Many people are choosing to delay Hep C treatment in the hope that new and better treatments will be available in a year or two.
Hep C symptoms may be slow moving, but there’s still risk in delaying treatment.
First, some people may have Hep C symptoms that progress quickly—causing unanticipated liver damage. Second, there’s no guarantee that any of the promised treatments will be available. Many make headlines only to die when some harsh side-effect is discovered. And if they don’t hit market, the delay in treatment could decrease the chances of successful treatment—decreasing viral load and slowing or stopping Hep C symptoms from progressing.
So why do people wait?
Because the current treatment for Hep C is long, expensive, and causes harsh side-effects. With doctor supervision, people are delaying treatment to preserve their lifestyles. Although Hep C causes liver damage, it doesn’t cause strong enough symptoms to be felt until it’s too late—so on the one hand, you can keep living a normal life, but on the other, you risk liver cancer or liver failure.
If you’re one of those waiting, it’s more important that you lead a healthy life than for other people. If your immune system is the only thing fighting Hep C infection, than you need to support it! (Click here for tips on supporting your immune system).
Would you wait for a better Hep C treatment, or avoid the risk?
