I consider myself to be extremely lucky to have had access to treatment with the new drugs before the majority Australians, especially as my liver is in pretty good shape. After two unsuccessful attempts with interferon based treatment, I wasn’t too impressed at being told in 2012 that I would probably die WITH hepatitis C, not OF it. Actually it is just luck that I happened to fit the criteria for a clinical trial in August of this year. What is not luck, is the three years I spent asking, negotiating and regularly turning up for my appointments to see if there was any way I could access interferon-free treatment. With my treatment over, my mind is now focussed on enabling other people to access treatment.
I celebrate the efforts of individuals like Greg Jeffreys and Dr James Freeman, that have made access to generics possible. There is no doubt that this is the prime reason why hep C treatment is in the news so much at present, and this must be causing Governments to squirm. I completely support people taking the initiative and helping themselves where bureaucracy has stood in their way.
I've been undetectable since week two of my treatment but my first post treatment blood test is on 20 November. I've been undetectable after treatment twice before, so this is a crucial test for me. I am trying not to think about it although I worry that every itch, chill or pain is the virus rebounding.