Possible Hep C Infection, Please Advise.

Hello,

I recently donated for The American Red Cross. I got paperwork from them stating that I may be infected with hepititis (hepatitis) C, as there were anti-bodies present. I am uninsured (suprise suprise) and could really use some advice as to the steps i need to take and how to go about things if im infected. Also, after having done research I see the drug Interferon alot, and it seems pretty scary. I know, First things first. Hope someone out there sees this.

Thank you & Look forward to hearing from you,

Zach

[spectda]

Hi Zach-
You will need to get a blood test (PCR) to see if you have any viral quantity in your body or just antibodies. Any doctor can order it, and there may be public health places in your area that offer it. If you have antibodies, your body may have fought off the infection itself and you may not have it.  There is always a possibility that the blood test at the red cross was wrong. Good luck-Dave

[sendittozach]

Thanks very much Dave. Ill go have the test done on monday. Ill keep it posted!

[Diane12855]

Dave gave you some good advice. I was kind of curious... have you ever had acute hepatitis C? I believe that is the only one your body can fight off on its own. You would have been pretty sick for about 6 weeks.

That follow up test is definitely the next step for you.

[mikesimon]

Everyone with HCV had acute hepatitis c at one point. It's defined as an HCV infection of less than 6 months - that's all.
I'm surprised that you didn't know that.
Mike

[Trinity4]

Not everyone gets pretty sick for about 6 weeks with acute hepc.  Lots of people never know they have the virus because they are asymptomatic throughout the acute phase, become chronic and years later find out they are infected with hepc because of routine bloodwork showing elevated liver enzymes or maybe a blood donation showing postive for antibodies.  In my case I developed Porphyria Cutanea Tarda but prior to diagnosis of PCT I never had any symptoms.  No fatigue, no body aches, no depression, nothing what so ever that indicated something was wrong.

Trinity

[tashka]

My husband never had any symptoms of acute hepatitis C. He was always very healthy person. For him acute phase, as well as many years after acute phase, were completely asymptomatic.

[tashka]

I was just wondering about something. Considering that he is uninsured, maybe it will be better for him not to get PCR right now? If hepatitis C will be confirmed, will he ever be able to obtain insurance?

Maybe, considering how slow this disease is, it is better to take steps to obtain insurance first and then do the test. What do you guys think?

[sendittozach]

I have thought about the same thing, seeing as how thats a pretty major pre existing for any insurance company to want to insure. Im still young, 24, and have never had my own insurance. All of these things I am glad are being talked about because I'm at a loss. A little scared/worried to say the VERY least. Dealing with the stigma associated with simply the word Hepititis (hepatitis) is demeaning to say the least. I know that right know its uncertain wether or not i have it, but I dont want to be un-informed should I ultimately have it. Just rather confused and hesitant as to what to do. I thank you all for your attention, understanding, and time.

[sendittozach]

Also, Looking at the symptoms from WebMD and Wiki. Sometimes I have noticed the yellowing of my hands, just slighty, enough to kind of make me notice. I have been told for a while now from my gf "your pee is darker than ive seen". and heres the big one. for nearly the past 3 months or so, my most common reply to how are you, and what are you doing, etc, was "I'm Tired" "Feel Sleepy" "Lethargic" "Sluggish". Now, I know all about the placebo effect etc and I do hope that im not blowing small normal things out of proportion to make sense of this. Gahh, My head hasnt stopped racing since i got the stupid letter.

[spectda]

If you apply for insurance privately I would assume you will be blood tested, maybe that is not always the case though. If you get insurance through a company group plan they generally they don't check you. If they don't check your blood and they accept you privately I would think there would be a pre existing condition clause which would not allow you to be treated for things they could prove you had before you joined the plan for 6 months to a year.  You don't have to tell them you had a blood test or the results. I think you will drive yourself crazy if you don't find out one way or another.

