TOPIC: treatment required ASAP

I am 23 and have been diagnosed with hepatitis C three months ago. I am an otherwise healthy girl, but have been very sick from November 2015. I only contracted the virus in May 2015, and was tested positive 7 months later.

My blood test results are: GGT 76, AST 84, ALT 107. I have been experiencing severe nausea, vomiting, and Inappetence for the last 3 months. I am on no medication or vitamins for any health conditions, except that I've been using Stemetil or Phenergan for the nausea and vomiting, but to no avail.

I have private health insurance and I am absolutely desperate for help! I am willing to travel around Victoria, Australia for treatment, but not out of Victoria as I get very home sick.
I am on a waiting list at Monash Medical Centre, but I've been told that I could be waiting for a couple of months before even having an appointment booked with the gastroenterologist/hepatologist.

I'm becoming extremely depressed as I am unable to work and do most daily activities because of the constant nausea and vomiting.
I've lost weight and struggle to keep hydrated as I can barely keep anything down.

I live in Inverloch, Victoria, and I am asking, pleading for help.
TIA.

Hi Josie...I live in Bendigo, Victoria. I am on a waiting list at the Bendigo Base Hospital and have been for 10 months and counting (I will notify them soon that they can take me off the list)! I chose to take my treatment into my own hands and went through the Buyers Club to have my meds imported from China. I am now on my last week of treatment (3 months all up). The virus was undetected at my four week blood test. I also have a very supportive GP. You will no doubt know that in March some of the HEP C drugs will be listed on the PBS.....but I'm sure there will be protocols etc. that patients will have to meet to be able to have access to the drugs. I arranged to see a specialist (paid for it myself) to get the right tests run (i.e. genotype, fibroscan, viral load) and then made contact with Dr Freeman. Given you have private health cover you should be able to be referred to a specialist with minimal cost to yourself rather than be on a waiting list.

I was diagnosed in February 2015 and to say it was a shock was an understatement (as I am sure it is for everyone when they are diagnosed). Please take the time to read some of the stories on the forum and you will find that the information you read will give you a lot of hope and take most of your fears away.

Josie, you have come to the right place There are several ways to obtain the generic meds that you need for a cure in as little as 12 weeks. Post genotype and recent labs in the signature in your profile so many here with the same genotype can give you firsthand experiences and help guide you. Read up on ways of importation. Go to GP2U and make a 30 min appointment so that you can obtain a prescription and import your meds from one of the approved pharmaceutical companies listed on here.
This is a great place to educate yourself so that you can be confident and proactive in your journey to eradicating this horrible virus. Take action and read up! Dr Freeman and everyone here have given me so much support I don't even know how to thank them enough!
I to was only diagnosed a few months ago but am now on day #14 of sof/dac with no sides to speak of. You are young and have lots of life to live without having to feel like S----t.
I hope you a are feeling better soon and on your way to being healthy again

Hi Josie, you can get the generics in Melbourne ok, they can be posted to your home address, you don't have to wait for the Australian clinics to come on line if you want to jump their que so to speak. Not much monitoring is required on these drugs, I have not seen a doctor since I started tx or felt the need to do so. People in Sydney I know are going the generic route via the club despite the Governments announcement on PBS listing, They want to get cured now is all.

Get a script through gp2u.com if your doctor won't give you one. if you use gp2u or monkmed get pathology referrals for 2 viral load tests at the same time, one for the start of treatment and one for a month after starting,

Look at fixhepc.com/home/redemption-etrials.html to see if you can get into the Redemption Trial 3 or 2, there are no placebos in these trials.

See a Doctor, either on gp2u.com, or use monkmed.com if your GP won't give you a script,

You can be feeling better within a month or so, your LFTs don't look too bad,

You will need skype to set it up, but its not that difficult, you sign an import document, scan it and send it through to the club, once they receive the money, the medicines will be posted to you.

Takes a couple of weeks usually in Australia.

The gastric issues you are having sound rather bad and I would get them investigated by a gastro specialist or GP at the very least, if possible, you can't keep dropping weight like that. My observation of Hepc is that those issues don't usually show up for some time if for years after initial infection, there is often just an initial jaundice after infection which most people don't even notice and then no symptoms for years until the bloody thing starts its nagging destruction of your liver and brain,, depression is very common with this virus.

