Hep C RNA test results....GI doc....more confused than ever.....

[crystalemmaandava]

so i had my follow up with a GI today to go over RNA results and she said that the virus is detected but under 615 so ordered more sensitive test to get specific viral count but she said it looked like acute and that we would test viral count every 3 months to track viral count.... she actually said i could have gotten it from tattoo or waxing....quite ironic that after years of horrible iv drug practice i end up getting it from tattoos or waxing..hmmm?  ain't life funny? she also said that based on all the other tests that had been done it appeared that i didnt have any immunity to hep b and that she thought i might have that? so ordered test for that too? and on top of it diagnosed crohn's disease?

just a bit confused about it all.... had no clue about hep b or that it would somehow be flagged by other test done for hep c?

any thoughts or advice is greatly appreciated!

crystal

[Trish77]

Your doctor would have had to test for Hepatitis B specifically and perhaps she did.  I know my doc did the opposite..when confirming my Hep B status, he threw in a test for Hep C.  Shocked the he!! out of me AND my doc to have the Hep C test come back antibody positive.  If you've never been tested for Hep B, it's good your doc is testing that with your history.  I figure I got both about the same time or at least within the same period and for the same reason.  The difference is that with Hep B, around 85% clear on their own whereas with Hep C it's the other way around.  I'm immune and non-contagious to Hep B, which means I cleared it and developed immune antibodies.  If you have no immunity, you should get vaccinated for it if you don't have it.

As for the Hep C, it's good your doc is going for a more sensitive test as <615 is a very odd result and even for acute, as usually the viral load is a lot higher, from what I understand.  So I'd wait that one out a little bit longer before thinking you have Hep C however your chances of success are best to treat during the acute phase and if you haven't cleared by 3 months, best to start into treatment as it indicates you're not likely to clear on your own and you're still in that 6 month acute phase where your chances of clearing are significantly higher on treatment than if you get past the acute phase, from what I understand.  

So....as is typical with Hep ... more hurry up and wait for you but hang in there, the information is worth waiting for so that you deal with all of this exactly in the way that's best for you.

Trish

[willbb]

   Below is an article on the acute phase of HCV..

http://www.hepctrust.org.uk/hepatitis-c/The+acute+phase

[willbb]

Hi crystal....did you get a copy of your labs ,as it is easier for us here to maybe decipher what they say .rather than trying to remember once you leave the docs.
What is the "more sensitive test they have ordered ,if you know to determine vl.?

If you do have HCV in the acute stage,(cosidered in the 1st 6 months after exposure) there is an aprrox.20 -25% chance that you  could spontaneously clear the virus on your own and if not the infection will be considered chronic.

I am not positive of the current protocols on managing  acuteHCV however I believe that if treated at its early stage the success rate to clear is about 90%.

I also thought I read that the new thinking is ,,that if you don't clear on your own in the first 4 mo. after exposure  your chances of doing so diminish substantially.

Anne 1717 is currently treating in the acute stage so hopfully she will see your post and respond or you may want to send her a PM ,as she would obvoiusly have insight as to current protocols.

Good luck ..and if you can get copies of your labs it would be helpful

Will