Neuropathy in Hands

[palmbeachinfo]

Can Hepatitis C cause neuropathy in both hands? Meaning you have severe horrible pains in both hands. Most doctors I have seen are "clueless" except for one Neurologist from the "cleveland clinic" who says that this is common with people with Hepatitis C. Yet my question is if someone had unprotected anal intercourse (6) months ago is it possible to experience these symptons so fast? Most people say they dont have symptons of hepatitis c until 10-15 years later, So I am confused. I have spent 3k in medical bills yet doctors take your money and give you "0" answers...................

[palmbeachinfo]

My doctor referred me to a Kidney doctor and a Rheumotologist
I have 2 appointment 1 tommorow and the other on Aug 4th so I am glad that
finally I am getting to the right doctors. I think?  

[fretboard]

Here's a blurb, I cut and pasted for you to check out.  I'm sure it could be any of the below listed diseases or even something else.  The link is at the bottom.  later


A study revealed this week that a novel laser technique may allow doctors to identify diseases such as lung cancer, kidney failure, digestive problems, and asthma, by analyzing the patient’s breath. This technique, known as optical frequency comb spectroscopy, would provide a non-surgical, pain-free way to detect diseases. More than 1,000 various gases are released when a human exhales. A large amount of a particular gas in a person’s breath can suggest the presence of a particular ailment:

Ammonia: kidney failure
Methylamine: liver and kidney disease
Acetone: diabetes
Nitric oxide: asthma
In addition to this procedure being painless, the patient will know the results before stepping out of the doctor’s office. The patient just simply breathes into a tube around which there are mirrors that reflect a laser signal. The signal basically bounces off the varying compounds in the person’s breath. Each compound has a specific light signal that the machine can distinguish easily.
http://www.solidgeekery.com/2008/02/22/brush-your-teeth-your-breath-smells-like-cancer/

[jmjm530]

You don't need Dr. House and crew to diagnose Hepatitis C. It's a simple as a blood test. If you doubt the test you've taken -- and testing mistakes do happen -- then ask for another test. One very good test for someone in your position would be the "HCV RNA Qualitative TMA" by Quest Diagnostics Lab. If the results again say you are Undetecible then you are undetectible and should look elsewhere for relief from your symptons which btw can have many causes other than Hep C. Sorry about the homophobic remarks  which seem particularly out of place in a medical forum.

-- Jim

[Marcia2202]

I'm just wondering what your doctor is suggesting you have.

What you are referring to, sounds more like an inflammation of the kidneys or bladder to me, than the liver.

Marcia

[palmbeachinfo]

Hi this is Adam (Palmbeachinfo) it means alot that gave me excellent advice on what to do.
I am willing to tell my doctor to test me for Quantitative viral load test but my urine has had a bad odor  to it but for the last 2 weeks it is a horrible foul smelling that is awful!
I am having major sharp pains in my abdominal area mostly the left side but also the right where the liver is. However I am also experiencing major heart burn. I have this horrible burning pain through out my body and i think it is caused by what ever is going on (which I think is my liver) I re-tested for Hep b and c on July 18 and got the results back on Friday July 25 and they were negative. My exposure date was Jan 15th so now I can say it was (6) months negative yet I feel as if I am dying the pain comes in a spasm and that ignitues the burning pain through out my body. My breath is horrible the same kind of smell of my urine. I was tested on July 2nd for HIV and it came back negative I will also test for that until 9 months. Which is what the doctor told me to do. She said that *9 months is conclusive for both hep c and HIV.

[palmbeachinfo]

Thank you for the info

1) what is a RTPCR?

2) did you get it on with the milk-thistle-abusing-female whose ex-husband is Egyptian who looks like he is a Homer Simpson. ha ha

[Frank303]

I'm not much versed on this other than from what I've read and been told by various Doctors in my hospital-hopping tour of the UK due to my own risk (UPSI with an industrial quantity -milk-thistle-abusing-female whose ex-husband is Egyptian and yellow enough to be in the simpsons)  

Neuropathy can result from HCV infection, also from Diabetes and autoimmune disorders. However symptoms **like** Neuropathy aren;t necessarily neuropathy and hand /feet tingling can be caused by anxiety, 6m of anxiety is a lot - it wires your brain!

Stress for prolonged periods does your kidneys no good BTW. The solution to stress is diet, exercise, relaxation and unplugging the internet connection.

The HCV seroprevalence of Egyptian adults being the highest in the world (est 11-20% poss due to an Schistosomiasis immunisation programme () where the Egyptian clinics re-used syringes) does raise a few concerns, though as you have tested (presumably by antibody tests) at 6m the chances of being infected are very very low. Most tests are positive after 3 months.

The UK guidelines (draft revised this month) for Hep C testing at BASHH dot ORG  read:Clinical Features
Incubation period
Four to 20 weeks for the uncommon cases of acute hepatitis. HCV serology is
usually positive (90%) three months after exposure but can take as long as nine
months. Occasional cases of infection proven by RTPCR (see “diagnosis”) do not
result in positive antibody tests

I think the nine months would be very rare.
As co-writer suggest you may wish to ask your Doc about Urinalysis.

