Hello all. This is my first time posting here so I;d like to say "hi".

I was wondering if anyone could give me any info regarding fibrosis. I just the results of my first biopsy in. I dont see my specialist till next month some time and my general practioner was reluctant to go over the results with me. He did say that my viral load is quite high and that I have some fibrosis. I understand that fibrosis is scarring and that it can lead to cirhossis. My question are: Can the condition be reversed? If so. how? Is it something that I should be really concerned about? Since I am now living an extremely healthy life can I be somewhat confident that the progression will stop here or should I expect cirhossis at some point?

Also, my viral load is 5.2 million. I dont seem to be showing any symptoms of Hep just yet. Actually I feel fine. My enzymes are a little elevated but they are slowy gong back to normal. A few months ago my ALT was 400. 2 months ago 300. A month ago 220. Right now I am assuming they are really close to normal because I seem to have some discomfort that is relative to the level of my enzymes. For the past month or so the discomfort has been few and far between. My questions are: Since my viral load is so high, am I at risk of just waking up one day and feeling the full effects of accute hepatitis symptoms? Are the chances of me responding well to treatment dramatically reduced because of the high viral load? What can be done to lower my viral load? Just the usual: good diet, excercise, etc...? Is that really effective?

I just wanna add that I've been lurking here for a couple of months and have gotten alotta good info. I think the best advice that I read here was to quit smoking. It was the hardest habit I've ever kicked but it was worth it. I've been free of cigarettes for almost 2 weeks now andI have noticed such a significant difference in the way I feel. It's really unbelievable.

Thanks for any information.

Sam

[This message has been edited by Samwise (edited 12-24-2002).]

Howdy Samwise-
First welcome to the board, and glad to see that you kicked the smoking, good [Great] for you, you will see if you have HCV, its seems that we feel twice as good as those that quit and do not, stands to reason I guess.
From My own research, I know that as we age we aquire natural scarring fibrosis, the new Pegasys treatment has been said to actualy help the fibrosis, as far as being reversed I do not think that all the scarred tissue can be eliminated, but with a little change in lifstyle, we can slow it down to where it would have no ill effect.
The way you treat your body has a dramatic effect on the way you are going to feel - yes- diet, exercise, -not smoking or drinking alcohol, etc, all have a huge part in those effects and do help to lower your viral load.
most situations when we are told that we have "some fibrosis" or a "little Fibrosis" means that we are usaly a stage 1 or stage 2 fibrosis at most, on the scale out of stage 1-4 fibrosis,which does not mean you will ever have cirhosis.


Although your viral load is high does not mean you are going to wake up one morning feeling like a Dragon fell on you, some never feel real ill effects other than a little fatique,if you have no symtoms it usally means you have lead a reasonably healthy lifstyle, even quiting smoking helps, I know when I found out that I had HCV and quit drinking alcohol my viral load dropped nearly in half, so anything you do to benefit your body is goling to help.
are you thinking of treatment?
Happy Holidays, Be Well +

Thanks for the info. I was actually to hoping to hear much of what you said.

Yes, I'm definately thinking of treatment. Is the only downside to treatment the side effects? Right now, my outlook on this is that as long as the side effects dont kill me, bring'em on.

I was told that my liver is actually functioning well. It's taking care of everything that it needs to be taking care of. Raised enzyme levels are the only suspect situation going on with it but I am assuming that the fibrosis is causing the raised enzymes.

Although your viral load is high does not mean you are going to wake up one morning feeling like a Dragon fell on you, some never feel real ill effects

THAT is what I was hoping for. I dont know much about this disease and some information is really impossible to find on the net. My nights were getting pretty rough cause I was so paranoid that in the morning I was goona wake up yellow with a 103 degree fever eventhough I felt completely fine at the time.

I do have one more question about becoming sympomatic: If someone DOES wake up "feeling like a dragon fell" on them, is that sorta the point of no return? What I'm trying to ask is that if one ends up getting sick, is that it? All downhill, from there or can immediate treatment effectively reverse the condition? I'm under the impression that treatment is much more effective if it is used prior to showing any outward symptoms of the disease.

Sorry for asking so many questions. I've read so many old posts here. I've found alotta valuable information but some questions , which I am sure have been addressed here somewhere, seem to be harder to find thru the search function.

Thanks to all for you help. I hope no one gets sick of my questions. I have countless others but outta respect for the board I thought I'd ease into this slowly so as not to dominate the forum.

Merry Christmas all.

Samwise

Samwise-
Hope you and yours had a Great Christmas,
as for asking Questions here, do not hold back, this is the place to do it and the more questions, the more people will give their input.
To put input on one of your quesions, the huge majority of people will not just wake up one morning feeling like a dragon fell on them, HCV is a very slow progressing virus, smoking and drinking alcohol seems to speed it up the most, but again taking care of yourself you may never feel any ill effects other than simple flu like symtoms.
which I feel in the Canadian winters here, but come spring I am like a young yearling deer enjoying and playing on a fine spring day.
I know of many people that have had HCV between an estimated twenty to thirthy years and many have no,or very little symtoms.
Although taking treatment before having any symtoms may seem more effective, I beleive that each person reacts different to treatment and the end result lays a lot on lifestlye, if you go in strong, I beleive your chances are much better, but if you are a lot overweight,do not eat right, do not get any excercise,and already are weak and sickly etc, I beleive treatment will not have as much Good effect,and may make a bad situaion worst for some.
As you know genotype 1A's are harder to treat, so if you are a 1A, it stands to reason you will want to go into treatment as strong and healthy as one can.

As far as side effects on treatments right now, 99 percent of the people taking Pegasys, that I have read about and spoke to, say its a "tip toe though the tulips" compare to the older interferon recipes, the people that already took those older treatments and were non-resonders, that are now taking the Pegasys treatment say its got hardly any "sides".
As a matter of fact some were worried that they were given placebos because there were no side effects, which is not the case as the studies are over and they have the real Pegasys.

Be well,do not feel relutant to ask Q's here +


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--Get Outdoors-Enjoy Life----Neil