Was just told I have Hepititus C

Poppa K · 07-13-11, 05:51 PM

1st, get retested and a second opinion.

Hep "C" - Have you had a blood transfusion? Do you use or share dirty needles? Have you had any cross contamination of open wounds? Military injuries, etc? Hep "C' doesn't go away. It is for life. My father contacted it thru a blood transfusion.

Trust me when I tell you, stay away from alcohol. Hep "C'" plus Liver damage = Cancer of the liver... Cancer of the liver = Death in about 6 months... Lost my father in 1998...

Stay away from alcohol... Good luck to you.

Dad · 07-13-11, 05:54 PM

Damn that sucks, Scrilla. Sorry to hear that.

bb_skoots · 07-13-11, 06:10 PM

Sorry to hear this. VERY serious disease.

I would not ask SBR forum if I had questions about a life threatening disease. I would talk to a medical professional (are there any here?). Ask SBR forum questions about stupid shit.

MIAMIHURRICANE · 07-13-11, 06:36 PM

lots of places doing great things...University of Miami has a great specialist

pwherr · 07-13-11, 06:37 PM

dirty hooker obv

GettingScrilla · 07-14-11, 10:06 AM

Nah none of those things...no hookers, needles, open wounds, blood transfusions, etc. Of course I am going to see doctors etc. I just found out so it isnt like I can do something right away I have a job. haha But, in all seriousness, for now my liver is working fine, and I have done quite a bit of research on my own. A lot of horrible medical information out there...so on to the specialist it is for gettingscrilla!

TR88 · 07-14-11, 10:14 AM

Wishing you good luck pal, don't know anything about that disease and cannot help. Hope you take this seriously and go to a specialist.

ncat12 · 07-14-11, 10:24 AM

Hep C does have the stigmatism of people doing/playing with the udesirables, when from what I understand is pretty easy to contract ,along with the ways mention above , you could get it by using the same straw/old dollar bill . The first thing you do wanna do is get retested as they said above that should be a # 1 priority , you said you were in good shape STAY that way ..and drink lots and lots of water ..cant stress that enough...good luck

Optional · 07-14-11, 10:24 AM

Originally posted by GettingScrilla

Shit is kinda crazy, no idea how i contracted it...anyone know anyone living with this virus? Anybody know someone who has been cured by it? Im 25, in above average shape, feel fine physically..Would like to hear more for some "real people" not some only web MD shit...Thank you people of SBR

I know someone who contracted it at 25, and he's 45 now and going fine.

Look after yourself properly and do what docs say, and prognosis should be positive.

dzzznutz · 07-14-11, 10:42 AM

hey it can be contracted by many subtle ways like sharing a toothbrush or a dentist or doctors office that doesnt use proper precautions. even sex with someone who is infected, there are some real good treatments out there now so dont be discouraged.definately stay away from alcohol and eat right. there is a therapy steven tyler took called interferon therapy i think check into it and good luck.

pico · 07-14-11, 10:52 AM

i think it is treatable. get well soon.

I/O · 07-14-11, 11:15 AM

Sorry to hear about this, especially to someone this young.

The only other thing I can come up with is any tattoo work?

GL

Dutch · 07-14-11, 12:15 PM

My stepdad has it. He thinks he got it from sharing heroin needles in the service. He's a crusty old fuker and the Hep doesn't seem to bother his daily life, he's had it since the late 60's. He has to go to the VA hospital and get shots directly into his liver. But that only started in the last few years.

I don't know if my mom ever got it from him, she died from cancer a long time ago.

GettingScrilla · 07-14-11, 04:46 PM

Wow Everybody thank you for the encouragement and advice! I have scheduled a class for hep C with John Muir medical center. Also have contacted a Hep C specialist, who told me there is a new medication out that can make the virus untracable in 80% of the patients. Not a cure but will help save my liver in the long run.

To adress the questions, no tats, no needles, it does have a bad stigma, but I can live with it. I play a ton of basketball (played in college) and could have contracted it any number of ways. No sense in speculating now, but just adressing the problem and moving forward with my life as normally as I can. Thank you all for the encouragement and support.

Poppa K · 07-14-11, 05:25 PM

Originally posted by MIAMIHURRICANE

lots of places doing great things...University of Miami has a great specialist

This!! when everybody else turned my father away, University of Miami was still there. They do great work and take on very hi risk patients when other facilities will not (they don't want to tarnish their records). U of Miami has a great Transplant program as well.

My very best to you.

GettingScrilla · 07-14-11, 06:03 PM

Thanks U Of Miami would be nice, and I will def. keep it in mind if things take a turn for the worst - I am located in the Bay Area, where I feel we have pretty good medical attention. I have turned to a private doctor who spclizes. in this, so hopefully it works out. For now my liver function is "fine" but will have to get blood test every 3 months to keep an eye on it.

It is amazing how this all came about...as I have said I am an avid basketball player, so I devloped calises on the bottom of my feet that I did not take care of, they were then infected by a virus called "planters warts" (which I am sure I got from the gym showers.) I also had devopled a fungus under my toe nails which was nasty so I asked about medication for that. The medication can potentailly do damage to the liver.

So, I came into the doctors to get the warts "frozen." The doctor asked if I had a history of family colesteral, which I did. So she suggested that I get a blood test as a base line for my colesteral in the future and for the medication for my toe nails. Got the blood test, and the precription for my toe nails...then recieved a phone call, you got Hep C.

