Aa
What does F2-F4 mean
I just had a normal liver ultrasound and now I got blood test back. It shows Hepascore Calculation 0.58,
Metavir is F2-F4. I've searched all over the web and no concrete answers. I can only guess that this is not very good. I'm just going by the scale and score. GI office said my scan is normal. Really? Anyone have any answers on this? I'm geno 1a had this virus for 45 yrs.
Metavir is F2-F4. I've searched all over the web and no concrete answers. I can only guess that this is not very good. I'm just going by the scale and score. GI office said my scan is normal. Really? Anyone have any answers on this? I'm geno 1a had this virus for 45 yrs.
Wow, you all have so much knowledge on this subject. I really appreciate all of your thoughts and advice .It's the unknown that bothers me and waiting for answers from Gastro Doc. January I will meet with his assistant to talk about treatment plan and how to pay for it. I have Medicare & Atena supplemental and plan D. I know there may be other sources for financial help around. For now I am just thankful I feel good and have much support.
It's surprising how many people don't know what this disease is and they think maybe I'm contagious.
Thanks for all your help and I hope you all have a Healthy Happy Christmas and New Year.
It's surprising how many people don't know what this disease is and they think maybe I'm contagious.
Thanks for all your help and I hope you all have a Healthy Happy Christmas and New Year.
By the way, the FibroScan machine is approved by the FDA - FibroSpect and FibroSure blood tests are not.
In 2014 the Board of Directors of the AASLD endorsed the FibroScan saying that the FibroScan made biopsies unnecessary and that FibroScans are more accurate than biopsies, due the greater variation of biopsies that does not exist in FibroScans.
Starting Jan 1, 2015 the CPT insurance billing code for FibroScans will be activated and most major insurance plans will start reimbursing for two FibroScans a year.
In 2014 the Board of Directors of the AASLD endorsed the FibroScan saying that the FibroScan made biopsies unnecessary and that FibroScans are more accurate than biopsies, due the greater variation of biopsies that does not exist in FibroScans.
Starting Jan 1, 2015 the CPT insurance billing code for FibroScans will be activated and most major insurance plans will start reimbursing for two FibroScans a year.
You are both right: People who treated with Interferon/Ribavarin and did not achieve SVR were hurt by the failed treatment and their progression through liver fibrosis was accelerated due to the failed drug regime.
However, of course people who achieved SVR were better off for doing the drugs. That's not because the drugs were inherently good - it is because they got lucky and cleared the virus.
Look through this forum and all through the historic posts and you will find the same thing over and over, patients who achieved SVR lecturing everyone about the great good of the drug, but patients who failed the treatment have often warned treatment naive patients not to do it.
With the newer safer drugs that conversation should be over, but it is never over for the sanctimonious.
However, of course people who achieved SVR were better off for doing the drugs. That's not because the drugs were inherently good - it is because they got lucky and cleared the virus.
Look through this forum and all through the historic posts and you will find the same thing over and over, patients who achieved SVR lecturing everyone about the great good of the drug, but patients who failed the treatment have often warned treatment naive patients not to do it.
With the newer safer drugs that conversation should be over, but it is never over for the sanctimonious.
Welcome to the forum.
I totally agree with Can-do.man about treating before you get a lot of liver damage.
It is much easier to treat before one gets Cirrhosis, there are fewer side effects to the drugs if one does not have advanced liver disease, and the SVR (cure) rates are much higher if one does not have Cirrhosis.
In addition, as Can-do says, as we age, the rate of liver fibrosis progression picks up speed. So, some of us have little or medium amount of damage even after many years of having Hep C, but as we age, that damage progression will start to accelerate and we can get a lot of damage in just a couple of years.
Add to that, there are many extrahepatic manifestations that we can get in addition to the actual liver fibrosis.
http://hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factsheets_pdf/Extrahepatic.pdf
"GI office said my scan is normal. Really? Anyone have any answers on this? "
---------------------------------------------------
The liver ultrasound will look normal unless you have Cirrhosis or HCC or some structural abnormality that shows up. The ultrasound is not a good indicator of liver fibrosis stage/damage until one has Cirrhosis, and then it picks up on the nodular formations which make the liver appear abnormal (which it is). But, by then, one has Cirrhosis. So your ultrasound probably does look normal if you are at Stage 2-3. My ultrasoind was perfectly normal and yet I had Stage 2 fibrosis.
I was at Stage 2 liver fibrosis when I was diagnosed in 2011. I started treatment within 2.5 months of diagnosis (with Incivek, Interferon, Ribavirin) and I treated for 48 weeks. I am glad I started treatment right away because now I am cured of Hep C (before the fibrosis progressed to Cirrhosis) and I feel 5,000% better than I did prior to treatment. I did have a lot of extrahepatic manifestations prior to treatment and many/most of those manifestations are now gone (since attaining SVR). Unfortunately, Hepatitis C triggered Sjogren's Disease, an Autoimmune Disease, so I am still dealing with that particular extrahepatic manifestation. But my blood glucose is now normal. I have no fatigue anymore. I feel so much better and I have my life back.
