Hep C Discussion Forum

Angel67 · Senior Member

RE: Diagnosed yesterday.

pizzacake · Veteran Member

I want to chime in here on the biopsy topic. I've also had several biopsies (spelling?) and they've all gone very well. I experienced no pain or maybe just a tiny bit. Compare to childbirth it's a cake walk.

Angel67 · Senior Member

RonH wrote:
Hi Angie,
First off welcome to the forum. I as you first flipped out when I found out I was positive with hep c. My wife at the time came unglued on me and said that I knew I had this and all kinds of nasty things to me, this was the downfall of that marriage. With the new drugs that are out we have such a great hope to get rid of this disease. I myself have no one to blame but my bad choices when I was young, IV drug use, rampant drinking and all kinds of risky behavior. I have just celebrated 21 yrs sober and drug free so this has helped not to do damage to my liver. My ultrasound that my DR wanted came back as a fatty liver, not cirrhotic. So I am grateful for that. Keep positive thoughts and listen to your DR. As many of them have the skills we dont. As others have said now is time for action and to come to terms of you being diagnosed as positive. Keep your chin up and keep positive. I am on treatment now 400mil sovaldi daily, 400mil ribavirin morn and 400mil at night. 15 days in as of right now. Things will get better for you and for many of us here.

Hi Ron, it does seem that at this moment in time we are going to be flooded with new & better drugs than Interferon. 21 years sober is even longer than my 16 so hats off to you for that one. I have been told that not drinking is the single best thing a hep c victim can do. Anyway keep us all informed of how the Solvaldi goes as I think we all want some of that!

RonH · Veteran Member

Hi Angie,

First off welcome to the forum. I as you first flipped out when I found out I was positive with hep c. My wife at the time came unglued on me and said that I knew I had this and all kinds of nasty things to me, this was the downfall of that marriage. With the new drugs that are out we have such a great hope to get rid of this disease. I myself have no one to blame but my bad choices when I was young, IV drug use, rampant drinking and all kinds of risky behavior. I have just celebrated 21 yrs sober and drug free so this has helped not to do damage to my liver. My ultrasound that my DR wanted came back as a fatty liver, not cirrhotic. So I am grateful for that. Keep positive thoughts and listen to your DR. As many of them have the skills we dont. As others have said now is time for action and to come to terms of you being diagnosed as positive. Keep your chin up and keep positive. I am on treatment now 400mil sovaldi daily, 400mil ribavirin morn and 400mil at night. 15 days in as of right now. Things will get better for you and for many of us here.

Angel67 · Senior Member

Isiscat2011 wrote:
Angel67 wrote:
That Jugular thing sounds like something from a horror movie! I know that the hospital I will go to have a Fibroscan machine, so I will push for that. What I'm more concerned about is that some politician will stop the people getting Solvaldi. Now a independent board have approved it but I think there is a good chance someone else will quash this idea? Still, all the data says it's a magnificent medicine & i hope that if the stuff really is that good, NHS England won't be able to justify not giving it to us. I am hoping I have several years to play this waiting game, i know many other suffers have limited time.
Welcome Angel67:
The transjugular liver biopsy does sound horrible but it is actually considered much safer than the more commonly performed percutaneous biopsy for some people. In the US the transjugular liver biopsy is the preferred method for people who have blood clotting problems (low platelets) because the bleeding risks are reduced with this procedure. Low platelets are a common problem for cirrhotics. Additionally, the transjugular is generally performed by more experienced physicians, which also reduces complications and produces better sampling results.
I had a percutaneous biopsy when initially diagnosed in 2011. A year later, following unsuccessful treatment, a different Hepatologist at a teaching hospital recommended that another biopsy be performed. He had reviewed the original samples and believed they were inadequate. I had been staged at a 2/2 based on my original biopsy. He thought this staging was in error because I probably had extensive liver damage (he was correct). My platelets had dropped during tx and never fully recovered so he suggested a transjugular biopsy.
He was unable to offer me a fibroscan because fibroscans had not yet been FDA approved in the US. Long story short I decided to get a Fibroscan in Canada. This was an acceptable alternative to a second biopsy in my particular situation. Having said that, if necessary, I would undergo a transjugular biopsy because a biopsy can reveal more about the liver than a fibroscan. If liver fibrosis is the primary concern, however, a fibroscan is a better option, IMO.
As an aside, it is not true that someone who has not been a heavy drinker or drug user will not get cirrhosis. Chronic HCV alone can cause cirrhosis. How rapidly fibrosis progresses is an individual thing that depends on many factors. By age 65 about two thirds of the infected population will have it regardless of external factors. Because you have had HCV for decades it is even more important for you to have a liver assessment to determine the state of your liver.
You will know more soon. Blood tests will give you more answers to start with. Just take it one step at a time and know that all will be fine in the long term. I'm so glad you found us here and that we found you. :)

