Aa
What do I do now?
I was just informed that I have a positive EIA and HCV RIBA.after donating plasma
Was i just exposed to Hep c?
Do i have Hep C?
Where do I go from here.
I"m Freakin
Was i just exposed to Hep c?
Do i have Hep C?
Where do I go from here.
I"m Freakin
Back at you!
"bat zhit " Is not an unfamiliar term in "The Big APPLE" down here only us yankees use it.
Botz
"bat zhit " Is not an unfamiliar term in "The Big APPLE" down here only us yankees use it.
Botz
Interferon heals livers; humor heals souls.
Out here we use the term “bat zhit”, Botz
Be cool, and keep smiling—
Bill
Out here we use the term “bat zhit”, Botz
Be cool, and keep smiling—
Bill
Your too much,that,s the first time I've laughed in a couple of days.
Where I come from and I never claimed to be the worlds greatest speller.
Botz=To go botz=crazy losing my mind+This thing is making me go Botz.
If I keep thinking about this disease I'm going to go Botz.
It may be slang for Bats either way this thing has made me go Bats or Botz!!!
So there you go and thanx for the laugh.
(Botz )but getting better
Where I come from and I never claimed to be the worlds greatest speller.
Botz=To go botz=crazy losing my mind+This thing is making me go Botz.
If I keep thinking about this disease I'm going to go Botz.
It may be slang for Bats either way this thing has made me go Bats or Botz!!!
So there you go and thanx for the laugh.
(Botz )but getting better
Cool.
Hey, I don’t know where you’re from, but I always thought these were spelled Botz. I now stand corrected :o). In California, they can’t seem to build 10 feet of highway without installing 200 or so of these little things on the center line. They don’t work in other states too well- the plows tend to scrape ‘em off in the winter, LOL!
http://www.snopes.com/business/origins/bottsdots.asp
Definitely off topic regarding HCV, but a chuckle anyway. Say hi to cousin Elbert soon for me!
Bill
Hey, I don’t know where you’re from, but I always thought these were spelled Botz. I now stand corrected :o). In California, they can’t seem to build 10 feet of highway without installing 200 or so of these little things on the center line. They don’t work in other states too well- the plows tend to scrape ‘em off in the winter, LOL!
http://www.snopes.com/business/origins/bottsdots.asp
Definitely off topic regarding HCV, but a chuckle anyway. Say hi to cousin Elbert soon for me!
Bill
I'm starting to sound like a broken record "THANKS BILL"
The information you've provided is clear and easily understandable for a newcomer like myself and that is greatly appreciated.
Be Well
Botz
The information you've provided is clear and easily understandable for a newcomer like myself and that is greatly appreciated.
Be Well
Botz
Hi Botz,
I believe the RIBA test is considered quite specific for HV antibodies. While the EIA testing is more cost effective, it is also subject to a certain degree of erroneous readings. If you tested positive via RIBA (Recombinant Immuno-Blot Assay) for HCV, at some point along the way you have been exposed to the virus, I believe.
More on HCV testing:
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/hepatitis_c/test.html
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/416562_6 (free registration might be required to view this site).
Remember that without a NAT-based result, your HCV status is still up in the air; you cannot be formally diagnosed with active Hep C without clarifying your HCV RNA status. We need to keep this in mind; sometimes cool things happen :o).
By ‘hep free”, I meant that if a person clears the virus via their own immune response, they will no longer test serum HCV RNA positive; this is the actual virus itself. Assuming this is the case, the patient will no longer carry the virus in detectable amounts (from a clinical perspective :o)), but will probably always carry the antibodies. Antibodies are produced by the human immune system in response to the presence of virus, and do not carry a threat to ones health. They do however, make it difficult, if not impossible to donate blood or organs, and purchasing life and health insurance can be problematic, to say the least.
Good luck going forward- you might discuss your health insurance concerns with your primary care doc when you see him/her. However, most doctors aren’t very good insurance counselors, even by their own admission :o).
