Aa
Gall bladder and hepatitis
Hi, Medhelpers! I'm in Buenos Aires and we are having a heat wave. Man, is it hot! Whew!!!
I got to see the head hepatologist at one of the big public hospitals here last week. Very nice and knowledgable guy, quite different from the screwballs at my own hospital. Many people here have told me that the public hospitals are better than the private ones, and I am beginning to believe it.
This head honcho, Dr. Frider, told me among other things that I ought to have my gall bladder removed as I have stones. He says that the gall bladder is a danger for hepatitics because once you've got cirrhosis the operation to remove it can cause decompensation. So he says I should have it removed now rather than later, when it might be too late. He also said I can have another liver biopsy done at the same time.
This seems to make sense to me, but I wanted to check with people here in the forum about it. Anyone have knowledge or experience with gall bladder problems, or preventative gall bladder surgery?
Any helpful comments will be greatly appreciated.
Cheers!
Mike
I got to see the head hepatologist at one of the big public hospitals here last week. Very nice and knowledgable guy, quite different from the screwballs at my own hospital. Many people here have told me that the public hospitals are better than the private ones, and I am beginning to believe it.
This head honcho, Dr. Frider, told me among other things that I ought to have my gall bladder removed as I have stones. He says that the gall bladder is a danger for hepatitics because once you've got cirrhosis the operation to remove it can cause decompensation. So he says I should have it removed now rather than later, when it might be too late. He also said I can have another liver biopsy done at the same time.
This seems to make sense to me, but I wanted to check with people here in the forum about it. Anyone have knowledge or experience with gall bladder problems, or preventative gall bladder surgery?
Any helpful comments will be greatly appreciated.
Cheers!
Mike
Searching the web, I found one site that gives the normal hemoglobin ranges as:
Adult males: 14-18 gm/dl
Men after middle age: 12.4-14.9 gm/dl
According to this I am too high, with usually 16 to 17 gm/Dl.
I'm not at all happy with the idea of doing one or more phlebotomies in oreder to get into that trial, which reopens in March, but maybe I should try it if it's the only PI trial around. Like you say, dumping one or even two half-liters of blood maybe isn't a great idea with platelets down to around 125k.
I don't know what my iron is. The only thing I can find on my blood analyses is serum ferretin, which is very high (around 280 ng/mL in 2008). Saturation (whatever that means) was high, too.
Glad to hear that the anesthetic won't be heavy. I hear that anesthetics are bad for the liver.
Frankly, I hate the whole idea of it. But if it's really justified, I'll do it. What the hell, I'm already the prime guinea pig for the hospital. Might as well do 'em all.
Mike
Adult males: 14-18 gm/dl
Men after middle age: 12.4-14.9 gm/dl
According to this I am too high, with usually 16 to 17 gm/Dl.
I'm not at all happy with the idea of doing one or more phlebotomies in oreder to get into that trial, which reopens in March, but maybe I should try it if it's the only PI trial around. Like you say, dumping one or even two half-liters of blood maybe isn't a great idea with platelets down to around 125k.
I don't know what my iron is. The only thing I can find on my blood analyses is serum ferretin, which is very high (around 280 ng/mL in 2008). Saturation (whatever that means) was high, too.
Glad to hear that the anesthetic won't be heavy. I hear that anesthetics are bad for the liver.
Frankly, I hate the whole idea of it. But if it's really justified, I'll do it. What the hell, I'm already the prime guinea pig for the hospital. Might as well do 'em all.
Mike
It seems I am the hospital{s favorite guinea pig. Sometimes I wonder if it isn't a general policy used to scare me off and get rid of me. I'm not very popular there as I am always asking questions and generally being a pest. I think they unconsciously would like me to disappear, one way or an other. It's the "other" way that worries me.
M.
M.
my best guess is it's to rule out the rare bone marrow disease that causes too many red cells to be made. Although, you are only 1 or 2 points out of normal range, so not sure what their thinking is.