-- Edited by Isiscat2011 on Wednesday 3rd of September 2014 07:40:02 PM

Hi Isiscat, ultimately I will do what the experts want me to do. However, I will push for the Fibroscan as I think it makes sense for me, perhaps after the scan they may wish to do a biopsy for a more accurate reading, we shall see? I don't think I will have reached the stage of Cirrhosis just yet(wishful thinking). I am hoping that Solvaldi will be available to all as this seems to be as close to a cure as can be. For the moment I am modifying my diet & trying to stay stress free....that's so hard to do. My wife is looking to sell one of her kidneys to pay for this drug if our health service won't provide it...I don't think I can go along with that!

Isiscat2011 · Guru

Angel67 wrote:
That Jugular thing sounds like something from a horror movie! I know that the hospital I will go to have a Fibroscan machine, so I will push for that. What I'm more concerned about is that some politician will stop the people getting Solvaldi. Now a independent board have approved it but I think there is a good chance someone else will quash this idea? Still, all the data says it's a magnificent medicine & i hope that if the stuff really is that good, NHS England won't be able to justify not giving it to us. I am hoping I have several years to play this waiting game, i know many other suffers have limited time.

Welcome Angel67:

The transjugular liver biopsy does sound horrible but it is actually considered much safer than the more commonly performed percutaneous biopsy for some people. In the US the transjugular liver biopsy is the preferred method for people who have blood clotting problems (low platelets) because the bleeding risks are reduced with this procedure. Low platelets are a common problem for cirrhotics. Additionally, the transjugular is generally performed by more experienced physicians, which also reduces complications and produces better sampling results.

I had a percutaneous biopsy when initially diagnosed in 2011. A year later, following unsuccessful treatment, a different Hepatologist at a teaching hospital recommended that another biopsy be performed. He had reviewed the original samples and believed they were inadequate. I had been staged at a 2/2 based on my original biopsy. He thought this staging was in error because I probably had extensive liver damage (he was correct). My platelets had dropped during tx and never fully recovered so he suggested a transjugular biopsy.

He was unable to offer me a fibroscan because fibroscans had not yet been FDA approved in the US. Long story short I decided to get a Fibroscan in Canada. This was an acceptable alternative to a second biopsy in my particular situation. Having said that, if necessary, I would undergo a transjugular biopsy because a biopsy can reveal more about the liver than a fibroscan. If liver fibrosis is the primary concern, however, a fibroscan is a better option, IMO.

As an aside, it is not true that someone who has not been a heavy drinker or drug user will not get cirrhosis. Chronic HCV alone can cause cirrhosis. How rapidly fibrosis progresses is an individual thing that depends on many factors. By age 65 about two thirds of the infected population will have it regardless of external factors. Because you have had HCV for decades it is even more important for you to have a liver assessment to determine the state of your liver.

You will know more soon. Blood tests will give you more answers to start with. Just take it one step at a time and know that all will be fine in the long term. I'm so glad you found us here and that we found you. :)

-- Edited by Isiscat2011 on Wednesday 3rd of September 2014 07:40:02 PM

Angel67 · Senior Member

Tig56 wrote:
Hi Angel,
You were describing a trans jugular (venous) approach for a liver biopsy! I'll have you know that particular method isn't the approach generally used to obtain a biopsy! So relax, no passing out allowed! I've had multiple biopsies and all but one was done by inserting a needle into the liver via the right upper abdomen, sometimes using ultrasound as guidance. All but one I was asleep. There are other procedures utilizing ultrasound called Fibroscan that are also used to determine fibrosis levels. Your doctor will have more information on that. Try and not let this bother you, the biopsy isn't a difficult procedure if that is decided, but until it's discussed, don't let it worry you! A lot is going through your mind right now. Do yourself a favor and don't overload your mind with endless research. It can be too much to bear at times. I call it internet overload and it's not good for you! I hope we can help you through these confusing times, just let us know! Good luck...
http://www.medicinenet.com/liver_biopsy/article.htm
http://www.myliverexam.com/en/lexamen-fibroscan.html
Tig