Hopefully you will be able to treat soon. The new drugs are easier to take, with fewer side effects, and the treatment duration is shorter.
Best of luck.
I totally agree with Can-do.man about treating before you get a lot of liver damage.
It is much easier to treat before one gets Cirrhosis, there are fewer side effects to the drugs if one does not have advanced liver disease, and the SVR (cure) rates are much higher if one does not have Cirrhosis.
In addition, as Can-do says, as we age, the rate of liver fibrosis progression picks up speed. So, some of us have little or medium amount of damage even after many years of having Hep C, but as we age, that damage progression will start to accelerate and we can get a lot of damage in just a couple of years.
Add to that, there are many extrahepatic manifestations that we can get in addition to the actual liver fibrosis.
http://hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factsheets_pdf/Extrahepatic.pdf
"GI office said my scan is normal. Really? Anyone have any answers on this? "
---------------------------------------------------
The liver ultrasound will look normal unless you have Cirrhosis or HCC or some structural abnormality that shows up. The ultrasound is not a good indicator of liver fibrosis stage/damage until one has Cirrhosis, and then it picks up on the nodular formations which make the liver appear abnormal (which it is). But, by then, one has Cirrhosis. So your ultrasound probably does look normal if you are at Stage 2-3. My ultrasoind was perfectly normal and yet I had Stage 2 fibrosis.
I was at Stage 2 liver fibrosis when I was diagnosed in 2011. I started treatment within 2.5 months of diagnosis (with Incivek, Interferon, Ribavirin) and I treated for 48 weeks. I am glad I started treatment right away because now I am cured of Hep C (before the fibrosis progressed to Cirrhosis) and I feel 5,000% better than I did prior to treatment. I did have a lot of extrahepatic manifestations prior to treatment and many/most of those manifestations are now gone (since attaining SVR). Unfortunately, Hepatitis C triggered Sjogren's Disease, an Autoimmune Disease, so I am still dealing with that particular extrahepatic manifestation. But my blood glucose is now normal. I have no fatigue anymore. I feel so much better and I have my life back.
Hopefully you will be able to treat soon. The new drugs are easier to take, with fewer side effects, and the treatment duration is shorter.
Best of luck.
Glad to hear. Sometimes these doctors and their staff seem to forget it's our life's and of course were going to worry when we get news like that. To them it's common everyday stuff. After 45 years your in pretty good shape. The thing is that the older we get Hep C damage seems to accelerate in most cases and starts to cause other problems. Hope your able to rid yourself of this and never have to look back.
Best to you
Best to you
Hey thanks for the info, you're so right on this. It was just validated by GI office. I had been waiting for a week to hear from them & finally called them. It can be unnerving when you're waiting to talk to someone.
from ride the wave.
from ride the wave.
"Anyway, treatment can accelerate cirrhosis, and people who encourage those without cirrhosis perhaps should bear that in mind, I don't know. it does seem to be fact, though."
Not sure what your trying to say or what your point is here. Do you realize the number one reason for liver TP's is due to Hep C? It's also the number one reason for HCC. A lot of people die each year because of Hep C causing cirrhosis. I'm cirrhotic and it's a true life changer. So I'm sorry but to suggest people ought to keep that in mind and not encourage treating before it's to late maybe you ought to read through all the threads of good people that have lost their life, had to go through a TP or dealing with HCC.
Have a good day.
Not sure what your trying to say or what your point is here. Do you realize the number one reason for liver TP's is due to Hep C? It's also the number one reason for HCC. A lot of people die each year because of Hep C causing cirrhosis. I'm cirrhotic and it's a true life changer. So I'm sorry but to suggest people ought to keep that in mind and not encourage treating before it's to late maybe you ought to read through all the threads of good people that have lost their life, had to go through a TP or dealing with HCC.
Have a good day.
Hi Scootie
Well that could explain why a female with hep c (ie less likely to develop cirrhosis) who was F1 in about 1993 treated 3 times with interferon treatments for 6 months each and was a null responder now has F4 cirrhosis diagnosed in Jan 2008.
I have always wondered why I developed cirrhosis as statistically I don't believe I should have. I have a male friend my age, never treated, slightly overweight, and drinks beer every weekend who is F1. Just figured I was one of the unlucky ones.
Well there you are and so it goes.....
Well that could explain why a female with hep c (ie less likely to develop cirrhosis) who was F1 in about 1993 treated 3 times with interferon treatments for 6 months each and was a null responder now has F4 cirrhosis diagnosed in Jan 2008.
