum, I've learned more here, that the Docs. have had time to share with me. The peer support is wonderful and has got me through some really rough times.
Congratulations and best of luch - Lynne
Your story is so uplifting and for someone that went through the worse time of her life, you give someone like me hope and there is light at the end of this long dark tunnel.
I knew when I started treatment it would be a very long rough ride. But no one told me that everyday would be different from yesterday. I could write a 1000 page book just listing the side effects I have, and still there will be more. None of the doctors can tell me what tomorrow will bring, just that it is all related to the interferon. I feel like I am dying very slowly
My boyfriend's take on all this is identical to yours, and that is what drew me to your letter. It was John, talking to me all over again. Without him I would not be surviving, if that is what you want to call it. And as strange as it seems, without John, I wouldn't have even found out I had HCV. He has held my hand since day one.
It has only been 6 months and now my doctor tells me that if my next count doesn't go to zero, he will have to take me off the meds. I began at 14,000,000 and in 3 months went to 185. I took my test last week but he says it takes 2 weeks for the results. I am desperately trying for find another avenue of attack if in fact he stops the meds.
Your story inspires me to stay strong and to continue fighting this horrible disease.
Best of luck to you
Pat
I knew when I started treatment it would be a very long rough ride. But no one told me that everyday would be different from yesterday. I could write a 1000 page book just listing the side effects I have, and still there will be more. None of the doctors can tell me what tomorrow will bring, just that it is all related to the interferon. I feel like I am dying very slowly
My boyfriend's take on all this is identical to yours, and that is what drew me to your letter. It was John, talking to me all over again. Without him I would not be surviving, if that is what you want to call it. And as strange as it seems, without John, I wouldn't have even found out I had HCV. He has held my hand since day one.
It has only been 6 months and now my doctor tells me that if my next count doesn't go to zero, he will have to take me off the meds. I began at 14,000,000 and in 3 months went to 185. I took my test last week but he says it takes 2 weeks for the results. I am desperately trying for find another avenue of attack if in fact he stops the meds.
Your story inspires me to stay strong and to continue fighting this horrible disease.
Best of luck to you
Pat
Hey kittyface it's so great to see you again, I remember you we started here around the same time - God it was long ago now wasn't it?!
People need to read the positive reports - Lord knows we do enough whining on treatment that once it is over and successful they need to realize fully why they are doing it. Your post was very inspirational and I wish we had more like them coming in all of the time!
So glad that you are doing so great.......thanks for making me smile!
People need to read the positive reports - Lord knows we do enough whining on treatment that once it is over and successful they need to realize fully why they are doing it. Your post was very inspirational and I wish we had more like them coming in all of the time!
So glad that you are doing so great.......thanks for making me smile!
It's great to know you're doing so well.
And thanks for posting your thoughts about and your experience with treatment. Your story is inspiring.
Stay well Kittyface,
Mike
And thanks for posting your thoughts about and your experience with treatment. Your story is inspiring.
Stay well Kittyface,
Mike
It's wonderful to see such a positive post about your success.
I am a serious watch and wait type guy that wants to stop both but think (I tell myself) that my odds will be better if I wait.
I am sorry that you developed the diabetes while waiting and I think it serves as a good reminder to me that there are risks both ways. This year I have become a bit more symptomatic and so I am also becoming a little more impatient in my watching and waiting. I hope to jump into a trial in the next year or two.
Thank you for posting your success story. It encourages me and I know that it gives many on TX a lot of hope.
So glad you are doing so well......and thanks for checking in.
best,
Willy
I am a serious watch and wait type guy that wants to stop both but think (I tell myself) that my odds will be better if I wait.
I am sorry that you developed the diabetes while waiting and I think it serves as a good reminder to me that there are risks both ways. This year I have become a bit more symptomatic and so I am also becoming a little more impatient in my watching and waiting. I hope to jump into a trial in the next year or two.
Thank you for posting your success story. It encourages me and I know that it gives many on TX a lot of hope.
So glad you are doing so well......and thanks for checking in.
best,
Willy
Congratulations! And thank you - I am just starting and can't get enough of these uplifting stories.
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