Re: Hi Gang - Hi and Welcome

[Guest guest]

Thank You for joining us.

First let me say I deeply admire respect you and your choice of career profession and for personal reasons. My son is older than you a career police officer too. A married man with family besides praying he and all make it home everyday I also fear so much for him contracting Hep C and many other very serious contagious forms of diseases from high risk factor profession.

Hep C is diagnosed many times from giving blood or from complete lab tests run for other reasons and labs show problem with liver a disease causing it and than tested for and positive for Hep C. It is in the general public and medical settings more than people the public realizes. It makes no difference here how we contracted it.

It is very stressful overwhelming confusing just being handed a diagnosis of Hep C. It was for all of us.

Hep C is a very slow disease and processes silent epidemic taking many decades for progressions and for people to realize and have symptoms. Don't panic and take it all 1 step and 1 day at a time. Hep C and liver related conditions - treatments - testing - what to do now - next and all along the way all about it is very complex but will fall into place more quickly than you think and with our help and support all along the way.

Our knowledge about Hep C our own case is key and seeking the most specialized trained Hep Dr in your area. Many GP's general practitioners are not specialized medically trained enough for total Hep C care or some GI gastrointerologists

dealing with gastro system organs including liver are not up to date or keep up to date on all the latest Hep C medical info discoveries - treatments - research on the medical fast track.

Our best medical care is from a specialists specially medically trained accredited for Hep C and liver diseases a Hepatologist/GI Dr. The problem not enough Hepatologist for all of us and the Hep C epidemic. Our next best bet is a GI Dr specializing and having a large Hep C practice experienced but not overwhelmed with too many patients and keeping up on all the latest and fast track Hep C medical discoveries info.

The info and all we need to know is huge but we all had to start from square 1 learn for our stage and keep on learning about it all along the way. There is much false misleading and even fraudulent info on the web sites and used for profit and scams.

Check for medical references credentials dates and owners of info and sites.

Don't focus on the worst stay positive strong determined no matter what and don't believe all the horror stories out there.

We have an open discussion format for group for you to share - ask questions - concerns - fears - medical physically emotional issues. We deal with and support it all honestly truthfully respectfully don't sugar coat it for all our members.

Why authentic online HCV Support Groups are so much in demand for members support and proper truthful medical info and articles.

Try not to become more overwhelmed by all the info at 1st and try to learn it all too quickly take it all in a safe less stressful pace for you and your stage.

Many labs testing will be done including your geno type of Hep C - viral load and much more before more specific info and about your HCV can be given to you. It's good to get a copy of all final reports of labs and tests keep for reference better understanding it later on comparisons and a ready copy if referred to other Dr's specialists. A liver biopsy may be ordered or new non-invasive type scan at some point in time for testing called stage and grade of liver.

A few links and a great book are below to start and we are here to help give info articles our personal experiences an support for both you and your wife. At our group site we offer many other links - files - info - photos our mug shots. It helps putting a face to our members and forms closer supportive bonds and friendships.

Our home page and group site -

health.groups.yahoo.com/group/HepatitisCSupportGroupForDummies/

Need any help with group all mods are here to help linked by 1 handy email address - HepatitisCSupportGroupForDummies-owner

Hep C affects our loved ones too. We understand have many husband and wife teams as members and have experienced all the stages from 1st diagnosed to a liver transplant and beyond.

A large majority of people and if cleared early enough from treatments do not progress down all the stages.

All The Best To You and Yours.

BK reminds me of Burger King. I love hamburgers and french fries my fav food but high in bad fats salts bad for us. I cheat every now and than and consider ketchup on french fries a veggie or is it a fruit ???

Deb - 54

New Orleans

Liver transplant 3-4-01

HCV geno 1a for 32 years now

Living happy and content with it

First Steps for Newly Diagnosed with Hep C Many links for HCV info including trackers for labs, testing, Dr visits and much more ..... http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/First_Steps.asp

Understanding The Hepatitis C Liver Understand the test results - Present and Future treatment - much more info about HCV http://www.hcvets.com/data/hcv_liver/the_liver.htm

The book Living With Hepatitis C A Survivors Guide is recommended by many HCV Specialists for their pt's. It is co-authored by 1 of the leading Hepatology Specialists and an author who is HCV+. It is an excellent reference resource to have and refer back to when needed covering just about it all for HCV/Liver Disease from A to Z what to expect what when to do it in easy to read understand plain layman's terms with up-to-date info and revised editions when needed.

Proceeds and a % of the profits from the sale of this book fund HCV medical issues and public awareness not like many other 100% for profit books on the market.

I found this book to be the best and excellent book on the market gave a copy to my adult kids and family members to read and learn about it all and what it also means to them and what they will experiences and should expect having a loved one with HCV.

It can be ordered and shipped online new or much cheaper used check for the latest revised edition and is also in all large bookstores.

All The Best To Everyone

Deb

Living With Hepatitis C : A Survivor's Guide

by T. Everson (Author), Hedy Weinberg (Author)

A classic guidebook uses everyday language to discuss the causes,

symptoms, and treatments of Hepatitis C, providing in a latest edition

updated coverage of such topics as pegylated and consensus interferons,

living-donor liver transplants, and co...

Re: Hi Gang

Hi groupies,

My name is and I am a 35 years of age with a wife and two kids. I am a police officer (14yrs) and donated blood 12-23-08 for a fallen officer. On New Years Eve I got a letter from blood institute stating I had Hep C and elevated ALT. Obviously was not what I was wanting to bring the new year in with. Knew very little about it before hand and almost feel like I could write a never ending book now.

Went to my own Dr this past Monday and had test done. Found out today, yep blood institute was right and I am positive. Have already scheduled to meet with a specialist and you can bet I am ready to give this all I can.

As far as how I got this (which is not near as important as knowing I have it) I am certain it was from the countless number of times I have been exposed on the job to blood.

I look forward to learning more on this disease and hearing and learning of others who have already and currently fight this.

Good to meet everyone and feel free to give me a shout anytime.

BK