Amazing part to me is this doctor told me it is okay if I continue taking the medication for my toe nails even though it has potential to damage my already high risk liver...weird right, anyway...thanks again everyone, one day if I am cured or vaxinated I am throwing an SBR party here in the bay area. You can bet on that...CANT WAIT (bart SCott voice)

MIAMIHURRICANE · 07-14-11, 06:30 PM

good luck and all the best

clynnm17 · 07-14-11, 08:25 PM

the only way you get HEP C is through open wound blood to blood contact. I think you can f u c k someone with hep c and you still wont get it. If you dont shoot up or work at a hospital it seems highly unlikely how you got it.

Why did you get a test for it? how did you find out?

Nismo · 07-14-11, 09:13 PM

If nothing else is helping. I've read ammoniacal silver can help.

THE PROFIT · 07-14-11, 09:15 PM

you obviously loved a women who wasnt clean

jmilacek · 07-14-11, 09:31 PM

Best of luck dude.

THE_LOCKSMITH · 07-14-11, 10:06 PM

what lead you to get your blood checked? were you having symptoms

Monitor-Tan · 07-15-11, 12:11 AM

Ok first: Get retested, sometimes it's easy to misdiagnose between fatty liver and hep c

2) You won't feel anything when u have hep c, you have to get ur liver tested yearly.

3) if you take care of ur liver aka, don't drink and don't eat greasy shit, and if the hep c stays dormant, most people who are in that situation live to full life.

4) it's easy to contract hep c, were u immunized early? If you did chances are you got it when you were VERY young before u got immunized. OR your body didn't react to the hep C vaccine as very rare small % of people are immune to the vaccine.

5) as you are doing, doing your own research is key.

6) NO ALCOHOL as someone stated very important. Get your liver tested to see if the Hep C is active, if it is dormint, it can one day be active so you have to constantly get checked. If you are lucky and it stays dormant, and u take care of your liver, youl''l ive a full life as if nothign happened.

GL to you pal

Reno Paul · 07-15-11, 01:23 AM

I myself contacted Hepatitis C from IV drug use back in the early 1980's. Lucky for me I got interferon and ribavirin treatments and it worked for me......I am as of now still in remission from the virus.

The treatments are rough. Kind of like a mild form of chemo is the best way for me to explain it. I had to inject the interferon and take ribavirin pills twice a week for six months......Not nearly everyone is successful from getting rid of the virus.
The treatments were given to me free of charge through Kaiser during that time. I was in clinical trials.

I also attended a support group during that period of time.

Get tested again like some other posters said. Also ask the doctor to see what type of genotype of the virus if you have it after the retest.

It is good to know what genotype you have. I myself had genotype 2 which is easier to treat in comparison to genotype 1 (most common in U.S.).

Stay away from alcohol, exercise and eat healthy.

PM me if you need some advice.

I/O · 07-15-11, 12:19 PM

fwiw

I friend of mine is on "the list" for a new liver. He's got liver cancer. He had told me about some new miracle drug that would give him monster support in his condition, but he's got to be completely sober for two or three months otherwise his doc won't put him on the program. He sees the doc once a month and gets all the tests run. He pretty much just drinks beer from what I've seen and isn't gonna stop anytime soon. He's got some whole fukin story on how it wasn't from drinking or drug use (both of which he has over indulged in for 25 years). He's got a high number so he should go through the transplant within the next few months. You may want to look into new drugs/therapies on the market for people with liver conditions.

Guy is 42, makes a ton of money, kids will be all grown up and out of the house in the next few years, and he might not make it after he's done all that and should be coasting home.

I/O · 07-15-11, 12:20 PM

Originally posted by Monitor-Tan

Ok first: Get retested, sometimes it's easy to misdiagnose between fatty liver and hep c

2) You won't feel anything when u have hep c, you have to get ur liver tested yearly.

3) if you take care of ur liver aka, don't drink and don't eat greasy shit, and if the hep c stays dormant, most people who are in that situation live to full life.

4) it's easy to contract hep c, were u immunized early? If you did chances are you got it when you were VERY young before u got immunized. OR your body didn't react to the hep C vaccine as very rare small % of people are immune to the vaccine.

5) as you are doing, doing your own research is key.

6) NO ALCOHOL as someone stated very important. Get your liver tested to see if the Hep C is active, if it is dormint, it can one day be active so you have to constantly get checked. If you are lucky and it stays dormant, and u take care of your liver, youl''l ive a full life as if nothign happened.

GL to you pal

GettingScrilla · 07-15-11, 01:01 PM

I just spoke with my doctor this morning, she believes I most likely have cronic hepitius C and not acute. She does not know what level I am at because that requires taking a sample from my liver. She said that my liver is functioning properly now, so that will not be nessisary. She doesnt think I need to take a blood test for another 3 months. I said how about next week. In general my approach to this will to be as proactive as possible. I would like to find out as much as I can and then start attacking it as Reno Paul did. I have herd about the negitive symptoms that come with the medication, doesnt sound like fun. Another approach I could possibly take is wait 5 years see if medicine advances at all and then take the medication. After all I am only 25 and at 30 I should still be/feel young enough to edure the medication...

I appreciate everyones support, in-put and advice. I will PM you if I do have more questions. Big Ups to Reno Paul & Monitor-Tan!!!

It is funny to see how some misconceptions about viruses, illnesses, and vaxinations spread so rampidly.

I was vacinated when I entered elementary school, who knows if I am of the small percentage that it didnt work on.

Here are a couple quick facts I have learned:

Hep C is most commonly spread through blood to blood contact, however it can be spread through any open wound comming into contact with the virus. The virus can live outside a body for about 18 hours. (So if I had a cut on my hand or arm and leaned against a pole or wall were someone else was I could have contracted it that way.) There are various other ways you can contract the virus as well.

The virus is in not way a death sentance, but if not treated properly more of a "ticking time bomb"...

I am going to stay on top of my shit. I will keep you guys posted wether you want to hear it or not...Get Scrilla!