hepatits C

  I am 53 and was diagnosed (under different names) with hepatitis
  C about 30 years ago, by biopsy.  I still have the slides.  Since
  then I have had a viral test and was found positive.
  My question is, since I haven't had a biopsy in 20 years, should
  I ask my internist for a referral to a Gastroenterologist for a
  possible biopsy?  My LFT's were elevated, but I took therapeutic
  doses of extract of Milk Weed and now they are normal.  My intern-
  ist says the herbs have nothing to do with it, and that the disease
  can be progressing with no elevation of liver enzymes.
  And lastly, an MD I work with, who has not practiced in about 10
  years, says the longer I live without liver complications, the
  better the odds that the disease will not progress to the point
  of destroying my liver.  In fact, she said I have probably beat it.
  She is a general practioner.
  Thank you for your help.

[HFHS-MD-dm]

Dear Mike:
You ask an extremely interesting question that allows me to talk about some of the complexities of hepatitis C.  I especially appreciate the opportunity to talk about the role of a liver biopsy.
First of all , the first thing you might want to do is to get a hepatitis C   PCR test to see if you still have the infection.  I know you state that you had a