What do I do next?

[pjm2000]

I feel fine but a recent blood test showed my AST at 51 and ALT at 71. I had an ultrasound done and it came back normal. I have taken Xenical in the past which in rare cases causes elevated liver enzymes. I am a 46 yr old female with no past medical problems but my parents had heart problems.

[Showboat]

Thanks for letting us know...you have a great view.....prayers going out :>)

[AK - Hepper]

Now Now, calm down everybody, :-}

I called the nurse to get the results, they said they'd give her a message I'd called and she would call me back. Well, I don't work close to a phone and I don't like carrying a cell around all day then run outside real fast so I can get reception. So I requested that she leave the results on the answering machine,
she just did what I asked her. I was a little miffed she didn't give me the numbers on the enzymes, but it's no biggie. She's supposed to send me a copy of the labs, anyway.

Thanks for all the well wishes, you all are great!

I do recall reading about the guy that relapsed with a really low viral load, then cleared again. That's what I'm hoping for, too. Just seems like the numbers would be a lot higher after 4 months. It was 376,00 before tx, I read that usually when you relapse it goes right back where it started, so who knows????

I did 52 weeks pegasys/riba, don't really want to do all that again very soon. I didn't quite clear at 12 weeks, but did at 24.

We all know this treatment is just a **** shoot anyway, me being 1b I knew the chances were even at best. So, I made sure not to get my hopes up too high.

I'm fortunate enough to be able to wait awhile and see what happens, my liver showed minimal damage in 2000 biopsy.
Maybe the magic bullet we all are waiting for will appear soon.

Well, thanks again everybody, your responses are really heartwarming.
                           Timbo

[Galen]

Timbo, I just saw your news.  I am so sorry - don't know what to say.  There are a lot of people here who can talk to you and share their wisdom on coping with it.  I wish you well and will say a prayer that the results were wrong.  Can't believe that you got the news on an answering machine.  That nurse should be shot.

[cuteus]

OH No! I am so sorry the darn thing was not squashed to death. I was so worried when I read you had been feeling tired lately...some others that relapsed had mentioned feeling better post tx, then getting fatigued...then the bad news...i was so praying you were not in that group. 740 is not a big load, some rebounded to thousands and millions in less than that...how long did you treat? i remember you did 48, geno 1 I guess? were you evr? I am on wk 54 and so tired of it...but...
I am so sorry...I will pray for extra strength blessings for you.

[Showboat]

It sounds like you got your information from your phone message, and as you said, it was not very detailed, did you get a chance to speak with you Doctor yet?  I am hoping for the best for you.......let us know what else you find out.  I am praying for you.....Peace

[cuteus]

Now that i recalled, someone in this forum stated that he got a positive low vl post tx but in subsequent tests it came out negative, we were all puzzled, now he is (I think) one yr svr. I think your dr should repeat the test. make sure he does both the quant and qual. has he/she call you yet? that is an awful way to let someone know possible bad news. Now I am angry.

[AK - Hepper]

Well, I got my 4 month post tx pcr results today, positive with viral load 741. That seems awful low for 4 month relapse. Don't really know what to think about that. One liver enzyme was still high, one was normal...this is how the nurse described it on my answering machine, not a very detailed report.

Thanks for all the migraine responses, glad to see it's not just me, not to say glad that you all are having them though.

[kansas yankee]

just what showboat said...DITTO with the migraines!
I started with Advil, Ibuprfen and all the OTC drugs I could take!Was awful!

[britgirl]

IMitrex is good but I find Zomig (Zolmatriptan)even better! Same family of drugs. As the previous post said, a miracle drug.
I have had migraines for about 12 years and still have them even though I no longer have HCV. They were particularly bad during tx. I am resigned to the fact they are part of my life. I have tried acupuncture, ice bags, feverfew etc, but only the drugs work! Sometimes I worry about the number of pills I am taking, but I can't bear the migraines and they help me lead a normal life. ON tx I took Zomig nearly every day.

[hph5477]

YES.  Migraines with a capital "M".  My dr prescribed Imitrex for me and as far as I am concerned it has been a miracle drug.  It doesn't work for everyone and only works for migraines but you check with your dr.  My biggest problem is that I often wait too long before taking it so it may take an hour or so to really kick in but when it does the pain is GONE; it does not linger.  If I take it when I first get the headache, however, it's gone within 20-30 minutes.
   Imitrex is expensive, though, so if you get a prescription for it you might want to only get a few pills the first time.  They are almost $20 per pill. They work so well for me that I would pay for them out of my own pocket if I had to; fortunately insurance picks up the tab though.
   Good luck.  Hope this info will help some.

[cindee]

HI and welcome. Go get a test for Hepatitis! And if you have it, find a good hepatologist. They only work on the liver. I wish you the best. Yhat will ease your mind. love @ prayers, Cindee

[Showboat]

Yes...ouch!  Had many migrains during tx.  Had to have the room dark, and used many cool washcloths on my head and back of neck, and stomach was very queazy. I never had to go to hospital for them, just took a nonaspirin and slept.  Was very debilitating though.   I ended tx almost two months ago, and was surprised to be hit with the WORST migrain ever.....last week......for about 48 hours of jabbing head pain....it was so bad I almost went to the hospital.  I gave myself a time limit of pain endurance, and it finally went away.  It was scarey.  It felt like a long and very sharp rod was being driven into the top of my top right side of head, and the pain traveled down through my right eye and ended in one of my back molars.....owwww!!! Like someone was hitting the rod with a hammer... These were sharp fast shots of pain with no pattern...sometimes they only "stabbed" my head for a short while, and sometimes they lingered for quite awhile.  I cannot describe the weird pain....made my molars feel like they were vibrating.
Mind you, this is after finishing tx...so perhaps, I may experience these for awhile,at least until the meds finally leave my system.......hope they never come back.   Hope you do not experience any more of them.......sorry you have to experience them at all.......I hear many people have this sx with tx.  (aren't we lucky???)  :>)

[AK - Hepper]

I finished tx 4 months ago. I've been getting really tired at work lately, that may have brought on the migraine. PCR results on Tuesday...

[AK - Hepper]

Anybody besides me get these muthas??? I had to go to the ER today to get rid of one I've had for 5 days!!! They gave me some IV stuff now everything is all better. Bet the insurance company is gonna love me, they took a cat scan too, doc sais we now have proof that I have a brain! ;-}

[hph5477]

Liver enzymes can be elevated for many reasons.  Most of us here either have ourselves or family/friends with Hepatitis C (HCV) and that is what has caused our enzymes to be elevated.  Sounds like you need to get back with your doctor and do some further testing.  I think the ultrasound will just til you if you have an enlarged liver or fatty liver and will not really detect for diseases.
  Maybe someone else will come along and respond with a little more helpful information.  In the meantime, enjoy the holiday and try not to worry too much.

[Dirac]

It is a good idea now if you check if you have hep c or not.
Good luck