When the Dr said today that the 12th week bloodwork showed the virus is gone
,Well I had tears of pure joy.Im 55 and I have been an alcoholic since my
late twenties. I haven't had a drink in 3 years.Before that I was a heroin
user.I got off heroin after 4 years with the help of a ...

I know exactly when I was infected and exactly when I became jaundiced.  
I'm being treated now as someone with Acute Hep C (I haven't found a
definition of when Acute stops and Chronic begins, but a friend's doctor
defined it to him as 6 months.)

This is cool, I found 2 docs I deal with in the states in this site! Maybe
you'll find yours as well.
1. Visit our web site at http://www.ama-assn.org/go/doctorfinder
(That takes you to http://dbapps.ama-assn.org/aps/amahg.htm)

My guess is that this has been posted here many times before, but
being a newcomer I just wanted to make sure everyone is aware that the
Roche company has a program that offers HCV treatment completely free
of charge to anyone who can't afford it and is without insurance.

About 7 or 8 years ago I was diagnosed with HCV.
My doctor never ordered a biopsy or referred me to a specialist.
They have been telling me to take supplements like Milk Thistle and Alpha
Lipoic Acid.

The first time I tried the PegIntron combo, the sides sent me to the
Emergency Room because of naseau and nonstop vomiting. I vowed never again
because the sides were just too intolerable!!!!
I am now in week four of the pegassyst therapy and I want to tell you ,

Next Friday (week 8/24) I go for labs and get my TSH, LFTs, CBCs and I
know what else.  I'm just wondering if you would have symptoms that
indicate your thyroid is out of whack or whether you might feel fine
but it could be in bad shape.  

I will ask my doctor on this.
Suppose that, on the day of a scheduled shot, one casts a wary eye
seawards and notices that a hurricane is about 36 hours out.  I'm
eyeing Earl with deep apprehension as the best guess on his landfall

I give myself my shot at work in the afternoon on Fridays because in the
past the side effects didn't become serious until 6-12 hours later.  
The longer between the shot and work Monday morning I can get, the
better.  This Friday, though, within an hour I was starting to feel it ...

12/10/02 2.7 million IU/ml
Tx 2/03-1/04
12/10/03  200000 IU/ml
8/4/04     4.5 million IU/ml

I experience moderate to severe cramping with onset 24 to 36 hours
post injection.  The severe symptom lasts 12 to 24 hours and
diminishes quickly after that.  The pain is most prominent on either
side of my lower back; however, it also involves other large muscle

I've found that I have hepatitis w/fibrosis. I've read of interferon along
with an antiviral treatment for hep -c ,and that many people are cured
through this program.Is it to late to attempt this treatment once you have
fibrosis.My doctor didn't say ,and truthfully I was so shocked ...

I was going through my herbal references to see what I could find on
dehydration.  Naturally the first thing they all said was to drink
lots of water :-) but I found several references to Licorice and
Siberian Ginseng.  Licorice is said to strengthen adrenal function

I just took my 1st Pegasys injection, 90 m.g.  About how long do I have to
wait to start experiencing negative side effects?  Do you know of anyone who
has experienced NO side effects?  I also will be taking Copegus orally, 200
m.g. b.i.d.

Only 4 more to go. My good thoughts are with you.
I didn't even realize you were on treatment, you've been so easy
going. I have good feelings that you will clear, and hope you have no
lasting sides!!