I have always wondered why I developed cirrhosis as statistically I don't believe I should have. I have a male friend my age, never treated, slightly overweight, and drinks beer every weekend who is F1. Just figured I was one of the unlucky ones.
Well there you are and so it goes.....
Hi Scottie. I'm really not surprised that Interferon can accelerate damage to your liver. It's very sad to read all the people on the Post Treatment Forum with such debilitating after effects. So sorry that its has also happened to you.
Will say with this new Tx I know we are all hoping that there will be no longtime adverse effects. The future is yet to be determined. Lets all hope that they finally get it right, and in the end the trip will be worth the journey.
Stay Well
.....Kim
Will say with this new Tx I know we are all hoping that there will be no longtime adverse effects. The future is yet to be determined. Lets all hope that they finally get it right, and in the end the trip will be worth the journey.
Stay Well
.....Kim
Of course it's better not to drink alcohol with Hep C, but I drank on and off for decades with it, and as of March, 2008 my liver was functioning very well. Platelets 200,000 plus, all values except enzymes WNL. Strong as an ox.
Treated later that year, failed, developed cirrhosis within a year - this is not an uncommon story on Med Help forum. Platelets have been between 80,000 and 100,000 since then. Portal hypertension. My life has been shortened by treatment, and greatly diminished. Very sick since then.
New treatments are different, BUT many folks seem to be reporting the same sorts of side effects.
Anyway, treatment can accelerate cirrhosis, and people who encourage those without cirrhosis perhaps should bear that in mind, I don't know. it does seem to be fact, though.
See, eg:
"Conclusion: These unexpected findings suggest that hepatic inflammation and fibrosis may be accelerated by interferon-alpha based antiviral therapies in patients who fail to clear the hepatitis C virus."
http://liverlearning.aasld.org/aasld/2012/thelivermeeting/24360/myrna.cozen.nonresponders.to.interferon-based.treatment.of.hcv.exhibit.an.html?history_id=124860
Treated later that year, failed, developed cirrhosis within a year - this is not an uncommon story on Med Help forum. Platelets have been between 80,000 and 100,000 since then. Portal hypertension. My life has been shortened by treatment, and greatly diminished. Very sick since then.
New treatments are different, BUT many folks seem to be reporting the same sorts of side effects.
Anyway, treatment can accelerate cirrhosis, and people who encourage those without cirrhosis perhaps should bear that in mind, I don't know. it does seem to be fact, though.
See, eg:
"Conclusion: These unexpected findings suggest that hepatic inflammation and fibrosis may be accelerated by interferon-alpha based antiviral therapies in patients who fail to clear the hepatitis C virus."
http://liverlearning.aasld.org/aasld/2012/thelivermeeting/24360/myrna.cozen.nonresponders.to.interferon-based.treatment.of.hcv.exhibit.an.html?history_id=124860
Hi there. Can-do is right. You do not have stage 4 which is Cirrhosis, and trust me you don't want to get it. Your liver is still at a point where if you get treated for your Hep C it can revert to normal. Until that time you do NOT want to drink alcohol. Hep C and alcohol are not a good combo as this will speed up you progression to stage 4, cirrhosis.
Right now your in pretty good shape but you should get the new meds that have just come out that will cure your virus. Not only do it for your liver, but you will feel like a new person (better) without carrying around a destructive virus.
Be well
.....Kim
Right now your in pretty good shape but you should get the new meds that have just come out that will cure your virus. Not only do it for your liver, but you will feel like a new person (better) without carrying around a destructive virus.
Be well
.....Kim
Good news on the U S. From what you posted it sounds like you have had the blood test Fibrosure or maybe Fibrospect. If that's the case then their results are.
• F2 − bridging fibrosis with few septa: 0.48-0.58
• F3 − bridging fibrosis with many septa: 0.58-0.72
Now here's the thing your are within the range that those test are not very reliable but with that, a CBC, the U S and a exam one should be able to rule out stage F4. To me it sounds more like late stage 2 or early stage 3.
One could always have a Biopsy or a fibroscan if wanted. Myself I would get with a good Hepatologist or if your current GI treats many patients and is up to date on these new meds snd get started on the correct way to rid yourself. By doing so now and becoming SVR it doesn't much matter whether your stage 2 or stage 3.
Best to you.
• F2 − bridging fibrosis with few septa: 0.48-0.58
• F3 − bridging fibrosis with many septa: 0.58-0.72
Now here's the thing your are within the range that those test are not very reliable but with that, a CBC, the U S and a exam one should be able to rule out stage F4. To me it sounds more like late stage 2 or early stage 3.
One could always have a Biopsy or a fibroscan if wanted. Myself I would get with a good Hepatologist or if your current GI treats many patients and is up to date on these new meds snd get started on the correct way to rid yourself. By doing so now and becoming SVR it doesn't much matter whether your stage 2 or stage 3.
Best to you.
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.