Be cool, and take care—
Bill
I believe the RIBA test is considered quite specific for HV antibodies. While the EIA testing is more cost effective, it is also subject to a certain degree of erroneous readings. If you tested positive via RIBA (Recombinant Immuno-Blot Assay) for HCV, at some point along the way you have been exposed to the virus, I believe.
More on HCV testing:
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/hepatitis_c/test.html
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/416562_6 (free registration might be required to view this site).
Remember that without a NAT-based result, your HCV status is still up in the air; you cannot be formally diagnosed with active Hep C without clarifying your HCV RNA status. We need to keep this in mind; sometimes cool things happen :o).
By ‘hep free”, I meant that if a person clears the virus via their own immune response, they will no longer test serum HCV RNA positive; this is the actual virus itself. Assuming this is the case, the patient will no longer carry the virus in detectable amounts (from a clinical perspective :o)), but will probably always carry the antibodies. Antibodies are produced by the human immune system in response to the presence of virus, and do not carry a threat to ones health. They do however, make it difficult, if not impossible to donate blood or organs, and purchasing life and health insurance can be problematic, to say the least.
Good luck going forward- you might discuss your health insurance concerns with your primary care doc when you see him/her. However, most doctors aren’t very good insurance counselors, even by their own admission :o).
Be cool, and take care—
Bill
Also, you can find good stuff at hcvadvocate.org
Lots of fact sheets on every subject in the book.
I messaged you, did you see your "inbox" way up there top right, above the search engine box. Hit it.
Cathy
Lots of fact sheets on every subject in the book.
I messaged you, did you see your "inbox" way up there top right, above the search engine box. Hit it.
Cathy
Thanks Bill
You seem pretty well informed.and I have found the Janis site extremely helpful.
I hit you with a lot of stuff,I appreciate the time you've given me.
I'm a little slow it may be possible to get( drug induced Hep) from acetaphetamon.
and possibly self correct.I think I'm done with Tylenol irregardless
False positive on the EIA and HCV REBA because of Tylenol unlikely.(one could hope)
So all the wishing in the world isn't going to change the fact that somewhere along
the line I was exposed and the anti-bodies were the soldiers fighting it?
I think you said 20-30% with the anti-bodies clear through their own immune system.
If I were one of that % does that mean the anti body would not show up in an EIA or HCV
EBA RETEST?
Everybody's different obviously any idea how long that could take?
And when you say clear does that mean Hep Free?
Sorry about all the questions but this things is still making me a little Botz!
Stay Well
Botz
You seem pretty well informed.and I have found the Janis site extremely helpful.
I hit you with a lot of stuff,I appreciate the time you've given me.
I'm a little slow it may be possible to get( drug induced Hep) from acetaphetamon.
and possibly self correct.I think I'm done with Tylenol irregardless
False positive on the EIA and HCV REBA because of Tylenol unlikely.(one could hope)
So all the wishing in the world isn't going to change the fact that somewhere along
the line I was exposed and the anti-bodies were the soldiers fighting it?
I think you said 20-30% with the anti-bodies clear through their own immune system.
If I were one of that % does that mean the anti body would not show up in an EIA or HCV
EBA RETEST?
Everybody's different obviously any idea how long that could take?
And when you say clear does that mean Hep Free?
Sorry about all the questions but this things is still making me a little Botz!
Stay Well
Botz
Boy, I’m certainly not a medical expert by any means; neither are most of us in here. Thanks for the good words though.
Hepatitis simply translates as “inflammation of the liver”, and can be caused by many things. Some of these could be auto-immune hep, drug-induced hep, the list goes on and on. You have apparently been exposed to viral hepatitis C; as evidenced by your antibody production. Antibodies are specific to a disease, and something that the body produces as a reaction to that disease.
