In march 1993, I was diagnosed to be infected by HCV. My genotype is 1b (II) and HCV RNA titer was 10^5 /ml. After biopsy, I was on interferon in July 1993. I started with 6 millions interferon beta everyday (except Sunday) for 2 months and after that 6 millions three times a week for 4 months. (In addition to interferon alpha, interferon beta is also approved for Hep. C in Japan, although this is more expensive.) My doctor also says it has less side effects. Actually, I did not suffer from side effect s at all with the use of anti-fever drug. Shortly after I started interferon, my AST and ALT values became normal. After one months with daily injection, my HCV RNA was negative. But HCV RNA reappeared after the injection is reduced to three times a week while transaminase values remained normal. At the end of the therapy, my HCV RNA value relapsed to 10^5/ml again.
My doctor introduced me to another hospital famous for the hepatitis where I was proposed the interferon therapy with 6 millions interferon beta daily for 6 months. This is unusually high dose. A kind of trial. I accepted it because I knew that the sid e effect is not hard for me. I had to be in hospital for 6 months but the doctor allowd me to go to work from the hospital. I could even give lectures in my university. After two months I became HCV-negative with normal transaminase values. It continued u ntil the end of therapy. But two weeks after the end of the therapy, again HCV was found in my blood and tranaminase value was high. I was totally disappointed. But again after two weeks, my transaminase returned to normal value while HCV-RNA increased to 10^7/ml and even more. This happened in September 1994. After that my condition does not change for two years. I became a kind of health carrier. For the moment, I and HCV are keeping a peaceful relationship. It seems that my immune system is tolerant to HCV so that no inflammation takes place in my liver.
So to speak, I am half-way recovered from Hep. C. But I still have an annoying 'time bomb' in my blood. I have to keep away from alcohol which I used to enjoy so much. Someday, I wish to say good-bye to my tiny cohabitants when our hepatologists invent new tactics againt them.