I fathered kids while hep c positive

[arpren]

I hate to go against the doomsayers on hep c. But  I must tell the positive side. HepC is rarely a death sentence, only 10-15 percent develop liver cancer or cirrhosis in there old age from hep c. I ve had hepatitis C for over 17 years and I am still in good health . I have fathered 2  daughters in that time who are healthy, normal and free of hepc. I have had regular sex with my woman and she also has not contracted hepC. Hep C is rarely contracted by sex, in fact everyone I know who caught hepc it was either through drug experimentation using needles or through blood transfusions
I think  doctors have  exaggerated the fear of hep C  by naming  the condition  HCV which sounds  awfully like HIV.
The 2 conditions are a world apart


This discussion is related to Help understanding Hep C treatment.

[ram921]

Too much thinking.

[jmjm530]

"Conclusion: Most HCV patients, if untreated, are expected to develop cirrhosis at about 65 years, irrespective of the age at infection. Thus, age itself seems even more important than age at infection for predicting the occurrence of liver cirrhosis. A specific active monitoring and therapeutic approach should be adopted in older patients to prevent progression to cirrhosis and its complications."

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/554637
(Free Medscape Registration Required)
I

[JennyPenny]

I just saw your post. We must have cross posted. I agree about the confusion. I'm not sure what to believe. NIH and the CDC have both directed us to say that only 15-20% will go on to develop cirrhosis over a lifetime....but I just don't know what the truth is.

[JennyPenny]

That's ok Jim. Thanks anyway. I see one of my posts printed a number of times. That is odd. I'm having trouble with this site today so I think I will go take a nap!!

[Willy50]

I have heard Vertex refer to several of the same type studies and I have not been able to find get a link.  I wonder if it might be worth writing/ contacting them and asking exactly which study then looking at the particulars.  Sometimes when we do look at studies the design can undermine our confidence, or who funded it....or the size..... or how they selected those in the study.

One that I heard them refer to was a meta-analysis of many studies and combined them all to arrive at a conclusion.  The comparison was between the 20 year and 30 year outcomes.  There was a dramatic shift in 10 years for the worse.  When I search for stats on the subject I am often struck by the conflicting information (as well as what looks to be old outdated info and not much new).

I too would love to see the data updated quicker and see it in a prominent place.  This seems to be an area of uncertainty and even conflict.  

Statistics and studies can be used to support both gloomy or optimistic views.  I've been surprised to see radically different "spin" placed on articles on the same study by different authors.

Willy

[jmjm530]

If you mean the study that suggests that many will progress to cirrhosis around age 60-65 regardless of when infected, I believe I saw it at www.hivandhepatitis ******* and it has been posted here, however I could not find it again after albeit a very quick search. Maybe someone else will have better luck and I will try again later.

-- Jim