I believe you could take a boxcar full of oxycodone and not develop antibodies to HCV. Maybe what they were referring to was the Tylenol (acetaminophen) portion of the drug. Tylenol itself is considered toxic to the liver in high doses; a person can develop drug-induced hepatitis from a Tylenol overdose, and could possibly self correct if the drug was discontinued.
Ironically, Tylenol seems to be the pain reliever of choice for HCV patients; taken in moderation, there is little evidence that it will do any long-term damage.
HCV RNA = PCR =NAT; sort of :o). NAT (Nucleic Acid Testing) is a method of testing directly for the presence of virus (rather than indirectly by way of antibody production). There are several types of NAT; bDNA, PCR and TMA are all different versions of Nucleic Acid Tests, each with their own test performance characteristics. The results are considered highly specific; that is, false positives, false negatives, etc, are extremely rare. The results of these tests are usually considered conclusive by the medical community.
Good point about insurance; I really can’t help you too much there. As mentioned before, HCV treatment can be prohibitively expensive… think U.S. $60,000 to $150,000 per treatment year. Insurance is obviously a good thing to have with this disease; perhaps someone with more experience in this department can chime in and provide some info for you. Good point, though.
Glad to hear you’re disclosing this to your family; the probability of transmission is low; but it’s the right thing to do.
Again, take a look through Janis and Friends site; I linked the address above somewhere I think. If not, one of us will provide it for you. And continue to ask questions in here; there are patients in here that delve far deeper into this disease than I ever will :o).
Be well—
Bill
Hepatitis simply translates as “inflammation of the liver”, and can be caused by many things. Some of these could be auto-immune hep, drug-induced hep, the list goes on and on. You have apparently been exposed to viral hepatitis C; as evidenced by your antibody production. Antibodies are specific to a disease, and something that the body produces as a reaction to that disease.
I believe you could take a boxcar full of oxycodone and not develop antibodies to HCV. Maybe what they were referring to was the Tylenol (acetaminophen) portion of the drug. Tylenol itself is considered toxic to the liver in high doses; a person can develop drug-induced hepatitis from a Tylenol overdose, and could possibly self correct if the drug was discontinued.
Ironically, Tylenol seems to be the pain reliever of choice for HCV patients; taken in moderation, there is little evidence that it will do any long-term damage.
HCV RNA = PCR =NAT; sort of :o). NAT (Nucleic Acid Testing) is a method of testing directly for the presence of virus (rather than indirectly by way of antibody production). There are several types of NAT; bDNA, PCR and TMA are all different versions of Nucleic Acid Tests, each with their own test performance characteristics. The results are considered highly specific; that is, false positives, false negatives, etc, are extremely rare. The results of these tests are usually considered conclusive by the medical community.
Good point about insurance; I really can’t help you too much there. As mentioned before, HCV treatment can be prohibitively expensive… think U.S. $60,000 to $150,000 per treatment year. Insurance is obviously a good thing to have with this disease; perhaps someone with more experience in this department can chime in and provide some info for you. Good point, though.
Glad to hear you’re disclosing this to your family; the probability of transmission is low; but it’s the right thing to do.
Again, take a look through Janis and Friends site; I linked the address above somewhere I think. If not, one of us will provide it for you. And continue to ask questions in here; there are patients in here that delve far deeper into this disease than I ever will :o).
Be well—
Bill
Bill,
No question about letting her and my son know,thats a done deal i already mentioned to her there was a problem with some blood work,i've just been putting it off the last couple days.Shes been asking.
You seem like a real knowledgeable guy(wish they had spell check)on this subject and
extremely helpful as has everyone else who have helped me here.
Being how i'm still in denial,let make ask you if you know anything about Toxic and drug induced hepatitus as it relates to (the EIA and HCV RIBA TESTS)Is it possible that
the the heavy use of oxycodone( Roxicet) and acetametaphon would produce a positive result?I was looking through The Mayo Clinic Family Health Book and they had some information that with the discontinuation of medication adverse liver reaction would cease.
