Blood clot

[Sue Impe]

I had a biopsy on Wednesday, and the radiologist found a small blood clot on the "vessel"? He said it was probably nothing, but I should have an utrasound in 4 months to check it. Does anyone know if this can be a precurser to a tumor? I just can't wait for the results. My alpha fetaprotein level is slightly elevated (8.1), but the CT scan showed nothing. My viral load was 3,600,000 7 years ago, and now it's 2,030,000. That's the only symptom I've ever had in 35 years. I've never done treatment and I don't want to start it if my biopsy comes out as clean as it did 7 years ago. I'm a 1a non-responder, so quality of life comes into play here. 48 weeks for 40% effectiveness? Maybe I should wait a year.  Sorry to babble, but I'm a little squirrely these days. blahblahblah...

[GrandmaA]

Blood clotting is a good thing, ask any hemophiliac. LOL

[sfbaygirl]

Why are they waiting for 4 months to do the test on the blood clot??? I don't get this. Blood clots can be serious. Why did he say he was waiting?

[friole]

Like NY said - no docs here -- but I would be very doubtful that a blood clod would indicate a tumor.  Tumors are normally in the liver tissue, not the blood vessel - but perhaps someone with more knowledge can add more.

Second - you can't be a non-responder until you have failed a treatment and you said  you didn't ever treat.  You are therefore, "treatment naive."

I also had been infected for 35+ years and had little to no side effects.  At the age of 57 with all the kids out of the house, a good supportive husband (of 31 years as of next week), a good job that I could slack a bit on, and excellent insurance, I decided that now was the time.  I did not want to deal with this in my "retirement " years.

I am now done with treatment and have cleared the virus.  The true test is 6 months post tx, and I am not there yet but I think I have killed it!  I also think you are wrong about the success rate -- at least 50% for geno 1 and 70-80% for geno 2 and if you knock out all the non compliant and quitters, the percents increase!

Please post your biopsy results.  Another thing 3 million to 2 million VL does not indicate that you are better.  It is an insignificant difference, and could be 3 million one day and 1 million the next.
frioje

[cuteus]

I started tx when I was 51 and had a 14 yr old well behaving girl! good insurance also! I was able to continue working the whole time I was on tx.  It was not easy, feeling achy and tired every day, but it was not incapacitating, so I had no real excuse to stay in bed.  There is new protocols that if you clear the virus by wk 4 of tx, you can do a short tx of 24 wks.  If you have no extrahepatic symptoms, you probably can wait a bit.  The new meds might be out in 3 yrs, but they will be part of the old meds group still. So, you will probably get the same sides you would get now if you did tx.
good luck on Monday

[cuteus]

when is your follow up appointment with the physician/GI that ordered the biopsy?
The radiologist sends his findings in a report to the ordering physician and he in turn explains its significance to you in the follow up appt.  When will that be? Perhaps you should wait and ask him/her all the questions instead of making yourself crazy with worry on the internet.
the tx nowadays is more effective than 6 yrs ago, the rate of SVR is much better.  I WAS a 1a also, good biopsy results, but could not come to terms with the virus within.
good luck

[Sue Impe]

Thank you for your comments. Yes I am treatment naive. I like to think I'm an expert on reading about this. Shows you what a sucker I am. And these doctors just don't get it. They need to tell us for real what's going on. I just turned 50, but I also just got married 4 months ago. He's very supportive, but if I can put this off a little longer, that would be better. My youngest kid is 15 (ARGHHH), and I have to be alert for his ****. How bad were (are) your symptoms (assuming it's Pegasys)? Sorry, but I'm just chicken is all.

I should get the results of the biopsy by Monday. The last one only showed the virus, 6 years ago. Keeping my fingers crossed! My enzymes are down to normal as well :)

[Forseegood]

of course clear this with your doc first, and yeah, we aren't docs ourselves, but ask your doc if you can take vitamin E (which is a natural blood thinner, good for thick blood) along with some other things you might consider, of course, ask your doc about it...good luck on your biopsy....let us know if you decide to treat...also, are you on hormonal replacement? just a question...

[NYgirl]

Lord I don't have any idea....but I wanted to make sure you know none of us are doctors, just patients with HepC.

Did you ask the doctor what that meant?  Isn't it amazing how they give us such important news and yet they don't take the time to make sure we understand it?

Happens all of the time too!