Welcome to the NG. Glad to have you here but sorry you have to be here. I'm
finishing week 16 of a 24 week course of treatment. I too was very
apprehensive when I first started but, for me anyway, the treatment hasn't
been the complete nightmare I had expected. It's been more like an
unpleasant dream. I tested undetectable at my 4 week viral load test and am
waiting for my 12 week results. Hopefully they will come back undetectable
too. I'll keep you all posted when I find out this Friday. I too live in
Ontario Canada and we are lucky enough to have a 24 hour PegCare line that
will address any concerns you have once you start treatment. I, fortunately
have not found it necessary to use this service yet. I may be wrong but I do
believe that the common course of treatment for type 3 is the same as for
type 2 (which is my genotype) and is 24 weeks. I would clarify that this is
indeed the case. An extra 24 weeks of treatment can be rather burdensome.
Well here's wishing you a good and early response to your treatment.

read this:
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/chronichepc/
and also this:
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/852571020057CCF68525738D0072810A

I have many questions about

This is a great place for those questions, and the only stupid question
is the one you don't ask.  :-)  Write them down as they come to you and
post all you want.  Best of luck!

You've found this place and it is a good place to ask questions. The
best thing I can tell you is to go into tx (treatment) with an open mind
and don't be too worried about it. The reactions to tx are as wide and
varied as the people who go through it. My first time through tx was in
98 and I hadn't heard any horror stories, come to think of it I hadn't
heard any stories at all about tx. The doctor warned me that there might
be some side effects, but I went through tx without any problems that I
can remember. The second time was a little rougher, but I made it
through it and am still around. I wasn't one of the lucky one's I never
reached undetectable. I will probably go through tx again some day, but
it won't be soon. My body has been pretty stable for the most part and
if nothing else tx has slowed the dragon down to a crawl. If you don't
have a good hobby, you might want to find one. Several of the people
here got me back into playing music and it has been a great distraction
both during and since tx.

I'm curious, does bluz56 have anything to do with music?

Dwight

On Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:47:52 -0400, "bluz56" <bluz56@tbaytel.net>, in
message ID <Ir2dnczT87mdzKvXnZ2dnUVZ_rednZ2d@tbaytel.net>, in the
newsgroup alt.support.hepatitis-c wrote:

Welcome to this NG.
Sorry to hear that you have hep-c.
Genotype 3 is usually treated for 24 weeks rather than 48 as it tends
to be treated the same as genotype 2 (which I had).  However, there
have been rumblings that geno 3 is a little bit harder to shift than 2
and there were noises coming from some quarters to treat it for a bit
longer than 2 - though I don't know if anything came of that.  I can't
quote any medical sites on that as I don't know how valid those noises
were.
Anyway, treatment (tx) doesn't make brussel sprouts grow out of your
ears or make you grow an extra leg.
Most people find tx unpleasant, annoying, but doable.  At either end
of the extreme sometimes people's bodies react badly enough to be
taken off it and at the other end, there may be only minimal side
effects experienced.  The overwhelming majority are in that middle
ground though.
The good news is that geno 3 is easier to treat then geno 1.  There is
a greater chance of freeing yourself from the virus.  You do need to
discuss treatment length with your doc though.  I'm a bit out of touch
but there was talk of splitting the difference with geno 3 and going
for 36 weeks.  However, I don't know what came of all that or even how
authoritative that talk was.

Hi Ken,

I just turned 55 and was diagnosed with hep C after having it for over 20
years. I live alone on the coast of BC, and I had genotype 3. Yes, had-- the
pegylated interferon & ribavirin treatment (we shorten it to "tx" here)
worked and I've been clear since finishing my 24 weeks in 2002. Or was it
2001? Anyway, the treatment was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life,
and the best thing I've ever done in my life. I was in poor health when I
started and had considerable liver damage, so I suspect that made my
side-effects worse than if I'd been otherwise healthy. Or not. Everyone's
experience is different, no rhyme nor reason. Everyone does seem to agree
that the first shot is the hardest, probably because everyone is scared
shitless the first time they inject the interferon.

Genotype 3 is considered winning the hep C lottery; it (along with geno 2)
is the easiest to cure and the protocol for tx is 24 weeks. Not sure why
they've got you down for 48, I'd confirm that. Genotype 1 is far more
common, and that's the 48-week cruise. I'm also wondering why you're just
lining up for tx now, four years after diagnosis.

In a month or so, I strongly suggest that you begin taking antidepressants
and continue through tx. The drugs do not do wonders for one's disposition
and sanity. Get all your chores done and plan on taking it real easy while
you're on tx. No new projects, no extended holidays, no stressful situations
that can be avoided. You're gonna be tired and cranky to say the least. Let
someone store your guns for you. Stock up on pot; it will cure any nausea
caused by the (other) drugs. Stock up on books, computer games and videos;
nobody feels much like socializing while doing tx, and reading is so much
fun... by the time you get to the second chapter, you've forgotten the first
so you can re-read the same thing and it's brand-new all over again.

Do some Google homework to learn about a healthy diet for liver disease and
stick to it. Sarah will tell you about drinking lots of water, and she knows
of what she speaks. Of course you know by now not to drink alcohol. Watch
out for bad science and snake oil... there is a bit of it floating around,
but we'll set you straight if we have the opportunity. Welcome to the Order
of Dragon Slayers, and now, what about those questions?

Waterspider

Hi Ken, Welcome to our little corner of the world.  I finished a 48
week course in March.  I remember it was a bit scary at first, but got
easier over time.  We all seem to be a little different in regards to
tolerance, but some similarities.  I had a bit of nausea at first, and
some body aches but I got thru it all and if I can, anybody can!
Hang on, keep us posted and ask question when you need to, some of
these folks here have a lot of helful info to share.   Good Luck
Joe