About blood tests.

[Hellchild]

This is in relation to my last question. Last summer, doctors found a tumor in my back (a type of non-hodgkins B-cell lymphoma). I have went through the chemo treatments, and they tell me that the tumor is gone and I am currently in remission. But while I was recieving chemo, I had to have my blood tested before each treatment (which was every 3 weeks). So my question is this: If I had contracted Hep C, would they have noticed something wrong with my blood and known that I had it then, or is Hep C the type of thing they need to be speifically looking for to find? The reason I'm asking is because my last treatment was Dec. 20th and since then, not only have I not had sex with my girfriend very often (maybe 3 or 4 times because we split up for a couple weeks), but we haven't had anything but normal, vaginal sex since then. So I was  thinking that if they didn't notice anything unusual with my blood during the treatment, and was clean then, then I probably have a pretty good chance of being clean now. Would that be a false assumption?

Thanks for your time,
Hellchild

[jaroman]

Yes, hepatitis C must be specifically tested for. Yes, I think you are probably negative(at least cause of the girlfriend), but just get tested/no need to stress yet.

[can-do-man]

I don't think you have anything to worry about, but like whats been said have your doctor test you for it or you will drive yourself crazy wondering.

Also since your new here you wouldn't know this, but if you have any other questions you can just add it to your first question by going down to where it says "post a comment" on the thread and ask away. We only get 6 to 8 new threads a day here. Its also quite all right to jump in on a thread thats already open and ask a question. We don't care cause we do it all the time. Good luck to you and if you have anything else to ask please do so.

Just so you know where not doctors here but we sure like playing the role.

[Dale_Ray]

Unless you are a blood donor you have to be specifically tested for it, I am pretty sure about that. I was a blood donor through work and that is how I found out back in the mid 90's when they came up with a way to identify Hep C. I have been healthy but worried through the years. Stay close to your Doctor and ask him the questions. Dale

[Dale_Ray]

That could not have been said better. Mine was a blood transfusion after an accident and even certain people in my family acted as if I had the plague. I've learned not to hold feeling against anyone who is ignorant in the matter. They can't help it and most do not care to be educated about any illness. If someone is sick you are just suppose to take care of them and love them and it doesn't matter who they are. Dale

[cougareyes]

Is it me or did an entire thread disappear. If so, why; is it censorship. Did we have a wave of complaints from the HCV victims so the thread was abolished due to opinions that may have been dis-tasteful to some.
If that is the case, this place has sunk to an all time low. No one personally attacked anyone so my quess is the contents must have ruffled a few feathers.   Peace

[Waiheke]

Just wondering.  Into week 15 and have my second lot of tests come back all normal.  My haemoglobin is 122 but I don't know if that is good or not.  I have geno 1A (?? - the hardest to treat).  On interferon and Ribaviron.  Does this sound promising?

[GoofyDad]

The tests that will tell you whether treatment is working are the Viral Load (often called PCR). That measures how much virus you still have floating around. To a lesser degree, the liver funxction tests (ALT/AST) can indicate progress against the virus.

Your hemoglobin would be more meaningful if compared to baseline before tx. In the States the number would normally be stated as 12.2 (grams). About a 2-3 gram drop from baseline seems to be  expected, though many patients seem to go much lower.

[NYgirl]

I'm sorry that people like you have to bear the stigma of what others of us have done while you treat this disease.

I'm sorry that we have to as well.  It's such a misunderstood disease that the prejudices drive me crazy.  There just seems to be so LITTLE public knowledge of hepC that they want to put us all down as tunnel dwellers living under the subway in New York City.

They don't realize what viable good people we are.

I agree that this doctor may have been slanting her opinions to convince Veg to treat. That makes sense in a way to also help her to want to lose weight. But to make such broad statements that could easily be repeated to someone for any reason just makes absolutely no sense to me. (But then neither does her 24 week treatment plan for a Geno1 either honestly.)

Still if the doctor said those things with that intention it was good hearted in spirit but you would think a doc would know better.  Why not say all the AIDS patients are gay.  Same difference.

[Hellchild]

About the whole stigma issue of judging people with Hep C, I just wanted to say that my girlfriend has been rather promiscuous in the past, but she is faithful once she settles on a guy. And, assuming she does testpositive, she has had other possible exposure risks. She had a baby almost 20 years ago and almost bled to death and had to get an emergency blood transfusion. Whether or not she could have gotten exposed way back then and not known it til now, I don't know. She also got a tatoo about a year ago, and I don't think she got it from an actual, licensed tattoo place. I'm not sure exactly where she got the tattoo, but I've heard her refer to "the guy who did her tattoo", and that leads me to believe she just got it from an amature artist. I have been meaning to ask.

