what symptoms do you experience if any with stage 3 hep c?

[DSIGNGUY]

I have stage 3 hep c. I think 3.2 they said. I tried harvoni and it didn't work and am seeing doc to try a dif med. My question is this....... I was superman up until about a yr and a half ago. I have a pain just to the right of my belly button that has slowly grown to where it hurts constantly. I have had every type of test imaginable trying to figure out the cause. Ct scans, colonoscopy, top scope, pill cam of small intestine, gall bladder removed. It just aches, nothing really to do with what I eat I don't feel. What if any symptoms do other people in stage 3 hep c have? I really don't feel like it matches anything I read on hep c and what I feel. 2 Gastro docs don't sound like they think its from hep c neither, but I have been tested and tested again on the cause. They act like the hep c isn't that big of deal at this point yet and my liver numbers aren't horrible. I am just at my wits end with the abdominal pain and not getting any sort of diagnosis. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have tried 2 gastro docs, and they don't seem to be that knowledgeable on hep c. Last one sent me to infectious diseases in hopes they could help me pick the right meds to try, does that sound like a good idea? I live in the boonies and have to drive an hr to a real city to see docs and they seem hard to find one who actually cares enough to figure this all out for me. Thats not including all the redtape bs from insurance the whole way while hurting. I'd love to hear from people with symptoms they have at stage 3, thank you so so much. Glad I found this place. My name is Dan

[Dee1956]

Marc, thanks so much. Now that you mention it I had a pain like that and it was discovered that I had strained the material between my ribs. It's called costochondritis.
I had this pain for a while until my osteopath said he felt I had strained it.

Here is a link to a definition
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costochondritis

There is also a muscle in the back that rund around to the front which can cause pain

Good luck!

[virt111]

First, and I know it's been said, but if you're at stage 3 and your doc tells you your 'liver numbers' are okay, I'd be seeking out new doctors. That is F'd up.

Onto your pain...If you feel like you've exhausted any medical condition, you may want to look at musculature problems. Dull aches certainly can arise from your body mechanics when you work or perform tasks. Is there anything you do repetitively that may put strain on that area? Standing and leaning over a table for hours, etc.

I sit in an office chair during the day and a while back, I was getting a dull ache under my rib cage on the right side. I had HepC for 30 years at that point and the mind bends you over the proverbial barrel thinking that the inflammation may be causing referred pain or whatever.

Anyhow, the short story is, I was subconsciously leaning to the right in my chair with the armrest catching my right side. This caused a dull ache to persist day and night until I stopped leaning.

Good luck with determining a cause, and I hope you can get treatment for your HepC now. The bottom can fall out quickly as we age.

Marc

[Dee1956]

I'm so sorry you are in pain. I know what that feels like, to be in pain and the doctor finds no reason, until they do.

Have you had your gall bladder checked? Just a thought.

How did the doctor decide on  your level?
Good luck

[DSIGNGUY]

Had gallbladder removed hoping that was the issue but it wasn't. I have had every test under the sun done. I have had a liver biopsy, about a yr ago, and blood tested for numbers recently as well. Go next week to discuss what meds to try for hep.

[flyinlynn]

Ok so hep c doesn't have stages but liver damage does. Do you mean you are F3 fibrosis which means you have enough liver scaring to be F3? By the way the F referee to fibrosis so in English that would be Fibrosis level 3.

F4 is as far as the scale goes which is liver cirrhosis.

How were you diagnosed? I am assuming you mean F3 liver damage which is just below cirrhosis which would improve your chances of insurance approval. Did you have a Fibroscan test or a fibro sure blood test? Were you diagnosed by liver biopsy?

In any event as to your original question as I best understand it "Does a fibrosis score of 3 liver damage caused by hepatitis c have symptoms?"

In general no liver disease has little to no symptoms until the liver becomes cirrhotic and begins to fail also known as decompensated cirrhosis. Symptoms could be a severely  bloated stomach to the point of looking pregnant caused by excess fluid retention, Swelling of the lower limbs called edema or hepatic encephalopathy. Also the development of enlarged blood vessels in the esophagus the can potentially start bleeding with potential loss of life.

I had hep c for 37 years and cirrhosis for the last 9 years. The only symptom I have that I notice is some lower leg edema. I had  esophageal varices but I had those banded to prevent a dangerous bleeding episode back in 2012. That was not something I could feel it was discovered with upper endoscopy which was done because I have cirrhosis. Work with your doctors to find the source of your pain but it is very unlikely to be related to fibrosis F3 and hep c.

Yes an infectious disease specialist is someone that you can work with he should be familiar in treating hepatitis C and how to follow you for your treatment.

Most of us that don't live in major cities have to drive to see our specialist I also drive an hour to Seattle to see my doctors there.

Best of luck to you I hope the doctors find the reason for your pain

[DSIGNGUY]

All I've read makes me think the pain isn't from the hep c, but all of the docs I see get stuck on the hep c and wanna say its probably that since nothing else has been found. Yes my liver is at F3 from hep damage correct. I just wondered if anyone had symptoms such as myself, and from what I read there aren't many symptoms until later possibly. Just at my wits end with docs and insurance bs through out it all, while hurting worse each month.