who to confirm Hepatitis B

[mubashir]

Dear Sir;

To Confirm Hepatitis B which test is to be performed for knowing the severty of the disease which scale is used.

                                         Thanking you

[lackalustre]

a hepatitis panel tests for hep A,B, and C.   and will tell you if the Hep B is active and if you are a carrier.  i believe a liver biopsy would tell you what damage has occured but someone else here may know more.

[ringading]

hi there, this site is not run by doctors,but we play them on TV ...just kidding....some of your questions can be answered
  reasonably well, if not acurately...ALMOST....your doctor knows what tests to take to check for hep b
andyou might as well get tested for Hep C at the same time.
hope this helps a wee bit...
cheers
welcome and happy new years!!!!!

[MichaelT]

The various antigen/antibody tests should show whether or not you are infected and if you are, how contagious you may be at the time.

As was mentioned, a liver biopsy is employed to ascertain the severity or how much damage there is.

-Michael

[DH Bill]

I read with interest your earlier comment on the Dallas blood donors after 911 having such a high rate of hcv. I agree the government doesn't want to acknowledge this disease. If you just look at the bloody way the military vacinated everyone in the Viet Nam era but claims no blood HAH.
Do you or any one else have some info on this and also is our hcv turned in to organizations like the CDC and where does that info go?
Can you tell I got over my doctor anger? Just wait til my appoinment next week I'm armed and dangerous (with facts)
Bill

[Ambush]

Hi Bill ~ my HCV positive results were sent by the Red Cross (donating blood) to our county health department because I had them writing me and calling my house right after the letter from Red Cross came (like I wasn't already frantic).  I don't know how much further the info is passed on, but I'll bet it goes higher than the county.
ambush :)

[oldhippiechick67]

I believe Dr Cecil at his site addresses the large number of Vets who have the HCV and the prisons.  I read that certain diseases are SUPPOSED to be reported to the CDC but that not all doctors do (takes time for heavens sake!!) I think I read it on the CDC site.  Good to hear from you again Bill!! OHC

[jonihs]

When I was diagnosed I was in Alcohol-rehab. They told me it would be reported to the CDC and even if I moved they Would find me. They said everyone had to be reported. Joni

[ringading]

hey there bill, yes well, no big surprise...and as befudd says the goverment is so acutely aware of there role in this epidemic, of COURSE they are quitely treating VA...FREE OF CHARGE!!!...it is a huge segment of the population that is infected...ewww...i HATE that word.....
anyway, i am attempting to not get political here, (on this site) or too riled up as this is work i have done in this field for a very long time now....mid to late 80's and 90's most of my focus and almost all my lectures, at international conferences were on HIV and harm reduction programs i worked very hard at developing.....as i have said before, i was able to change policy regarding "needle distribution" on a national/federal goverment  level here in canada, and shortly after chashed and burned out from the absolute ridiculous  ******* madness and stupidity of those that would twist this all into a "MORAL" delemia instead of the huge health crisis it is....i had my fill of going up against many in this country that would have us allow people to just DIE from HIV rather than give new syringes, which i might add cost PENNIES a peice, as opposed to the estimated 750,000.00 it costs to care for these individuals who do get that illness., as well as HEP C ...once i put all of this in terms that goverment officals as well as the idiots that OPPOSED my piolot projects...could UNDERSTAND..ECONOMICS!!!!! it was amazing how quickly things changed!!!!!...i see a very similar trend, with a far more deadly twist evolving with HEP C and there is much work to be done!!!! however, the goverment WILL fight this tooth and nail as it would literally bankrupt them to actually treat all those infected with hep c...and so, it is my BELIEF that they are keeping this info very low key so as to STAGGER somewhat the enormous costs...i mean God forbid, taking any money AWAY from military and weapons!!!....sorry, low blow, couldn't resist...i am EVER GRATEFUL to live beside a country such as the United States, that does NOT HESITATE to protect and defend!!....okay, NOW....see WHY i like to keep things light and comical, there is far too much other **** and worry  and weight on/in my head!!!
PEACE
kimmy

[ringading]

while the cost of treating hep c will probaly NOT exceed the costs for treating HIV, INDIVIDUALLY just the shear volume and numbers alone of those with HEP C is staggering., far out numbering that of the HIV epidemic, this new epidemic will make HIV look like a minor nuisance financially when all is said and done., in comparrison....and that is ultimately what will bankrupt the US and canada, if everyone who had this illness, were to KNOW THEY DID AND WANT TREATMENT made available....

