thanbey

It has been a while since we have had a post like yours, Melanie.

First of all, most people with hepatitis c die of something OTHER THAN the hepatitis C. That is a fact.

Second, when the diagnosis is made at a stage 2 biopsy result, there are a lot of choices a person can make to prevent liver disease from progressing. None of these seemed to have been discussed with you and I'm sorry they weren't. Having good lifestyle choices in combination with regular monitoring by a knowledgeable provider is invaluable.

Third, unless the doctor did a biopsy of the liver, he cannot say whether the symptoms your husband is experiencing are due to worsening liver disease. Unless hubby is a very heavy alcohol drinker or a heavy smoker, or obese it is very unlikely that he has suffered worsening disease. Even if he has progressed, there is still the high probability that he can intervene and limit whatever damage may have been done. Have you gotten copies of your husband's lab reports?

Maintaining a normal weight, no alcohol, no smoking (or second hand smoke!) good nutrition, managing his stress and energy levels through regular and moderate exercise will probably put him on course once the cause of the current problems have been identified. It may even resolve the problems themselves, but I have no way to know that for sure. I am not a doctor and do not play one on the internet.

So,try not to panic. As you read through the posts here, you will find many people who thought they would die of hepatitis c when they first came here.

At stage 4 liver disease (surprise!) he would not be sick enough for a transplant. Stage 4 is only the beginning of cirrhosis (liver scarring) and there are several stages of cirrhosis before end stage liver disease occurs, if ever it occurs. Hepatitis C progresses slowly, when it progresses at all.

Interferon therapy is not a guaranteed treatment. It can make things worse, rather than better. In your husband's case, being bi-polar, much worse.

Still with me? You have lots of reading to do and there are a number of people here to support and offer their own experiences of survival, management and coping. Go through the threads of messages on this page and then find many more pages in the archives.
You'll see what I mean.

Not being a candadate for the interferon is NOT a death sentence by a long way!

Hang in there with us. We have all been where you are right now and things do take on perspective as you gain information, support and start to make lifestyle choices that support good health and happy living.

Some people have even considered the diagnosis a blessing. Maybe, in time, you'll be one of them.