Introduction: Attention Getter: . Everyone knows that when they feel sick, that something is not right, they should see a doctor. But what if you could not tell if you are sick, in fact, sick with a virus that will soon enough cause more deaths than AIDS. For twenty years, you could be hosting a virus without even knowing, until it is too late. You begin to feel a fever, chills, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches, these symptoms are flu-like, but what you may be really experiencing are the symptoms of Hepatitis C.
Central Idea; Hepatitis C is an epidemic for anyone, of all walks of life and by 2010, the death rates will most likely surpass AIDS. Credibility and Goodwill: I have always heard of Hepatitis C and never really understood what it could do to somebody, all I remember was being told not to touch someone’s blood. AIDS were always the big topic of diseases in school because it is such an epidemic. I did not have one concern of Hepatitis C until one day my dad came home and broke the news. He said that there is a possibility that he may have Hepatitis C; it is not a certainty, but a good possibility. I was wondering how my dad could contract Hepatitis C, because I was never educated on the topic and was clueless.
He told me not to use anything of his, no matter what it was, for he feared that I may get it. The good news is that two weeks later after a second tests, the doctors found that there was a flaw in the first diagnosis. At my job ROM & Assoc. , we conducted a survey to interview Hepatitis C patients taking an interferon for treatment, I have spoken to over fifty who have told me how they got it, what it feels like, and how grateful they are for being alive.
This freaked me out, that within 6 months hepatitis C seemed to be a popular issue, at least around me. I was curious as to how to defend myself from this epidemic and to educate all of you how to simply be careful with what you are doing. Preview: I will tell you what Hepatitis C is and what it can do to you. I will also tell you the treatments for Hepatitis C and how to avoid it. (Transition: Let’s start with, “What is Hepatitis C anyway?” ) Body: 1. Hepatitis C is a virus, and like all virus, there is no way to vanish the virus from your body.
For instance Herpes, once you have it, you are stuck with it. There are at least six viruses known to cause liver disease: hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, and G, which vary in their severity and characteristics. Hepatitis C can lead to serious, permanent liver damage, and in many cases, death. Hepatitis attacks only the liver, because many viruses only attack certain cells, like pneumonia – it only attacks the human lungs.
It causes some flu-like symptoms for a short period of days; so many victims are unaware that they are experiencing the effects of Hepatitis C, because they pass it off as the flu. In the beginning of the attack of Hepatitis C, it is referred to as acute hepatitis C. But it begins to slowly worsen to where the symptoms are so severe that a liver transplant is needed. According to John Henkel of the U. S. Food and Drug Administration, “Hepatitis C is the major reason for liver transplants in the United States, accounting for 1, 000 of the procedures annually.
The disease is responsible for between 8, 000 and 10, 000 deaths yearly.” Those with acute Hepatitis C have a 75% chance of developing chronic hepatitis C. Hepatitis C was not discovered until 1989, but the patients whom I have spoke with mentioned contracting the disease in the early 80’s. This means that most of the people that I have spoken with has chronic Hepatitis. Most of them sounded horrible, they were so restless, and it was if I was speaking to someone in their death bed, this is primarily due to the interferon treatment. 2. The treatment to clear the virus is like going through hell.
The two treatments of interferon I was to interview the Hepatitis patients on were, Pegasys and Peg-Intron. We interviewed to find out what was better, which one had less side effects, because the two were made by to separate companies. My job requires me not to speak of actual results for each interferon, but they were very close with satisfaction. I have been praised for working for such a company that made this wonder drug, and I have been screamed at for working for a drug that is “killing my wife.” Here is the story; I am supposed to speak to the patient and patient only for confidentiality reasons. The husband answered and knew immediately who I was because the patients were asked months ago to participate. He said that this drug was destroying his wife and making her worse.
What this man failed to realize was that these were the effects of the drug. Patients may face any of these symptoms from the treatment: aches and pains in muscles or joints, anemia, decreased appetite, autoimmune problems, bleeding gums, brain fog, the flu, depression, problems with digestion, dry mouth, taste changes, fatigue, hair loss, head aches, insomnia, menstrual problems, diarrhea and nausea, rage, rashes, shortness of breath, and the list goes on. I actually had to ask people on a rated scale the effects of most of these during treatment, and it varied from person to person, really just how lucky you are. Pegasys vs.
peg-intron From: Greg Ga nick Date: 1/28/2003 Time: 7: 59: 44 PM Remote Name: 216. 244. 13. 248 Comments In June of 2001 I was diagnosed with Hep C, genotype 2 B. I started Peg-intron + Rico late in December 2001. I was on treatment for six months.
My initial viral load was over 3 million and at the end of six months my virus was non detectable. The treatment was no picnic but got more tolerable as time went on. I was advised to get on Celexa to help with the side effects. After three months of stubbornness I finally said uncle. What a difference, it helped a great deal.
I did not miss one day of work while on the treatment. After getting off of the treatment I returned to feeling pretty good. I went back for a follow up blood test this last December and OOPS! the virus came back. The viral load was a mere 1, 700 and was advised to get on Pegasys for one year. I started my treatment two weeks ago and to my big surprise I have had very little or no side effects. This stuff is great.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed. One thing I did do was to start on my Celexa three weeks before treatment. All I can say is for those of you that are contemplating going on interferon and Ribavirin go for the Pegasys, it’s great. 3. Okay that is how you can treat it, but how do you avoid Hepatitis C? It seems simple enough to just stay away form blood.
But you can get Hepatitis from getting a tattoo or a body piercing. It only takes a little bit of blood to contract Hepatitis. Hepatitis C was coming primarily from blood transfusions before the 90’s because there was never any screening for Hepatitis C in the blood. But today, 60% of the virus is contracted because of drug users that use syringes or needles and share them. It can also be contracted by people that use drugs by way of the nasal passage. Many people will roll up a dollar bill and snort from that, but that money has been on so many hands, and possibly through so many noses that your money could be infected.
Even your mucous can contract the virus from one host to another, because there can be tiny traces of blood within the mucous. A simple blood test can tell you if you have the virus or not. I was curious to know, so last year at my high school I donated blood. I knew that they would tell me for free if I had any problems with my blood. A few months later, I received a donor card a letter in the mail saying that my donation was accepted and that I could donate again. Conclusion: In conclusion, all I can advise is that if you do not want to feel as if you are slowly dieing, just see a doctor, get your blood tested, the worst has already happened.
Because in 20 years from now you will probably need a liver transplant.