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High liver enzymes
My wife has known she's had hepatitus c for some time - we have no insurance, so she never treated it. She was a previous drug user, and is currently on methadone. She recently went in and had a blood test, the dr told her that her enzyme count was high. I was just wondering ehat the next step should be for her
When a liver cell dies it releases an enzyme. So the higher the number...the more liver cells are being killed off.
Is there any way you can find a program so that she can have a biopsy done? A liver biopsy is really the ONLY way to know what liver damage she has and how urgent it is for her to treat or not.
I take a medication that is just like methadone (called suboxone)...and it does NOT raise my enzymes at all.
so it's my guess really that it's the hep doing it, although it could be a NUMBER of things.
She really does need to get a biopsy so you know where she stands. I never had any symptoms or any idea I had this disease at all...no problemms...and I am already a stage 3.
Is there any way you can find a program so that she can have a biopsy done? A liver biopsy is really the ONLY way to know what liver damage she has and how urgent it is for her to treat or not.
I take a medication that is just like methadone (called suboxone)...and it does NOT raise my enzymes at all.
so it's my guess really that it's the hep doing it, although it could be a NUMBER of things.
She really does need to get a biopsy so you know where she stands. I never had any symptoms or any idea I had this disease at all...no problemms...and I am already a stage 3.
Next steps...
Genotype blood test, viral load blood test, AFP blood test, consultation with gastroenterologist or hepatologist, ultrasound, liver biopsy, standard of care treatment.
Genotype blood test, viral load blood test, AFP blood test, consultation with gastroenterologist or hepatologist, ultrasound, liver biopsy, standard of care treatment.
They did have a blood test done on her so maybe most of those results are in there. You need to ask the doctor.
Hi redcharger - this is pretty good site below.
http://www.methadonesupport.org/hiv-news.html
About cost of treatment if she does decide, she can probably get the treatment drugs totaly free (I did and know many others who did.)
Go here:
http://www.pegassist.com/
I think the phone number is somewhere on that site. Just start looking. It's called the Peggasist Program. You can call them and ask them what to do. They will speak to you. I did all my footwork on getting the meds free. (Some docs will help; some won't tell you where to turn, and sometimes you just have to pick up that phone and start calling.) I had Medicare. I would have had to pay for treatment for the PegIntron if my doc had prescribed Schering's meds to treat me for Hep C, but I found out I didn't have to pay a thing to be treated with Roches' meds, and so the doc prescribed those instead of Schering.
But anyhow...if she is worried about cost of the meds, you can call the drug manufacturers, and they will tell you what you can do to try to get them free. Just tell them what's up, start asking questions, and they will help.
This is Schering's program (or their assistance phone number -- I think that's still the right phone number on this site.)
http://www.needymeds.com/programs/schering-plough.html
Peggasist (Roche)
http://www.pegassist.com/
Best of luck to you all. Let us know how she's doing.
http://www.methadonesupport.org/hiv-news.html
About cost of treatment if she does decide, she can probably get the treatment drugs totaly free (I did and know many others who did.)
Go here:
http://www.pegassist.com/
I think the phone number is somewhere on that site. Just start looking. It's called the Peggasist Program. You can call them and ask them what to do. They will speak to you. I did all my footwork on getting the meds free. (Some docs will help; some won't tell you where to turn, and sometimes you just have to pick up that phone and start calling.) I had Medicare. I would have had to pay for treatment for the PegIntron if my doc had prescribed Schering's meds to treat me for Hep C, but I found out I didn't have to pay a thing to be treated with Roches' meds, and so the doc prescribed those instead of Schering.
But anyhow...if she is worried about cost of the meds, you can call the drug manufacturers, and they will tell you what you can do to try to get them free. Just tell them what's up, start asking questions, and they will help.
This is Schering's program (or their assistance phone number -- I think that's still the right phone number on this site.)
http://www.needymeds.com/programs/schering-plough.html
Peggasist (Roche)
http://www.pegassist.com/
Best of luck to you all. Let us know how she's doing.
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