SVR
I went to see the doc last Wednesday. I had returned from a business trip and dropped off a blood sample, but the PCR took too long. The ALT and AST liver enzymes were 16 and 22 — which is which is irrelevant — and the red and white count levels were normal.
But the real news came in a phone call fifteen minutes ago. Undetectable.
Doc says I'm in remission. He's hedging by calling it "remission." He said that he's seen it come back even after being gone for months. Maybe so, but what I've read leads me to suspect it might be re-infection.
For practical purposes, I'm done. I see a few residual signs of the fight, but how many fights do you go through without some scars? I'm functional. I have my life back.
Thanks to those who have followed my fight here. The encouragement and advice have been invaluable.
If you're coming to this because you or a loved one are facing the disease, hang in there. This is a beatable disease. There's an end to it, and it need not be a sad ending. I'll leave this blog up and will check in periodically, but its main purpose is fulfilled.
All best,
Chris
9 comments:
Congragulations on being HCV free!
Congratulations!!
Hello, Chris!
I ran across your blog while doing research for a friend just starting Pegasys and complaining of taste changes.
Congratulations on completing your treatment and I pray that your future blood tests show a sustained virological response.
You and I have some things in common. I didn't know I had hep C until late 2005 when I suddenly felt like I had the flu and no energy. Discovered I have Stage 4 liver disease, genotype 1.
I started on Pegasys, but my white blood cell count plummeted and I picked up a severe infection that hospitalized me for a week. I had two more hospital stays for encephalophy because my liver wasn't eliminating ammonia from my system.
I will restart Pegasys in January or February and pray that I have as much faith and as strong a support network as you do.
Good luck!
Hi sfbruiser --
Ah, the taste changes. Not so much a taste change as an extra taste that just masks everything. Like everything's seasoned with ground up pennies. Nothing to do about it except make sure you're eating right and choke it down.
Sounds like both you and your friend have got it to do. Help each other out and hang in there. Sounds like your friend has the better deal. At least he (she?) is getting treatment. You're having to deal with actual liver disease, something I was blessed to avoid. Hang in there and do what you need to do. The liver is a remarkable organ and can come back from a lot.
Best wishes,
Chris
Thanks, Chris!
My friend just told me this afternoon that he's been diagnosed with diabetes, too. So that complicates things. But we'll manage.
Say, are you aware of any other hep C blogs?
Aww, man! Never rains, but it pours. It was a diabetic friend that got me to focus on the reality when I was first diagnosed.
"Let me get this straight," he said 13 years ago when I first got the news. you have a disease that MIGHT cause problems in ten years."
"Yes!" (sniff).
"How has your life changed? You have more to worry about from a drunk driver."
There's a bunch of blogs. An excellent starting point is here: http://hepcukforum.org/. Despite the name, it's an international crowd. From there you'll find links to http://www.hepcboy.com/. This guy fits my definition of a man, even if he likes to watch boys in silk shorts kick a little round ball. He's fought the bug without let-up for about the past forever or more. You'll also find http://uncertain4sure.blogspot.com/. She beat the virus but came out of treatment with her life changed.
My links disappeared when Google updated their blog tool (I had tweaked the HTML and it got broken when the re-worked it -- guess I ought to add 'em back).
Congratulations!
Hey Chris,
Congratulations! I'm just about to go it myself... Let's see what 'wonderful adventures' lie ahead of me!
Happy to hear you've made it.
E
http://prometheus-hepatitides.blogspot.com/
Euclides Montes:
Congratulations on starting. I will not sugarcoat it: Treatment is no picnic. If you start feeling sorry for yourself (and you will), take a walk through the oncology ward. Treatment for me was inconvenient. I have a friend who spent all the time I was on treatment fighting ovarian cancer. And I have another friend whose 17-year-old son is fighting leukemia. I would not trade a year of treatment for what those people face in a single day -- especially the father of the leukemia patient.
I'll check in with you from time to time. Good luck!
Chris
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