(1) The Reality Files—Transcript: ‘Hep C Miracle Cure?’
January 30th 2008 04:47
In 2005, L, a 44-year-old female from the South Coast of NSW, underwent interferon/ribavirin treatment for Type 3 Hepatitis C. Seven weeks later, L was virus free, a truly amazing result given the usual six to twelve-month treatment duration (genotype = duration), which even then may leave the virus intact and need to be repeated. Add to that the facts L had advanced fibrosis of the liver and stopped taking the drug for nine days during the seven weeks (continuous treatment critical to success) and you have the makings of something special.
MW: You found out you had a disease in 1986. That must have been a very difficult time. How did you cope with the news?
L: Well, I had my son M, who was five, and was pregnant with my second son. When I first found out something was wrong, they really didn’t explain anything, only that I had a non-A, non-B type hepatitis virus. It wasn’t until ’92 that they told me I had Hep C, and couldn’t share any personal equipment, have unprotected sex, or give blood. Of course, I immediately became fearful for my young children, having been exposed at times.
Apart from all that, I didn’t know what to expect, only that it wasn’t good, because whenever I told someone they also became fearful in my presence. Some were ignorant of the true facts about contracting Hep C at that time, that being a blood-born virus, it is in fact very hard to contract.
MW: When did you first hear about the interferon treatment?
L: In the late eighties. I was invited to go on a trial, but because of my fear about having a liver biopsy due to a relative, who was in good health prior, dying from the procedure when she contracted golden-staff back in the early eighties, I declined. It wasn’t until I was working at a hospital in ‘92, that I was again informed that my best option was to go on the treatment. Unfortunately, it wasn’t offered free at that stage, and I couldn’t afford it. My health slowly deteriorated, and a specialist advised me I needed to go on sickness benefits and seek treatment. It wasn’t until I moved to moved interstate in ’04 that I got the opportunity to do exactly that.
MW: How did the treatment affect your life?
L: For the first week everything seemed ok, but after the 15th day I felt like my entire body was burning from the inside out, my appetite had deteriorated to nothing and I always felt nauseous. On consulting the specialist, he urged me to persevere with the treatment. However, after three and a half weeks, and a continual migraine, feeling so sick I couldn’t possibly continue, I had a break from taking the treatment for nine days. I was sternly advised not to do this by the medical staff, but felt like all of my organs were going to shut down if I continued. At the next appointment with the specialist, he strongly urged me to resume the treatment and I obeyed. I went for another four weeks, during which my health rapidly deteriorated again and a form of psychosis set in, which apparently happens to some patients during this treatment. By then, I’d had enough.
MW: You stopped completely?
L: Yes. Although I was scared that this was my only chance of a cure, but also more fearful that the treatment was killing me anyway. I’d always had severe allergic reactions to most drugs.
MW: Between a rock and hard place. What did you do next?
L: Not knowing where to turn, but having a certain amount of faith, as I had become a Christian that year, I cried out to God for help: ‘What am I supposed to do Lord, the doctor told me the treatment is my only chance of a cure?’ In a light-bulb/revelation moment, I felt that God said to trust in him and that he would heal me. The following week, full of faith and trust in what God had said to me, I relayed this to the specialist. He said I was a very silly girl and maybe I was still suffering from psychosis. Nevertheless, I told him I would be his first miracle. I then thanked him for the opportunity to continue with the treatment, but declined. Declaring once again, that God was going to heal me.
MW: To understand what you actually declined, you would now have to wait another 12 months to resume the treatment, and then there was no guarantee of even getting back on the list? That was a big decision.
L: It certainly was, and as I walked out of the specialists office, I realised this disease was now solely in the hands of God. Hey, at times I’m a doubting Tomas, so a wee bit of fear set in—did God talk to me, or was I slightly touched by the psychosis?
MW: Well, you certainly appear in good health now. So when was the first time you actually felt that a cure was possible here; it was all going to work out?
L: I was at church one morning, when a respected member and friend shared with
me that they also felt that God was going to heal me. To me, this was confirmation. Soon after while getting prayer, I had an actual feeling of being healed, an intense pain in the liver followed by an intense heat. Of course I would have to wait for specific blood tests to confirm that the Hep C virus had actually gone, and that would take up to six months to get a definite result. But I did, and it was negative! (Refer to attached Pathology Report) Naturally, the specialist was baffled, and he requested a follow-up test to be done in twelve months time. This also returned a negative result. I was cured!
MW: Naturally, your position becomes a matter of faith. The secular explanation, if you like, is given the circumstances you are an extremely fortunate person to be cured of Hepatitis C. How that cure came about, other than from seven weeks of therapy, further research would have to be conducted, results of recent studies and any data on similar cases looked at…
L: The conclusion is up to the individual. But one thing I know for sure, I’ll never underestimate what wonderful things God wants to and can do for each and every one of us, if only we’d ask and believe.
MW: Well, one thing is certain, we could all do with more ‘wonderful things’ in our lives.
Thank you for your time.
