I think you're right.  Interferon seems to be what provides the SVR.  
The antivirals by themselves just suppress the virus.

Russ
         You make some good points.  I may have gone a little
overboard with my post.  I just get tired of being attacked for my
views.

       Ron

Hi Russ, et al,
It was interesting to me what you had to say about seeing your H.S. buddy
and finding out how you were initially infected.I guess the period between
exposure(shooting drugs) and developing acute hepatitis was about 3 or 4
months, and that can skew your recollection of events.I had acute hep twice
in 72 and 75. The second time I got sick I was on vacation with a bunch of
friends on a 55 ft. Chris Craft boat and was having Bloody Marys on the fan
tail of the boat tied up at Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, off the coast of
Massachusetts.For some unknown reason the smell of cigarette smoke made me
ill, and I was unable to drink any further(sh.t). My eyes were yellow, as
well as my skin. My friends took me to the local hospital, and the next
thing I knew, they were in a panic trying to get shots of Gamma Globulin,
while I was suddenly treated like a leper.A short flight from there to
Boston and home in the burbs, and I had a second stay in an isolation
ward.It sucked big time. The only thing that made that hospital bearable was
that my G.F. at the time made conjugal visits almost daily(thank goodness
for isolation rooms) and she never developed hep at all. A nurse did walk in
at a most inopportune time, gawked at us,(I guess she couldn't believe her
eyes), then walked out again, and never came in again without knocking
first.At least I have some slightly amusing memories amongst all the crap I
had to deal with.

But I digress, my point is that in 1982 I moved to California, and lost
touch with all of the buddies I grew up with.Gradually as I called home
sometimes, one or another of my brothers would tell me which of my old
friends had died, until most if not all were gone forever. This included my
1st cousin Alain(god rest his soul) with whom I first experienced different
drugs.I can still hear his voice,("Hey Johnny, check this out, I just copped
today, lets get high").He and they, all succumbed to one sort of liver
disease or another. I believe that what saved my life was moving cross
country alone, starting a new career I enjoyed, and lost contact with all of
them. What for me, was a lark, turned to be a lifetime of heavy drug use for
them, and they paid the supreme price for their sins(actually choices, but
sins sounds more dramatic).I really feel for them, especially Alain, as
until the day he died, he could not and would not stop drinking and
drugging.About the only illicit substance I use now is the weed, when
available, and can afford it. As most of you know now that I suffer from
chronic pain from a hip problem, and must use narcotics(legally prescribed
methadone and oxycodone) for relief.

I still have some difficulty understanding all of their deaths, and am
sometimes in denial of it. As I understand it cirrhosis is a particularly
nasty and messy way to die, and holds no appeal to me at all. Yet, so many
DO die from it, whether from hepatitis, or  alcoholism. I'm fairly sure I
know from whom I originally contracted the disease, but he is gone also.But
for some reason I still survive.I have to believe there is some reason for
all this and my being alive, although I may never figure it out. I can
hardly believe I had to be talked into treatment, as I had read and heard
about all of the negative's  related to TX, but I AM glad I did the
treatment. It means I will live a little longer(thank you), and perhaps may
see my daughter go to college and marry, and all of that. It was indeed the
suckiest 48 weeks of my life, as there was for me, other factors involved. I
do indeed value all of the stories I read here, and hope that by sharing my
story, it may help others in some way or another. Thanks for sharing Russ,
and all of you out there in Hep land, lets keep posting, and kill or
eliminate that nasty  dragon hep C.
John in Honolulu

Russ,

What amazes me is that you are not bitter and still a proponent of the
therapy even after it was a torture for you and still didn't work. I
think that speaks volumes of your beliefs and your integrity. Very much
appreciate it in these difficult times.

And thanks very much for the prayers.