What i'm asking if you know 1)could the drugs cause a false positive? or 2) is it just wishful thinking and the prolonged and heavy use of acetametaphon and oxycodone only
aggravated what was already present(HEP-C).
I beleive I understand that an HCV RNA and PCR test? would be definitive,I'n not sure what NAT testing means i'm guessing it also means a definitive test.
Where the problem lies here is that Insurance which i currently don't have will be next to impossible to obtain once a definite diagnosis is made.
Someone has made the analogy that once I'm positively Diagnosed Hep C through confirmation testing i've just kicked an anthill and no one is going to pay for this pre-existing condition.
I know the odds are slim but i'm just trying to rule out every possibility here do my homework and make the right choices because you and i both know the outside world
is not nearly as compassionate as the people i've met here on this forum.
Bill any advice on the novel I just wrote would be greatly appreciated,From what i've seen though you seem to be the go to guy around here.
Warmest regards
Batz
No question about letting her and my son know,thats a done deal i already mentioned to her there was a problem with some blood work,i've just been putting it off the last couple days.Shes been asking.
You seem like a real knowledgeable guy(wish they had spell check)on this subject and
extremely helpful as has everyone else who have helped me here.
Being how i'm still in denial,let make ask you if you know anything about Toxic and drug induced hepatitus as it relates to (the EIA and HCV RIBA TESTS)Is it possible that
the the heavy use of oxycodone( Roxicet) and acetametaphon would produce a positive result?I was looking through The Mayo Clinic Family Health Book and they had some information that with the discontinuation of medication adverse liver reaction would cease.
What i'm asking if you know 1)could the drugs cause a false positive? or 2) is it just wishful thinking and the prolonged and heavy use of acetametaphon and oxycodone only
aggravated what was already present(HEP-C).
I beleive I understand that an HCV RNA and PCR test? would be definitive,I'n not sure what NAT testing means i'm guessing it also means a definitive test.
Where the problem lies here is that Insurance which i currently don't have will be next to impossible to obtain once a definite diagnosis is made.
Someone has made the analogy that once I'm positively Diagnosed Hep C through confirmation testing i've just kicked an anthill and no one is going to pay for this pre-existing condition.
I know the odds are slim but i'm just trying to rule out every possibility here do my homework and make the right choices because you and i both know the outside world
is not nearly as compassionate as the people i've met here on this forum.
Bill any advice on the novel I just wrote would be greatly appreciated,From what i've seen though you seem to be the go to guy around here.
Warmest regards
Batz
Hey Botz,
You’re getting some good advice here.
If you’re like most of us, you’ll go through the search for the source of infection until you get dizzy, then accept that it’s a more efficient use of energy to spend it fighting the disease than trying to track it’s origins :o).
“What I want to know is how long after exposure could it show up. Could I get exposed on Tuesday and have it show up Friday”.
I guess that depends on how “show up” is defined. I believe it takes 5-6 weeks for antibodies to begin to develop, and several months to fully develop. As for symptoms, many people can have this for 30-40 years, and only then begin to “feel” something unusual. A person can contract HCV and maintain normal range liver enzymes all the way through End Stage Liver Disease. Unusual but possible.
The thing is, you found yourself positive for antibodies; order the confirmatory NAT testing, and take it from there. Now it is manageable, for the most part. The thing with the ex and kid is unfortunate, but I think you know that the right thing to do is suggest they test also. I was married for twenty years and had plenty of opportunity to pass this along. My ex and adult children have all tested negative for antibodies.
Be well-
Bill
You’re getting some good advice here.
If you’re like most of us, you’ll go through the search for the source of infection until you get dizzy, then accept that it’s a more efficient use of energy to spend it fighting the disease than trying to track it’s origins :o).
“What I want to know is how long after exposure could it show up. Could I get exposed on Tuesday and have it show up Friday”.
I guess that depends on how “show up” is defined. I believe it takes 5-6 weeks for antibodies to begin to develop, and several months to fully develop. As for symptoms, many people can have this for 30-40 years, and only then begin to “feel” something unusual. A person can contract HCV and maintain normal range liver enzymes all the way through End Stage Liver Disease. Unusual but possible.