Footnote
L would like to stress that this account is her personal struggle with Hepatitis C, and that it should in no way be used as an authoritative benchmark for the disease. Treatment effects vary with individual cases, and are tailored to the particular genotype of the disease a sufferer has. In all cases, professional advice should be sought. Visit the Hepatitis Australia website for more info: www.hepatitisaustralia.com
MW: You found out you had a disease in 1986. That must have been a very difficult time. How did you cope with the news?
L: Well, I had my son M, who was five, and was pregnant with my second son. When I first found out something was wrong, they really didn’t explain anything, only that I had a non-A, non-B type hepatitis virus. It wasn’t until ’92 that they told me I had Hep C, and couldn’t share any personal equipment, have unprotected sex, or give blood. Of course, I immediately became fearful for my young children, having been exposed at times.
Apart from all that, I didn’t know what to expect, only that it wasn’t good, because whenever I told someone they also became fearful in my presence. Some were ignorant of the true facts about contracting Hep C at that time, that being a blood-born virus, it is in fact very hard to contract.
MW: When did you first hear about the interferon treatment?
L: In the late eighties. I was invited to go on a trial, but because of my fear about having a liver biopsy due to a relative, who was in good health prior, dying from the procedure when she contracted golden-staff back in the early eighties, I declined. It wasn’t until I was working at a hospital in ‘92, that I was again informed that my best option was to go on the treatment. Unfortunately, it wasn’t offered free at that stage, and I couldn’t afford it. My health slowly deteriorated, and a specialist advised me I needed to go on sickness benefits and seek treatment. It wasn’t until I moved to moved interstate in ’04 that I got the opportunity to do exactly that.
MW: How did the treatment affect your life?
L: For the first week everything seemed ok, but after the 15th day I felt like my entire body was burning from the inside out, my appetite had deteriorated to nothing and I always felt nauseous. On consulting the specialist, he urged me to persevere with the treatment. However, after three and a half weeks, and a continual migraine, feeling so sick I couldn’t possibly continue, I had a break from taking the treatment for nine days. I was sternly advised not to do this by the medical staff, but felt like all of my organs were going to shut down if I continued. At the next appointment with the specialist, he strongly urged me to resume the treatment and I obeyed. I went for another four weeks, during which my health rapidly deteriorated again and a form of psychosis set in, which apparently happens to some patients during this treatment. By then, I’d had enough.
MW: You stopped completely?
L: Yes. Although I was scared that this was my only chance of a cure, but also more fearful that the treatment was killing me anyway. I’d always had severe allergic reactions to most drugs.
MW: Between a rock and hard place. What did you do next?
L: Not knowing where to turn, but having a certain amount of faith, as I had become a Christian that year, I cried out to God for help: ‘What am I supposed to do Lord, the doctor told me the treatment is my only chance of a cure?’ In a light-bulb/revelation moment, I felt that God said to trust in him and that he would heal me. The following week, full of faith and trust in what God had said to me, I relayed this to the specialist. He said I was a very silly girl and maybe I was still suffering from psychosis. Nevertheless, I told him I would be his first miracle. I then thanked him for the opportunity to continue with the treatment, but declined. Declaring once again, that God was going to heal me.
MW: To understand what you actually declined, you would now have to wait another 12 months to resume the treatment, and then there was no guarantee of even getting back on the list? That was a big decision.
L: It certainly was, and as I walked out of the specialists office, I realised this disease was now solely in the hands of God. Hey, at times I’m a doubting Tomas, so a wee bit of fear set in—did God talk to me, or was I slightly touched by the psychosis?
MW: Well, you certainly appear in good health now. So when was the first time you actually felt that a cure was possible here; it was all going to work out?
L: I was at church one morning, when a respected member and friend shared with
me that they also felt that God was going to heal me. To me, this was confirmation. Soon after while getting prayer, I had an actual feeling of being healed, an intense pain in the liver followed by an intense heat. Of course I would have to wait for specific blood tests to confirm that the Hep C virus had actually gone, and that would take up to six months to get a definite result. But I did, and it was negative! (Refer to attached Pathology Report) Naturally, the specialist was baffled, and he requested a follow-up test to be done in twelve months time. This also returned a negative result. I was cured!
MW: Naturally, your position becomes a matter of faith. The secular explanation, if you like, is given the circumstances you are an extremely fortunate person to be cured of Hepatitis C. How that cure came about, other than from seven weeks of therapy, further research would have to be conducted, results of recent studies and any data on similar cases looked at…
L: The conclusion is up to the individual. But one thing I know for sure, I’ll never underestimate what wonderful things God wants to and can do for each and every one of us, if only we’d ask and believe.
MW: Well, one thing is certain, we could all do with more ‘wonderful things’ in our lives.
Thank you for your time.
Footnote
L would like to stress that this account is her personal struggle with Hepatitis C, and that it should in no way be used as an authoritative benchmark for the disease. Treatment effects vary with individual cases, and are tailored to the particular genotype of the disease a sufferer has. In all cases, professional advice should be sought. Visit the Hepatitis Australia website for more info: www.hepatitisaustralia.com
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