shotgungirl wrote:

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Don't feel guilty.

No matter how you got it, the main focus now is treating it.
Besides, weather you got it from IV drugs or however else, there are always going to be people who judge by it. I got it from a tattoo parlor. When doctors ask, some look at me like I'm lying. Some people automatically assume its from IV drugs. Some just don't know a darn thing in general about it.

Just try to keep in good spirits and if your other-half loves you, he will accept this journey you are about to begin and support you (no matter how you got Hep C).

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 Thank you very much,

You are right ,very wise for your part. Do you have support to your journey? Really this fórum is a good support.

Cheers

Hello everyone,

 I´ve think about my feelings of guilt and fear, it has been very  rewarding to read your opinions. No need to feel guilty , thank you Cinnamon girl.

 I think it´s not important how I caught the virus , the question is what can I do to clear the virus.

 If I treat, I´ll need support , and I know I have that support ,so why get more anxious needlessly?

 When I met my boyfriend, 13 years ago, I told him about the virus, no problem, but I felt nervous,  a month after he was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer.He was a very healthy boy, athletic and 5 years younger than me.

You never know...

It was one year and a half  of chemotherapy and radioterapia. He is healthy now.

Really you never know

-- Edited by rebeca on Wednesday 16th of October 2013 06:38:43 PM

Hiya,

I think if your boyfriend accepts you have Hep C, he will accept how you got it. I have no secrets from my husband and he isnt going anywhere fast! People are divded in telling people, you may decide to tell you have liver disease and require treatment, and avoid too many questions. I have come clean to those that love me, not one person as been anything but supportive, sometimes having people supporting and to off load worries is very theraputic. I have never been attracted to drugs, but believe me I have made some daft decisions in my time so no one can really judge you. You are you not an action.

I personally wouldn't wait until I am one step behind cirrhosis before treating, that is not really a fair choice in Spain. I think you should discuss it with yor boyfriend what is the best decision. But whatever you decide, good luck!

garfield wrote:

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Hi Rebeca,

yes, the diagnose is at first a nightmare, but it is not a doom and you will learne to handle with your HepC.

In my opinion, that you can't do the triple therapy now, must not be a disadvantage.

I think, early in 2015 interferon-free drugs will be approved, and if it isn't necessary on medical reason

I would recommend to begin not anymore with the triple therapy. I did an interferon-free study and for me therapy was an easy way.

 

good luck

 

Really? Oh! good news for all and very good news for you .Thank you

 

-- Edited by garfield on Friday 11th of October 2013 03:15:40 PM

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mallani wrote:

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 However, as you are in Spain, it is difficult to know when any of the newer DAA's will be available.  It may be several years.  

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 Hi Mallani,

                Why do you believe this. Spain belongs to the EU, all drugs have to approved through the EU for all EU countries.

Approval for Sofosbuvir is requested.   http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/

cheers

Hi Rebeca,

yes, the diagnose is at first a nightmare, but it is not a doom and you will learne to handle with your HepC.

In my opinion, that you can't do the triple therapy now, must not be a disadvantage.

I think, early in 2015 interferon-free drugs will be approved, and if it isn't necessary on medical reason

I would recommend to begin not anymore with the triple therapy. I did an interferon-free study and for me therapy was an easy way.

good luck

mallani wrote:

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Hi Rebeca,

Welcome to the Forum from me, as well. There is no point in feeling guilty about the past. How you caught HepC is not important. Your question is what to do about it. You really should have treatment, as it is a slowly progressive disease that can lead to cirrhosis.  When I was 50 yo, I was F2-3 by liver biopsy.  By the time I was 65 I was F4 but had successful treatment last year.  Can you tell us when you had your Fibroscan?

If your Fibroscan was fairly recent, you can probably afford to wait. However, as you are in Spain, it is difficult to know when any of the newer DAA's will be available.  It may be several years.  The current treatment for Geno 1 uses triple therapy with Peginterferon, Ribavirin and Incivek or Victrelis. At your age, with a moderate Viral Load and moderate liver damage, your chances of successful treatment are high, probably around 80%. You should discuss this with your Hepatologist.