That Jugular thing sounds like something from a horror movie! I know that the hospital I will go to have a Fibroscan machine, so I will push for that. What I'm more concerned about is that some politician will stop the people getting Solvaldi. Now a independent board have approved it but I think there is a good chance someone else will quash this idea? Still, all the data says it's a magnificent medicine & i hope that if the stuff really is that good, NHS England won't be able to justify not giving it to us. I am hoping I have several years to play this waiting game, i know many other suffers have limited time.

Tig · Admin

Hi Angel,

You were describing a trans jugular (venous) approach for a liver biopsy! I'll have you know that particular method isn't the approach generally used to obtain a biopsy! So relax, no passing out allowed! I've had multiple biopsies and all but one was done by inserting a needle into the liver via the right upper abdomen, sometimes using ultrasound as guidance. All but one I was asleep. There are other procedures utilizing ultrasound called Fibroscan that are also used to determine fibrosis levels. Your doctor will have more information on that. Try and not let this bother you, the biopsy isn't a difficult procedure if that is decided, but until it's discussed, don't let it worry you! A lot is going through your mind right now. Do yourself a favor and don't overload your mind with endless research. It can be too much to bear at times. I call it internet overload and it's not good for you! I hope we can help you through these confusing times, just let us know! Good luck...

http://www.medicinenet.com/liver_biopsy/article.htm

http://www.myliverexam.com/en/lexamen-fibroscan.html

Tig

Angel67 · Senior Member

Cinnamon Girl wrote:
Hi Angel, welcome to the forum!
We all understand how you must be feeling now after the shock of getting the diagnosis, and many of us here lived with the virus for years or even decades without knowing about it. The good news is that Hep C is very treatable nowadays and now you know you`re infected you can start to move forward towards the right treatment.
The situation in the Uk as far as Sovaldi is concerned is that it has recently been given draft approval for use within the NHS for certain patient categories but not all, so we`ll need more information to be able to advise you on that. For example, do you know what your genotype is, and do you have the results of any liver function tests you`ve had done? Your consultant will be able to guide you in the right direction, so just take it step at a time as you gather the information together.
And please try not to feel guilty about something you did as a teenager! We all make mistakes when we`re young and experimenting with life, so put that behind you and keep moving forward.
Here`s some information about Sovaldi in the UK that I posted in our news section recently. You might find it helpful...
http://hepcfriends.activeboard.com/t58380836/nice-uk-draft-recommendation-for-sofosbuvir-key-points/
Best of luck to you, and stay in touch with us!

Hi Cinnamon girl (I love that song), at the moment I know nothing about what genotype I am or how far down the line I am. My guess is I'm genotype 1 as this is the most prevalent in the UK. Until I see the specialist all I can do is guess & wish for the best. I have had various symptoms over the years, mainly extreme fatigue ( I literally fell asleep while standing once!). I get a lot of muscular aches, aches & pains all over, a dull ache in the liver area & digestive upsets. Also I had some severe Gallbladder problems a few years back, the doctors took that out & now I think somehow it was linked to this. As for guilt I do feel some, it's as though I don't feel as deserving as a patient who contracted this illness through no fault of his or her own...I know it's silly but I feel that most people will also feel this way. I'm going to check out that link now & many thanks for that, your replies & the support, I hope I can offer some back to someone one day,all the best.