[CoWriter]

Even fictional shows "get it wrong".  I finally had to stop watching "House".  It drove me crazy every time Dr House used the cane on the wrong side....LOL.  I really hope somebody told him.

[CoWriter]

I think to find some answers you need to look at things with an open mind instead of INSISTING that you have Hepatitis C (and you even chose your own genotype...LOL) because by doing that, you are closing yourself to other options.  

If you see a doctor and you tell him you're sure you have Hepatitis C and you have all the symptoms, that's what they will look for.  And if you continue saying that you have it (and that you KNOW it's genotype 4...LOL) even after two tests are negative....can you see how they might think you're nuts?  

I really doubt that you have Hepatitis C.  To get infected, you would have both had to bleed and exchange blood.   Six months is long enough for an antibody test to turn positive, especially since you used STEROIDS, which suppress the immune system and can cause the Hepatitis C virus to multiply faster.  

But, to be sure, you can have your doctor order a QUALITATIVE viral load test, which is very sensitive and can check for recent infection.  Then you can put this issue to rest for good.  Make sure you ask for the right test.

Hepatitis C wouldn't cause neuropathy so quickly....and it certainly wouldn't cause protein in your urine....or severe hand pain during sex.  

High blood sugar....diabetes, can cause both protein in the urine and neuropathy.  And actually, neuropathy can start when you become insensitive to insulin, way before you're even diagnosed as diabetic.

And STEROIDS (and stress) can cause high blood sugar/diabetes.  

An infection in the urine can also cause protein in the urine, neuropathy, fatigue....and high blood sugar.  And steroids can mask an infection by preventing fever.  

Has your doctor done a URINE CULTURE to check for infection?  (He should, considering you had unprotected anal sex).  Has he checked your blood sugar?  You should also get checked for HIV by the way.  

If all those things are negative, then I would consider vasculitis.  It can cause neuropathy and protein in the urine too.

Good luck to you.  

[Marcia2202]

Sorry, I cannot answer anything about the window period, as I have no clue about it. I never bothered to inform myself too much about the window period, as it is irrelevant to my situation. I have had this virus since ca 25 years and only found out a few months ago. I hope your second test will come back negative, too.

I just want to assure you, if it doesn't... if you should be positive, don't despair. We are many here with this illness and we will help you beat it. We're all in the same boat. And we  help each other. Even though our welcome might have been a bit off. Many of us are treating at the moment and are stepping through a lot of brain fog and other issues. And then some of us can be a little sarcastic now and then... don't mind us... Or like you did with me, you said your mind and kind of put me into place. That's cool, too.

For now, let us hope that it's not hep c and that you can get some answers to what it could be. When do you get the results?

Marcia

[palmbeachinfo]

Marcia

Thank you for your response and clarification
The reason why I believe I have hepatitis C geno type 4 is because I was 100 percent healthy prior having sex with this girl. The neurologist I saw from the Cleveland Clinic a professor at Johns Hopkins University or 10 years said he believes the symptons I am having are related to hepatitis C because of the neuropathy in both hands.  I tested negative on July 2nd almost 6 months after exposure and I just re-tested again on July 18. I am having aches and pains through out my body, I sleep 18 hours a day I am so tired to do anything. I have protien in my urine and everytime I see a doctor because they dont have an answer they refer me to mental health. I have anxiety because of the pain not because I am mentally ill. Doctors see the high anxiety and think my symptons are mental health realted yet the fail to test me with labs to try to get the underlying cause.
There is a fictional show called "house" on tv where doctors from Princton try to trouble shoot patients symptons when most doctors diagnoses them wrong or couldnt find out what is wrong with them. which is my favorite show, I guess its fictional for a reason.

Then after reading the book on Ophrah she shows documentation that over 100 thousand doctors wrongly diagnose people and perform the wrong operation for 2006  note that this number is only the doctors who had legal action pending against them. So the numbers are much higher. Also doctors think that if your liver enzyme comes back normal you wouldnt have a chance of having liver disease. Yet that is not accurate statement many people can have a good liver enzmye labs and have hepatitis c. My question is regarding the so called window period can people develop anti-bodies at a longer period than 6 months and have all these symptons?

[Marcia2202]

First I would like to say that I'm sorry, I guess my comment was totally out of line. I'm also sorry that you are having so much pain.

Regarding my comment... It just seemed very weird that after Dr. D. answered your question, you still insist that it could be hepatitis C. You even posted an email you had sent to your ex-girlfriend, which I found kind of bizarre.

It seemed as you were pushing it, since you kept mentioning that you think you have hepatitis C, despite having had a negative test. If you don't trust the test, I would strongly advise you to test again. Then you will have the peace of mind you deserve.

The symptoms of dark urine you have are not only symptoms of hepatits C. It could be anything. I might have had hep c for 25 years and have never had dark urine. Hep c is a very complex disease and the symptoms are from NONE at all to a whole bunch of things. So instead of worrying that you might have it, I would test again.

And concerning the neuropathy, have you ever thought that it is neuropathy NOT caused by hep c? There are many people who have neuropathy and don't have hep c. And there are many people who have hep c and do not have neuropathy.

