Posted 7/18/2014 7:25 AM (GMT -5)
Jeff....
Welcome to the forum.
I am hoping your treatment program is being prescribed by a hepatologist at a major medical center...perhaps at a hospital that does liver transplants. Not that you need a transplant, but that is where the really best docs are. Especially since you are a complicated case.
I agree with others, and especially **David** who points out that taking ONE of these conditions OFF your plate will certainly help in the long run and since Hep C becomes terminal at some point, that is important in your decision making.
My partner, Mike, has a complicated history too. He needs an aortic valve replacement, had a liver transplant with both shoulders in need of rotator cuff surgery (muscle wasting has destroyed both his bicepts also), was insulin dependent and now is not, takes several meds for uncontrolled hypertension, and has moderate kidney disease. He had some small heptocellular carcinoma tumors in his original liver.
He did the HCV treatment for 1a this year....Sovaldi and Olysio in his case...and was undetected in 5 weeks. He is now 2 months post treatment and still virus free.
After his transplant, he has had both shoulder surgeries, needed a huge hernia repair (they reopened his transplant scar, but is still holding off on the heart valve surgery...the cardiologist is coordinating with the hep docs. He has continuted to be liver cancer free for the 3 years since transplant.
The pain med management needs to be coordinated. Mike tries to DEAL with the pain rather than do any meds. He had a couple of the epidural shots for bulging discs along the way, but that was carefully choreographed by the docs.
I wish you well...coordinated care is the key.
Best,
Mama Lama