Aa
Hepatitis C
Three years ago I was diagnosed with HCV inactive. More testing concluded I had auto immune hepatitis and have been on treatment for the last two and a half yrs for that with prednisone and imuran. Today I received a phone call from my doctor's office that my C virus was now active. I am waiting for a Specialist to call me back and let me know what this means for me. I am very nervous, I have had anxiety attacks within the last four months and I don't know if I can be treated for both diseases. Can you please let me know if this is possible and what outcome I might expect. I have done everything to the letter to keep my disease under control and this is amazing to me.Thank you for any insight you can give me to what I will be facing next.
Hepatitis C is much more easily treatable today than it was 2.5 years ago. In 2013 the new line of antiviral drugs based on sofosbuvir came out which have an about 95% cure rate.
Being treated for another disease does not affect the cure rate in most cases. I think the doctor is going to start you of on Harvoni (sofosbuvir and ledipasvir) and you will be hepatitis C free in 3 months. Of course, the major problem is the price of the treatment if your insurance will not cover the costs.
Best,
Marko
Being treated for another disease does not affect the cure rate in most cases. I think the doctor is going to start you of on Harvoni (sofosbuvir and ledipasvir) and you will be hepatitis C free in 3 months. Of course, the major problem is the price of the treatment if your insurance will not cover the costs.
Best,
Marko
Well I found out last evening that you are all correct when the hepatitis nurse returned my call. I do have chronic C in addition to the auto immune hepatitis. I found out that when I first saw the doctor I had a viral count of 8 million & that it is now down to 2 mil. Yes, I had a biopsy over 2 yrs ago and it came back with moderate damage & that is how the auto immune factor was detected due to the biopsy. I was informed by my doctor that was good because it was easier to treat than active C so I guess that is how I came to the conclusion that I wasn't active. In addition I recall asking my doctor about a yr ago if I could be treated for the C if it acted up and he told me no I could never be treated for that due to the medicines I am on now. Anyone out there know anyone who has both auto immune and chronic hepatitis C? In the beginning I was going out on the net all the time & my doctor reccommended my to stop because there was a lot of bad info out there. I did ask the nurse if I could be treated for the C due to the medicines that I am now taking & she informed me it was a question she would need to ask the doctor, that she could not tell me yes or no.I would like to speak with someone who has both. Thanks all, Jody
it is a good thing that you are off to see a hepatologist, he will be able to explain things better to you and give you feasible alternatives, if he is a good MD. You need to do a lot of research on your own of both illness, go to chat boards and ask of others what they are facing in either illness.
You will have to take charge, if you want the outcome you seek.
I have never heard of hep c been inactive, you either have it or don't.
When you first become infected, your system produces antibodies that try to fight off the virus, about 20% of people succeed; the virus is gone, but the antibodies remain. This person HAD hep c. The other 80% develop CHRONIC infection, the person might or not feel any off symptoms for years and years during this stage of the infection. The virus IS active, it is replicating and targeting the liver cells. There is no such thing as inactive hep c during the chronic stage, the lack of symptoms does not mean inactivity. DO a search at the janis7hepc.com site for more on hep c. Best to you in your search.
You will have to take charge, if you want the outcome you seek.
I have never heard of hep c been inactive, you either have it or don't.
When you first become infected, your system produces antibodies that try to fight off the virus, about 20% of people succeed; the virus is gone, but the antibodies remain. This person HAD hep c. The other 80% develop CHRONIC infection, the person might or not feel any off symptoms for years and years during this stage of the infection. The virus IS active, it is replicating and targeting the liver cells. There is no such thing as inactive hep c during the chronic stage, the lack of symptoms does not mean inactivity. DO a search at the janis7hepc.com site for more on hep c. Best to you in your search.
Jody,
Have you had a liver biopsy? I may have autoimmune hep just waiting for lab results and was told the best way to tell is to have the biopsy so that's to be done.
Thanks,
marhope
Have you had a liver biopsy? I may have autoimmune hep just waiting for lab results and was told the best way to tell is to have the biopsy so that's to be done.
