Can I live without treatment

[Jim]

Just want to say thank you Cali for your advice.
I am thinking more clearly now.
Jim

[Cali]

Let us know what's going on with you Jim, and know that whatever your decision, I/we will respect that it's yours and yours alone.

Best to you,
Cali

[lynn]

Greyrocker..could not agree with you more..When I was diagnosed I was Stage II; knew a guy who had it at the time and had been diagnosed for about 10 years and was still a level 0. Within five years that changed to stage 3. It is so difficult to tell and everyone is so different. But, if you can erradicate the virus ; well everyone knows that is what you have need to do.

[firefly326]

I was only stage 1 but had grade 3 inflammation with a constantly elevated alt for years.  I waited for better drugs and the inflammation was always there with it's constant fatigue and aches and pains enough to seriously decrease my quality of life.  As soon as the protease inhibitors came out I made plans to treat because the odds to svr are so much higher.  Hearing everyone else's experiences make me glad and more sure about choosing to treat at a low damage stage.  I've had the virus maybe 25 years and it definitely became more active around age 50 and I am 62.  Now I cross off the weeks to an anticipated 28 and look forward to being able to get strong again maybe even as soon as this summer where before I could only look ahead to not feeling good and this illness is a bore.

Good luck with whatever your choice may be and my best wishes are with you.

FF

[Janet L]

Hi Jim,
So many have given their great advise and support.  I will add to them that I went from stage I fibrosis to stage III in 5 years and a viral load of over 33 mil.  I waited for the new treatment due to the odds of success and now have only 8 weeks left of treatment.
Also, my Oncologist told me that there is a much higher risk of cancer of the liver with hcv.  Good luck with what ever choice you make.

[Nookster]

Hey Jim,

I got to say this all comes down to a personal decision.  For me, at 59 years old I had to sit down and have a very good heart to heart with myself.  I was basically in the same spot as you.  For many years I was a full fledged member of the "too much fun club".  I found out I had Hep C about 6 years ago and decided to wait for a treatment that had a higher cure percentage.  So finally that came along and I dove into the program.  You know for me,  I never wanted to be that guy laying on my death bed, dying of a liver related illness thinking "what if I would have just taken the treatment",  maybe I would'nt be laying here looking at my love ones standing around my bed crying so soon.  Maybe I could have cheated the reaper for another 5 or 10 or 15 more years.  Brother, I love life.  I'm not trying to check any sooner than I have too.  Like I said at 1st, its a personal decision.  For me, I know I made the right one.