Few Questions About Biopsy Report and Blood levels

[drew1985]

I'm getting ready to start TX within the next month. I just got my blood work back and a copy of my liver biopsy. The biopsy is very-very good. There are a few things on the biopsy report that I'm confused about.

---------------
Number of portal tracts: 17  (whats this?)

Here's the rest of the report which is perfect (besides mild inflammation).

Knodell System
Periportal: 0 NONE
Parenchymal injury: 0 NONE
Portal Inflammation: 1 MILD
Fibrosis: 0 NONE

Ishak System
Periportal (interface): 1 MILD
Confluent necrosis: 0 NONE
Parenchymal injury: 0 NONE
Portal inflammation: 1 MILD
Fibrosis stage: 0 NONE

Metavir System <--------what's this????
Activity: 1 MILD
Fibrosis stage: 0 NONE

Microscopic: Sections reveal liver tissue with mild chronic inflammation in portal areas and lobules. No significant steatosis is noted. Trichrome stained section reveals no significant fibrosis. Iron staining is negative.
--------------------------------------------------------------


Here is the blood work I just received:

Complete Blood Count w/plt
The only levels that were abnormal were the following:

MCHC (%)    :    36.5  (32-36 is the normal range)
RDW-SD (fl)   :   36    (37-47 is the normal range)
All other levels were within the normal ranges. The doctor hasn't said anything as of yet about those counts... what is the MCHC and RDW-SD? There barely out of range so i'm pretty sure im about cleared to start treatment.

My current AST  (U/L) is 64
My current ALT  (U/L) is 127

Viral Load: 371,000
Genotype: 1
---------------------------------------------------

I'll repost to this thread when I start TX. I'm first transferring over to a University Hospital (University of Michigan) so I can be monitored my a hepatologist.

A part of me wants to wait until new medicine comes out because I know that I have the time. But in all honesty I just want to get this over and done with. I don't want my VL to increase any more than it is at... my chances of clearing it right now are good because of the low VL and good biopsy report... so I think that I'm just going to go ahead and give TX a try.

[drew1985]

Thanks very much for your opinion!

I'll make sure I speak to my doc about it.

Cheers,
-drew

[cruelworld]

if the medicine works too slowly your odds of success drop,  if you get rid of the virus
in six weeks you have almost the highest chance for getting cured.

overdosing helps you to get the virus subdued quickly,
preloading. starting the riba 2 weeks before you start
the interferon. some docs believe that this approach
is even stronger.

this treatment thing is a huge sacrifice, if i was you, i wouldnt
try to complete it unless my doc gave me a 60% chance.
your viral load is low enough for you to have good success
on this. if its a good time in your life for you to get this over with, go for it.

[HARRYBEADS]

Good call, trust the Docs.They have the experience. I had (have) 1a with low load 800,000 and stage 1 grade 1 and 48 weeks cleared the bugger, waiting for 6 month test to prove I'm clear.
Treatment is tuff but doing it when your strongest is better.

Harry

[drew1985]

Thanks for your response!
Can you shed a little bit more light on this?

What exactly do you mean by preloading and overdosing the riba? Why only 6 weeks?

Thanks,
Drew

[cruelworld]

if i was you, i would get a doc to let you preload riba and over dose riba 1 pill a day and try treatment for 6 weeks.  if you dont become virus free in that period quit and
wait for new drugs. this should give you at least a %50 to 60% chance for success.