Hey!! I'm Elsie, and I've got Hepc. I was diagnosed about three years ago. Think my story begins with drinking and drugging for so many years. I started drinking and drugging at age 15. After high school I ran away to California to be with my boyfriend. Five years of Cal. life meant five years of crank, coke and booze. I finally had enough of that and came back home to Portland, Oregon.

Portland, Oregon ahhh the land of oh so many drugs!!! Yep, started back up with drinking and drugging again. This time I had moved on to bigger and better drugs, heroin. Oh!! And guess what? Another boyfriend..LOL Hooked up with this guy and heroin and the rest is history. Nearly ten years of shooting dope, in and out of jail, and the risky behavior that goes along with it. I did get hepatitis from sharing needles. Eyes turned yellow, and was oh so sick. This happened in the early 80's. After I got over the hepatitis, I never knew I was still packing around the sleeping dragon. At least that's what I assume. Took off again, this time to the East coast. Landed in New Jersey, dope sick and tired. Boyfriend did some robberies, and guess who was in the car when he got busted?? Little ol' me.. Spent nearly four months in Essex County jail. This ! is not a fun place to be. LOL Finally went to court and got released, but was due back in court. Well, I didn't go to court. Boyfriends father bought me a ticket home to Oregon. And I went home.

Several more years of running on the streets shooting dope. Same story, in and out of jail. Finally went to a live in rehab. Did pretty well there. Relapsed several times, but was able to hold down a job. Then ofcourse another guy. Relapsed very heavily. I became pregnant with my first child. Dumped guy, and cleaned up. I always say Rachel saved my life by coming into this world.

Then I did something stupid. Stupider!!! I got married to an alcoholic. I didn't know he was when I married him. Relapsed for a few months. Then I kicked him out of my house, and divorced him. I've been clean ever since. Think I'm coming up on year 13 clean.

I married again to my present husband. I got pregnant in our first year of marriage. That's how Hayley got here. My little butterball turkey!!! I was having several health problems that my doctor couldn't really say what it was. A man doctor. After going to him for a few years complaining of the wicked fatigue and how my body aches all the time, I decided to find a woman doctor. I went to my new doctor and she ran all kinds of blood tests. I told her about my symptoms. They called me on my cell phone as I was driving down the freeway. Lori, we have the results of your tests. You have active chronic hepc. Well, I didn't know what that meant. I wasn't surprised, but not sure what it means.

After researching, and talking with tons of doctors, I wanted to go on treatment. But, it was so expensive even with my excellent insurance. So I got myself on a test study list. I waited nearly two years on that list, then they finally called me. The test study for Pegasys and Ribo was starting. I did six months of it, and I'm a nonresponder. I'm not looking to do any other type of treatment for a while. I have hepc and I don't really care how I got it. I'm 43 and have two girls, and I am in school. Anymore treatment at this time just doesn't fit in.

That's my story in a nutshell. I experience the wicked body aches with my hepc and the fatigue. Oh, and neither my husband or my children tested positive for it. I was very relieved bout that. So, I try not to let my hepc rule my life. But as you all know it can be debilitating at times. My life is changing, things are not right. And I need to make them right for me.

I came to this site seeking understanding from people who experience the same things I do. I found what I needed here. In my real live life, there is not anyone who understands what I go through having this illness. And there wasn't anyone who knew about the evil tx that I went through. I'm finding as I go along, I need to surround myself with Heppos.

So....."Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Sponge Bob Squarepants."

Lori

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