new to this

[melissa4715]

i just found out i tested positive for hep c.  the only test i've had done so far was a liver enzyme test.  The dr office called me and said they were extremely high and referred me to a hep c clinic.  The clinic is on a waiting list (4 months) and i have NO insurance  What does all of this mean? (liver enzymes?)  I'm very confused and my doctors office doesn't want to tell me anything!

[Bill1954]

HCA: Yeah, I figured as much; I just wanted to clear things up a little :o).


Melissa: As medicmommy says, you’ll be fine for a long time; no rush with this, usually. Take your time, and figure out what this disease is all about.


Another reference page available on the Medhelp site is:

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Hepatitis/Common-Hepatitis-C-Acronyms/show/3?cid=64

It can be found on this page as “common hepatitis C acronyms”, filled in the box “most viewed health pages” in the lower right-hand corner of this page.

Take care, and continue to read—

Bill

[Bill1954]

Ok; sorry to hear of your diagnosis. A good site for basic HCV knowledge is “Janis and Friends:

http://janis7hepc.com/

You can start by clicking on “newly diagnosed” near the top of the page, and also by opening “other HCV information” in the right-hand margin.

You should ask for your HCV genotype; this describes the ‘strain’ of Hep C you have, and will help determine the length and duration of treatment, should you decide to go that way. You might decide to postpone treatment; not all of us need to do it. That decision is generally based on the amount of liver fibrosis (scarring) that has occurred. Since you probably just recently got this disease, it’s probably minimal.

There are new medications that are in clinical trial right now that might improve the treatment odds, along with the duration of treatment, depending on genotype.

Continue to read and ask questions; there are a lot of people in here that are wiling to help walk you through this.

Take care—

Bill

[melissa4715]

wow thank you!  already feel like a load taken off of my shoulders

[medicmommy]

First of all...(((((((((((((HUGZ)))))))) and welcome to the forum...I'll share with you the same things that were shared with me when I was first diagnosed and not just a little bit freaked out...(1) Hep C is a disease of DECADES (2) You have time to make decisions regarding how you want to deal with it (3) Hep C is transmitted from blood to blood...This means it takes a break in your skin to come in contact with infected blood (or the introduction of contaminated blood into you somehow) There will be a LOT of folks here with a LOT of information -so much so, that your brain will be full and spinning just a bit...

Okay, so you've been diagnosed with Hep C. Did you already have a viral load (the amount of the virus making copies of itself) and do you already know what your genotype (the strain of Hep C) is? The usual pattern of things after you've been diagnosed go like this...Diagnosis (Is it chronic (been going on a long time) or is it acute? (Recently infected or a flare up)....Wait forever for a hepatologist (better than a GI doc) referral...See the Dr. he/she shares some crazy numbers and letters with you that only leave you with more questions...Then you wait some more...You may get a liver biopsy done...See the Dr again...He/she tells you your results and gives you the option of if you want to treat the Hep C...(some people choose to, some wait, some never do)...You wait some more...You see a pattern here? :) So, for now, you need to take a deep breath, hang on tight, and learn as much as you can about Hep C so you may go into your appointment armed with information and having some idea what he's talking about.
Your liver enzymes, when elevated, show that your liver is working hard to filter your blood, and that it may be inflamed...There are many things that can cause this. ..The things you can do right now for your liver...don't drink any alcohol, no Ibuprofen or tylenol if you can help it, stay away from vitamins with added iron (iron in veggies like spinach and meat is okay), and read up on what foods are liver healthy and eat them! Visit janis and Friends.com...it is a hep C site that will give you a lot of good answers to the bajillion questions you are going to have after you adjust to the idea of having this yuk...hang in there and ask as many questions as you need to...Take care...~Melinda

[HCA]

I infered that the high enzymes had triggered a Hep C test which was positive for viral serum.
The original post was a touch ambiguous, so no doubt I shall be corrected if I am wrong.

[melissa4715]

i tested positive for hep c and then after i was diagnosed they checked liver enzymes

[Bill1954]

I was wondering how the doctor diagnosed you for Hep C. The liver enzymes are not enough to diagnose with, if that is the only test performed so far? It requires a positive PCR (HCV RNA) result.

Bill

[HCA]

Yes,chronic!.
Probably no liver damage-you have lot's of options.

[melissa4715]

I am 27 and i quit drug use in november of 07 and starting iv drug use in july of 07 so i must have been infected between that time>  Not sure on genotype.  i am always tired and thought maybe that was a side effect

[HCA]

The high liver enzymes tipped the doctor off to test for Hep C and you are positive.
Most likely you will now have ant-viral treatment which lasts from six months to a year and is fairly unpleasant.
Others here will talk you through the process.
Do you have more info. such as your age, genotype and how long you have been infected?

[melissa4715]

i guess i should also add that i must have had this since november of 2007 so does that mean that it's chronic?