concerned mother

[wondering39]

i have a 22 year old son who just got tested for hepitites b and c they came back positive. he was an herion addic and shared needles. he went to prison for a while.. my concern is what will having both b and c do to his body and life.?

[HCV-B-GONE]

If your son has let his bad habits of the past fade away, he may be eligible for a clinical trial with newer drugs.  The newer drugs are easier to tolerate, but if he is in a trial, he will be drug tested and if he is postive he will be kicked out.  In a trial the drugs are "free" but you usually have to drive a long way to get in one (unless you live in a city with a big teaching hospital).  Otherwise, a gastro doc is the way to go.  Your son is young, so he does have time.  I know the initial knowledge of being sick with this illness will completely freak out the immediate family, you do have some time on your side to get it together and have a treatment plan.  This is not a treatment that takes a week and no effort, it is a treatment that requires a committment and sometimes sacrifice to get to the other side.  First find out how serious he is to get healthy.

[HectorSF]

I am sorry to hear about your son but I hope he has changed his ways now. Hopefully he has received his "wake up" call.

If your son is truly infected by both viruses (see above posts saying that he needs more then just an antibody test to determine if he has Hepatitis C) one or the other virus will be dominant. The dominant virus will be the virus that is active and will cause his liver damage over time. That is the virus that will need to be treated.

Your son needs to see either a Gastroenterologist (a specialist in the digestive system including the liver) who has a lot of experience with hepatitis viruses or a hepatologist (a liver specialist) who works in a large hospital usually where they do liver transplants. This is the best doctor to have. Having two viruses complicates things. He is more likely to have his liver disease progress more quickly and he is more likely to develop liver cancer also. But this is many years, probably decades in the future when the consequences will affect his life. But because these are such serious life-threatening illness he needs to be under the care of a good doctor now to help him manage his hepatitis and treat it. Before the hepatitis is able to due its damage on the liver.

"what will having both b and c do to his body and life?"
So in summary, he should be fine if he gets the medical help he needs now.

Good luck.

Hector

[pooh55811]

I am very sorry to hear about your son's problems. It must be very difficult for you as a mother.

I would ask the same question as Dee. What tests did he have? Were the tests just for antibodies or were the tests to see if he has the actual active diseases? It makes a big difference. If he just has the antibodies, then it means he was exposed to Hep C and Hep at some point. However, if the PCR RNA is positive, then he has active Hep C. If he only had the test for antibodies then he needs to do further testing to see if he has active disease. (His background of sharing needles, heroin addiction, and prison suggest he is definitely a good candidate for having Hep C.)

You ask, "What will having both Hep B and C do to his life?"

It depends on if he has the active diseases or just the antibodies. I know many, many people who are Hep B positive but do very well and have no medical problems. On the other hand, Hep C is more insidious in nature and, even though it may take 20-30-40 years, Hep C can damage the liver and cause many other health problems as well. (9 out of 10 people who have the Hep B virus clear the Hep B virus on their own, whereas only about 20% of people who have the Hep C virus clear the Hep C virus on their own.)

So, first he has to know or find out if he has only antibodies or if he has the active diseases. If he has the active diseases then he should see a hepatologist who is experienced in treating Hep C (and Hep B). After he see the hepatologist, they can then decide if and when he needs to be treated and which treatment to use.

With Hep C, if he can get rid of the virus he can live a normal life. Even without treatment for Hep C a person can live many years with no major problems. But, as noted, Hep C is insidious. It is best to follow up on it and get treated if the Hepatologist recommends it. (Personally, I would get treated regardless. If one has a choice, why have a disease that no one can accurately predict its course, its eventual damage, or its eventual outcome.)

I know you asked about both Hep B and Hep C but I am not that knowledgeable about what having both of them will mean in the future.

I am going to link you to a couple of sites that can give you more information.

http://www.worldhepatitisalliance.org/AboutViralHepatitis/Prevention_Diagnosis_Treatment.aspx

http://www.worldhepatitisalliance.org/AboutViralHepatitis/What_is_Viral_Hepatitis.aspx

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001329/

I hope this helps. Please post more questions as they arise and we will try to respond appropriately.

[Dee1956]

Hi first I am so very sorry.  Has he had both tests for the Hep C?  The first test is for antibodies to see if you have been exposed, the second is for the actual virus or viral load.  It is possible to have been exposed yet have no sign of an actual viral load.  I am hoping this is the case for him.
I was tested for Hep B before I started tx for Hep C and received a false positive.  Not saying that happened here just trying to say not all is lost.  The virus is slow moving and there are many new, kinder, treatments for Hep C.  Many people do not know they have it for 20 to 40 years.  In this respect he can watch his diet, not drink, etc.  
I am not familiar with dual infection however someone will be a long to comment soon.  I just did not want you to be waiting and afraid.  There is help no matter the outcome
I wish you and your son the best
Dee