Re: Digest Number 4018

[Guest guest]

>I am new to the board, but I wanted to share something regarding

>Hepatitis C. I have had this disease for over 20 yrs.

Hi Sally--

What I want to tell you is HCV is a *serious disease* and you should seek

information and treatment for it. My husband was diagnosed with Hep C in

1998 and probably had had it 20 years at that point. He was given a 20

percent chance of recovery at that time, but I'm overjoyed to tell you that

he had the new combination treatment and now has no detectible virus over one

year after ending his treatment, the best possible result. HCV is a silent

killer--it usually has no symptoms until your liver is nearly destroyed. The

treatment using Interferon alone, as you mentioned, had a high failure rate.

But the new treatment, which has been approved by the FDA combines Interferon

with a drug called Ribavarin and this combination is getting great response

in patients. Please please go see a liver specialist (a hepatologist) and get

informed about your status. The biopsy is important because it will tell how

far along the disease has progressed and how much scarring (cirrohsis) your

liver has. Whether this affects how soon you can have WLS is something only

your physicians can tell you. HCV is a blood-borne virus and therefore

surgery is a risk to those who operate on you and treat you. My husband was

also diagnosed with cancer at the same physical and he had two cancer

surgeries while we fought the evil black-hearted HMO for approval of his HCV

medication. So surgery is possible. But please Sally, take this disease

seriously and see your specialists. Both morbid obesity and HCV are very

survivable. I'll ask my husband to email you. He is on a local task force, is

a former P.A. and now runs an HCV support group too, so he has lots of

information for you. You're in our thoughts.

L.

Pre-op 6/26/01

Dr. Keshishian