How did you find out you had Hep C?

[jdwithhcv]

Rocker's thread about annual LFT testing got me wondering.  How did you learn that you had Hep C?

I was tested after my cancer surgeon noticed scarring on my liver when he reviewed my annual follow-up CT scans.  Later I learned that my PCP (former) had ignored elevated ALT and AST for more than 25 years.  By the time I was tested the liver damage was stage 2/3.  Good thing the surgeon ordered that test and asked questions or I would not have gotten tx!

jd

[alijee]

My story is very confusing. On 21.01.03 i drank and smoke Hashish. After 10 minutes i got very confused and my heart rate went to 120. BP was also high and i was feeling my self powerfull. i went to emergency and they give some sleeping pills. Next morning when i woke up, i felt tiredness in both legs. Day by day,  i started getting much tired and only after one week i was in the bed completely. The most affected part of my body by this infection was my legs. I lost appetite gradully. i was too weak to walk. After examination the HCV was detected. SGPT was at 142. But i could not get PCR. After 6 years of every time tiredness in legs, i got pcr in aug 2008 and started tx. Now im post 3 week. Feeling better gradualy.

Im confused whether i was infected priorly and drink+smoking boasted it up. Or i got infections through drink or smoke (which is not possible).

[FloridaMouse]

I was on chemotherapy for treatment of Leukemia when I was 25 years old (1985).  At that time I was receiving 2 units of whole blood and a unit of platelets every day.  I'm one of the few that went into a seriously acute phase and was in a coma for 11 days.  So I pretty much knew right away.

Mouse

[Trish77]

For the record, I never drew any water out of any toilet and didn't know anyone who did.  

[thegypsy9164]

I posted way early in this thread that I was aware of one contact with the infection through tatooing.  Since then I've remembered going to the plasma lab in the late 70's and being rejected because of something with my blood that they didn't know enough about (according to them) to explain.  I just forgot about it until now.
Joey

[thegypsy9164]

This thread has been the greatest!
Dawn,  the biopsy is not that big of a deal...really.  I've had 2 and was freaked out both times but it was just my imagination terriblizing about the procedure.  In reality, it really wasn't that big of a deal, not bad at all.  About the Hep-C, damnit! The good news is that Hep-C can be cured.  Think those positive thought no matter how sick the treatment may cause you to feel.
I am so glad that the Hep-B issue came up here.  I am amazed that so many of us Hep-C'rs have/had Hep-B.  B was a nasty little thing that a lot of needle junkies got from drawing their water out of the toilet for a fix because we sat there waiting to puke and empty out our bowels directly after our fix.  This is repulsive to read and think of but so true.  I had Hep-B in 1977/78.
Love to all
Joey

[charm27]

In  the early 80's I had VERY HIGH liver enzymes. I had a biopsy then at it showed inflammation. I was diagnosed as chronic hepatitis. I remember the doc saying he hoped it wasnt Non A-Non B hepatitis? I had not a clue neither did they as to what was going on.

In 1992 I was told I had Hep C.
I did you drugs at the age of 16 and 17 after that point I didnt do any drugs except for marijuana occasionally.

Thats was it. Thats my story unforrtunately.