I wish you luck with finding out what is wrong with you and also hope you will find some relief for your pain.

Marcia

[fretboard]

Welcome to the forum, I have done a little bit of reading on the different types of HepC  around the world and in Egypt.  HepC geno 4 is most common in Egypt.  If you go to pubmed, yes just google pubmed you can read about some of the studies.  It's a very advanced database, but it has tutorials.  You can type genotype 4 (and) neuropathy and find alot to read.  I was just reading the other day about helminth studies.  Apparently alot of these studies done with parasites that infect humans were done in Egypt.  It's really very interesting, there are more parasite infections in other parts of the world and places that have a high population of both HepC and parasites are perfect for those types of studies.  China and Egypt both come to mind.  I really don't know anything about neuropathy and HepC together.  Actually I thought that treatment was sometimes responsible for neuropathy.  I just learn tons on here, if you read the clip below you could have something else, and if you go to the bottom link, she could have something else like a form of diabetes type 1 in found Egyptian women.  Good Luck

Infectious neuropathy.

1. de Freitas MR.
Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Infectious neuropathy affects a large number of people worldwide. There is evidence of direct involvement of nerves by the infective agent, from the immune reaction of the patient or secondary to the toxicity of the drugs used during treatment. This group of neuropathies is often treatable or preventable. RECENT FINDINGS: There is a complex clinical picture of the neuropathy of leprosy, different pathological features and immunological mechanisms. If the skin is unaffected in leprosy it is not always easy to demonstrate that the neuropathy is due to leprosy. Peripheral neuropathy in patients with chronic infection with hepatitis C virus may be due to the virus, the development of vasculitis or direct neurotoxic effects of the treatment. Peripheral neuropathy has become the chief neurological syndrome in individuals infected with HIV-1. The antiretroviral therapies themselves can cause peripheral neuropathies clinically indistinguishable from those caused by the virus. The occurrence of chronic polyneuropathy as a late manifestation in Lyme disease is extremely rare and is not well understood. SUMMARY: Although infectious neuropathies are very frequent, mainly in developing countries, further studies are needed to elucidate their mechanisms of action, focusing on preventive interventions


http://hcvadvocate.org/hcsp/articles/Egypt_06.html

http://pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=17491681

[palmbeachinfo]

On Jan 11th 2008 I had anal intercourse with a (26) year Eygptian-American women
I didnt use a condom
I  tested neg on July 2 which is almost 6 months. This girl said she never had a blood transfusion and was born in the U.S. yet traveled back and forth to Eygpt several times. She claims to have been with one other person sexually but did not use a condom with her x-boyfriend. I believe her but I hope she is being honest with me. My symptons
(dark-amber-orange urine) not dehydrated  
worst horrible pains in both hands (when I am having sex with my currect gf with a condom) my hands hurt to much and I stop) its like the sex triggers the pain in the hands)
When I spoke to the Eygptian girl she told me that she has bad cause of neuropathy she is an Artist who told me the metals she uses in her paints and sculptures caused her to get nueropathy yet if neuropathy cant be transfered sexually then I think she has something else that she doesnt know about like hcv.

[palmbeachinfo]

Marcia

That statement is completely innacurate I didnt come into this forum to make a fool out of myself but when people are in chronic pain  and in constant worry because of the symptons they have  it can make them seem like an easy target to make fun of.

What I asked the doctor was "could I have a false negative for HCV at (6) months because of the several steriod block injections I have had within those 6 months.
I have almost every sympton of hepatitis c and I understand symptons are only an indication that there is something wrong it doesnt mean that you have HCV. So I think I have every right to ask questions because "knowledge = power"  I want to try to educate myself on the virus and if I am fortunate enough not to have the virus I will educate other people on it.

[Marcia2202]

He was the pitcher. You can read the whole episode on the Expert forum, where he asks Dr. D.

I think he got a hep c panel done and is negative 6 months after. He just really wants to have hep c, because of the symptoms. If yanno what I mean.

marcia

[copyman]

LOL, sorry but i have to ask regarding the anal, were you the pitcher or catcher?  You say you spent $3000 on medical bills, did that include a Hepatitis panal checking for any hepatitis?  not sure how we can help but a simple test will tell if your are Hep C positive. Best of luck

[meki]

ROFLMAO --- Jasper... OMG - too funny --- I wasn't thinking of the ahem... that part of it...

[geterdone]

I would think that the recoil and forward thrust motion would at some point have adverse effects on tendons of the wrist which could cause pinching of the nerves in the carpal tunnel area of the wrist which would cause a numbing or tingling in the hands and or fingers given the prolong exposure of the position. Just a WAG here.

geterdone

[meki]

Well do you have HCV?

And if you do --- then how long have you had it?

When were you tested negative in the past?

If you had no past tests - you could have had HCV any time for any length of time.

YES - HCV does cause Neuropathy in some people.

I have incredible pains in my legs, hands and feet - lower back and neck - plus connective tissue pains.

Whether it was caused by HCV or the TX for HCV - it's really no different.

But it is common in patients with HCV.

I have been diagnosed with Neuropathy.

Meki