good hep c doc

[clhndluke]

Hello, I have the c and have posted before but has been awhile, there is just one actual hep doc in this small town and I am not sure about her, have recently been diagnosed with diabettis,and am getting that under control, first how bad is metformin on the liver? I have not had any alcohol in about 4 months, biopsy scheduled for july, but have been eating healthy, exercising,
and treating my body pretty good but,still have bad fatigue,
in the afternoon, and  fever and flushing,itching after exercising,
and hard work,my last alt was 83, ast 54, but vl load 13mil. but
that test was in 2005, and was still drinking, probably had hangover at the time,are these late stage symptoms? should I try to move my biopsy date forward, and how do I find a good hep doc in Oregon or the pacific northwest? My hep doc think's I should treat,my gastro doc doesn't think so, and have read that a vl load this high is untreatable? Could the alcohol affect my tests this drastically? What to do? I seem to read good advice here,would appreciate any now, am I eligible for any trial?
well will quit whining, am sure there are a lot of people,worse than me.

[nygirl7]

Don't worry my friend - you aren't the first one that was drinking with hepc but you did the absolutely right thing when you stopped.  I didn't know I had it for 20 - 25 years and drank HARD during all of those years let me tell ya (with a few bouts of sobriety mixed in).  Having HepC, knowing how I'd magnified the effects of the disease by drinking and knowing I was at stage 3 already...helped me really not to drink all throughout.  (Plus the alcohol negates the effects of the meds so that they don't work so it's not worth it).


1. You need to have new tests done.  Without the RIGHT and CURRENT information how could ANYONE know if you "needed" to treat or not?  You need that biopsy asap. New liver enzyme numbers will tell you how much your liver is CURRENTLY being damaged but it can't tell you how much damage has already been done to it in the past by drinking etc.

2.  Having a high VL is no reason not to treat at all.  MANY people with high VLs have done just fine. They "say" it's a better thing to have a lower viral load but...I had a very low viral load and had a hell of a time getting to undetectible while I watched others in the millions do it quick and easy.

3. You need to look at all the scientific things and then look at your own life and circumstances and decide for yourself if it's the right time to treat.   If you don't have much liver damage you might want to wait - however - if at this time things are rolling along good and you have good insurance and a great support team (family or friends) you might decide you want to get rid of it now before it can do more damage to your liver.  If you have stage 3 like me then you really have to look at it and go for it pretty much.


As you can see - before anyone makes any GUESS (and without a biopsy and current bloodwork that is all it would be) you need to have these things done.

It's not fun doing treatment but believe me...it IS doable.  I should know, I'm the biggest baby in the world and finished 72 weeks four months ago.  If I could...anyone can!

Best of luck to you!

[GrandOak]

Try the following to help in your search:

http://www.hepatitis-central.com/hcv/drs/toc.html

[illo]

My viral load was up to 15 mil, but came down to 6 before starting tx.  It fluxuates, and fluxuates if there is one lab draw right after another.  It only means something when it is compared over time.  Glad to hear you stopped drinking. The scarring of the liver makes the liver hard, the blood to the pancreas diminishes and it doesn't make insulin as well.  Gotta get that damage reversed.
Hope you find a good doc.  Make sure you like whomever you get, even if you have to drive a little.  Get the biopsy, the damage is already there whether you wait or not.  Good Luck!  Keep us posted!