I am a Caucasian male born in 1950. I probably contracted hepatitis-C during a blood transfusion following a car wreck in 1970. Beginning in the mid 1970’s, my physicals at work showed elevated liver enzyme levels. Along with my friends, I drank a lot of beer during the 1970’s and 80’s, over a case a week. I suspected I may have had a drinking problem but I had no idea I had a liver disease. In 1993 a liver biopsy confirmed that I had chronic hepatitis-C.
It wasn’t easy to stop drinking my beer, but it was a necessary lifestyle change. Another liver biopsy was done in 2000 and again confirmed I had chronic HCV and was at stage 2 (out of 4) degree of activity and also stage 2 (out of 4) degree of fibrosis. I believe I had genotype 1B and my viral load count was around 10 million IU/mL. My liver enzyme numbers were never extremely high, but they were out of the normal range. I was beginning to experience some of the symptoms of fatigue and “brain fog”. During 2001 I became involved in a drug study and began a 48 week combination therapy of Pegylated Interferon and Ribaviron. It was a once per week injection of interferon, with ribaviron tablets taken daily.

During the therapy my liver enzymes were normal and the virus was undetectable. About a month into the therapy I experienced depression, anxiety, and panic attacks along with suicidal thoughts. My doctor prescribed different anti-depressants but I had a very bad time with the interferon/ribaviron. Anxiety and panic attacks were preventing me from sleeping. I was frequently exhausted and occasionally had bad headaches. I began researching online for myself and experimenting with alternative medicines. I contacted a Chinese physician who had experience with hepatitis treatments and began regularly drinking a tea made from his herbs. Also I began practicing chi-gong, a Chinese form of exercise for healing and health. I practiced visualizing the virus being eradicated. I exercised as much as my fatigue allowed. I took vitamin C and also milk thistle.

I tried to attend daily mass when I was off work. I prayed a lot. I tried to find opportunities to do favors for other people when possible. I talked to and read accounts by other people who had HCV and/or had taken interferon. I believe all these things helped me. Somehow I made it through the 48 weeks of combination therapy. I figured the 48 week ordeal had been worth it, as my blood tests still indicated that I was virus-free. If the virus is undetectable six months after therapy, you’re considered cured of the virus.

My six month tests showed the virus had returned. This caught me by surprise and I felt devastated, as I’d thought the virus had been eradicated from me. Since then I have read all I can about HCV. I have read stories by people who have had the virus and how they dealt with it. I have read about alternative treatments. I have read about western medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and combinations of them both. I have read about various vitamins and herbs that are supposed to be helpful. Through trial and error I have wound up on my own treatment which, in my case, involves living with the virus in a healthful coexistence.

I think with any chronic condition a person has to become their own advocate and learn all they can, then decide for themselves what course they want to take. Some starting points may include The Hepatitis C Help Book by Misha Cohen, The Hepatitis C Handbook by Matthew Dolan, Healing Hepatitis C with Modern Chinese Medicine by Qingcai Zhang, M.D., Triumph Over Hepatitis C by Lloyd Wright and The Way of Qigong by Kenneth S. Cohen. All these books and others helped me. I now have blood tests done every six months. The last tests I had, about 5 months ago, showed every one of my liver enzyme levels to be within normal ranges and I feel confident that they still are normal. I feel good and don’t experience any of the symptoms of the virus even though I know I still have it and will have it until I die. I feel that if I continue to take care of myself I can maintain an active, normal lifestyl

e and not die from liver failure even though the virus continues to reside in me. I currently take quite a few vitamins and supplements every day, both for my liver and for my general health. They include vitamins C and E, milk thistle, CO Q-10, magnesium, selenium, calcium, saw palmetto, garlic, omega 3-6-9, alpha lipoic acid, lecithin, chromium, zinc, beta carotene, NAC, glutathione, astragalus, low dose aspirin, and vitamin-B complex. I have lost about 30 pounds and try to exercise regularly and eat sensibly and I want to lose another 15 pounds. I believe being overweight is particularly bad for a person with liver problems.

Discovering I had hepatitis-C helped put things in perspective for me. I was drinking too much, was overweight, rushing through life too fast and not enjoying the life God had given me. In a lot of ways my life is better as a result of HCV. I still try to maintain a healthy spiritual life by helping others and attending church. I practice relaxation exercises and occasionally practice chi-gong. I ride a motorcycle and like to hike and tent camp. I like the outdoors and try to enjoy outdoor activities as much as I can. Looking back, I don’t think taking the interferon was a mistake for me, even though I had such a bad experience with it.

I think that while I was taking the interferon, my liver regained a lot of its health. I think that one of the most helpful things for me was being able to email or talk to other people who had experienced what I was going through. It also helps me to be able to return the favor by talking to people who have discovered they have the virus and are trying to figure out what to do, just as I was about 5 years ago.