Teri Gottlieb

Since the time that I was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, I knew that I had to turn it into something positive. I didn't know exactly what that positive was going to be right away, but I knew it was in there somewhere. I just had to find it. About halfway thru my treatment, when I stopped asking "Why me?" and started saying "Why NOT me?" I found my positive. See, I was lucky enough to have this fantastic treatment nurse named Laura. She went above and beyond what most any nurse would do and really connected with me. I knew that I had to pay it forward like she had with me.

For me, one of the best things ever is when I find out that I actually had a positive influence on someone with Hepatitis C or someone dealing with a loved one with Hep C. It's not about the "thank you" or the praise, it's about knowing that I have made a difference for someone.

You would think that once you've treated for hepatitis c and cleared the virus, achieved SVR and considered cured that you'd be done with it right? Makes sense. It would be nice but unfortunately, most of the time, it doesn't happen that way. For most of us, an unrealistic fear remains. That fear that "it's back". Be it an ache or a pain, a bout of fatigue or a case of the flu, our first thought is that our hepatitis c is back. For as difficult as treating this virus can be, it seems that it's easier to get the virus out of our liver than it is to get it out of our head.

I don't think there is anyone who has treated for hep c that hasn't feared that viral load test. During treatment that test is run many times so there are quite a few opportunities for that anxiety to set in. Once we get that "undetectable" result the fear starts. We fear that the next one won't be.

Most all of us, at some time or another, have had thoughts about what would happen after we die. When you get a diagnosis of hepatitis C those death thoughts kind of smack you in the face. Some people have life insurance policies and have even made funeral arrangements or at least spoke with family members about what their last wishes would be. The average person would want things to go as smoothly as possible so their family and friends could move thru the grieving process under the best of circumstances. I'm pretty sure we could all get an image in our heads right now if we had to about what our funeral would be like and I want you to do just that for a second. Stay with me, I'm going somewhere with this. In that second that you thought about a funeral did you think of a body bag? How about one with a big black and yellow logo on it that said "BIOHAZARDOUS"? Was that in your image? If you live in the UK, it better be, because that's what is going to happen.

There is a side effect from Interferon treatment that isn't talked about much...  It's what Peg-Interferon can do to your teeth, and it's not good.  

When I was a kid, my parents were really strict about me taking care of my teeth.  I went to the dentist twice a year without fail, they spent $1,400 on braces for me (back in 1970 that was a boat load of money) and made sure I brushed regularly.  Habits that I carried into adulthood.  When I was in my teens and early 20's my teeth were cleaned 4 times a year...  I went religiously every 3 months to get my teeth cleaned.  I had beautiful teeth.  Operative word here, HAD.  Until I started HCV treatment in 2005, the only tooth issues I had were with wisdom teeth, like most people have, and those were pulled.  

You want to be successful in treating your Hepatitis C right? Well, to be successful in anything you need to plan accordingly. There are things you can do to make this part of your life much easier for you. If things are easy, it's more likely you will be able to get it done right? Right. Let me give you some tips to make this work for you.

First of all, it is imperative that you realize that this time on treatment, whether it be 12 weeks or 24 weeks or a full 48 weeks, this time is all about YOU. You have to make yourself the priority here. For some of us, that's a hard thing to do but in this case, its a must. Family and friends are going to have to understand that you need to be a bit selfish while you're treating your Hep C. You're probably not going to feel as good as you do on your best days so let them know and they can plan accordingly.