HCV blood test dx § insurance

[layla]

I just got the renewal p/w for my life insurance. First time since dx with HCV so I was trying to find my policy and see if this will be a problem. I ran across some paperwork I signed to have bloodwork drawn. This was in 1995. Everything was ok. So does this mean I couldn't have had HCV until after that test? They did test in 1995 I believe. The form list the test and included is SGOT and SGPT (and more). Is that a HCV test? I see those referred to here now and again.
Any info is appreciated. Thanks.

[oldhippiechick67]

I got life insurance back in March and they didnt detect the Hep C.  I dont know if they only checked for AIDS or what.  But my ALT AST a month later was 81 an 65 which my caused my PCP to run a Hepatitis Screen.  My husband was confused/angry that the life insurance blood work didnt show the Hep C a month earlier.  I said I was just glad they accepted me cuz to have Hep C chances of getting life insurance are slim to none from what I understand.   Different companies probly run different types of tests.  Chances are you have probly had it a long time like the rest of us...just speculating.   OHC67

[mikesimon]

The enzymes {sgot(ast) sgpt(alt) and ggt are not hepatitis tests. They measure enzymes and can give an indication of the health of the liver. You may have had hep c at the time of the test but, at least your enzymes were not elevated. This doesn't mean that there was no liver damage but I'd much rather have normal enzymes than elevated ones. So these values don't really say one way or the other. Mike

[layla]

Thanks, I didn't know the SGOT and SGPT were the same as ALT/AST. I did think I got it when I was a teen. BUt the thing thats weird is the year  after the insurance thing I got back from a trip to a India for 3 weeks. I was suddenly very sick upon returning. I was in bed for a week with severe flu like symptoms. I kept getting sick every few weeks or every month after that for years. In between I was fine and the sickness got milder over time but I still get it. This started in 96. It stopped at start of tx. (weird) It made me so sick I went to several doctors for it even the ER one time and was told nothing was found. I thought I got malaria and even requested a test for it. I moved a couple times so I never saw one doc for very long and never fugured this out. My current doc of 4 years couldn't figure it out either. Also in this time I started having joint pain but never related the two. I'm a runner so figured this came from 25 plus years of jogging. It was my knees and hips, then my fingers which was weird so I thought maybe I had arthritis. The doc tested and said no and the joint pain continued to get worse. Later I tested positive for RA factor but it tirns out it's the HCV. To shorten this story, then I was dx with HCV.
Before this I never even had a single cold as an adult. Guess it's coincidence.

[indyjo]

I discovered that I had HCV by applying for a new life insurance policy. Not all companies check for all things. I was turned down for the insurance, but was told that after treatment I should apply again. The RN that I spoke with told me that being positive for HCV was not the reason I was turned down, but rather it was the high alt/ast levels.

[willing]

do you remember whether you were jaundiced during the illness on your return from India (maybe the acute stage of hep A exposure?) The regular recurrence is pretty strange. Both riba and ifn are general-purpose antivirals so maybe you're knocking out another viral infection for free. Joint-pain is a pretty common complication from hcv - I've been bothered by it for years (of course after 25 years of running, or soccer in my case, it's kind of expected). Assuming tx goes well for you this should be easier to diagnose without the hcv background. Best wishes.

[layla]

No there was no jaundice but I am sure something was very wrong but I couldn't get a doc to deal with it. I never had one sick day before this so my family was surprised too. Since tx I haven't had any of the problems and my joints don't hurt anymore. Maybe the tx did help me with something else. When I see my hep doc I'll tell him about it this time. He asked if I had any sudden sicknesses but I didn't tell him. I didn't want him to tell me I got this recently becasue I had read that it's easier to treat if you got it when you are younger. It was a spur of the moment reaction. I thought that was pretty stupid after I did it. Why I did this is silly but I just kind of freaked when he asked and didn't tell.
Never played soccer but we watch it often at the park nearby. Fun sport!