Hepatitis C

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

My brother-in-law has been told the problems he has been experiencing for a couple years is due to hepatitis C.
Any good help sites that you know of that I can check for him?
His doc is saying there are shots for self administering, but doesn't know the success rate.
Also says there may be a cure found soon. (I say "so what")

[Cat Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Cat]

Robert, you will find the WebMD page to be very helpful. The website has a lot of practical information, plus many other links for more information.

Apparently, it is relatively common but difficult to detect until it has progressed to having become a chronic infection. If they catch it early in the progression of the disease, a 6 month course of interferon might get rid of it entirely. It doesn't sound from your post, however, as if that's the case here. I wish him the best.

http://www.webmd.com/search/search_results/default.aspx?query=hepatitis+C&searchSubmit.x=45&s earchSubmit.y=12&sourceType=all

[JoAnn Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoAnn]

Robert, have him follow his doctors orders. Our Pastor has hepatitis C and has gone through the injections/treatment and is doing OK now. I know he is on a regime of follow up drugs, but it is holding the Hep C at bay. Our Pastor talks about his disease from the pulpit so the congregation knows what is going on. Have your BIL keep very meticulous records for insurance purposes. Pastor did and was able to convince the insurance company to keep paying for the follow up medicines, as they do help keep the infection down.

[Pit Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pit]

Robert, a company called Vertex Pharmaceticals is currently conducting clinical trials of a new HepC anti-viral medication, code named VX-950. Thus far, the trials have been quite successful in eliminating the virus without serious side effects, and the FDA has fast tracked the studies of this drug (because it holds potential to become the new "gold" standard for treatment). Your BIL may want to contact his doctor to consider joining the next round of trials, if he can.

(Note: I do not work in medicine but have been following the development of this drug, as a close friend has HepC.)

Here is some info. Google for more...
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...o&refer=canada
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hep_c.../021006_a.html
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid25359.asp

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

Thank you all.
I made him a notebook with all that information.
They headed for home yesterday. Gary wasn't feeling well at all.