Can anyone tell me how to get to a hepatitis c group or chatroom? an easy one to get into. thanks?
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Hi Debbie,
You're scared because you don't know what this means for you, your health, and your future. Education can calm those fears. You are doing the right thing by looking for support. Delphi forums have some really good groups, hepatitisneighborhood.com also has chats & lots of information. You can also click on my picture and read some of my answers regarding hep c questions. I have had hep c, went through the treatment 7 years ago, and have been clear of the virus since. I was scared to death as I sat in my first support group meeting. Now, thanks to the help I got from the other people in the support group, I learned about the disease and wasn't so afraid. I have been facilitating that support group now for the last 6 years. Many people come to learn and get through living with the disease, and going through treatment. You have to be proactive in your health care. I've also seen many people who ignore the disease, don't take care of themselves, and do self destructive things, like drinking alcohol. I've also seen many people die because of that. It seems like you're going to be one of the proactive people.
Best wishes.
google "delphi forums" it's free and they have quite afew support groups there
Hi,
A good starter site is Silver Foxes Lair on MSN (no spaces)
I suggest this site if someone you know has HCV for a couple reasons. The information is kept updated, and the people there are all dealing with a loved one with Hep C.
If you got a result back that says you have it I suggest Pathlights on MSN. This site is for those with the disease.
The groups share the same starter, Silver, a remarkable woman who has devoted much of her life to getting the word out about HCV. The site managers and assistant managers are selected by their capacity to gather and share information as much as by their knowledge.
To many sites there is no difference between carriers and caretakers, but there really is. If you are a caretaker, a carrier may give you advice about how to support a carrier in your life. Another caretaker might simply point out that you are doing to much and are beating yourself up for not being able to do more. You'll get info from both, but the support you need is usually better from someone else in your situation, who's already been thru it. This is particularly true for caregiveers, it's easy to burn yourself, and the relationship, right up, by failing to give yourself a break when you really need it.
As a carrier, I can also tell you that there are times when we all need a swift kick to get us back on track fighting this terrible disease, and it's seldom a caregiver can give that when really needed.
If you have any problems getting to these sites, or simply have some questions that I might be able to help with, please feel free to send me a short (or long) e-note in response to this and I'll get back to you. I also have lists of other sites that you may decide to check out.
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