Fibroscan: Is it any good?

[mike716]

Hello again, fellow Medhelpers! Greetings from Buenos Aires, where we avidly await the beginning of spring. The winter down here in the Southern Hemisphere has been too long, and some people here think there won't be any summer at all this year. Global warming, melting ice caps, and all that sorta stuff. Argentines are hysterical. But it sure is unseasonably cold.

I hope I am still remembered by y'all with affection in spite of my past weird and occasionally wicked postings. I certainly haven't forgotten any of you dear people. You have been my port in the storm.

To give a quickie update, I am still without Tx, waiting for my hep MD to make up his mind what to do with me. I think these Argentine medics are kinda scared to do anything, afraid of scandal (can you see the headline: "American Tango Dancer Succumbs to Third-World Hepatitis Treatment"?).

The latest, and the real reason for this post (aside from my penchant for aggravating everyone with my dubious attempts at humor), is that they just got a Fibroscan machine at my hospital, trained a young female medic to run it, and I have been one of its first victims...er, I mean subjects.

The results are crazy and scary. It gave F2/F3. Now, just a year ago a biopsy and a FibroTC (tomography analyzed, see my images page), as well as many blood analyses and ecodopplers and whatnot, gave me as being F0/F1. How the heck can someone with almost normal hepatic enzymes (transaminases), otherwise totally normal blood tests, and scores of F0/F1 a year ago, suddenly be F2/F3? Is this possible? Is it credible? Or is their new Fibroscan machine a piece of junk, despite the cute operator?

Anybody out there with an opinion on this, my latest predicament?

All replies will be appreciated, and the one that is most helpful wins a free trip to Buenos Aires (by kayak and Moped) and three free tango lessons from yours truly (if I'm still above-ground).

Hugs.

Mike

[mike716]

Hi, Rex. very sorry to hear about your troubles. It sounds like we may both be the victims of a crummy test. It sounds like your hepMD is on top of it, though. Wish I could say the same about mine.

The worst thing you can do is let it get you. I had the same reaction, and am now taking Valium, which helps a whole lot. Don't start drinking, whatever you do! Ask your MD to give you a scrip for valium or something that works. If you don't sleep and eat properly, you will get worse for sure. Don't let it happen.

M.

[mike716]

I agree, but it seems that certain ways of treating may preclude certain ways of re-treating. It may be important to know this beforehand, don't you think?

[Bill1954]

I treated twice, Mike; and both were extended sessions. My point being that this can be accomplished even with poor indicators such as genotype 1, diabetes, etc.

I tend to agree with Trish; this disease appears to be causing you stress, and it’s probably a good idea to start heading towards treatment, regardless of histology. When are you planning on returning to the states for a spell?

Other than possibly not receiving Procrit/Neupogen, what prevents you from treating in B.A.?

Bill

[Trish77]

Mike, just a gut reaction here.  I would not be in too much of a hurry to accept results from a new Fibroscan machine with a newly trained operator with me being the first person being tested with it.

From what I understand, results for later stage diagnoses are less reliable than early stage.  If you can, I would get another test done somewhere, somehow.  Another biopsy in the U.S. when you come to visit, something.  

Your blood tests for Stage 1 were consistent with Stage 1.  While it's true that blood tests are not a reliable indicator of actual status, they ARE accurate in 75% of the cases.  

I'm not sure I'm buying the results here, Mike.

The problem is that regardless of results, where you're living, you're not going to get adequately monitored to determine progression of fibrosis if you can only get tests at certain intervals, like 2 and 3 years.  At your age (sorry, but you ARE getting up there!) you want to stay on top of this.

I think, Mike, you might want to consider getting treatment over with and getting this virus right out of your system and out of your mind instead of messing around with all this unreliable ****.  You might want to consider just getting it done, Mike.

Just a thought.  Good luck with this, my friend.  Regardless, tango on, McDuff. :)

Trish

[rexx73]

hi there,

i opend already another topic but something similar happend to me.

last years biopsy showed f3,and this weeks fibroscan shows 72 kpa.i was and iam still shocked.
how can be such frighting result?
the prof. said that he think i stay at f2/f3 because i started last year my second therapy for 48 weeks(genotyp 1).
for 3 dys now im totaly sleepless and have zo wait for the bloodresults.
last weeks ultrasonic showed like allways nothing special.

if i reall have 72 kpa, there must be some other things like ascites or other symptoms that a very late zirrhosis stage would shown,right?

[WriteItDown]

In my opinion you don't want to plan for three treatments.  You want to plan for one, and give it your best shot. Obviously for some people that doesn't work and they have to re-treat, but I wouldn't think that knowing one had treatment "back-up" plans would be a good reason not to try to hit it with your best shot the first time.