Hepatitis Forums
Hepatitis C Main Forums => Considering Hepatitis C Treatment => Topic started by: Daisey on January 26, 2015, 12:28:58 pm
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I need some sound advice and I know it was probably answered somewhere in this forum but couldn't find anything specific.
I have Grade 1-2 inflammation and Grade 0 fibrosis. Was prescribed Harvoni. I have 4 small children. At first I was gung-ho about starting treatment but then the "What ifs" started coming in. What if 10 yrs down the line it causes some kind of cancer? What if it causes early Alzheimers? Because it's a brand new drug and I'm not an urgent case should I take it?
If anyone has some sound research done or advice that would be helpful. Thanks.
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Daisy,
Good questions, that nobody can answer - but they probably go through everybody's head! (Not just with Harvoni either - all new meds)
How do you know your grade and stage? What test(s) did you have done?
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My opinion. Any one over 50 should be treated with the new drugs because in 10+ years a person may develop serious medical problems due to HepC. HepC liver problems are not linear in relation to age. The older you are the worse the liver will get, like everything else. I think the known problems of chronic HepC will out weigh any long term unknown problems related to the anti virals.
If you are younger than 50 years old new treatments may be shorter in duration and better. You still will have to deal with the social problems of having HepC which may be worse than the medical problems at a young age.
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One thing that is more probable and is already known, is if the Hepc continues untreated your chances of developing liver cancer will increase. Also other illness develops as the hepc lingers in the system.
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Hi Daisey,
I am now almost 57 and I don't know how long I have had Hep C for sure but it's possible it happened when I had surgery at age 14. I didn't even know I had it until a few months ago when I almost collapsed out of town.
If it was me and I knew 25 years ago I would choose treatment. I would have been in the situation you are but with 3 children. The reason I say that now is because I understand what the long term untreated Beast can do to a person. I have felt awful for years, it was a really slow progression and you kind of just brush it off to getting older. Well guess what, on my good days now I feel younger than I did 25 years ago.
If you have never been treated and have the opportunity (if it's the right drug for you) to take Harvoni for 8 weeks to clear the virus it's worth the risk of what could maybe sorta kinda possibly one day happen to you. You will never have to deal with Brain Fog, swelling or insomnia with crazy exhaustion that won't stop even if you could sleep.
That's just my 2 cents but I think everyone should get treated and cured so we can bury this evil beast forever!
Honestly, you have to do what you feel is best for you and if you want to wait, then you should.
Mel
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Mel,
Ditto - Ditto - Ditto!!
I was that frog in the kettle for years too, and wrote it off to
"getting older". I feel better today than I have in years!
I told my 93 y/o father about Daisy's concerns last night and he
said 'a lot of negative health concerns can happen in 5 or 10 years
with HCV vs the god a person can have, with Harvoni during those
same years! Sage advice.
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Daisey, You have understandable concerns. On the other hand, we can't know everything that might happen. I would be inclined to have treatment.