treatment

This is to PeterPam, who I'm not sure still visits the site (don't see any recent posts). Wondering how you're doing with your treatment. Started in April of '10 I believe, so you should be winding down. Hope upon hope that all is working toward undetectable virus! My story is similar to yours starting out. About the same age. HAd the "C" about the same length of time. I did tell everybody though, once the sides started, citing the FACT that a large percentage of those infected with HEP C don't know how or when. With geno type 1A, needed 12 weeks to determine if all was working to continue on the 48 week path. Had an appendectomy at 10 weeks, followed by infection at the surgical site, and treatment was discontinued for three months while that healed. Did not miss the sides, but did start back up and completed the 12 weeks. Docs determined I was a "non-responder" and should consider clinical trials, or wait for the next best thing to come along. Chose to wait, and "celebrated" the fact that those damn treatments were over. February 2009, had gall bladder surgery and while there, re-biopsied my liver. Now full-blown cirrhosis. I was followed closely by the docs and radiology, and February 17, 2010 got the call I never thought I'd get, thinking I was bullet proof and all. Found tumors (HCC). Now "on the list".

Moral to this story...as tough as the sides can be, hang in and pray everyday, that the treatments work. DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL AT ALL, socially or otherwise (even if the doc tells you a little wine here and there with dinner is ok). Do not hide your illness but rather seek support. Do not use a great feeling day, week, or month as a reason to discontinue treatments or doc appointments. HCC, when it presents itself with symptoms, is pretty advanced and pretty bad. I'm alive, on a list, and hopefull, simply because I was monitored closely, and it was caught early. This is not intended to scare you or anyone, or cause anymore concerns than you already have. It is to let you know that, if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. Though I'm hopefull for a transplant, and optimistic about the future, it's just WAY TO CLOSE a call for me.

Good Luck!!!