Thanks,
marhope
Cherium, Thanks for your answer, it was much appreciated. My understanding of my disease is that when the C virus entered my body, it remained inactive but set off my immune system which is over-active. Auto immune hepatitis does not necessarily mean you have the C virus but can come by way of another virus if your immune system is not good to begin with. I was informed by my doctor that I could not ever be treated for the C virus should it become active because of the treatment I am receiving for the auto immune hepatitis. I had recent blood work that came back & said the C virus was active which has really put a scare in me. I am in the process of changing doctors to a hepatologist & hopefully he will have better news for me although in the past 6 months I have become extremely fatigued, nervous to the point of shaking all over and in addition the prednisone has caused me to develop a bone disease affecting my back. Thanks also to Lou for his kind response. Jody
mmmmm A saucy mare like you should have a steed
A
mmmmm A little lying down with me is what you need
Darling Companion, heaven knows where we'll be landin'
Just as long as we keep laughin'
Keep in mind just what would happen
Darling Companion, I tell the mountains & the canyon
As long as I got legs to stand on
I'm gonna run to you
PeeBee
A
mmmmm A little lying down with me is what you need
Darling Companion, heaven knows where we'll be landin'
Just as long as we keep laughin'
Keep in mind just what would happen
Darling Companion, I tell the mountains & the canyon
As long as I got legs to stand on
I'm gonna run to you
PeeBee
yes darlin i know i know....and the 'pint o beer'...tee hee you still owe me....see yah before the end of the fall.....sammy hall
I can understand your anxiety -- if you have both hep C and automimmune hep, you may be between a rock and a hard place. You said you had been told you had "inactive" hep C earlier. I'm not sure what the doctor meant to tell you, as one either HAS hep C -- is infected with acute hep C, or has hep C which has become chronic -- or one does not. If you tested positive for hep C antibodies, but negative for RNA, it probably meant you had been infected but were able to clear the virus without treatment/ your own immune system was able to clear the virus. Another possibility: if your viral load was checked and came back "undetectable," there was actually a small amount of virus -- too small an amount to be caught on the check (could you have been recently infected the first time you were checked?) and during steroid treatment, viral replication increased the # to detectable. Ask your M.D., were you tested for HCV RNA, the first time around? If it was only a few years ago, the lab results should still be in your records. Copies could be gotten. It sounds like you may have had chronic hep C all this time. But I'm not looking at all the lab results! Have you had a biopsy/ biopsies? Ask questions of your M.D. Ask until you feel you understand. You have a right to ask questions Until you have enough answers -- for the moment. Take notes. Or take along a friend/family member to take notes. Otherwise, you probably won't remember all you've been told, later. HUGS
Why you two-timing horse riding Canadian double crosser' Leading me on doyou think idon't read your flirting posts girl. You've got a bit of explaning to do. I thought i was "the only one"
SAMMUEL HALL
SAMMUEL HALL
I know, I know! I must be losing my touch! How I long for the days of old!! Alas, it was easier when I was younger!
Good night.
Lou
Good night.
Lou
ALRIGHT...NOW I AM JEALOUS......YOU'VE DONE IT NOW CUTIE
sorry joni...still love you though!!!
sorry joni...still love you though!!!
Oh Joni! We just met and you made me blush! What power! Have you been over to Janis and friends site. It has a lot of information. If not maybe you should take a look. There are also chat rooms and such.
Lou
http://janis7hepc.com/
Lou
http://janis7hepc.com/
Hello Jody, I can not answer your questions. I do not know enought about the situation. I responded because I saw that your post had been here and remained unaswered, but hang in there. I am fairly new here but there are those that will come along and offer some advice, I am positive. Keep monitoring this forum and ask questions. There are many very experianced people here, I am just not one of them. They let me stay here because I'm cute! Just joking! ( No I'm not I am cute!!)I'm geco 2b Viral load 8.5 mil. Starting treament soon. Good Luck. Stay strong.
Lou
Lou
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