[Trish77]

Crazy system that you can't take care of your health because if you do, then you can't get your health taken care of.  I really, really wish you folks in the U.S. did not have to deal with this.  

If he gets hired by someone with decent coverage and gets in on their medical plan, does he actually have to say he has a pre-existing condition when all he has and knows is antibodies at this point?  Does he have to disclose that?

[spectda]

It really depends on the size of the company and the plan. Most big companies won't have restrictions on the group health plans and won't ask you about your condition prior. He doesn't have to tell them about his test. There is no national data base where they can find out, unless he had prior insurance and was receiving treatment. All he has to do is say he wants a blood test 6 months to a year later, and if it shows up positive for HCV he can see a  doctor for it. It is not urgent in his case, although if he is in the acute stage there is a greater chance of destroying the virus with treatment of course.

Zach-obviously if you only have the antibodies and no active virus, you don't tell them, and you never need treatment so it's not an issue.

[sendittozach]

I'm pondering on on applying for medicaid. Theres a lot of stigma that comes with it which i can deal with as is the same with hep c. Now, I'm 24 and have a job, but i dont make near enough to bury myself to the neck in doctor bills. I live in a decent apt on a good side of town and make enough to just cover what i need. What are your general opinions on Medicaid? Also if I have Hep C. I am told it will be on record with the state health dept as well as the CDC.

[spectda]

I have never heard of such a thing as your hcv status being on record with the state health department or CDC. Perhaps a doctor has to report a case but not the individuals name. I would think that reporting your personal health information without your release would be discriminatory and illegal. I would love to hear if someone really knows for sure.

[sendittozach]

Well, I can go and get tested at the the DHS (Department of Human Services) a state level program. At no cost to me. What do you all think? It will be at least another year before I can get insurance through my work.

[mk_]

Hi Trinity:
I was looking for informations on PCT and wondering if you could share some of your experience with PCT development, diagnosis and treatement with us..
I have started tx a few weeks ago and blisters developed on the back of my hands. I will report to my GI next weeks. seems like PCT is a seperate medical condition and hep c/ liver and blood anomilies trigger the skin outbreaks?.. Thanks, -mk

[Diane12855]

I was asking about the possibility of acute hep c because his body could have cleared it but there would still be antibodies but no virus. Since I have had this for 23 years, I am aware that not everybody has an acute case... I didn't. There is a major difference in the symptoms of an acute case though. My ex turned quite yellow, was extremely sick to his stomach and weak for about 6 weeks, and then his body cleared it and he was fine.

I think I read on the HEP C Advocate web site that you can only get an acute case the first 6 months after exposure.

[Trish77]

Diane, the first six months of anyone's initial infection with Hep C is the acute phase.  It isn't that some get a kind of Hepatitis C called acute and some don't.  It's that everyone enters into the acute phase at initial onset of infection.  Only if you don't clear on your own or with treatment in the acute phase do you go on to have chronic Hep C infection - which is about 85% of us. Everyone who has/had chronic Hep C was acute at one time and just didn't clear during that acute phase.

[spectda]

Acute
Acute hepatitis C refers to the first 6 months after infection with HCV. Between 60% to 70% of people infected develop no symptoms during the acute phase. In the minority of patients who experience acute phase symptoms, they are generally mild and nonspecific, and rarely lead to a specific diagnosis of hepatitis C. Symptoms of acute hepatitis C infection include decreased appetite, fatigue, abdominal pain, jaundice, itching, and flu-like symptoms. Hep C genotypes 2A & 3A have the highest cure rates at 81% and 74% respectively.
The hepatitis C virus is usually detectable in the blood within one to three weeks after infection by PCR, and antibodies to the virus are generally detectable within 3 to 15 weeks. Spontaneous viral clearance rates are highly variable and between 10–60%[2] of persons infected with HCV clear the virus from their bodies during the acute phase as shown by normalization in liver enzymes (alanine transaminase (ALT) & aspartate transaminase (AST)), and plasma HCV-RNA clearance (this is known as spontaneous viral clearance). However, persistent infections are common[3] and most patients develop chronic hepatitis C, i.e., infection lasting more than 6 months.[4][5][6]
Previous practice was to not treat acute infections to see if the person would spontaneously clear; recent studies have shown that treatment during the acute phase of genotype 1 infections has a greater than 90% success rate with half the treatment time required for chronic infections.[7]