Angel67 · Senior Member

Thom wrote:
Angel67 wrote:
My diagnosis came as a complete & utter shock...it still hasn't sunk in. Well the doctors picked up on Hep C by pure chance as I had some routine blood tests as I was feeling under the weather. Back in the eighties (before Hep C was even named) I was reckless once or twice with sharing a hypodermic syringe. I have put all that stuff behind me & had almost forgotten my bad habits as I have not drank alcohol in sixteen years, one month & fourteen days! I don't take drugs, don't eat meat, don't gamble & have never cheated on anyone in my life! I have had one partner in the past twenty four years (my wife) & we have five children. As you can imagine my wife was mortified when I came home yesterday & told her I had this illness. She then found out that if she had it,she could have passed it to all our kids! She rushed to a private blood testing facility & within four hours they told her she was clear...wow, twenty four years of unprotected sex & I didn't infect her....this is a relief. I thought my symptoms were down to a fatty liver & now I feel like I have been handed a death sentence. So I have spent all night "Googling" Hep C & noticed that a wonder drug called, Solvaldi (sofosbuvir) is the best drug treatment. But it's not routinely available here in the England. Does anyone know if it will be the standard treatment any time soon? I know it's pricey £ 35000 a treatment, but interferon is £12000 & all I read is horror stories about that. Surely spending £35000 to cure someone is cheaper than repeatedly treating someone & eventually hospitalizing them on multiple occasions? I now have to wait for the hospital to contact me & I have not been told what happens next....I am having to guess what that may be? I have not turned yellow or red palmed & itchy, but I do have a dull ache in the upper right quadrant. I estimate that I got myself infected around twenty seven years ago, this makes me think time is running out & probably fibrosis is with me? My mind is running through a rollercoaster of emotions at the moment & I kind of feel dirty, like some kind of leper. I'm getting angry too, I feel cheated & betrayed...but ultimately I have done this to myself. I just feel that it's a harsh punishment for making mistakes when you were a ****ed up teenager, yet being an adult I take full responsibility. I am thinking the hospital will find my genotype (probably 1) then do a Fibroscan (I don't want a biopsy). Perhaps they will offer treatment there & then, perhaps not? I might be best to hold out in the hope that Sofosbuvir becomes available, does anyone have any thoughts on that?
At some point you will just have to accept the fact that you are infected and just get on with the treatment. The good news that I can give you is that I, like you, have not spent my life drinking alcohol or using drugs and have not had any liver damage. You, I expect will likely have none either. I just began treatment August 15 2014 and I am in the US using Sovaldi.
There are people from all over the World on this forum. Some are from England and can discuss the treatment available to you. Some are in the Health Care field and can intelligently discuss diagnosis and treatment in general. There is a wealth of knowledge here on this forum. I don't possess any of that knowledge as I am new to this myself.
By the way, I dreaded getting a biopsy, but my Doctor insisted on it. I felt no pain during or after the procedure at all.
You will receive many helpful replies to this post, mine excepted.
Welcome aboard and good luck to you. You will get many helpful responses to this post.

Hi Thom, now I'm in day two of my diagnosis I am starting to accept my new situation. I adapt quickly & am learning new stuff on the hour as i read up on this illness I knew nothing about until two days ago. The new treatments look like the stuff of miracles & let's hope everyone can get a chance to try these out. The biopsy does terrify me....I have always been squeamish about the liver. There is a procedure that enters through the Jugular vein & exits in the liver to take a sample....I'm gonna faint if I keep talking about this!

Angel67 · Senior Member

TomF wrote:
Angel67, finding out you have hep C is rough. No question there.
The good news is that there has never been a better time to get treatment. Solvaldi is one of several new DAAs (direct acting antivirals) that have been recently introduced. DAAs narrowly target the virus, disrupting the replication process. This is a huge improvement over older treatments, both in in terms of reducing side effects and improving outcomes.
We are just starting to see combinations of DAAs, like the Solvaldi/Olysio combination I am taking. These are very effective, but they are currently very expensive as well. Other combinations will be released very soon. Hopefully, the competition will drive down the price and these combinations will be the standard treatment.
I know you want this virus gone now. But you have had this for 27 years already. Take some time to research treatments. Consider waiting for the DAA combination treatments to become available.

Tom, it does seem that it's the best time to be diagnosed with Hep c as the modern treatments are looking very promising. I do think waiting for the newest drugs to be available is the way to go. Let us know how the new stuff works for you & good luck with this.

Angel67 · Senior Member

Dzdayscomin wrote:
This is arguably the hardest time............. when you find out you are infected.
Did they do any liver function tests? they can tell a great deal just by those results alone, and the severity of your Infection or how much damage is occurring.
If you don't have any noticeable symptoms you are probably going to be just fine...ie Acites, Edema, etc
In fact you say have not had a drink or done any things adverse to your liver in that long puts you in even better condition.

The tx's are amazing today at being able to wipe this thing out in relatively short time frames.
Use this place to reassure your self that things will be ok...I have.

