A new question

[Cati6725]

This is a question I haven't seen.   My Doctor ran a hep c test without my approval or knowledge.  I have chronic pain from a bad injury many years ago, so he runs a comprehensive blood panel once a year(all normal).  Other than that I'm completely healthy. Eat right, good weight, exercise.  I've never done any I've drugs, no transfusions, (although, many surgeries.  I don't know if I had any transfusions.  I was very young.)). I don't drink and never participated in any wild child activity.  I do/did go to nail salons. The hep c diagnosis was a shock!   I'm in my 50's and I have refused any common tests for diseases like breast or colon cancer.  I know this sounds stupid but I do have good reasons.  I wanted to live whatever time I have here on earth in ignorant bliss and with my health decent (as long as God allows).  (Treatment sounds horrible) . I feel violated (this is the 3rd time a Doctor has harmed me for life).   I now have an axe hanging over my head that under no circumstance should be there.  I'm extremely angry.  Question is "do you think this is medical malpractice?".  I don't want money I just want him to understand the stress he put over me for the rest of my life.  I want him to feel some of the hurt so, he thinks before he ever does such a thing again.  Also, has anyone wondered why suddenly the push to get baby boomers tested?  Seems odd a miracle drug that cost a whopping 84k for the treatment just came out. What would you do?

[Cati6725]

Thanks for the positive feedback.  You are correct.  I don't think this forum is a place for me.  

[Cati6725]

I had both. The load said :
HCV RNA, QUANT TMA 1,039,825 <43
HCV RNA,Quant,bDNA 6.02 <1.63
This test was performed using the COBAS AmpliPrep / COBAS TaqMan HCV Test Kit  (Roche Molecular Systems, Inc).

[nan535]

I'm sorry you wish you had not posted. I'm sure you feel that way because of the responses you have received.  I understand your feeling that your doctor was wrong by testing you for Hep C without your permission. We should be able to expect that our doctors respect our wishes. However, I would like to share our story with you and perhaps you may change your mind about the knowledge you now have about this virus.

I am negative for Hep C though my husband of over 40 years contracted the virus in 1979 as a result of a blood transfusion. He did not find out until 2010 he had the virus. By that time he had end stage liver disease and was a very sick man. He had hepatic encephalopathy which caused him to have episodes of severe confusion and hand tremors, portal hypertension, edema of his legs and ankles, and esophageal and stomach varices which had to be banded to prevent bleeding to death.  When we found out that all this was the result of a virus he had for decades, I was very angry and upset at his primary doctor who had treated him for over ten years for high blood pressure and never picked up that something serious could be wrong, even though his blood test results obviously showed his liver enzymes were out of whack.
What difference would it have made had we known?  It is only now after all, that there are finally treatments for him that have a real chance for a cure in a relatively short period of time with few side effects.
     Had we known he could have taken steps to protect his liver from further damage like not drinking ANY alcohol, and eating a healthier liver-friendly diet.
Luckily, I did not get infected with the virus as we took no special measures over the decades to protect me from getting it from him. Had we known he had the virus, we definitely would have made sure we took appropriate steps to ensure I was not  infected. Luck was on my side.
     I am not judging you and your feelings against your doctor and I don't think the others who have responded are either. I think we just want to let you know that there is another side to consider.  Not knowing is not necessarily bliss decades from now when you too may have ended up like my husband.
Knowing now, at some point, you may decide to treat it and get rid of this virus before it ravishes your body and your mind.
     My husband had a liver transplant in June, 2012, yet his struggles continue. He has traveled a very tough road since finding out in 2010.
     I do hope that you will soon realize that your doctor did you a very big favor letting you know.  

I wish you the best going forward.

Nan

[bbj2856]

I was at the Dr. on Monday of this week there was a lady in the office who  had tried to treat  4 diff times she said she found out in 2001 she had Hip. She was a none responder. Now she is the  the new meds  that were approved in 2014 and said no sides so far she has  like 3 weeks to go been UND since 2nd week she was grateful. I think you should be grateful you have a Dr. that  takes your health serious. That is just my thinking.

Good Luck
Bbj

[Type0]

I do not think you would win the malpractice case as there should be damage proven. Also you have a right to refuse the test, doctor was supposed to tell you that he intends to test you and can not test you if you dont want to be tested. He has responsibility to report finding to the health department. You are now in the database. Congratulations. There are definitely concerns about having this data on your file in some fields of work. But you can live with it. Nobody really care. Get your viral load and genotype information and start monitoring your health closely. Denial is not going to make you healthy. With this condition, your health can change unexpectedly. It helps to know what to look for. I for example, was in a hospital with severe abdominal pain years ago, and nobody think of do the liver test. They just said- nothing is wrong with you- if you can smoke a cigarette, you are not in pain. If your health status changes, now you know what to treat.  

[dontworry_behappy1]

Have you had Hepatitis C viral load test.  Or just the Hep C anti-bodies test.
25 percent test positive for Hepatitis C anti-bodies and don't have Hepatitis C.   You might want to find that out.