It might be better to get your iron accessed...you don't want them to bleed you with your platelets being low, unless your iron is high...having a few too many HGB (red cells) is something most hcv'ers would envy.
anyway, if they are insisting, I'd consider it...they'll give you a fast acting sleeper like versed or something...you should throw it off fine...the fast acters wear off in minutes, and aren't as problematic as the stuff for long surgeries.
You said SOC won't work at 65 type 1?? You are slender, don't have to many other contraindicators, I'd say whoever told you that didn't know that many folks are successful at that age. Particularly those with good BMI index and no IR. The other thing to consider is if you could SVR, you'd stop the slippery slope now. How high are your Alt's? What your iron at?
It might be better to get your iron accessed...you don't want them to bleed you with your platelets being low, unless your iron is high...having a few too many HGB (red cells) is something most hcv'ers would envy.
anyway, if they are insisting, I'd consider it...they'll give you a fast acting sleeper like versed or something...you should throw it off fine...the fast acters wear off in minutes, and aren't as problematic as the stuff for long surgeries.
You said SOC won't work at 65 type 1?? You are slender, don't have to many other contraindicators, I'd say whoever told you that didn't know that many folks are successful at that age. Particularly those with good BMI index and no IR. The other thing to consider is if you could SVR, you'd stop the slippery slope now. How high are your Alt's? What your iron at?
I have seen honest-to-god guinea pigs that get fewer intrusive tests and procedures than you seem to be getting in BA. Are you the only test animal they have in SA? :-)
Best wishes on your decision. Hope it all comes out OK (no pun intended). Hang in there
Brent
Best wishes on your decision. Hope it all comes out OK (no pun intended). Hang in there
Brent
Hey, Brent, how's it going? It's been a while. Hope you are copasetic. How's life on immuno-suppression? Must be a barrel of laughs, huh? (Just kidding of course. My usual perverse sense of humor.)
If farting is the worst consequence of having the GB removed, I'm safe. I fart so much already that no one would notice the difference.
As usual around here in B.A., there are gonna be as many different opinions between doctors on whether or not to remove my GB and when, as there are on when and how to do Tx. Which is the main reason I tend to do nothing: too many choices, not enough facts.
I sorta liked Dr. Frider's argument about not waiting until it's too late. I lean towards the preventive medicine side of things. But there's always that "Don't fix it if it isn't broken" refrain whispering to me from the past. It's one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't situations. I know I don't have to explain that one, right?
Anyway, it isn't happening tomorrow. And now I've got a more pressing worry: this bone marrow puncture they want to do on me. If it ain't one thing it's another. Never a dull moment. Isn't life weird?
M.
If farting is the worst consequence of having the GB removed, I'm safe. I fart so much already that no one would notice the difference.
As usual around here in B.A., there are gonna be as many different opinions between doctors on whether or not to remove my GB and when, as there are on when and how to do Tx. Which is the main reason I tend to do nothing: too many choices, not enough facts.
I sorta liked Dr. Frider's argument about not waiting until it's too late. I lean towards the preventive medicine side of things. But there's always that "Don't fix it if it isn't broken" refrain whispering to me from the past. It's one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't situations. I know I don't have to explain that one, right?
Anyway, it isn't happening tomorrow. And now I've got a more pressing worry: this bone marrow puncture they want to do on me. If it ain't one thing it's another. Never a dull moment. Isn't life weird?
M.
Are you pretty confident they're going to approve Telaprevir soon? It would be worth waiting for. But I've read and heard the opinion expressed by several hepatologists that the USG isn't going to approve it, at least not right away. Too many demographic concerns, like creating more virulent escape variants in the population.
I'd sure like to have an inside man at the FDA. But then I guess so would all the folks with Vertex shares [grin].
M.
I'd sure like to have an inside man at the FDA. But then I guess so would all the folks with Vertex shares [grin].
M.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis C Community
Learn about this treatable virus.
Getting tested for this viral infection.
3 key steps to getting on treatment.
4 steps to getting on therapy.
What you need to know about Hep C drugs.
How the drugs might affect you.
These tips may up your chances of a cure.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
