Hubby has hep c, genotype 1 stage 3. His viral count was just over 1,000,000 when he started treatments in May of 2005. He is currently at 300. From what we have been told and I have found on the internet genotype 1 is the hardest to cure with a 60% cure rate. He takes the peg-intron(sp?) every week and ribavirin every day. Yes it takes a lot out of him, he has a lot of fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, and weight loss (that one is okay,lol). Is it worth it? He says yes. We had only been married 3 weeks when he found out he had it. They only thing they can figure is he got it in Vietnam when he was injured and required transfusions. Anyways, he says if there is the chance that he can prolong his life to be with me and my kids then he'd try anything. Yes the treatments are rough. He takes his shot on Friday and Saturday he feels like ****. By Sunday he is feeling some better. He has still been able to care for me thru my recovery from our wreck.
If your viral count is rising it might be time to start thinking about treatments before it gets to high. We know a guy that started them with a count of 500. He is clean 6 months later. So maybe the sooner the better might apply. Good luck!
Motorcycle wreck 8-27-2004, Fx pelvic bone x4, fx top of femur 3x, dislocated hip, fx bottom femur x5, total knee destruction-rebuilt with 15 screws and 9 plates, sheared plateau off-7/8" by 5" screw used to reattach, fx tibia x44-2 plates, 6 screws and titanium cage, fx fibula x4-plate and 4 screws, 3 bone grafts, one skin graft, one skin fold, ruptured bladder, lacerated liver, bruised lungs, severe nerve damage from mid thigh to toes, drop foot and oh yeah a broken ankle. Just happy to be alive and still have a leg.