Posted by cmcdougall on January 15, 2002, at 22:06:51
In reply to Re: Need advice for brother w/ GAD, depression, HepC, posted by petey on January 15, 2002, at 15:16:13
Dear Petey,
Fifteen years ago my brother Joe was diagnosed w/ hepatitis. As far as I know, there was no test for Hepatitis C at that time. I don't recall exactly what the dr. did then, but my brother seemed to recover.
Ten years ago, Joe came down w/ hepatits again and this time they diagnosed it as "c". His symptoms were coffee colored urine, pale stool, general malaise and fatigue. He was sent to a specialist who told him he'd be dead in ten years. Needless to say, we were devastated.
Later that same year, Joe's wife saw an advertisement in the newspaper for a study to investigate Interferon in the treatment of HepC. It was done at a university in Seattle. Joe was accepted into the program and all his treatment was free. He gave himself injections of Interferon (in the flesh of his belly) 3 times per week for about 6 months. The side effects of this treatment are brutal. Many of the study participants dropped out because of them. Side effects included severe headache and muscle aches like the flu. It also gave Joe panic attacks that would wake him up at night. He said it felt like he was dying.
After the first 6 months of treatment Joe was in remission for 6 months but then the hep came back. This time he took the Interferon for 1 year w/ the same horrible side effects. He again went into remission and this time it lasted a year. Joe says the worst part of it is the liver biopsies he had to endure. A biopsy in the only definative way to make sure he's in remission. The biopsy in done w/ only a local anesthetic, and w/ a local they can only numb the skin - OUCH!
Joe's last treatment was w/ Interferon and Ribovarin. When he took it it was still experimental. I think it is an approved treatment now. VERY VERY expensive. Anyway, Joe took this for 4 years. He has been in remission over 3 years now. His blood tests negative for any hepatitis and the liver biopsy is completely clean. His dr. said its as if he never had it. My family feels so blessed that Joe seems to have recovered.
The Interferon treatment seems to work for some people, but it has to be taken for a long time and more than half of the users cannot tolerate the side effects. Another treatment is a liver transplant. Living donor transplants (from a parent or sibling) are being used more and more now. The small lobe of the liver is removed from the donor and transplanted. Amazingly, the donor's liver grows a new small lobe within 8 weeks.
Good luck to you and your brother. If you have any further questions, please ask.
Carly
> Carly,
> My older brother was also diagnosed hep. c. You said your brother was in remission. What did he do to get in remission? I am very interested because we are so worried about him. Also, what were his symptoms? Thank you in advance.
> Petey
poster:cmcdougall
thread:90282
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020110/msgs/90388.html