Hep C

[Issa_34]

My mom was diagnosed with Liver Cirrosis about 6 months ago they told her if she stopped drinking it would be best.  She had already been tested for Hep C first she came out positive then after a second test negative.  Her usual labs were not normal as of her doctor so he decided to test her again and advised her she was positive for Hep C.  She started taking the meds for that which were Ribavirin and Peginterferon alfa 2 a injection.  She then visited her Liver Specialist which advised her she needed to stop those meds because they could further her liver damage because of her Cirrosis but the other Dr. advised her those meds may reverse the damage.  She is not having any problems with swelling or anything like that.  What should we do?

[HectorSF]

Which doctor started her on treatment? Why is she getting two different opinions about her cirrhosis and its cause?
What should you do? In my opinion your mother needs one knowledgeable doctor in charge of her care for her cirrhosis.

First - find one good experienced Hepatologist. They specialize on the liver and its diseases. They should be in charge of her care with your mother. With your mother having cirrhosis she needs someone who is familiar working with people that have cirrhosis. A primary doctor is not qualified to treat all the symptoms and complications of cirrhosis.

Second - (And this is the key to her future and it is totally her decision) she must stop drinking. Period. It doesn't matter if her cirrhosis is caused by alcohol or Hep C. If she has cirrhosis and is drinking she is committing slow suicide. There is no point in being treated for Hep C if a person is continuing to drink. The only reason to cure the virus is to stop the progression of the liver disease, which won't happen if she continues drinking.

Third - if she stop drinking and decides she wants to get healthy and live, then she can find out if she has chronic Hep C. It is a simple blood test. If she has Hep C then her and her doctor (Hepatologist) can decide if she is able to treat the virus. If her liver damage is too advanced she may not be able to treat. In that case she needs to connect up with a liver transplant facility, as in time her liver will fail and she will need a new liver to continue to live. (Note she will not get a transplant if she continues to drink as she will not be eligible for a transplant). The Hepatologist can assist her with finding a transplant center.

I hope this clarifies the situation. I'm sorry you are going through this but ultimately the choice is your mothers.

Good luck
hectorsf

[lalapple]

hcv is a silent disease, some don't get symptoms until it gets worse.  some people can live their entire lives with hcv and die of old age, but it could prove lethal for a few others.  everyone is different.  tx is hard on the body, but may benefit the liver.  ultrasound doesn't provide the clearest picture of how much damage she has unless the damage can be physically identified with bumpy scar tissues on the surface of the liver.

[Issa_34]

The dr told her just hep c no more info then that.  The meds they gave her may have been hurting her she was told to stop taking the injection.  Today they did an ultrasound supposedly to see how much damage her liver has.  She's worried it may be cancer.  She doesn't have any symtoms of fatigue, swelling or loss of apetite.  

[lalapple]

ok, first of all, is she positive for the virus or the antibody?  if she does have the virus as indicated by a pcr test for the viral load then tx would be the way to go.   from what i was told, tx would not further damage on the liver and may even be helpful to reverse some signs of damage in damage stages a little less severe than cirrhosis.  

she should stop drinking.  and needs to find a stable hepatologist,  not a GI, not a general practitioner.