Looking for answers

  Looking for Light
  
  I was recently diagnosed with HCV.  I was hospitalized several times in my early teens for hepatitis
  I never had any more problems after that; I did have blood work from time to time to keep a ck on my liver. But not what would be considered regular checkups.  I was also a practicing alcoholic until 1986.  A few weeks ago my feet and abdomen began to swell.  A trip to my  MD and some blood work reviled something  going on.  He then tested me for hepities and the results were Positive for C.  He then refereed me to a liver specialist.  I got the results from the blood work over the phone today.  The AFP according to the nurse was normal?  My HCV RNA was 22.9.  The Doctor wants me to have an ultra sound on my next appointment.  The problem is I can't get an ultra sound until March the 17.  I have been looking over the net for info on HVC and find some very scary things.  My first symptom I thought was the swelling.  But in reading I have more.  Tired, aches and pains, nausea, trouble urinating, the red dots in my hands, and on my chest, but I do not show any signs of juntas.  I was in a Tailspin during the DR's examination I no he talked about cirrhosis but can't remember exactly what he said but think it wasn't good.  Any comments you may have would be appreciated

[HFHSM.D.-D.M.]

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Dear BB:
I can appreciate your situation and your concerns.  I think a lot of patients find themselves in a situation where they are waiting for an evaluation to be completed and they fear the worse.  They read about symptoms of advanced liver disease and they are afraid they have many of them.  
The most important advice I can give you is not to assume the worst.  It sounds like your doctor is evaluating you in a thoughtful way and you should start to get answers to your questions.  A lot of the symptoms of advanced liver disease are very non-specific.  A lot of my patients have fatigue, aches and pains and an increasing abdominal girth.  I would not assume they are signs of a failing liver.  
You might ask your physician if he has values for your albumin, bilirubin, protime and platelet count.  These are fairly routine lab values.  If these are normal, they would argue against you having a failing liver.  When you have the results of the ultrasound, you will have even more information.  
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