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Subject: Re: 2 week labs
Forum: The Hepatitis Forum

Topic Area: Hepatitis C

Posted by Dutch on July 14, 1999 at 10:01:44

Started combo treatment 3 1/2 weeks ago and my two week lab results indicated:
RBC 3.36
Hemoglobin 10.7
Hematocrit 31.0
These all indicated below the normal range and all other blood counts were normal. I won't be seeing my Doctor for 2 1/2 more weeks and would like to know if these blood counts are considered normal for this stage of treatment and if I can expect them to rise or fall in the future?

Posted by HFHSM.D.-D.M. on July 18, 1999 at 14:52:36

Dear Dutch;

I appreciate your comments and I would like to make some comments.

Your blood tests point to anemia. The ribavirin that is one of two drugs that makes up combination therapy (the other is interferon) causes some element of anemia in most patients on combination therapy. It usually is well tolerated and typically does not result in stoppage or reduction in the medication. To know if the anemia is a problem in your case, I would need to know what your hemoglobin was when you started therapy and whether you have other medical conditions such as heart or lung problems that might affect your ability to tolerate anemia.

As a general rule, your hemoglobin seems a little low for your stage of treatment. I would strongly recommend that you contact your physician to make sure he is aware of these test results and feels that they do not require any changes.

I hope this information is helpful to you. If you have additional questions or concerns, I would invite you to post them through MEDHELP. The direct phone number to our Liver Clinic at Henry Ford is (313) 916-8865. We have an active group of liver specialists with an experience and interest in the treatment and research of hepatitis C.

This response is being provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health.



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