Aa
how often should i get my labs done for Hep C if results are negative? pls advice
I wad diagnosed last year to have Hep C. I had a needlestick injury on Feb.28,2006. labs were done... then found out i had Hep C. The doctor at the clinic said i've had it for 2 weeks. Im note sure how he found out. Labs were also done to the patient i used the needle with like the Hep B surface Ag. Hep B core Ab Igm, Hep C Ab,and HIV antibody they were all negative. The doctor there advised me to go to my primary care physician. I was so scared for my hubby too coz he might get it from me. My doctor advised to get my Hep C Ab done again but turned out to be reactive again. But my husbands results were negative. My doctor said i was exposed to it but its not active anymore. I went to a different doctor for a 2nd opinion. He ordered more labs like anti nuclear, hepatic function panel,Hep C genotype, Hep C viral RNA Qual PCR,& etc. Everything was normal except for my Anti Nuclear which was 1.1 normal result would be 1.0. doctor didn't really make a big deal. My 2nd doctor advised me to get all these test done every 6months for three years. After 6months (9/15/06) i went back to my primary care physician. He did all the test but i requested the Hep C RNA TMA QUAL(much more sensitive test, if im not mistaken)thank godness when we got the result back it was normal "NOT DETECTED". I went back to my Doctor again to get labs done again coz 6 months has passed but he advised me not to get it done unless i wanted it done again. He said my results for the Hep C has been normal.pls advice me how often i should get my labs checked and any other test should i request. Thanks
Thanks for the comments.... i do have copies of all the lab results. I guess i will wait till around Sept. to get my test done again
A positive antibody test means you were exposed to the virus. But in the absence of a positve viral load test it means you cleared the virus by yourself. What you posted is an antibody test, not a viral load test. Therefore, your original doctor was incorrect when he diagnosed you with Hep C. All he should have said is that you have antibodies for Hep C.
What still puzzles me is howthe doctor in the clinic come to the assumption that you've had it for two weeks. My assumption is that the doctor is basing this statement on the fact that you had the needle stick two weeks prior. However, the patient not only tested negative for Hep C antibodies but the antibodies wouldn't necessarily show up in your blood that soon. That's why it would be important to get ALL the blood results from ALL your tests, including a copy of the patient's blood tests at the time for a more definitive answer. You could then post that information here, or preferably, since you work in a hospital, go to a liver specialist (hepatologist) and have them review and explain it to you. Hope this is more helpful than confusing but without more information, best can do.
-- Jim
What still puzzles me is howthe doctor in the clinic come to the assumption that you've had it for two weeks. My assumption is that the doctor is basing this statement on the fact that you had the needle stick two weeks prior. However, the patient not only tested negative for Hep C antibodies but the antibodies wouldn't necessarily show up in your blood that soon. That's why it would be important to get ALL the blood results from ALL your tests, including a copy of the patient's blood tests at the time for a more definitive answer. You could then post that information here, or preferably, since you work in a hospital, go to a liver specialist (hepatologist) and have them review and explain it to you. Hope this is more helpful than confusing but without more information, best can do.
-- Jim
The other confusing thing is that the patient you got the needlestick from tested negative to the Hep C antibody. If so, then how could you have Hep C for two weeks unless you got it from another source during that same time period? Again, if so motivated, best way to find out what happened is to collect ALL blood tests from the beginning -- including the patient's blood test -- and give them another look; as well as discussing the situation again with the doctor who gave you the original diagnosis. Again, the scenario is unclear, but if all you ever had were positive antibodies, and if the patient was negative for the antibodies, then it's possible that you had a much older exposure to Hep C than two weeks. Those blood tests should add more information if you're interested.
-- Jim
-- Jim
First off, while there may be a few in the medical profession here, nearly all here are patients who have been diagnosed, treated, treating, contemplating treating, relapsed from treatment, did not respond to treatment, etc.. Thus, we can only respond based upon our knowledge and experiences.
Like Jim, it is unclear how doc initially said you contracted HCV two weeks prior to your consult. I'm not aware of any test which is able to measure how long anyone has been infected.
That being said, it sounds as though your original doctor is not that knowledgable on HCV (not that surprising to many of us here actually who often times find that we seem to know more about HCV through our experiences than many of the doctors we encounter) and you should really be seeing a specialist in order to obtain sound diagnosis.
From all you have relayed here it does not sound like you are infected, or if you were that as Jim indicated you were one of the few who fortunately clear it on your own.
As this virus is blood bourne and only contracted by a blood transference, then I would recommend tha a far as your hubby is concerned, or anyone else for that matter, the best thing is to avoid any exposure of your blood until you obtain the evidence and peace of mind that you are not infected.
Like Jim, it is unclear how doc initially said you contracted HCV two weeks prior to your consult. I'm not aware of any test which is able to measure how long anyone has been infected.
That being said, it sounds as though your original doctor is not that knowledgable on HCV (not that surprising to many of us here actually who often times find that we seem to know more about HCV through our experiences than many of the doctors we encounter) and you should really be seeing a specialist in order to obtain sound diagnosis.
From all you have relayed here it does not sound like you are infected, or if you were that as Jim indicated you were one of the few who fortunately clear it on your own.
