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Neuropathy in Hands
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...................
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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?
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?
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
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
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