The thing is, you found yourself positive for antibodies; order the confirmatory NAT testing, and take it from there. Now it is manageable, for the most part. The thing with the ex and kid is unfortunate, but I think you know that the right thing to do is suggest they test also. I was married for twenty years and had plenty of opportunity to pass this along. My ex and adult children have all tested negative for antibodies.
Be well-
Bill
It does help and Thank You,It helps a lot, everyone here has helped and I am Thankful
this place is here.
This is just an emotional rollercoaster thats really messing me up,one minute i'm fine and
the next minute i lose it.
It is what it is,I'm done crying about it.
Botz
this place is here.
This is just an emotional rollercoaster thats really messing me up,one minute i'm fine and
the next minute i lose it.
It is what it is,I'm done crying about it.
Botz
"All over the map" (and web!) is exactly where many of us have been; it's a natural response -- this forum will help you traverse those hills and valleys and help you find a peaceful place. Sorry that circumstances have brought you here, but welcome to the forum.
It's not unusual at all for someone who has Hep C to have normal-appearing labwork -- it's one of the reasons HCV goes undiagnosed for so many people for so many years. As you said, it's not something that's usually part of routine testing, so for most people who get the diagnosis, it's *guesswork* as to how and when it was contracted.
I'm not knowledgeable about exposure/testing timeframes, but hopefully someone who is will chime in.
As for your concerns about your child and former partner, it's certainly understandable, but statistics tell us chances are in their favor that they do NOT have HCV. My husband and I have had an active (and unprotected) sex life for over twenty years, and I am HCV negative, as is our son. There are many members who can vouch to years of infection, a very active sex life, and a partner who is HCV negative (risk is estimated to be about 5% or lower for sexual transmission, since HCV uses a blood-to-blood transmission route.) Though risk is low, you should address your concerns with them -- as testing for antibodies and RNA is the only way to be sure.
Hope this helps.
Best wishes,
~eureka
It's not unusual at all for someone who has Hep C to have normal-appearing labwork -- it's one of the reasons HCV goes undiagnosed for so many people for so many years. As you said, it's not something that's usually part of routine testing, so for most people who get the diagnosis, it's *guesswork* as to how and when it was contracted.
I'm not knowledgeable about exposure/testing timeframes, but hopefully someone who is will chime in.
As for your concerns about your child and former partner, it's certainly understandable, but statistics tell us chances are in their favor that they do NOT have HCV. My husband and I have had an active (and unprotected) sex life for over twenty years, and I am HCV negative, as is our son. There are many members who can vouch to years of infection, a very active sex life, and a partner who is HCV negative (risk is estimated to be about 5% or lower for sexual transmission, since HCV uses a blood-to-blood transmission route.) Though risk is low, you should address your concerns with them -- as testing for antibodies and RNA is the only way to be sure.
Hope this helps.
Best wishes,
~eureka
Love ya, love your posts! :-) I just got my Part D, and ready to start tx, Sept 1st. I'm getting in shape!!!
c.
c.
This is the first time i"ve been a part of any Forum and I appreciate the help.
I can't make myself crazy trying to figure out HOW because what little i've learned it's a hopeless cause.Razors,Toothbrushes,Prison,IV drug use,I read you can get it snorting
coke a straw someone else used is that possible?The doctor said it could live outside the body and could find its way in through a cut ?
I've been around long enough maybe I did get it years ago,I can't rule out every possible way I'm reading you can get this.
What I want to know is how long after exposure could it show up.
Could I get exposed on Tuesday and have it show up Friday I know that probably sounds ignorant but when it comes to this I am.
Two yrs. ago i had a physical top to bottom.Blood, Liver enzymes,hdl all that **** but I'm told they would'nt be looking for Hep C.