[Diane12855]

Having been self employed for 25 years, and having only private insurance to choose from, I can tell you that if you lie on an application and they find out, they will drop you like a hot potato. If you get on with a group, they are supposed to take you even with pre-existing conditions after a waiting period. Since Zack was notified by the Red Cross, I'm pretty sure his name will pop up on a data base that insurance companies have access to. They found out about something my son was treated for 6 years ago that I had forgotten about, and that wasn't a reportable disease like hep c is.

I really think honesty is the best policy.

[Trinity4]

Hi mk,

Developed blisters on the backs of my hands in the late spring of 07.  I thought it was an allergic reaction to something at first but the blisters kept appearing especially with prolonged sun exposure.  It took a long time for the lesions to heal after the the blisters broke.  The skin on the back of my hands would tear very easily as in the slightest knock or bump and leave large sores.

PCT is caused by excess iron in the blood and phlebotomy removes the excess iron. I saw a dermatologist in late September and soon after the diagnosis of PCT I was diagnosed with hepc.  I started weekly phlebotomy sessions on Jan 2 of 08 (around 12) were they removed 500cc of blood per session and then immediately started antiviral treatment for the hepc. (March 08)   My ferritin level was over a thousand when I started phlebotomy sessions and when I ended them it was 17.  

If you are diagnosed with PCT it is not advisable that you treat with phlebotomy while on treatment because your hgb is going to drop from the treatment and with phlebotomy the hgb would rapidly drop into the critical zone.

The PCT is in remission now and I have not experienced any symptoms since treatment.

Trinity

[Desperatelyworried12]

Diane,
Question: i have a state job. I do have life insurance, but only the minimum. I do not have medical insurance as I have medical insurance through my husband who works for the state as well.  In 2 months open enrollment will come about. Will they give me a hard time if I want to up my life insurance and enroll medical benefits?  I don't know much about this stuff.  At this time, I have tested positive to the anti - HCV. I am pending further results. I am super scared about life insurance and being able to treat myself.  Please, someoneone give me your advise or knowledge over this issue!
--i'm worried

[Diane12855]

If you already have medical insurance with your husband's job, you should be OK... just stay married to your husband.lol. My insurance company WANTED me to do the treatment because they know that over the long term, it will be cheaper than ruining my liver.
As for the life insurance... They will probably want to wait to see if you clear the virus.

[carol411]

When my doctor confirmed I have hep C he informed me he was obligated to tell the county health department.  The next day, long before I had absorbed the news, I got a call, at work, from the county health person.  So he not only gave my name, but my employment info.  I no longer see that doctor.

[mk_]

Trinity, thanks much for the post on your experience with PCT. The symptoms that I have are very similar.  Since I have already started tx, I guess I will just have to wait and see..
-mk

[terrifromtucson12331]

WHATS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACCUTE AND CRONIC (chronic) HEP. JUST FOUND OUT I HAVE IT FOR 20 YEARS

[Bill1954]

Hi,

Acute and chronic Hep C (HCV) are defined by how long a person is infected. Anyone with HCV initially goes through the acute phase; this lasts for 6 months. During this phase, about 20% of patients will clear the virus spontaneously with the aid of their immune system.

After 6 months have passed, if the disease is still present, it will enter the chronic phase. If you’ve been infected for 20 years, you would be infected with chronic HCV.

Welcome to the discussion group by the way. In the future, you can open a new thread by scrolling to the top of the page, and clicking on the green ‘post a question’ button. This will open your own discussion, and you might get better responses this way.

Good luck—

Bill