Duane

Duane, I have not turned yellow yet! But have had vague symptoms for years & years. In fact, everyone thought I was a hypochondriac (okay, I sort of am but just happen to be ill this time!). I have had this aching all over, weakness & mind fog...seriously, sometimes I will go to a shop & I don't even know how I got there or what I'm there for! The times my wife sends me out on an errand & I come back looking confused & empty handed...well numerous they are. At the moment I'm in the dark about how far things have progressed, I have to wait to see the specialists at hospital & that should be about three weeks...things can move slowly here in the uk!

Angel67 · Senior Member

wmlj1960 wrote:
Angel67 wrote:
I have put all that stuff behind me & had almost forgotten my bad habits as I have not drank alcohol in sixteen years, one month & fourteen days!
Angel67,
It's good that you keep track of your 'obviously important' sobriety time. Yours makes my little seven months, twenty two days seem almost insignificant, but every second of it is actually very significant. As already mentioned, the fact that it's been so long since you have abused your liver is certainly a plus, and the current medicines are much more friendly and effective than ones used only a short time ago. So a HepC diagnosis is not a thing to be horrified by like it was in the past.
There is plenty of help, support, understanding and knowledge on this forum so I'm glad you found it. I'm fairly new and inexperienced, but we have several very knowledgeable members who can answer your questions, including those concerning medicine availability in England.
So, "Welcome to the forum".

Mike, seven months & now 23 days ( you probably know the hours ,minutes & seconds too) is a wonderful start. I was brought up with an alcoholic parent & I thought it was normal behaviour to drink the whole bottle of whisky instead of one or two drinks. The only way I stopped drinking was tenacity, never giving in. Also cutting of all the people that were involved in it...99.9% of everyone I knew! It took five years straight sobriety before I stopped yearning for a drink, seriously, after five years I felt something lift from my shoulders & I realized I was cured . Even finding out I have Hep c has not tempted me to drink & I'm guessing that the combination of the disease & heavy drinking is just about the worst thing for a liver. I wish you good luck with sobriety, I know how it feels like you a leaving a lover & life seems impossible without this lover....but it's a lover & when it's gone & you finally accept you will never drink again, simple ordinary things become enjoyable to do. Good luck Mike.

Cinnamon Girl · Guru

Hi Angel, welcome to the forum!

We all understand how you must be feeling now after the shock of getting the diagnosis, and many of us here lived with the virus for years or even decades without knowing about it. The good news is that Hep C is very treatable nowadays and now you know you`re infected you can start to move forward towards the right treatment.

The situation in the Uk as far as Sovaldi is concerned is that it has recently been given draft approval for use within the NHS for certain patient categories but not all, so we`ll need more information to be able to advise you on that. For example, do you know what your genotype is, and do you have the results of any liver function tests you`ve had done? Your consultant will be able to guide you in the right direction, so just take it step at a time as you gather the information together.

And please try not to feel guilty about something you did as a teenager! We all make mistakes when we`re young and experimenting with life, so put that behind you and keep moving forward.

Here`s some information about Sovaldi in the UK that I posted in our news section recently. You might find it helpful...

http://hepcfriends.activeboard.com/t58380836/nice-uk-draft-recommendation-for-sofosbuvir-key-points/

Best of luck to you, and stay in touch with us! smile

Angel67 · Senior Member

Tig56 wrote:
Hi Angel,
Welcome to the forum! If I can do anything, I hope it's to assure you that you're going to be fine. Hep C is entirely treatable and with all of the new treatments currently available and soon to be released, this is a great time to treat. I'm not sure what the current treatment plan in the UK is with Sovaldi, but we have members there that can provide better information on that subject than I can. Your doctor will do some basic testing and that will provide you with a better understanding of your current liver health. The fact that you have lead a healthy life for many, many years is certainly in your favor. HCV is a very slow progressing illness, so the damage may be minimal. Worrying won't help, so try to relax and handle it one day at a time. The hardest bit of news is behind you now, so move forward with further diagnosis and discuss your options with your doctor.
It's very rare to pass the illness to your wife and children. There has to be blood to blood transfer to risk infection. In 35 years my wife wasn't infected, nor were my children and that's the norm. There is a lot of research and information available that will help you understand that better. Be sure and utilize our search function here, it's full of good information. If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to ask. There are a lot of helpful, knowledgeable people here!
Tig

Hello Tig, your post is the kind of thing I need to read as I read too many horror stories yesterday. With the new drug Solvaldi I think many people will shake of the illness. Let's hope that it can be available to all in the near future.