If you decide to have treatment, you will need support from friends and family. Tell the truth and those who truly care for you will accept it. It's difficult but you will have to be open. Best of luck!

 

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 Thank you so much

-- Edited by rebeca on Friday 11th of October 2013 02:47:43 PM

Thank you very much to all,

It was very gratifying to read your answer because I did not feel alone.

Thanks to all
It has been very gratifying to read your advice,especially knowing that happened to more people and that the past is past.
I'll try to get on with my life.
It's true,now the most important thing is to focus on healing.

I did the fibroscan 4 months ago. I live in the Basque Country, in northern of Spain. Here the  health protocol for genotype 1 is as follows:

-fibrosis 3-4. You can access the triple therapy.
-fibrosis 1-2 you can access the dual therapy.

My hepatologist told me that currently can not offer triple therapy, and I have to decide if I want to take the double (interferon plus ribabirina).
I decided to wait, because I think with the genotype 1a dual therapy can give me only 50% or less chance.
The situation seems very stressful, because if I lived, for example in England, where my sisters live, I could access the triple therapy.

This is a nightmare. What do you think about it?

PS. Sorry for my English, I understand very well the language, but to write the google translator helps me

Hi Rebeca,

Welcome to the Forum from me, as well. There is no point in feeling guilty about the past. How you caught HepC is not important. Your question is what to do about it. You really should have treatment, as it is a slowly progressive disease that can lead to cirrhosis.  When I was 50 yo, I was F2-3 by liver biopsy.  By the time I was 65 I was F4 but had successful treatment last year.  Can you tell us when you had your Fibroscan?

If your Fibroscan was fairly recent, you can probably afford to wait. However, as you are in Spain, it is difficult to know when any of the newer DAA's will be available.  It may be several years.  The current treatment for Geno 1 uses triple therapy with Peginterferon, Ribavirin and Incivek or Victrelis. At your age, with a moderate Viral Load and moderate liver damage, your chances of successful treatment are high, probably around 80%. You should discuss this with your Hepatologist.

If you decide to have treatment, you will need support from friends and family. Tell the truth and those who truly care for you will accept it. It's difficult but you will have to be open. Best of luck!

Hi Rebeca, welcome to the forum.  You will find a lot of support and knowledge here to help you on your journey.  Like Jill said, I think the first step is you need to discuss with your specialist where you're at and what options are available.  Once you start a treatment, from my personal experience with my husband's treatment, you will definitely need support - so you will need to decide who your support base with be.  I know it can be scary, but the people who truly love you will stand by you.  All the very best.  Caroline

Hi Rebeca, welcome!   Many of us here have experienced the same feelings of guilt and fear as you have, and we understand how difficult it can be knowing who to tell and who we can trust.  You did very well walking away from the world of heroin and moving on with your life, so you can feel proud of that, there`s no need for you to feel guilty.  A lot of us made the same mistakes when we were young, you`re not alone.

I do think it would be a good idea for you to find a way to tell your boyfriend about your Hep C status though, it would be better if he was aware of this.  If he really cares about you and loves you then he will understand and support you, but if he doesn`t then maybe he`s not the right one for you anyway.  That`s just my opinion, of course, it has to be a personal decision.

Your fibroscan and viral load results aren`t at all bad and I`m sure you would be able to clear the virus quite easily, Hep C is very treatable these days.  Have you discussed treatment options with your liver specialist yet? 

Hello all,

I want to share a very strong feeling and very bad for me. I´m 50 years old. When I was 23, I tried intravenous heroine,3 or 4 time, I left this world without any problem. I studied and I got a good job. Now I have a couple and a good life. In 1993,20 years ago, my doctor detected the virus. I have never been treated, because my health has been good. Now , I know I have genotype 1a, viral load 800.000 and fibrosis 2 ( fibroscan 7.4.). I don´t know if I have to treat now or not. But another problem is that I feel very bad because I feel guilty, so that I haven´t tell my boyfriend why I have the virus.He doesn´t ask anything, and I prefer not to say- I don´t say anything to my friends, they don´t know  that I have the virus, and if I decided to treat I don´t know how I can deal with it. They will ask me why and " I wil lie!, oh my God!. I´m confused and poorly. Someone has had a similar experience?