I had a longtime monogomous relationship that ended 5 yrs.ago though we share a child
What do i say?Oh by the way I've tested positive for the Hep C antibodies and you should too?What about my kid?
As you can see i'm all over the map.
Botz
I can't make myself crazy trying to figure out HOW because what little i've learned it's a hopeless cause.Razors,Toothbrushes,Prison,IV drug use,I read you can get it snorting
coke a straw someone else used is that possible?The doctor said it could live outside the body and could find its way in through a cut ?
I've been around long enough maybe I did get it years ago,I can't rule out every possible way I'm reading you can get this.
What I want to know is how long after exposure could it show up.
Could I get exposed on Tuesday and have it show up Friday I know that probably sounds ignorant but when it comes to this I am.
Two yrs. ago i had a physical top to bottom.Blood, Liver enzymes,hdl all that **** but I'm told they would'nt be looking for Hep C.
I had a longtime monogomous relationship that ended 5 yrs.ago though we share a child
What do i say?Oh by the way I've tested positive for the Hep C antibodies and you should too?What about my kid?
As you can see i'm all over the map.
Botz
Yah yah --- first off --- Stop Freaking... LOL!
That's kinda important yanno?
We're all here --- to help --- read through the forum - get some good information --- GET YOURSELF ARMED to the teeth with info --- so that when you go next to your doctor you will be just as informed as he/she is.
Sorry about the Diagnosis --- but hey --- Welcome to the forum.
We have the VERY best group of folks to help out --- and hang out with.
Hugs,
Meki
That's kinda important yanno?
We're all here --- to help --- read through the forum - get some good information --- GET YOURSELF ARMED to the teeth with info --- so that when you go next to your doctor you will be just as informed as he/she is.
Sorry about the Diagnosis --- but hey --- Welcome to the forum.
We have the VERY best group of folks to help out --- and hang out with.
Hugs,
Meki
Ah, of course; silly me. I’ve had problems with assess spelled with a single “s” before. Good thinking. I still hate the ****** filters though.
Bill
Bill
Assess, you prob. wrote 2 butt$. lol
Oh, Botz, you can also get it from a Gamma Globulin shot if you ever had one. I just learned myself, it's made of donated blood plasma. I got mine around 1975.
c.
Oh, Botz, you can also get it from a Gamma Globulin shot if you ever had one. I just learned myself, it's made of donated blood plasma. I got mine around 1975.
c.
***** above = measure? Sometimes I don't understand these profanity filters; ******* things :o)!!
Hey, no problem.
For a few of us, HCV can be a life-threatening disease; for others, more of a nuisance. Many of us in here believe we’ve had it for twenty or thirty years; and are just now becoming symptomatic, or for whatever reason are just getting diagnosed. It should definitely be addressed, I should make that clear.
The actual progression of the disease is measured by liver damage, rather than viral load, like other many other viruses. Sometimes a liver biopsy is indicated, to ***** the damage and make treatment decisions. For some patients, it might be better to coexist with the virus, rather than undergo treatment; the treatment for this is relatively expensive, and often comes with some hefty side effects. It also is ineffective approximately 50% of the time, depending on additional factors.
Again, unless you have reason to believe you might have contracted this within the last few months, you probably have plenty of time to consider your options and come up with a plan. If you *do* think you might have contacted it recently (IV drug use, prison exposure, etc.) then time might be of the essence.
Try to tone down your response from Full Bore Linear Panic to something mild like Modified Stationary Panic, for instance :o).
This is a blood born virus; it’s primary risk factors include IV drug use, dialysis, certain biopharmaceuticals and transfusions prior to 1991. It is *rarely* transmitted via sexual exposure or casual contact. Last I looked the US CDC does not recommend for or against the use of barrier contraceptives for monogamous couples, unless one (or both) of them is co-infected with HIV as well.
HCV is a b!tch, no doubt; but it is for the most part survivable.
