hep c and infernon

[ange404]

I am 33  and have had hep c geno one for awhile diagnosed in 2005 now I am paralyzed due to drinking too much after finding out and fell 40 feet  and now have a 19 month old daughter and doctors want me to do infernon pegaysys and  one other pill treatment but will be sick for 4 months before they know if it is working and was told my genotype is least responsive and if it does not work I will have to wait on other stuff to come out for it what should I do! I want to drink occasionally but my daughter saved my life by stopping my alcoholism but if this isn't going to work I don't want to do it and I just wont drink please help if anyone has went thru this treatment with my genotype

[Idyllic]

You sound stressed like you have to decide right now what to do. It sounds like you do not have enough information to decide whether to treat now or wait.

One of the factors that help people determine whether to treat now or wait is how far their fibrosis has progressed. Said another way it might help if you find out what stage of fibrosis you are.

Interferon-based treatment is harsh but doable. You are young so that is a plus but if you are incapacitated (with a toddler) then you might need a lot of support during the treatment process. There are lots of labs and doctor's appointments and dealing with potential side effects. If you are stage 1 or 2 then you might have time on your side and not have to treat right now.

Ask about a biopsy (which is invasive) or there are noninvasive ways (Fibrosure) that will give you a decent enough idea. There are varying degrees of accuracy but some information is better than none. Do not let your doctor or anyone else convince you this is not important since you are going to treat anyway.

All I am really saying is this is the time to explore all your options and the result of them. You have choices and the more you learn the more in control you will feel.
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Someone on here used a very powerful analogy by saying drinking while you have Hepatitis C is like throwing fuel on a fire. I would try to abstain from drinking even though I know it can be struggle if one is not ready.

[dontworry_behappy1]

I do see that you said you were genotype 1.  Again, welcome to the forum and let us know the results of your liver biopsy.

DWBH

[dontworry_behappy1]

We can only assume that you are Genotype 1.  It sounds like your doctor is referencing triple treatment.  The very first thing you need to find out is what is the results of your liver biopsy.  This is very important because the liver biopsy is a pre-treatment tool that tells:  The current condition of your liver, if you can wait for better treatment and assists in knowing how long you will
treat.  If you don't have that information then contact your doctor for the results or to schedule a liver biopsy.  You are still young and could have options with treatment depending on the results of your liver biopsy.  Come back ask questions and let us know your liver biopsy results.

Welcome to the forum and drinking isn't an option.

DWBH

[BoceprevirGal]

   You could get a liver biopsy, to see if there is an urgent need for you to Treat.  The biopsy has 4 stages, and if you are still at stage 0,1,2, or even a 3 with no inflammation, then you could choose to wait for the easier Treatments to be available.
   The Interferon can cause serious psychiatric side effects, so I put off being Treated until my children were ages 10 and 12 yrs (easy ages to take care of), because I have already had psych issues in my past, like anger issues~
   You can also have labs done, to check on the condition of your liver, every 6 months, until you decide to Treat.  Any drinking at all is not recommended, for people with Hep C, so I quit drinking when I found out I had it. I found out I had it when I was 30 yrs old, and Treated when I was 49 yrs old.
  Also, geno 1's dont do so well, with just the Interferon and Riba pill Treatment, that your Doctor is describing...there would only be about a 45% chance of you curing. The current Treatment for geno 1's also includes a third medicine, called a Protease Inhibitor, and it would be either Incivek or Boceprevir...and this Treatment yields a 70% cure rate, but has many more side effects.
   The new Treatments coming out within the next few years, will have much less side effects, be easier on your body, and be of shorted duration, plus, a much higher cure rate then what is available~
   So in conclusion: watchful waiting, and no drinking can work well, and a biopsy