HEP C symptoms

[needhonesthelp]

If someone was actually exposed/infected with Hep C, would they develop symptoms 2.5 mos later?  Are constant abdominal cramps a symptom?  I can't distinguish were the symptoms may be coming from and there may be some mild tenderness under my right rid cage but some of the crampy feelings are in different areas.  I wonder if I'm feeling some crampy type pain in my back too.  I think I do suffer from IBS but I haven't really had something like this before...especially so persistent for 3 or more days now.  Eating sometimes makes me worse, but it just seems to be there all the time.  I don't notice other major changes.  Sometimes I think I itch a lot in different parts of my body but I can't tell if it is my mind going crazy or real.  

I truly appreciate educated thoughts...

[needhonesthelp]

thanks, i did have a hida scan about a year ago because i was dealing with some irritable bowel and the doc wanted to rule out anything else.  they did discover that my gallbladders ejection fraction is a little lower than the normal range, but it wasn't too alarming.  the doc didn't think it was the cause of my issues at that time and he definitely didn't think it needed to be removed.  i suppose it may have gotten worse.  

do crampy feelings sound like a gallbladder issue?  i still wonder if it could just be a bad case of Irritable Bowel because of stress...

[nygirl7]

Doesn't look like you have HepC at all.  Your liver enzymes are normal and you tested negative.

has the doctor advised an ultrasound to look at your gallbladder and things because our liver doesn't really have any nerves in it so that you would feel your "liver hurt" (although with major inflammation the surrounding area might feel uncomfortable).

Sounds like more a gastro problem than anything else but you don't have hepC and your enzymes are low so...doesn't seem to be liver related to me.

I'd listen to the doctor and do what he says to do.  A good GI should be able to help you,

Good luck.

[needhonesthelp]

And...would an 11 wk HCV antibody test be fairly conclusive?  I thought I read most people test pos within a few weeks to 3 mos.  Is it likely to test pos after 3 mos?  I may have a repeat test soon if needed.

[needhonesthelp]

I did have some blood work done this week and just got the results.  The HCV antibody test is negative and my Liver Enzymes are -
Alkaline Phos- 62
AST- 22
ALT- 14
Bilirubin- .9
Bilirubin direct- .2
Protein- 7.2
Albumin- 4.9

Everything looks very normal and this is 11 weeks post exposure.  my doc said if it was my liver that has been causing the problems there would be an elevation and clearly there isn't.  Does anyone have any thoughts.  I still have crampy feelings in my stomach.  Some on my right and it seems like there is some everywhere.  I don't know if my stress levels may be impacting my stomach too.  It just feels like I can't get rid of this feeling for a few days now.

[chevyelcam79]

I was diagnosed about 7 years ago.  I also had right side pain for a very long time, always thought it was my liver.  Then at the begininning of this year I was told I had a gall stone and had my gallbladder removed.  

I was stage 2 prior to treatment.

Hmmmm......  could have been gallbladder, could have been hep c probably combo of both.  

[nygirl7]

I had absolutely no symptoms of this disease ever and by the time I was diagnosed 20/25 years later I was already stage 3.

It's best to be tested immediately if you think you possibly have the disease. it is a simple blood test and worth finding out now rather than later.

[alagirl]

I actually am one of the few people who had a documented case of acute hepc.  I was exposed on 7-1-07 and became ill about 3 or 4 weeks later.  And my pain was in the same place that it had been four years ago when I had problems with my gall bladder, right up under my rib cage.  My other symptoms were a horrible intractable nausea that I could not get rid of, dark urine and difficulty urinating, an ulcerated area on my lower calf, and terrible fatigue.  Also, my liver enzymes shot way up very quickly, for the first time in my life, and I appeared somewhat jaundiced.

[copyman]

sounds like gall bladder. see a doctor for ultra sound & hida scan. good luck

[irishrayne]

The thing w/ liver pain is that it usually radiates. We don't have a lot of nerve endings deep in our bodies so altho we may be experiencing inflammation we can't always determine where the sensation is actually coming from. Ex: I was experiencing acute pancreatitis. The pain would actually make me feel as tho my neck and shoulders were having spasms.
I would definetly reccommend a trip to your doctor. If you are @ risk of having contracted HCV then ask them to run the blood work on you.

[working dog]

i'm a high school drop out can i guess???  first do you have little red spots on your skin in the liver area?...did you just stop drinking??  i had plenty of pain in the liver area before but not much now..if your liver is swelling up it can hurt in the liver area and if it is shrinking it can hurt in the liver area  also.... itching...when my liver is acting up i itch a lot...but i itched like crazy when i stopped drinking..could be a lot of things though..good luck..billy

[TeeVee36]

I went to the emergency room 6 yrs ago when i had horrible abdominal pain that really couldn't be described only it was worse at night.  This pain lasted for about a week.  I was diagnosed at the emergency room with Hepatitis.  They would not say which one, just that i needed to go to my regular doc for a test to determine which one.  Shortly thereafter, I was diagnosed w Hep C.

I would go to the Doctor or emergency room because pain is not normal and something else could be seriously wrong.

Good luck to you,

TV

[Yellowfin]

I have some of the very symptoms you described.  I was recently diagnosed with hep C, however, I expect it was about 35 years ago when I was infected.  About a year ago I was told I have hep C.  I am finally gettting something donoe.  The symptom that caused me to go back to the docotr is fatigue.

I have no idea what IBS is.

Good Luck...go to the doctor