Hi Debbie,

just my bit …..

“I have lost 10 friends from the USA treatment and 12 develop Cancers. I have numerous friends complaining of RA and fibermyalga. They are complaining of Teeth problems, stomach issues. Bone issues”.

This does have a familiar ring to it when I think back about many of the comments that have been made about Interferon (plus/minus Ribavirin) treatment. My personal dislike was/is Ribavirin, which I regarded when mixed with Interferon as just an alternative to arsenic. This time around, with re-treatment on DAA’s and having had a taste of life HCV free, I find Ribavirin is a necessary evil to get a cure – although it made me feel like sh*t.

Medically, I am assured that the HCV led me to have a HCC. The HCV, I say, caused me to live a lesser life because of the fatigue. I have some good reason to believe this as the fatigue went during treatment with DAA’s, and came back when the virus returned. Second time around with re-treatment, it is harder to define as Ribavirin tends to knock me around; but post treatment and at this time HCV free, I am slowly feeling better.

Just a bit of a ramble but I think that quality of life (free of HCV) needs to be ‘factored in’ to any decision to use DAA’s. For me, treatment with them wins hands down all the time.

Yours

Jeff.