I finally found the right spot to post this. I was treated with Peg Interferon & Ribiviran about 10 years ago and cleared Hep C 3a. I recently and still have Proteinuria (500+), and cold toes and slightly swollen ankles. My Kidney Function Tests are normal so my Neph sent me to a Hematologist who did a slew of blood & Urine test including a Bone Marrow test ( which came up with some sort of Faint Mono Protein IgG which he said we will moniter for MM) and a Cryo Test (which was Negative). Now I have read here that the test could be false negative. Let me run down Lab Corps Collection Procedure. Specimen must be drawn in a pre-warmed tube and kept at 37 C while clotting - separate Serum from Cells immediatly after Clotting Formation and then transfer Serum into a clean Serum Tube - then they send it to their lab which takes a delivery time of about 6 hours. WHAT DO YOU THINK? FALSE NEGATIVE OR RELIABLE RESULTS? THANKS
By
Carmencita305
I started the treatment with Interferon and riba just because I have Cryo.My liver is O.K.after 25 years with virus c genotype 1b (fibrosis stage1,inflamation 0) .Almost 2 years ago ,I asked for this test (cryo ) and it was less than 2%positive and in 2010 was less than 3% positive and I had for 6-7 days a few very little red petaches on legs.Than my hepatologist said I had to start Interferon.
Now I am on week16.
Good luck
A general practitioner is not the person to see for either hep c or cryo. Cryo is not a common disease for people that don't have hep c so many primary care physicians would know nothing about it. Are you seeing a hepatologist for your hep c? A hepatologist should also be able to help determine if you have cryo or not.
- Dave
Hi Gina-
Many labs offer the test for cryo but many do not follow the procedures properly which can sometimes give a person a false negative. Many (not all) major university hospitals can perform the test. The test tubes are different then what they normally use to draw blood and they must be heated before your blood is drawn.
Anemia has nothing to do with cryo. What do you mean you have mock vasculitis? Cryo associated vasculitis generally appears from the waste down, and looks like pooled blood spots under your skin. It usually comes and goes. Have you had a biopsy by a dermatologist of your "mock" vasculitis?
If you have cryo that is associated with hcv then you should also be tested for rheumatoid factor, they usually will do both tests together but not always.
Here is some information about the test for cryo.
http://dynamics.org/cryo/Cryocrit.html
more info:
http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hcsp/articles/Bonkovsky-2.html
http://www.arupconsult.com/Topics/Cryoglobulinemia.html#tabs=0
Welcome to the forum
- Dave
My MD never told me anything about this test, was just vert general. i am hep C positive, and would appreciate any feedback on your experiences and symptoms. MD diagnosed me eith autoimmune disorder unspecified. I have a mock vasculitis and my feet ache, It is so very difficult to walk. I also have extreme hypersensitivity of my skin, with itch, acne which I have never had. the dont want to treat the hep C as I have an associated liver disease. I have been on prednisone in varios doses abd neurontin and chlorquine, vit D, many other meds for liver. I also am very anemic,sensititve to cold. they are telling me the leg and foot pain are being caused by nerve damage stemming from a ver y old back injury, with recent MRI showinf stenosis greater than previous study, changes to C45 and L45, and SI , . thanks, gina
Interferon is the drug of choice cryoglobulinemia. If you clear the virus, you clear the cryo.