Did It Work? The Results of My Hepatitis C Treatment

This is me. Watch the video clip below
to learn if I'm now Hep C free.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Hi, it's Selena from the blog Oh My Aches and Pains! and I'm recording this message today because I have arrived the end of my Hepatitis C treatment journey.

I'm here today to share with you the results of my six month post-treatment Hepatitis C viral load. So drumroll please! I remain undetectable; the Hepatitis C virus cannot be found in my bloodstream. The treatment that I underwent was successful and I am currently Hepatitis C free.

Now part of me is ecstatic about this news, and part of me, I think, is dealing with a little bit of disbelief. I mean I have lived with Hepatitis C for 24 years so it's a little surreal to think that that, moving forward, I'm no longer dealing with a life with Hepatitis C. Now it might take a little bit of getting used to, but I think eventually I'll managed just fine.

I do need to let you know that there is a 0.8% chance that the virus could come back. Again, that is 0.8 percent, but I think you'll agree that chance is very small, tiny, miniscule. In fact, it's so small that there is a group of people in the medical community now, who considered an undetectable viral load at six month post-treatment a cure. Hey, I can deal with a cure!

I also have other good news to report. When I got my viral load test drawn, I also got an A1C test done, which is a test you do when you have diabetes. A normal test result is 5.9 or lower for people who aren't diabetic. My has resulted was 6.3 which is pretty darn good, especially considering how much Hepatitis C interfered with my ability to manage my diabetes. I've been living in 7+ range for quite a while now.

Every day I'm getting a little bit stronger and doing a little bit better. I'm still not back to my pre-treatment level of functioning, but I'm definitely better, much better, then I was six months ago. It might take another six month, or it could take up to two years post-treatment, for me to finally start feeling like I did before I started treatment.

In terms of my chronic pain and my chronic fatigue, unfortunately I haven't experienced any improvement in those symptoms. Maybe it's too early to tell…and it's possible Hepatitis C really didn't have much to do with those symptoms.

But either way, treating Hepatitis C was the right decision for me and I have now eliminated any possibility of developing any Hepatitis C related complications. And that's a good thing!

So now that my journey has ended and I've gotten a good outcome, it's time to celebrate! And since many of you who have been supporting me through this journey are online with me, we're going to have the party online. I'd like to do a Google hangout where we can all join in on a video chat. I'm putting together some party favors for those who are attending as well as some giveaways like I promised.

I just need a little bit of time to get everything together and then we can celebrate!

So if you're watching this, you're invited. Look for more information on my blog or on Facebook about actual day and time.

And once again I want to thank every one you who has reached out to me to offer me support during this journey. It has really helped me get where I am today. And I'm very honest when I say I couldn't have done this without your support. And now it's time for me to pay you back. So if you need my help, you know how to find me. Please don't hesitate to ask – I'm here to return the favor.

This has been Selena from the blog Oh My Aches and Pains! and I am now living life Hepatitis C free.