see, I told ya there'd be other view points.
f course, it helps to know you are bipolar as it explains your docs hesitancy.
However, a year ago I was reading protease inhibitors were being fast tracked and 1-2 years off....now I'm hearing 4-5 years maybe.
In any event, you have to know your own propensity for suicidal thought and/or actions as the SOC now does bring that out even in those not priorly given t such, and with no existing depression.
You describe yourself as weary....no wonder, between the virus AND no real answers anyone would be worn out.
start with a biopsy to really know the extent of damage.
then, either make sure you are on enough meds to cope with your bi-polar, or make sure and adjust them to mre liver friendly meds before starting treatment, so you and your doc can safely up their level if and when that is indicated.
If yu want to wait another few years for safer drugs, at least get the biopsy and start on the antifibrotics that HepatitisResearcher recommends,
you could also consider a trial, but there is n guarantee in a double blind trial whether you will get the newer trial drugs, and you will almost certainly get the current drugs at least, but you will not know if it is a full or reduced dose you've been given until the study is over. So, it might end well for you, or with you having even more side effects, which you don't need.
Obviously doctors are trying to cure patients, not kill them....so the question becomes is the cure more likely to cut short a life than the disease one carries.
You did say at first, but now that you have, which is good, I'd have to say if you have acted on those suicidal things in the past, unless we are talking very distant past, like 20-30 years ago.....that I'd agree with your doctor.
If you are strong willed and not prone to act upon your thought, then you could gingerly try therapy with the knowledge that if it gets too bad, and adjusting your meds, adding ativan and the like does not keep you relatively sane, (I say relatively because many still get teary every day at some point).....then you need t be absolute in your resolve to throw in the towel before you act that out.
For all you know (minus biopsy) you may have a liver that can go another 20 years with good care taken of it.....you wouldn't want to jeopardize many good years for something that might be too much for you withut having a good liver doctor and a psychiatrist onboard for the duration and closely monitoring you.
If you are not at all prone to act, but only do think thoughts, then I would not offer the fact that thought have increased up right away while on treatment, only because one jangled day does not a suicide make, yet legally docs are duty bound to discontiue treatment once you make cartain statements. I would however call if you have more than a couple rough days, and tell them your depression and anxiety have increased so they will adjust yours meds ASAP.
I guess the question is are you going to be able to articulate your stress level to get the meds you need, and to ride out the rough spots. If you have a support system, family a such you can call on, you may be alright, if you are pretty much alone most of the time, then things can get hard for many. It's a tough call for sure.
Do you comply with your current RX's for bi-polar...do you skip doses?
Truly, it's hard to dose yourself with something making you sick each day, so you need to answer yourself honestly here. The treatment is no cake walk to be sure.
thanks for disclosing the bi=polar....I would hate to steer anyone the wrong way.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/346752
maryB