Acute Hepatitis Symptoms but blood tests are all normal?

[Rick1975]

Hello everybody. Maybe someone can help me out with this. Exactly 6.5 weeks ago I had a high risk sexual encounter with a stranger. I also ate some pretty shady looking Mexican food down in Mexico around this time as well. So anyways, 2 days later, my face began feeling warm and stayed warm for about 10 days. After that, no symptoms until on the 25th day, my external oblique muscles on the left side began to feel sore, and then the next day, the other side began to feel sore, and they remained that way for approximately 2.5 weeks. I also had a dull ache in the upper right side of my abdomen, and another dull ache in the lower left part of my abdomen, along with some crazy malabsorption things going on in my bowel movements. During all of this time, I had an HIV RNA test done at day 10 & day 20, and both tests were negative. On day 29, I had an HIV 4th Generation test done, and it too was negative. Also on day 20, I was tested for all other STD's, and they all came back negative except for HSV1. Fast forward a bit, at 6 weeks post exposure, I saw a doctor about my abdominal pains. He checked my liver and found that it was slightly enlarged but that it was probably due to 20 years of drinking and eating bad. He ran blood tests, and everything was normal and well within range. He also did antibody tests for Hepatitis A, B, and C, all of which came back negative again, yet somehow I still think these symptoms are related to Hepatitis! With all of this said, if the pain I felt by my liver was due to an acute hepatitis infection wrecking havoc on my liver for almost 3 weeks, wouldn't that have shown up in ALT, Bilirubin, etc in my blood work?? My doctor said whatever it is causing you problems, it's not Hepatitis. Should I trust him? This is also the 2nd doctor I've been to who has told me I'm more than likely not infected with hepatitis, and that there is probably another reason for my symptoms. Lastly, in the last few days, I've also had more face flushing come and go, and occasional Malaise. Any info regarding this would be great!!! Thank you!

[flyinlynn]

Hep c infection has no symptoms for the majority of patients.

Having a warm face is not a symptom of Hepatitis and really such a vague symptom could be anything or more likely nothing as your doctors have told you.

We here are a community of patients in a support group helping others to deal with living with and treating hep c. We are not medical professionals of any kind.

With that in mind I would suggest you go with what your doctors have already told you. They are experts. We here are laypersons.

This is the hep c forum for other conditions you can try the forum for that condition. However they will probably have the same information.

Believe your doctors.