Re: Hi Fellow Heppers

[Guest guest]

Thank you

Marie.

Peace,

Tennessee Tom

Davies wrote on 2/14/2006, 8:12 PM:

Tom,

It

sounds like you are on the right track and are doing great. Keep up

the good work and remember to drink lots of water during your

treatment. Best wishes to you and my prayers will be with you.

May God

Bless You and Yours

Marie

-------Original

Message-------

From: Tom

Date: 02/14/06

11:47:32

To: Hepatitis_C_Central

Subject:

Hi Fellow Heppers

My Name is Tennessee Tom and

I was diagnosed in 1996 with Hep-C. I

had a biopsy at that time and other than slightly elevated enzymes

and high viral load I had no liver damage whatsoever, so treatment

was not a consideration. I had a biopsy last June and was told I had

Stage 3 liver damage with mild cirrhosis and 5 logs of virus. The

doctor said that given the aggressive progression in just 9 years

that if it continued and treatment not started that I could expect

to live 3 or 4 more years. I moved to S Florida to start treatment

at the VA Medical Center in Miami. It didn't hurt also that my

sweetheart lived here also. I am currently in week #17 of treatment

and was told last week that the viral count was undetectable in my

blood work. I have genotype 1a and know it is the hardest to treat

so the news of being undetectable was both exciting and unexpected.

I was told by the doctor that my chances of achieving a SVR went up

from 40% to 75% still with no garrantees. So I am keeping keepin' on

and praying. Thanks for letting me share and I look forward to

meeting others with similar experiences, as well as those that have

been through this and of course hope to help the newcomer as they

arrive here.

Peace friends,

Tennessee Tom