Angel67 · Senior Member

longld wrote:
Angel,
for the reasons you have stated, I always thought that most Cancer victims had an advantage - no emotions/self-flagellating lost on trying to determine how we caught HCV.... They just deal with the fact that they now have it and move forward with treatment- that is what most of us has been able to do successfully. Remember that most of us really do not know precisely how we got HCV - we may have ideas but there is no way to prove any of them. Move on from the how to get a better understanding of the disease and successful treatment - this forum has some real 'Angels' that have helped my wife and I make the trip.
cheers, lee

Hi Lee, life is such an obstacle course with so many disasters & painful experiences...but I ain't ready for dying yet! Looking back at who gave who what or where something was caught achieves nothing, so forward it is & positive thoughts all the way.

Angel67 · Senior Member

Fireman Rob wrote:
Hi Angel,
I was in your shoes with sheer panic at the first of this year. I eventually put the facts in front of me and just completed treatment. This forum has helped me more than any doctor. Arm yourself with knowledge and take it with you on your decision making journey to pursue treatment.
You're going to be fine and will live a full, healthy life. Welcome to the forum.
-Rob

-- Edited by Fireman Rob on Tuesday 2nd of September 2014 07:25:07 PM

Hi Rob & thanks for the enthusiasm, I am trying to stay positive...it's better than being down!

Angel67 · Senior Member

Huey wrote:
hi , I too was married for 10 years, had one partner, have one daughter , no one but me is infected, I got mine back in 76 when my mother had a blood transfusion at a Houston hospital. i was her 12 year old nurse and got it from her,I know this because my older sister is a real nurse and helped me figure it out. We both had a symptom that was unique to one genotype, Back then they didn't know of geno-types but we both had hypoglycemia and that genotype 3 has this at this high level,.

Now you need to see a Doctor, get all the other Hep shots, flue shot, See your GI Doc. And any other medical issues so when you start treatment nothing gets in the way.
We are all in this together keep your stick on the ice 'Red Green Show'

-- Edited by Huey on Wednesday 3rd of September 2014 04:06:17 AM

Huey what terrible bad luck you had there. I feel like my stupid behaviour as a teenager is to blame for my illness...it is & it's a annoying that I was so dumb back then. Many thanks for the advice & I hope you and your kin are in good health.

Angel67 · Senior Member

Hello everyone & thank you for the replies. On further searching through the internet it seems the drug company Gilead have struck a deal with the UK health authority & fingers crossed Solvaldi could be made available to all. It's not 100% yet, but it looks that way. I hope the drug company are being totally honest about how good this drug is....I think they are.

Huey · Guru

hi , I too was married for 10 years, had one partner, have one daughter , no one but me is infected, I got mine back in 76 when my mother had a blood transfusion at a Houston hospital. i was her 12 year old nurse and got it from her,I know this because my older sister is a real nurse and helped me figure it out. We both had a symptom that was unique to one genotype, Back then they didn't know of geno-types but we both had hypoglycemia and that genotype 3 has this at this high level,.

Now you need to see a Doctor, get all the other Hep shots, flue shot, See your GI Doc. And any other medical issues so when you start treatment nothing gets in the way.

We are all in this together keep your stick on the ice 'Red Green Show'

-- Edited by Huey on Wednesday 3rd of September 2014 04:06:17 AM

Fireman Rob · Senior Member

Hi Angel,

I was in your shoes with sheer panic at the first of this year. I eventually put the facts in front of me and just completed treatment. This forum has helped me more than any doctor. Arm yourself with knowledge and take it with you on your decision making journey to pursue treatment.

You're going to be fine and will live a full, healthy life. Welcome to the forum.

