Re: Please help me...just found out I have Hepatitus C and I am very scared and depressed

Hi. I'm sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis with Hep C.

I myself was diagnosed with Hep C in August 2002. I had gone to the doctor to see if I had gallstones, since I had constant aching in my right side right under my ribcage. I was happy to think I might have gallstones, because I thought I could finally get rid of my ache.

Needless to say, I was not at all prepared for the news I got. The doctor called me up and just told me that I had abnormal Liver Function Tests. Because I worked in a medical clinic at the time, I asked one of the doctors what that meant. He pretty much just said "good luck."

Well, a few days later, the doctor called me at work and very unceremoniously told me "You have Hepatitis C." I was totally shocked. I didn't know much about the disease at the time, but I couldn't imagine how I had gotten it. I was immediately flushed with guilty feelings for having had unprotected anal sex with my ex-boyfriend, who I knew had been a heroine addict.

Well, I went to talk with the doctor, and she asked me all the common questions: "Have you had a transfusion? Have you ever used IV drugs? (etc.)" I said "no" and she said ( *%#&¤?§* ) "well, this is also a sexually transmitted disease." Leaving me feeling like a little slut.

I learned more about the disease. It is quite far-fetched to call it a "sexually transmitted disease." I thought and thought about how or when I might have contracted it, and could not figure it out. All I knew was that I'd had that achiness throughout my whole right side since about 1994. And for the past few years I have battled with worsening fatigue and depression. Also, a few months earlier, I was forced to quit drinking, due to a rapid decrease of my tolerance to it. I asked my ex-boyfriend to be tested (I only met him in the beginning of 1998). He apparently came out NEGATIVE!! So I'm left having no idea when or where I contracted this disease!

I got a biopsy and had inflamation and the beginnings of damage, so I decided to go through treatment - since I didn't know how long I'd had this and I'm young (I'm 32). I did the treatment of Ribavirin and Pegalated Interferon starting in January, 2003 after an unsucessful attempt at treatment through acupuncture. My viral load had grown by the 10's of millions while I did the acupuncture and it was very expensive. I finished the treatment in 6 months, since I had Genotype 2B.

Treatment was difficult, and I really feel for people who have to take it for a year. I was sick and weak - but not as bad as I thought I'd be. I was generally irritable, and just tried to spend as much time away from people as possible when I took my weekly shot. I was low on red and white blood cells through my treatment, but thanks to heaven, I didn't get infections. The possible permanent damage that was done was that my thyroid was damaged. I initially had a hyperactive thyroid, and now have been taking medication daily for underactive. I may have to take meds for that for the rest of my life.

Here is the good news: as of this month, I am officially UNDETECTABLE viral load! This means I am called "cured" because they assume that if I had virus, it would have grown back in the year since I stopped the treatment (I took the test a little early, due to my medical insurance coming to an end.)

Well, I hope hearing other people's stories is helpful to you. I encourage you to seek information, and consider treatment if you think it's right for you. It really has improved by leaps and bounds from the old treatment and is more successful and less harmful than the older treatments. That being said, treatment is not easy. Seek support on groups like these.

I find that there is so much ignorance about Hep C, even amongst medical professionals. The truth is, there are many people who don't know how they got this disease. I would never call it a "sexually transmitted disease" as my doctor did. It is a blood-borne illness, and most married couples are quite safe having sex together if one partner has Hep C.

Please don't panic. I'll tell you the good things that came out of my knowing that I was ill:
- A reason for my Depression and fatigue
- An explaination for the ache in my side
- A powerful impetus to stop drinking (almost completely) and change other bad health habits I had
- An inspiration to learn about things like fasting, liver flushes, etc.
I am in much better health today than I was for years before I found out I was ill. Tweet