Guest guest Posted May 4, 2001 Report Share Posted May 4, 2001 >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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 5, 2001 Report Share Posted May 5, 2001 I felt I had to comment about this thread.. I used to work in an outpatient HIV clinic and many of our patients had Hep C.. I remember our social worker arranging to get the drug company to supply the drugs for this particular treatment under a compassionate care arrangement. If your insurance co. refuses to pay, don't give up- the treatment is worth it. Hugs, Liane > > >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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 5, 2001 Report Share Posted May 5, 2001 I felt I had to comment about this thread.. I used to work in an outpatient HIV clinic and many of our patients had Hep C.. I remember our social worker arranging to get the drug company to supply the drugs for this particular treatment under a compassionate care arrangement. If your insurance co. refuses to pay, don't give up- the treatment is worth it. Hugs, Liane > > >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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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