what is your iron and ferritin levels? have the docs checked them?
Funny you would bring up this subject today, the headlines on the front page, below the fold, in the newspaper today is: "Skyrocketing Malpractice Cost: Who's To Blame?" Who in the h*ll do they think is to blame? The nit wit doctors who keep screwing up and are protected by the "good-ol-boys" that run the hospitals and country clubs.
Thanks so much for all the information as usual, I looked at that article, it's unreal. The thing is, even my doctors just act so casual about everything, like they don't even realize or try to realize what you might be going through. If this first test for me was, in fact, a false positive, then it's just unbelievable what it did to my life. The thing is, the same day that I got the call from the doctors office saying that I had tested positive for HepC, my Dad started to get swelling on his legs and started a health crisis of his own. After that day, things were like a nightmare for us. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, and passed away in October of 2002. But, I could have gone and visited him before he passed away, and I might very well have, but the main reason I didn't was because number one, we didn't know he was that sick yet, but also I considered going out, but wasn't sure of my HepC status yet, and was nervous about going on an airplane without my HepA and B shots and was just too nervous and a wreck at the time to do it. So, it's amazing how these things can affect your life. Anyway, thanks for the info also on the Heptimax, I hope that it does to a qual and a quan, that makes me feel a little better! Thanks again, you guys are all so great! Love, Val
lol thanks for the 'supportive' response (I was counting on that, you didnt let me down)
there is cancer on this board (more now than the 3 years I've been coming here)
I think your agenda is to get this board shutdown
Just a quick comment as to your questions regarding which test is more sensitive, and which type of test is the Heptimax.
As others have noted above, the Qualitative test is MORE sensitive than the Quantitative. Now the differences today are not that great ... when the quantitative was first introduced, it only tested down to about 500 or 600 I think ... which is not very sensitive at all.
However, now the tests are much improved. The Quantitative as order by my doctor (ordered from Lab Corp) tested down to 10 IU. I was 'undetectable' at 8 weeks, but all that really means is less than 10 (of course, ZERO is less than 10!). I go in for twelve week tests on Monday, and I intend to insist on the doctor ordering a Qualitative this time .... Lab Corp has a test called "UltraQual" that tests down to 2 IU.
As for the Heptimax, do a search on Google or some search engine. I did once, and as I remember reading the information I found about Heptimax, that it is actually a COMBINATION Qual and a Quan test. As I remember it, it first does a Qualitative to see IF there is any HCV virus (as I remember, it has a sensitivity of 5 IU), and if the Qualitative returns a 'positive' result, then the test kicks into Quantitative mode to measure how much of the virus is there.
So, IF you tested negative on a normal PCR, negative on a Qualitative, and negative on a Heptimax, then I would definately think that you need not be concerned, you are negative. If you are still worried, get another Qualitative and if it says negative .... then forget it!
Thanks! I guess that's the thing I don't know, I know that the specialist took a qualitative, and a quantitative, that were both negative, and then I had a quantitative at another doc's office that was negative, and then the negative Heptimax. I know the Heptimax is very sensitive, but I don't know if it's a qual or a quan. So, I just hope these neg's mean that I am truly negative because I also have a problem with fatty infiltration of the liver (seen on sonogram) and that combined with HepC could be bad, I think. He seemed to say at the end of the Heptimax coming in negative, that I was HepC negative, and that the elevated enzymes were due to fatty liver. He didn't go that far the other day on the phone, acting like he had to look back at my records to make sure, but he did say that fatty liver can also have serious consequences.
I know there is some anger towards thanbey, and I'm not sure why, but the reason I was nervous about that is because she seems to make me feel better, like saying that I'm probably negative with those test results, and I hope she is right. I do think sometimes you get better attention and info from people on here than your own doctors, but I do also know that I verify everything with the doctors. That's why I'm trying to consult my specialist with all of this info. I think the frustrating thing is that I went about a year thinking I was ok, only to have this start again and have some doubts.
Anyway, thanks again for the information, and I hope you have a good Easter Egg hunt!! I just got back from Wal-Mart, and I'm lucky to be alive! The place was a mess, all of us last minute shoppers! Thanks again! Val