As this virus is blood bourne and only contracted by a blood transference, then I would recommend tha a far as your hubby is concerned, or anyone else for that matter, the best thing is to avoid any exposure of your blood until you obtain the evidence and peace of mind that you are not infected.
I'm confused on antibodies versus having the virus; my original blood work said:
Hepatitis C antibody Reactive Non Reactive
Signal to cut off 23.60 H <1.00
Patient's sample tests reactive with a high s/co ratio: > or = 8.0. Samples with high s/co ratios have been shown to repeat as positive using a different methodology 95% of the time or greater. Therefore, add'l testing for verification of the result is non recommended.
Does above make sense to you?
Hepatitis C antibody Reactive Non Reactive
Signal to cut off 23.60 H <1.00
Patient's sample tests reactive with a high s/co ratio: > or = 8.0. Samples with high s/co ratios have been shown to repeat as positive using a different methodology 95% of the time or greater. Therefore, add'l testing for verification of the result is non recommended.
Does above make sense to you?
The events and sequencing are a little unclear to me, but first of all it sounds like you have nothing to worry about.
One thing that is unclear is whether or not you actually had the virus in February or just the antibodies. If motivated, you could find this out by asking the clinic doctor how he knew you had Hep C "for 2 weeks" and asking for copies of the blood tests he gave you at that time. If it turns out you only had the antibodies then technically your doctor was wrong. You did not have Hep C at that time as he told you -- you only had the antibodies.
In any event, six months later you were negative with a very sensitive test, again meaning you didn't have the virus. If that was your last test, then you could have another sensitive test about now, which would be around the 1 year mark just to put your mind at ease although in all likelihood it will also be negative. If you've already had that test, then I agree with your doctor and don't see any reason for further testing.
What appears to have happened is that you were exposed to the virus, likely from the needle stick, and cleared it on your own. For that reason you will in all likelihood carry the antibodies for life but not the virus. Hope this helps.
-- Jim
One thing that is unclear is whether or not you actually had the virus in February or just the antibodies. If motivated, you could find this out by asking the clinic doctor how he knew you had Hep C "for 2 weeks" and asking for copies of the blood tests he gave you at that time. If it turns out you only had the antibodies then technically your doctor was wrong. You did not have Hep C at that time as he told you -- you only had the antibodies.
In any event, six months later you were negative with a very sensitive test, again meaning you didn't have the virus. If that was your last test, then you could have another sensitive test about now, which would be around the 1 year mark just to put your mind at ease although in all likelihood it will also be negative. If you've already had that test, then I agree with your doctor and don't see any reason for further testing.
What appears to have happened is that you were exposed to the virus, likely from the needle stick, and cleared it on your own. For that reason you will in all likelihood carry the antibodies for life but not the virus. Hope this helps.
-- Jim
OK. Let me ammend that and confuse you some more. It could be possible that the original doctor diagnosed you with acute Hep C based on a positive antibody test and significantly elevated enzymes. Then, your later tests showed only antibodies, again meaning you cleared. In this scenario, I believe you would have had intermittent elevated viral load, but if you didn't test during that time the virus was decteable, it wouldn't show. Again, you would need your complete blood work to see what he was looking at. It's uncommon that folks catch Hep C within weeks of exposure, which may account for some of the confusion, both with your doctors and with me. If you want to look more into the technical aspect of viral load, antibodies and acute infections -- go the Clinical Options Web Site and check out the slide presentation by Dr. Shiffman. Free registration is required.
Here's the link: http://www.clinicaloptions.com/Hepatitis.aspx
-- Jim
Here's the link: http://www.clinicaloptions.com/Hepatitis.aspx
-- Jim
What confuses me, and perhaps I missed it in some other thread, but were did Lilla post that a "doctor in the clinic come to the assumption that you've had it for two weeks" or is Lilla's posting with an antibody question being confused with jcm22's orginial post?
She started out with this,
'I wad diagnosed last year to have Hep C. I had a needlestick injury on Feb.28,2006. labs were done... then found out i had Hep C. The doctor at the clinic said i've had it for 2 weeks. Im note sure how he found out.'
'I wad diagnosed last year to have Hep C. I had a needlestick injury on Feb.28,2006. labs were done... then found out i had Hep C. The doctor at the clinic said i've had it for 2 weeks. Im note sure how he found out.'
Where?
I see Lilla's first post in this thread starting out with "I'm confused on antibodies versus having the virus; my original blood work said:", to which I seen Jim responding and then crossing over to the two week reference which I see, and you referenced, is really at the beginning of jcm22's opening post that started this entire thread.
Again, perhaps I missed something in another thread, or a thread on another forum, where jcm22 and Lilla the same person with two nicknames.
I see Lilla's first post in this thread starting out with "I'm confused on antibodies versus having the virus; my original blood work said:", to which I seen Jim responding and then crossing over to the two week reference which I see, and you referenced, is really at the beginning of jcm22's opening post that started this entire thread.
Again, perhaps I missed something in another thread, or a thread on another forum, where jcm22 and Lilla the same person with two nicknames.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis C Community
Learn about this treatable virus.
Getting tested for this viral infection.
3 key steps to getting on treatment.
4 steps to getting on therapy.
What you need to know about Hep C drugs.
How the drugs might affect you.
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.
