You did not answer the woman's question. She asked; "How long can a person live with Hepatitis C?" Granted, it does not have an easy or even a specific answer, but as an RN, give it a try.
Here are the facts; some people live with it all their lives and don't even know they have it, and they do not die from it. Others are not so lucky. It can progress rapidly to extensive liver damage and even liver cancer. Women tend to fare better than men with Hep C; the monthly cycle keeps our iron levels low (iron is hard on the liver). Life style plays a part; cutting out red meat - iron again, and all alcohol will extend the health of the liver. But it is a terrible disease, and every patient is different.
Fortunately, we are on the cusp of some fantastic new medication breakthroughs for the treatment of Hepatitis C; new meds that will replace the old standards in which the treatment seemed worse than the illness. We are almost there in the fight against Hepatitis C, and I do believe we will see the ability to treat and end this disease within the next five to ten years.
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You did not answer the woman's question. She asked; "How long can a person live with Hepatitis C?" Granted, it does not have an easy or even a specific answer, but as an RN, give it a try.
Here are the facts; some people live with it all their lives and don't even know they have it, and they do not die from it. Others are not so lucky. It can progress rapidly to extensive liver damage and even liver cancer. Women tend to fare better than men with Hep C; the monthly cycle keeps our iron levels low (iron is hard on the liver). Life style plays a part; cutting out red meat - iron again, and all alcohol will extend the health of the liver. But it is a terrible disease, and every patient is different.
Fortunately, we are on the cusp of some fantastic new medication breakthroughs for the treatment of Hepatitis C; new meds that will replace the old standards in which the treatment seemed worse than the illness. We are almost there in the fight against Hepatitis C, and I do believe we will see the ability to treat and end this disease within the next five to ten years.
October 18, 2011 - 10:13amThis Comment
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