-Rob

-- Edited by Fireman Rob on Tuesday 2nd of September 2014 07:25:07 PM

longld · Senior Member

Angel,

for the reasons you have stated, I always thought that most Cancer victims had an advantage - no emotions/self-flagellating lost on trying to determine how we caught HCV.... They just deal with the fact that they now have it and move forward with treatment- that is what most of us has been able to do successfully. Remember that most of us really do not know precisely how we got HCV - we may have ideas but there is no way to prove any of them. Move on from the how to get a better understanding of the disease and successful treatment - this forum has some real 'Angels' that have helped my wife and I make the trip.

cheers, lee

Tig · Admin

Hi Angel,

Welcome to the forum! If I can do anything, I hope it's to assure you that you're going to be fine. Hep C is entirely treatable and with all of the new treatments currently available and soon to be released, this is a great time to treat. I'm not sure what the current treatment plan in the UK is with Sovaldi, but we have members there that can provide better information on that subject than I can. Your doctor will do some basic testing and that will provide you with a better understanding of your current liver health. The fact that you have lead a healthy life for many, many years is certainly in your favor. HCV is a very slow progressing illness, so the damage may be minimal. Worrying won't help, so try to relax and handle it one day at a time. The hardest bit of news is behind you now, so move forward with further diagnosis and discuss your options with your doctor.

It's very rare to pass the illness to your wife and children. There has to be blood to blood transfer to risk infection. In 35 years my wife wasn't infected, nor were my children and that's the norm. There is a lot of research and information available that will help you understand that better. Be sure and utilize our search function here, it's full of good information. If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to ask. There are a lot of helpful, knowledgeable people here!

Tig

wmlj1960 · Moderator

Angel67 wrote:
I have put all that stuff behind me & had almost forgotten my bad habits as I have not drank alcohol in sixteen years, one month & fourteen days!

Angel67,

It's good that you keep track of your 'obviously important' sobriety time. Yours makes my little seven months, twenty two days seem almost insignificant, but every second of it is actually very significant. As already mentioned, the fact that it's been so long since you have abused your liver is certainly a plus, and the current medicines are much more friendly and effective than ones used only a short time ago. So a HepC diagnosis is not a thing to be horrified by like it was in the past.

There is plenty of help, support, understanding and knowledge on this forum so I'm glad you found it. I'm fairly new and inexperienced, but we have several very knowledgeable members who can answer your questions, including those concerning medicine availability in England.

So, "Welcome to the forum". smile

Dzdayscomin · Senior Member

This is arguably the hardest time............. when you find out you are infected.

Did they do any liver function tests? they can tell a great deal just by those results alone, and the severity of your Infection or how much damage is occurring.

If you don't have any noticeable symptoms you are probably going to be just fine...ie Acites, Edema, etc

In fact you say have not had a drink or done any things adverse to your liver in that long puts you in even better condition.

The tx's are amazing today at being able to wipe this thing out in relatively short time frames.

Use this place to reassure your self that things will be ok...I have.

Duane

TomF · Member

Angel67, finding out you have hep C is rough. No question there.

The good news is that there has never been a better time to get treatment. Solvaldi is one of several new DAAs (direct acting antivirals) that have been recently introduced. DAAs narrowly target the virus, disrupting the replication process. This is a huge improvement over older treatments, both in in terms of reducing side effects and improving outcomes.

We are just starting to see combinations of DAAs, like the Solvaldi/Olysio combination I am taking. These are very effective, but they are currently very expensive as well. Other combinations will be released very soon. Hopefully, the competition will drive down the price and these combinations will be the standard treatment.

I know you want this virus gone now. But you have had this for 27 years already. Take some time to research treatments. Consider waiting for the DAA combination treatments to become available.