Good luck going forward, and let us now how things turn out for you—
Bill
For a few of us, HCV can be a life-threatening disease; for others, more of a nuisance. Many of us in here believe we’ve had it for twenty or thirty years; and are just now becoming symptomatic, or for whatever reason are just getting diagnosed. It should definitely be addressed, I should make that clear.
The actual progression of the disease is measured by liver damage, rather than viral load, like other many other viruses. Sometimes a liver biopsy is indicated, to ***** the damage and make treatment decisions. For some patients, it might be better to coexist with the virus, rather than undergo treatment; the treatment for this is relatively expensive, and often comes with some hefty side effects. It also is ineffective approximately 50% of the time, depending on additional factors.
Again, unless you have reason to believe you might have contracted this within the last few months, you probably have plenty of time to consider your options and come up with a plan. If you *do* think you might have contacted it recently (IV drug use, prison exposure, etc.) then time might be of the essence.
Try to tone down your response from Full Bore Linear Panic to something mild like Modified Stationary Panic, for instance :o).
This is a blood born virus; it’s primary risk factors include IV drug use, dialysis, certain biopharmaceuticals and transfusions prior to 1991. It is *rarely* transmitted via sexual exposure or casual contact. Last I looked the US CDC does not recommend for or against the use of barrier contraceptives for monogamous couples, unless one (or both) of them is co-infected with HIV as well.
HCV is a b!tch, no doubt; but it is for the most part survivable.
Good luck going forward, and let us now how things turn out for you—
Bill
I can't thank you enough.
When I got a certified letter on Friday asking me to come in and talk to the doc because there was something out of range with my sample,and to see him ASAP I'm thinking hes going to tell me I had leukemia or something. The letter sounded pretty ominous.
When he told me Hep C I said you gotta be kidding me!
So i've been like a nut trying to figure out where i got it,what it means,denial and I've been in shock all weekend.
I guess i should be grateful it's not leukemia and I'm thankful I found this site.
I appreciate your info more then you can know and at least I can make a plan of action and calm down.
THanks again
Botz
When I got a certified letter on Friday asking me to come in and talk to the doc because there was something out of range with my sample,and to see him ASAP I'm thinking hes going to tell me I had leukemia or something. The letter sounded pretty ominous.
When he told me Hep C I said you gotta be kidding me!
So i've been like a nut trying to figure out where i got it,what it means,denial and I've been in shock all weekend.
I guess i should be grateful it's not leukemia and I'm thankful I found this site.
I appreciate your info more then you can know and at least I can make a plan of action and calm down.
THanks again
Botz
The first thing is to stop freaking. Second, schedule an appointment with your primary care doc and have her review your labs; she will probably refer you to a specialist for further confirmatory testing. Approximately 20-30% of people that are HCV antibody positive clear the virus with their own immune system. You will most likely be tested for serum HCV RNA, which tests directly for the presence of virus, rather than indirectly via antibody response.
Assuming the results for serum HCV RNA return positive, it’s important to remember that HCV is generally a very slow moving virus; you will be in a much better position to deal with it having a little background and education.
If you want to investigate this more thoroughly, continue to read here and ask questions; you can also peruse this site:
http://janis7hepc.com/
Click on any item of interest in the blue box. Remember that HCV is the most common blood born virus in the U.S.; a conservative estimate tells us that nearly four million are infected here alone, versus around one million with HIV. You have plenty of company :o).
Try to relax, talk to the doc, and stay in touch—
Bill
Assuming the results for serum HCV RNA return positive, it’s important to remember that HCV is generally a very slow moving virus; you will be in a much better position to deal with it having a little background and education.
If you want to investigate this more thoroughly, continue to read here and ask questions; you can also peruse this site:
http://janis7hepc.com/
Click on any item of interest in the blue box. Remember that HCV is the most common blood born virus in the U.S.; a conservative estimate tells us that nearly four million are infected here alone, versus around one million with HIV. You have plenty of company :o).
Try to relax, talk to the doc, and stay in touch—
Bill
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These tips may up your chances of a cure.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
