Has Anyone Gone Through or Going Through Hepatitis C Treatment?

Question by Skye: Has anyone gone through or going through Hepatitis C treatment?
I was an intravenous drug user. I know it was incredibly stupid. Sometimes I was so high or so desperate to get high that I would share needles. I found out 10 years ago that I have Hep C but it was a low trace amount. I was scared to do the treatment because of all the horror stories I’ve heard about it. Now I’ve heard that the treatment isn’t quite as drastic. Then I just read an article in People about Nat King Cole who made the treatment out to be like hell. She said that it was like having the worst flu times 10 and she lost her hair. She was very tired and extremely depressed even suicidal. I’ve been suffering from severe depression even way before I used drugs. I’m now 35 and my levels have elavated a bit. Here’s some questions I have:
Does it make you very nauseous?
How painful is the injection?
How likely are they to get rid of it?
Can you take painkillers and/or anti-nausea medication?
Will you lose your hair?
Can you still work or do acitivites?
WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON STANDARD TREATMENT NOW (WHAT DRUGS) AND HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?
Can it make depression unbearable?
Do some people have little or no side-effects?
I have drank (sometimes binged) the past 10 years, could that have made my liver much worse?
Can you drink alcohol again after treatment if it’s successful just once in a while like at a special occassion?
THANKS FOR ANY HELP!

Best answer:

Answer by pukhta786
Congrats for getting off the train.
Newer Hep-C treatments like PEG-interferon are not all that bad. But everyone responds differently, if you get nausea etc your Doc will give you appropriate treatment for that too.
If you don’t take the treatment you might get cirrhosis or worse Liver cancer. So just go for it.

Answer by LINDA R
Hep C treatment often consists of interferon or pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Length of treatment depends on the genotype of Hep C that you have. It can make people feel very ill because it is similar to chemotherapy (that’s why you hear about the nausea and hair loss.) Remember, though, everyone reacts differently to medications, so not everyone will have the same side effects. You may or may not be nauseous or lose your hair. It may be possible to take anti nausea meds. Talk with your doctor. Your doctor can also refer you to counseling to deal with your depression, if you are not already receiving treatment for your depression.
With treatment, some people can clear the virus from their bodies. Success depends on the genotype of Hep C, and how well treatment instructions are followed. Some genotypes are easier to treat than others.
Yes, drinking alcohol (especially binge drinking) definitely increases liver damage. Alcohol is processed by the liver.
I would not advise drinking alcohol again after treatment. Check with your doctor.

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