[ringading]

okay, now can i bring this back to ME!!!!ha just kidding,not really....okay, so i get back from having my hair beautifully done today for this BOOZELESS , but fun evening....all of sudden i heard a shreak and crying and screaming out side my house....well, out i go...and there are 2 young girls with their horse on the SOLID SHEAR ICE ROAD.( what WERE they thinking)..and the horse is out of control and really freaking out as there is NO FOOTING FOR HER so the girls stand back very afraid and not knowing WHAT TO DO.....kimmy to the rescue.i grabbed an extra lead rope and halter from my place and out i went..so i approach the horse calmly and realise it has one of its back shoes hanging on by probaly only one nail at this point, that and the slipperyness of the road and the girls really not being terribly experience, and hysterical sent the poor animal over the edge, by the time i finally got the mere, i had ordered the girls and their hysteria to go sit down on my stone fence...and i took the horses' briddle off as it was dragging and had me more concerned then the conditions of the road, .and put on the halter and lead rope..fianally managed to calm her by walking her all around my place on the SNOW...so she'd settle.....the girls eventually stopped crying the horse was fine, i was able to take off that back shoe easily...and sent them on their way.....well....i decided i'd go to the barn to pick up my extra lead rope and halter and went and brought my horse in from the very ICY paddock....i put him in his box stall and went to get him some hay....as i came back in to his stall moving him outta the way he got all cute and sucky with me and decided to plant a huge SLOPPY WET FRIKKEN KISS right on top of my NEW HAIR DOOOO......so.......the moral of this story....is SHOOT the horse too!!!!....nah, i really did HAVE TO LAUGH as it was almost like he KNEW my hair just looked too good!!!!!...so i gave him a treat and came home to attempt to get the sluggie stuff outta my hair and noww all is well.....

[new-sojourn]

Now don't get the people upset w/your language!  This is the'county ******* yuppie club' w/higher standards.  Most everyone here has 'puter access and skills and insurance and the knowledge they have hep c.

Most infected people worldwide do not have those immediate advantages.

The anwser, my friend, is not blowin' in the wind, it's economics. pure and simple.  If you have 1 million people w/o insurance and it costs $25,000+ to tx, that's $25,000,000.00.

Now, if 1-4% of the pop is infected, that's 4-12 million people out of 300 mil.  Less than half of the population have any med coverage-private or public- and most hep c victims don't, being druggies or ex-cons, since the blood supply is now 'clean'.

Now your suddenly talking about BIG BUCKS.

It's elementary, my dear ringading, it costs too much to test, never mind treat, the general population for hep c.

It's the stealth pandemic, ready to overwhelm what health services aids didn't deplete.

[ringading]

hey there you, missed yah.....where the hell did you take off to after the "brawl"......man o man, and i thought ya had my back honey doll...ha ha ha
yah love that yuppie thingy......don't think its a big secret i have a fowl mouth....so very not sorry bout that....but you must see the big picture yall...what with me in my flannel....dirty....pj...hair amuck.....big rubber farm boots...STINKY FEET..fur coat...elmer fudd hat......gun....and lets NOT forget about the chewin and spitting tobbaccy....there JUST HAS TO BE TOLERANCE somewhere for me!!!!!!


oh and i wassooooooo hoping it would be here!!!!! cause your all just soooo much fun!!!!

hugs to all

[jonihs]

Go to hepatitisdoctor.com and see how shi**y the vets are really being treated!!!!!  Joni

[ringading]

oh man...seriously, don't tell me that.....oh how frikken maddening and heartbreaking!!!!!!!!!
kimmy

[jonihs]

I've read other stuff by him somewhere else about it but I don't remember where.  Pretty *ucking sickening, hunh?

[new-sojourn]

Being w/ a professional percussionist who works holidays, we are visiting relatives near and far on Sun-Tues.  And my mother isn't wired-how weird.  This year, it works out perfectly.  Miss all the winter storms, traffic, crowds, left overs and dried up trees sitting next to the Halloween pumpkin.

This is also the 1st year I can calmly talk about hep c and me and all the posters here.  People are absolutly fasinated and open to learning about it.  Esp since I'm 'cured'-SVR-and really am so much better, even deeply changed in their eyes.  I like to think that I'm giving out hope, not knowing who will receive it when its most needed.  Hope that a 'cure' can be reached.

And that I do not drink, period.  And I don't mind if any one else does.  Not drinking is so easy.  I just say, 'I only have to die once.'  And no one notices or cares, b/c I don't care what they do to their livers, mine has had enough.

Driving home from the coast, the mts were all fluffy snow that sparkled and the sky killer blue.  So where I am, the weather is just fine, very cold and clear.  How lucky is that!

[Indiana]

WOW! You're on a roll tonite! Feelin nervous about your date? Hahahahaha Now I can hardly wait for those pics you promised me. At just what stage of this story will they be taken from? I think the boots,hat,flannels, and horse bridle would be MOST becomming. And you were probably SO ravishing with your "New Do" from the majic beauty shop. I feel SO bad for you. You were SO excited and I know you wanted this to be a "special" date tonite. I'm sure those that live up there will be able to relate to your experience and all will benefit from that story. Still...
I see that you are ALL fired up over this hep vs government thing. As a Vietnam Vet myself I can certainly relate to frustration over it's failure yo do the right thing by the people. Not really very fair considering all the talk they spew to get elected. They NEVER really did right by us...what with the Agent Orange thing and now the Hcv. GRrrrrrrr I gotta quit before I get madd too.
You ARE allowed to get your date loaded though. It DOES make em more "pliable" but you also may defeat your whole "Ulterior" motive that way. It's a big gamble either way. I would just go for it straight if I were you and use your feminine "wiles" that I know you have "tweaked" over the years. We men are really easy after all. Ya don't gotta work all that hard to get our attention. If that fails....Get out the "Hardware". We DO know what THAT is!
Hope you have fun.....WE expect a FULL report.......