Steven Tyler has the Hep C

LynnieD · September 25th, 2006, 04:25 PM

Didn't see this posted.

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler has been secretly battling hepatitis C — a serious viral infection of the blood, often associated with dirty needles, that can lead to chronic liver disease.

But the 58-year-old recovering drug addict tells "Access Hollywood's" Nancy O'Dell that after a year of interferon treatments, "It is nonexistent in my bloodstream … where it's like a complete cure."

In an interview airing tomorrow night, Tyler says he was diagnosed three years ago but "I've had hepatitis C for a long time, asymptomatic.

"I've been pretty quiet about this," he says. "The band took a break about three years ago. … [My doctor] said now is the time, and it's 11 months of chemotherapy" — actually, interferon, which strengthens the immune system — "so I went on that, and it about killed me."

Tyler — who's on tour with Mötley Crüe and will be featured tonight as a hard-partying neighbor on the CBS sitcom "Two and a Half Men" — continues: "You know, it really hurt. It was a bad, bad period. I'm in AA, and I tried to go three, four, five months with nothing, and it about killed me."

Tyler's marriage to clothing designer Teresa Barrick was falling apart at the time of his treatments, and they were divorced earlier this year. "I had a little problem at home, to say the least," he says, "and I would run upstairs at night, you know, to put the kids asleep and wake up at 3 in the morning with a nosebleed — you know, just passed out from the interferon, the treatment. It's a shot and pills and all of that. But the good news is I stood the test of time."

About 4.5 million Americans suffer from hepatitis C, which is hard to detect but can cause scarring of the liver and lead to cirrhosis. In 2002, Pamela Anderson announced that she, too, has the disease.

"Hepatitis C is the one that, of all the people in this room, at least three have it and don't know it," Tyler says. "It's the silent killer. I may go on 'Oprah' and talk about this. I hope you don't mind me mentioning that."

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/sto...p-383293c.html

buttmunch · September 25th, 2006, 04:26 PM

Why does this come as absolutely no surprise?

LynnieD · September 25th, 2006, 04:28 PM

Hell, look at the guy! Could tell by just glancing at him....

darksithbunny · September 25th, 2006, 05:48 PM

I think more rockstars have it. Just won't fess up to it.

WickedHo · September 25th, 2006, 05:50 PM

Steven Tyler? On 'Oprah'??!!?

Please let it be true!!!

AliceInWonderland · September 25th, 2006, 05:57 PM

aww how sad. thats tough; i'd hate to have that shit.

WickedHo · September 25th, 2006, 06:00 PM

Let it be known that I am now sufficiently paranoid.

AliceInWonderland · September 25th, 2006, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WickedHo

Let it be known that I am now sufficiently paranoid.

i am too; i need to get my blood work done for new years; its my resolution!

louiswinthorpe111 · September 25th, 2006, 06:19 PM

Didn't he look all bloated a couple of years ago? Maybe the drugs were the reason why?

ShaeMae · September 25th, 2006, 06:20 PM

Dang, that's messed up.

IceQueen · September 25th, 2006, 07:18 PM

Holy crap! I had no idea they were touring with Motley Crue! Las Vegas here I come!

Oh yeah - the hep c thing sucks.

Palermo · September 25th, 2006, 08:13 PM

My SIL just retired as a nurse at a hospital in Chicago. She was in charge of the Hepatitis C clinic. She said you would not believe how many people have it. And think of how many do and don't even know ...

Speaking of this, how come we haven't seen Pamela Anderson lately

GoldDust77 · September 25th, 2006, 10:32 PM

Like someone else said, it is very surprising how extremely widespread Hepatitis actually is. SO MANY people have it, but you don't hear much about it. I'm a Medical Paralegal (i gather, analyze, & summarize our clients' and the opposing sides' medical records) and the number of people i come across thru examining their medical records--people from all walks of life--who have Hepatitis is quite astounding. I think it would be good if Steven Tyler brings more publicity to this disease.

PrettyGirl · September 25th, 2006, 11:19 PM

A lot of people have hepatitis C. My aunt is a nurse and she says lots of nurses get infected...not only that, you can get it from tattoos, unprotected sex (not that easily transmissable but it can happen, especially if you're on your period or one of you have a cut or sore anywhere on the body), from blood transfusions and believe it or not, even from pedicures and manicures if the tools aren't sterilized--even from flossing, like if your gums bleed and you kiss someone. So don't share toothbrushes or razors, etc...(even though the thought of sharing any of those items disgusts me to begin with).

What scares me are the pedicures and manicures deal. I know I've gotten poked twice in my lifetime during pedicures...those damn ladies are rough! They try and cut all the cuticle off and they hurt you! That's why now, I take my own manicure tools and ask them to use mine.

DitaPage* · September 26th, 2006, 08:55 AM

Oh thats sad, my dad has had that for years- he's a heroin addict.
I think its mostly from drugs although pamela anderson claimed in the past that it was from a tattoo needle; yeahhhh surrre.

I remember when I lived with my Dad, my mum would go nuts when i would steal his razors to shave my legs back then. I didnt know about him having hep c but its transferred through blood, so if i was to cut myself and there was blood on the razor from him, Id have it. I've even been tested for it years later incase I did get it.

I remember thinking, 'its just a razor, big deal, but now I know how severe it was, and why my mum was so worried that I'd keep using them.

Oh and mum also said that she found out that it is not transferred through sexual intercourse. Its blood to an open wound, mainly.

And i'm sure plenty of rock stars have it.