Trish M

I don’t know if there is such a thing as discovering HCV- my diagnosis was truly by chance.
My hemanocrit levels where extremely high, my doctor recommended a blood donation.
Of course, I received that letter stating the news that I was HCV positive and “please see your doctor right away”.

I found my doctor by logging onto the Hepatitis Neighborhood, and what an informed doctor he was.

After completing my blood work to confirm my 2B status, next was the liver biopsy, oh what fun that was, you get a local on your right side of your ribs, then a large need le is inserted through your ribs and” viola” a sample is taken. The results where 3 to 4 grade damage with necrosis, the good news was, once the hepatitis was is in remission, the damage will heal. Also a hemangioma was found on my liver, which I was told was nothing to worry about, so I try not to think about that.

This is all a lot to take in, especially when you do not know half of the terminology, and your not informed, so to the internet I went!

My treatment was interferon and ribifarin combination therapy, which worked for me. Of course, the are the side effects, which range from fevers, body aches, tremors, and a few more which I know I’m overlooking.

I did survive, and so will you. I did choose to stay home during the treatments, only because I had the time in sick bank and disability through my job. I really wanted to make sure I had plenty of rest and no stress. I want to live and did what I had to do to survive!

It’s now been 1 year and 6 months since that last injection, believe you me I’m happy to be done with that part of the treatment. "Undetectable" is the terminology they use when you’re in remission, to me, that means- watch what I put in my body, including pain killers, and certain medication, foods and alcohol, all taboo.

Be sure to join the Hepatitis Neighborhood, the web site is very informative, and they send you updates on any new hepatitis related items, plus a great message board to post any questions you will have.