Does anyone know about auto immune test?

[mari74]

I went in for a second opinion recently at the Univ of Chg.  They ran more tests..the cost was over $2,200.  I was shocked to say the least.  My insurnance covered 1/2 of it, but man he was so expensive!  To my surprise they ran a test called, I think, auto immune.  The nurse let me know that I also had an elevated level of 1,280..the norm is around 80, I think she said.

She said my auto-immune system was turned on and they would have to address this issue first b4 moving onto the HepC?  Can anyone explain this to me?  Man I cannot believe it, I just went in last year for general check up!!!!!!!!!!!

I ask for a copy of the blood results and she said I have to contact medical records and go from there.  I was very upset. Not only about the high cost, but the doctor never bothered to call me and explain the blood results...I called and ended up talking with the Nurse, whom I never met?
Per Nurse...
My VL was 600,000
My AST was 165
My ALT was 258
I am a Hepc 1a
Total Bil was normal
Total Protein was normal

I truley believe that the doctors are seeing so many people with this conditon it has become a cash cow for them!  The customer serivce is terrible here in Chicago.


I am so confused and unhappy.

[illo]

Do you mean you were tested for autoimmune hepatitis?
I'm 'borderline' for that in the bloodwork, but the
biopsy didn't show it.  Do you work with chemicals or
any type of toxin that may have caused this?

If it is autoimmune hepatitis and you also have HCV,
my doc said you can't treat the HCV with interferon.  
That's one of the reason's I'm quite nervous about the combo.
I'll have to be monitored closely.  He said the combo will
kill the virus, but if you have autoimmune hep, it will also
destroy your liver.

While looking for this, I also found that the combo can
trigger autoimmune hep.  Go figure.
---------------------------------

Part of the article:

http://autoimmunedisease.suite101.com/article.cfm/autoimmune_diseases_and_hepatitis
Autoimmune Diseases and Hepatitis
Autoimmune disease risk for patients with hepatitis
© Elaine Moore
liver - Photo Credit: national library of medicine
Patients with viral and autoimmune hepatitis are at increased risk for developing several different autoimmune disorders.

Several different autoimmune diseases are known to occur in persons with viral and autoimmune hepatitis. Patients with hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C are at risk for developing autoimmune hepatitis and Guillain-Barre syndrome. Patients with hepatitis B and C are also at risk for developing conditions of autoimmune glomerulonephritis, vasculitis, and cryoglobulinemia, which is described later in this article. Both vitiligo and Behcet's disease are considered to be extrahepatic (affecting organs other than the liver) manifestations in patients with hepatitis C. In addition, patients using interferon therapy for hepatitis B or C are at risk for developing several different autoimmune disorders such as autoimmune thyroid disease and multiple sclerosis.

Interferon is an immune system chemical known as a cytokine. Normally, when the immune system responds to viral infection, it produces adequate interferon, which promotes recovery from infection. However, in certain infections including hepatitis B and hepatitis C, the immune system becomes overwhelmed and is unable to produce adequate interferon. Consequently, therapies containing interferon alpha or pegylated interferon alpha are effective therapies for hepatitis. Because interferon stimulates the immune system, it's a well known autoimmune disease trigger. Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), Graves' disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and multiple sclerosis are common occurrences in patients using interferon therapy for viral hepatitis.

[NYgirl]

I got an autoimmune disease FROM the Interferon too. It killed off my thyroid.

But since it was caused by the IFN and I'm already on it...I optetd to keep going.  However it might be completely different if you have it already - they might not let you take the IFN since it could obviously make it much worse..

[mari74]

I do not work with chemicals.  
It seems that I can only reach the  nurse.  
Plus, she seemed to be in hurry.  She do not want to talk to me, because I called them and complained about all the blood work and how much it cost me.
They costed me thousands of dollars and I still have no answers.
I have requested my blood test results from Univ of Chg.

Oh by the way, another blow to my ego,was when the doctor  ask me....how many men I have slept with...!  I was totally shock.  

[mari74]

I do not work with chemicals.  
It seems that I can only reach the  nurse.  
Plus, she seemed to be in hurry.  She do not want to talk to me, because I called them and complained about all the blood work and how much it cost me.
They costed me thousands of dollars and I still have no answers.
I have requested my blood test results from Univ of Chg.

Oh by the way, another blow to my ego,was when the doctor  ask me....How many men I have slept with...!  I was totally shock.  

[mari74]

Sorry about the double comments...I must have hit the sent button twice.

hepatitisresearcher:

Is this situation really bad that I am in now????

I have been to 2 great hospitals that cost a lot of $$$, but really no clear answers except for Riba treatment and the etc...

[Hepatitis Researcher]

The number 1280 for your "autoimmune test" refers to the highest dilution factor at which it was still reactive. ( The ANA Anti Nuclear Antibody i assume it was) It is normally 1:40 or 1:80 then 160 320 640 1260 It means higher Antibody concentrations needed stronger dilutions to disappear in the reactvity test.
Thus you have a high titer, several more tests will be needed to further focus the dignostic spectrum.