Ok, my father died of cirrohsis and he had hep.C, when he was 47, he was a drinker and drug user, i have been trying to educate myself on hep c and i just read that they have had good responses with certain meds that cure it?
I thought it was a life long disease and also they said some people cure it on their own? I am not sure if i read that right or not? I was just curious, cause my father got really sick, his belly swelled and he was in and out of the hospital and they told him what he should and shouldnt eat, when he was first told he had it they gave him only 2 yrs to live and he did die within that time, does this sound usual?
Thanks alot

Ok, my father died of cirrohsis and he had hep.C, when he was 47, he was a drinker and drug user, i have been trying to educate myself on hep c and i just read that they have had good responses with certain meds that cure it?
I thought it was a life long disease and also they said some people cure it on their own? I am not sure if i read that right or not? I was just curious, cause my father got really sick, his belly swelled and he was in and out of the hospital and they told him what he should and shouldnt eat, when he was first told he had it they gave him only 2 yrs to live and he did die within that time, does this sound usual?
Thanks alot

That course is not UN-usual for someone who drinks heavily. Hepatitis C and alcohol do not mix at all. Alcohol makes everything worse and increases the progression of the virus and damages the liver. Alcoholic hepatitis on top of hepatitis C is a deadly combination.

That course is unusual for most people with hepatitis C. It is rare in those who have hepatitis C, do not smoke or drink alcohol and who take very good care of themselves (maintain good weight, fitness level, nutrition, etc) Most people will die WITH hepatitis C and not OF it. It is not an automatic death sentence by any means.

Is there a cure? I hope so. In a minority of people, they realize an excellent result with interferon therapy without any residual problems. Most people have problems while on therapy, at least, and some, if not most, of those problems resolve in time after therapy is completed. Interferon therapy appears to help only those who have a response to it. For those who do not, benefit is less clear.So, cure is theoretically possible, but only for certain patients. Even for those who realize a response, self care and abstention from alcohol life long is recommended. Monitoring and periodic testing is also a very good idea. If liver damage has occurred, some healing may take place, but there is no guarantee that the liver returns to health and wholeness. For one thing, the liver ages, just like the rest of our bodies.

So, in that sense, it is life long for everyone who has it.

Please accept my condolences on the loss of your father.

I hope this helps,

thanbey

hepatitis c outreach project
www.hcop.org

...all information is intended for general information and is not an attempt to speak to the specifics of any one person's medical situation or decision...........

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thanks alot for your response, i appreciate it!!