World Hepatitis C Day: We’ve Come a Long Way Baby
Look at us! In the beginning there wasn’t a cure for Hepatitis C. The old Interferon and Ribavirin treatment didn’t even come close, but it’s all that we had. On World Hepatitis C Day: We’ve come a long way baby and we celebrate the cure!
When I treated, everything was so dang iffy. It was all brand new. If you had a “detected” viral load within the first month, sadly they kicked you off of treatment. Information was scarce, and mostly bleak. We were a scared bunch.
Advances came quickly:
Finally, the new triple therapy was available to the public. Heck YES! Many of us signed up to lose hair, throw up, have diarrhea, and eat protein at odd hours with our meds. We were like a bunch of lunatics! We got on forums and described every symptom that we experienced. We waited to see if our labs showed the virus was not detected. We honestly waited to die from the side effects. We shared “Shot Night” many times with strangers who had become virtual best friends.
We grudgingly embraced the side effects of anemia, killer skin rash, and suicide. (There were people that took their own life during trials)
Freaking Brave we were – armed with anti-depressants, we dove into the cure.
Some of us made it through treatment with little or no cirrhosis. We jumped back into life with zest. Many of you became advocates, and began using your experience to help others link to care. Together, we learned about the new treatments. We were frustrated by the pharma wars. All we really wanted was to see the next round of treatments be made available, easy, and affordable.
Some of us were cured and felt relieved. Sadly, some of our livers had begun to fail, or liver cancer hit. It’s not a perfect world, and it never will be until it’s a Hepatitis C free world. However, it’s a better place now because of the cure.
Let’s Celebrate World Hepatitis C Day with honor and thanks
On this day, we grieve for those who lost the battle.
We offer our support to those who are waiting for treatment.
We pray for those with advanced liver disease.
We encourage those who have had liver transplants.
We wildly cheer each other on every day!
We say thank you to the doctors and pharmaceutical researchers who fought for the cure.
We say thank you to the nurses and medical staff who provide care.
We say thank you to politicians and organizations who have helped to promote our cause.
We join together heart to heart with our friends around the world. We are united for the same cause.
Happy World Hepatitis C Day
The one thread that binds us is Hepatitis C. We’ve been through a lot together, and continue to hold hands and hearts as we celebrate World Hepatitis C Day.
We join the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control in their vision:
Let’s see every person tested and linked to treatment.
6 thoughts on “World Hepatitis C Day”
1985 – liver biopsy triggered by elevated liver enzymes
Dx – Chronic, Persistent Non A Non B Hepatitis
2011 – Began 48 week treatment with boceprivir, interferon, ribavirin
12 weeks later HCV non-detectable
5 years later still non-detectable – my HCV infection is cured.
2016 – stage 2 cirrhosis, severe bilateral peripheral neuropathy in ankles, feet
no ascites, no hepatic encephalopathy, no esophageal bleeding
The joy that I now experience every day, especially upon awakening, is overwhelming. An unexpected benefit – psychiatric symptomology that has been with me throughout my entire adult life is now resolved. I am surrounded by beauty every place and at all times.
James,
Thanks so much for posting your timeline. I can hear the pain in every step, man. I’m with you. Now that we are Hep C Free every moment is a place of beauty. Do you think a lot of that psychology stuff could have been a bi-product of the virus? I mean problems still come in life. But NOW you have the energy to deal with them.
I so happy that you’ don’t have advanced liver disease. Woohoo! Here’s your second chance! Thanks so much for stopping by.
xoxo Karen
Thank you, Karen, for your insightful reply. Iam glad you asked about the psychiatric angle to liver recovery. YES, I am quite sure that my clearance of HCV early enough to avoid advanced liver disease was directly related to the resolution of my psychiatric issues, namely bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder.
While I’m happy that you can see clearly now. You and all the rest of us… But it still saddens me that so many suffer and blame themselves when it’s a health related issue…
Karen, How do I upload my thumbnail photo to my comments on IHelpC?
Go to your google account and upload your id. It will display on anything you do in google including gmail comments, youtube, etc. I’m pretty sure that’s how it works. Let me know!
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