Thom · Member

Angel67 wrote:
My diagnosis came as a complete & utter shock...it still hasn't sunk in. Well the doctors picked up on Hep C by pure chance as I had some routine blood tests as I was feeling under the weather. Back in the eighties (before Hep C was even named) I was reckless once or twice with sharing a hypodermic syringe. I have put all that stuff behind me & had almost forgotten my bad habits as I have not drank alcohol in sixteen years, one month & fourteen days! I don't take drugs, don't eat meat, don't gamble & have never cheated on anyone in my life! I have had one partner in the past twenty four years (my wife) & we have five children. As you can imagine my wife was mortified when I came home yesterday & told her I had this illness. She then found out that if she had it,she could have passed it to all our kids! She rushed to a private blood testing facility & within four hours they told her she was clear...wow, twenty four years of unprotected sex & I didn't infect her....this is a relief. I thought my symptoms were down to a fatty liver & now I feel like I have been handed a death sentence. So I have spent all night "Googling" Hep C & noticed that a wonder drug called, Solvaldi (sofosbuvir) is the best drug treatment. But it's not routinely available here in the England. Does anyone know if it will be the standard treatment any time soon? I know it's pricey £ 35000 a treatment, but interferon is £12000 & all I read is horror stories about that. Surely spending £35000 to cure someone is cheaper than repeatedly treating someone & eventually hospitalizing them on multiple occasions? I now have to wait for the hospital to contact me & I have not been told what happens next....I am having to guess what that may be? I have not turned yellow or red palmed & itchy, but I do have a dull ache in the upper right quadrant. I estimate that I got myself infected around twenty seven years ago, this makes me think time is running out & probably fibrosis is with me? My mind is running through a rollercoaster of emotions at the moment & I kind of feel dirty, like some kind of leper. I'm getting angry too, I feel cheated & betrayed...but ultimately I have done this to myself. I just feel that it's a harsh punishment for making mistakes when you were a ****ed up teenager, yet being an adult I take full responsibility. I am thinking the hospital will find my genotype (probably 1) then do a Fibroscan (I don't want a biopsy). Perhaps they will offer treatment there & then, perhaps not? I might be best to hold out in the hope that Sofosbuvir becomes available, does anyone have any thoughts on that?

At some point you will just have to accept the fact that you are infected and just get on with the treatment. The good news that I can give you is that I, like you, have not spent my life drinking alcohol or using drugs and have not had any liver damage. You, I expect will likely have none either. I just began treatment August 15 2014 and I am in the US using Sovaldi.

There are people from all over the World on this forum. Some are from England and can discuss the treatment available to you. Some are in the Health Care field and can intelligently discuss diagnosis and treatment in general. There is a wealth of knowledge here on this forum. I don't possess any of that knowledge as I am new to this myself.

By the way, I dreaded getting a biopsy, but my Doctor insisted on it. I felt no pain during or after the procedure at all.

You will receive many helpful replies to this post, mine excepted.

Welcome aboard and good luck to you. You will get many helpful responses to this post.

Angel67 · Senior Member

My diagnosis came as a complete & utter shock...it still hasn't sunk in. Well the doctors picked up on Hep C by pure chance as I had some routine blood tests as I was feeling under the weather. Back in the eighties (before Hep C was even named) I was reckless once or twice with sharing a hypodermic syringe. I have put all that stuff behind me & had almost forgotten my bad habits as I have not drank alcohol in sixteen years, one month & fourteen days! I don't take drugs, don't eat meat, don't gamble & have never cheated on anyone in my life! I have had one partner in the past twenty four years (my wife) & we have five children. As you can imagine my wife was mortified when I came home yesterday & told her I had this illness. She then found out that if she had it,she could have passed it to all our kids! She rushed to a private blood testing facility & within four hours they told her she was clear...wow, twenty four years of unprotected sex & I didn't infect her....this is a relief. I thought my symptoms were down to a fatty liver & now I feel like I have been handed a death sentence. So I have spent all night "Googling" Hep C & noticed that a wonder drug called, Solvaldi (sofosbuvir) is the best drug treatment. But it's not routinely available here in the England. Does anyone know if it will be the standard treatment any time soon? I know it's pricey £ 35000 a treatment, but interferon is £12000 & all I read is horror stories about that. Surely spending £35000 to cure someone is cheaper than repeatedly treating someone & eventually hospitalizing them on multiple occasions? I now have to wait for the hospital to contact me & I have not been told what happens next....I am having to guess what that may be? I have not turned yellow or red palmed & itchy, but I do have a dull ache in the upper right quadrant. I estimate that I got myself infected around twenty seven years ago, this makes me think time is running out & probably fibrosis is with me? My mind is running through a rollercoaster of emotions at the moment & I kind of feel dirty, like some kind of leper. I'm getting angry too, I feel cheated & betrayed...but ultimately I have done this to myself. I just feel that it's a harsh punishment for making mistakes when you were a ****ed up teenager, yet being an adult I take full responsibility. I am thinking the hospital will find my genotype (probably 1) then do a Fibroscan (I don't want a biopsy). Perhaps they will offer treatment there & then, perhaps not? I might be best to hold out in the hope that Sofosbuvir becomes available, does anyone have any thoughts on that?

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