I know that she is really beating herself up about the whole thing because she has already convinced herself that a) she has the contracted the disease, b) she got it from sleeping around too much, and c) that because of her reckless past, she has infected me. I have been more worried about her and have been trying to let her know that its not her fault and not to get to ahead of herself and start making assumptions just yet.

[can-do-man]

You sound like your a ok type of guy, keep telling her not to be so hard on herself. None of us went out looking to get this, all of us here have it or has had it. Don't much matter how we got it, just got to fiqure out the best way to deal with it. The to treat or not to treat question. BTW i have been married 20 something years and glad to say neither my wife or kids have. Good luck to the both of you.

[Forseegood]

Sounds to me that your girlfriend has to get over this huge national pasttime of beating herself up (to my way of thinking the basis of most neurosis in the human condition) and just get herself some education as to the facts of this disease and react accordingly...5 will get you 10 it is not half as bad as what she's been trippin about...I say this because I can relate....

[NYgirl]

Promiscuous in the past or not - a tattoo even from a reliable place is an easy enough way to get hepC. My doctor REFUSED to believe I did not have one.

The only way you will know is to be tested - MANY people on here don't even know how they got it and never will know.

Some people don't have any of the classic ways AT ALL but they have it.

Blood test is simple, inexpensive and clear. Either you do or you don't.

None of us were angels...nobody I know ever has been.

[can-do-man]

None of us were angels...
________________________________________________________________

Hey girl, speak for your self, I've got wings. Can't you see them. HAHAHAHA........ Wooh, im sure glad lightening didn't just strike

[NYgirl]

Oh great man you fried me from there!  ;-)

Talk about being zapped...just reading that sent out sparks!  :)

[beamishboy]

guess it's time to come clean: i  am an Angel or am i an Angle? whatever i am i need help spelling....Also, what gives with the homeless tunnel people?? will you please not use them as the badguys...really shud watch that documentary"dark Days"  they r people,with fears & childhoods(mostly bad) and brain abberations & lotsa veterans and so much humanity & generosity & humor... Awww Nygirl ,i know,i know, it's dark & the places & people smell& hey!!! they're crazy & dangerous? well unpredictable anyways..Gosh,now i feel like i'm descibing my ownself of late....I really liked comment above about our nat'l past time-beatin ourselves up!!!  somebody said it perfectly-" I am as good as Anyone & better than No-one....." and best part????...we are all different!!! Ain't it just a incredible World-ohh in unrelated matter.don't let yur ex mess w/ you & trx...Put up a Wall;don't deal w/ it; Screw him-metaphorically only...You are sucha star gotta shine Clear...

[cquest]

Well, Veg got the boot again...I guess whatever happened ended up in threads being zapped and her along with em...I'll probably get cuffed to the desk for speaking of it...looking over my shoulder now...
Cin

[sher_]

I have recieved some disturbing news about my close friend mikel. I speak with him several times a day. He has NOT been called for a transplant. That news is fabricated, unless they are transplanting him while he talks to me on the phone.
Veggie you and Nursey make me very ill with your lies, I am used to nursey making up woppers! Some are truley dilusional. Veggie, you seem like birds of a feather so ummm ever hear of a coop?

Mikel has not been transplanted, he is surrounded by close friends and family as we wait...no more ruumors unless you hear it from Andy, Melissa or myself it probaly is another lie from the dilusional.

Thanks Chev..I'll email you the pass as brats is now a private forum for this very reason.

Where is the post Mikel would like to see it?

[TexMikel]

My wife is in charge of telling people when I am blessed with the liver so no rumors please.  No liver, meld went down to a 30. I am really affraid of the next round cause it will close to the last.  

Thank you

TexMikel

[iceboy]

hello all

It all became a bit to much for me and I have been away from the board for a long time. I

[sher_]

Thank you baby! I'll call at 9.

[Mister beagle bailey]

Hi,

I am so glad to hear from you.  I have been so concerned not seeing you post and wondering how you were.  I'm sorry about the tx being stopped. I can't remember, were you ever on procrit?

Will do shot #6 this Sunday, if you remember before tx my HGB was 11.5, almost 2 weeks into tx my HGB dropped to 9.6  and then they gave me 40,000. units of procrit an in 2 weeks HGB was up to 11.8.

JMJM has not posted since I believe Monday.  He said something about maybe doing a few more weeks of tx.  

So glad your feeling a little better.

  The Beagle

[beamishboy]

Ice, so Good to hear from Ya!!!!! Glad to know things are semi-nomalizing for you...back to work,no less.....Best with your trx going forward..Keep Posting my friend..i myself am contending w sides w/ usual rage & self-indulgence...pity-pot is well used hereabouts....GoodLuck!

[Forseegood]

glad to see you check in, you know youre in my thoughts, please give me a ring if you can..if not, I'll listen on the grapevine...

[GoofyDad]

Don't know you, but wishing you all the best. Hard to know how rumors start, but I'm sure it was with the best intentions. My thoughts are with you and your family.