Tx(treatment) takes 3 months or 6 months treatment depending on the Doctors recommendation, if you have a recent viral load test or a fibroscan that will help the doctor to choose the correct medications,

Its all very doable, I have not missed a day off work during treatment, I started feeling better in 7 days after starting the medications, my guts were terrible also, couldn't eat anything almost. Now I can eat anything again.

And keep posting if you still need more information, many here will help out, its like some big weird family where no one cares about anything but getting you well again, just like Lynne an CC2B above, we all want you to get your life back again,


regards,
Jim

Hi J,
My stomach issues were much like yours. I lost 50 lbs. I associated food with violent hiccups and weird, white foam reflux. Two years it lasted. Two weeks into treatment, it stopped.
Good advice above-really good.
Mike

Hi Josie,

Welcome to the forum. You have come to the right place to get the information you need.

Your story sounds similar to mine. I contracted hep c when I was 19 and found out I had it because I experienced a period of acute hepatitis following the intial infection. I think it lasted around 3-6 months before it passed. I was extremely unwell, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, had to resign from my job. I knew something was wrong so went to the doctor to investigate. It was a horrible time, I feel for you! It does generally pass within 6 months.

I actually went on to clear the virus naturally about a year or so later, without any treatment (which can happen in around 20-25% of new infections, I believe). But unfortunately, I went on to later contract it again, a different genotype the next time.

You can treat now by obtaining a prescription (either through a specialist or gp2u) and sourcing generics. This can be done easily and quickly. Or you can wait until the medicines become available to the Australian public from March this year. The difference would be whether the cost matters to you and whether you want to wait.

Do you know your genotype?

All the best, take care of yourself xx

Hi Josie,

I'm also in Vic. You have come to the right place for advice about seeking quick treatment and have already been given some good advice about HCV treatment options. The treatment itself can occur where you are currently living and blood tests etc during treatment should be able to be taken by your local pathology lab and processed via their normal channels with only one type that requires sending off to external labs.

However, like Jimmy I'm also concerned about your gastric issues so soon after contracting the virus and wonder if you are still in the acute phase of infection which could result in you either naturally clearing the virus or progressing to the chronic stage which will require medication. This requires further investigation to determine the HCV status and why you are experiencing these problems.

I'm guessing here that your GP has run tests that confirm HCV and then referred you to the public clinic at Monash? As you have health insurance go back to him and request an urgent referral to a private gastroenterologist or hepatologist to investigate further. Once you have done that and determined your HCV status and why you are experiencing the gastro problems you will be in a position to make decisions about treatment. This part of the process will likely require travel to a major centre for appointment(s) with greater Melbourne area including Dandenong and Franston being the most likely area.

If due to the smallish town you live in you were not comfortable with talking to your GP and have gone elsewhere for your diagnosis and referral then either return to that source or consider a virtual (Skype or similar) consultation with a service like GP2U.com.au at least as an initial step to seek expert advice as to who you should consult.

Please only use Phenergan or Stemetil on medical advice of someone who is aware of your HCV status particularly as you say they do not seem effective. When I had gastro problems I found gingerbeer or candied ginger gave some small relief.

Good points GAJ,
My acute bout lasted close to a year. I was up on a ladder with and I didn't think I could climb down. It happened instantly. Went from feeling absoluely great to being bed ridden in the blink of an eye. I went to the doc and told him I was dying. After a year of tests, the diagnosis was Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-no HCV back then-and the treatment: prozac. Trick your mind into thinking your body isn't sick....
Hell of a deal looking back.
One consolation J, HCV picked a bad time to take up residence in your liver.
It can be hammered into oblivion without a whole lot of fuss and bother now.

Mike

Josie-Eynaud-facebook wrote:
I live near you
I'm on tx from this site
You are not alone
Private message me if you would like support during this time
I'm a mum and one of my daughters is your age xxx I am a local surfer and ex school teacher
Sending you love xxxxxxx

I am at Monash too I can help you sweetie xxx you can use the medicine from here I can explain how to keep the peace and still be able to go to Monash it's our nearest clinic after all
I have private health insurance too xx we may have sat side by side at last liver clinic not sure but I did talk to a lovely young lady who was anxious
Lots of love Ariel xxxx

Hello Josie,

After the first of March it should be possible to prescribe it on the PBS for you.

You will need these tests to hand for a prescription to be made, so you should arrange anything missing now.

fixhepc.com/getting-treated/how-to-do-it...ur-doctor-needs.html

Your local GP should be able to do it for you if they follow the instructions at: fixhepc.com/gp

If not we can do it via an online consult at gp2u.com.au/