Please help

[Raina71]

This is the whole story. I would appreciate ANY info anyone can offer..thank you...I am a 49 year old female...hi...around July of this year (2010) I had a relationship for the first time in four years. After about a month I started bleeding non-stop very heavy bright red. BTW this was foolishly an unprotected encounter. There was minimal abdominal discomfort the first week and a half or so...and I associated it with menopausal syptoms as I have been going thru this for over a year (hadn't had a period for 4 months prior to this). The discomfort grew to unbearable and I left work on August 6th and went to the hospital. Was given morphine for pain (did nothing) later given percocet. I was given an internal ultrasound and told that I had 8 to 12 utirine fibroids and an ovarian cyst. So I was discharged given a script for pain meds and told to follow up with an OB. As soon as the perocet ran out (5mg took 2 in the morning and 4 more through out the day totalling 6 pills per day) I could not walk. My Mom took me to the OB for my appt I was given some sort of biopsy in the office, prescribed a progestrogen supplement and more pain meds. Ran out couldn't walk again (in the mean time Im leaving work early for this or calling out all the time). Went back to Ob and was given a DEPO shot...more pain meds....ran out, went back was given an estrogen supplement and referred to a surgeon for a laproscopic biopsy. Anyway to summarize ended up arguing with first doctor because of the pain and am now seeing another. Very nice group of doctors. In the meantime my blood pressure is off the chart and he says I most likely have severe endometriosis as well. So, this new doctor wants my family practioner to release me for surgery. This consisted of a stress test as well as STD testing. Ok so now Ive got a Hep C reading s/.co ratio High of >11.0 (my liver reading is fine) in addition to the fibroids, high blood pressure endo and cysts. (All of this following a/several sexual encounters with one person). My most sought after answer (my doctor is out of town till the middle of the week) is DO I have Hep C and if so how/when did I get it and are my severe stomach pains related to the Hep C or is that from the fibroids/endo. I am very confused as youcan tell......Thank you Lisa

[Bill1954]

Hi Lisa—

I guess the ‘Hep-C Quantitation  2,631,760’ is the result of the PCR test?

If so, this is your viral load result, indicating that you do indeed have active HCV virus. Your liver enzymes (AST/ALT) are indeed low, but while that suggests that the current level of activity might not be high, it doesn’t necessarily preclude existing damage.

You will want a referral to a specialst that manages Hep C; either a GI (gastroenterologist), or a hepatologist for further testing and management.

Good luck, and welcome to the forum—

Bill

[Raina71]

I saw my family practitioner today....she printed me the results fom the following,

Hepatic Function Panel (7)
HCV-R?-PCR
Quant (Non-Graph and
HCV Antbody

The results were as follows:
Liver related.....AST (SGOT)     28
                      ALT  (SGPT)      24

This, I was told are very good indicating that there is nothing wrong with my liver.

The other however indicates I definately have Hep-C
Hep-C Quantitation  2,631,760
So I was told that they typically dont do anything at this point because my liver is good...but that I should see a specialist after I've had my surgeries.

Unfourtunately she still will not release me for surgery until my blood pressure is down (it was 150 over 90 today).
I go back to the OB tomorrow.
Thank you all for responding, if anyone can explain the (Hep-C Quantitation  2,631,760) I would appreciate it.

Take Care, Lisa

[Gordo1977]

I agree with copy man, I also would dig a little further in the past to determine where you contracted HVC. The chances you did get from sexual encounters are very slim…

My wife and I have been together for 11 years and when we found out we had HVC all questions were asked. It was concluded that we contracted HVC while getting cheap dental work in Mexico. I had been tested before for everything during an accident at work and was negative and my wife tested during her pregnancies. It was after this incident we began going to OJ Mexico to have our dental work done…


For now just focus on getting better and staying positive.

[SusieS2010]

I basically agree with all the rest including FL-Guy. I have HCV and had endometriosis. The pain from the endo was almost unbearable. With HCV there is no real acute pain. The higher the S/CO is, the more likely the results of a postive antibody are to mean you have hep C. However 11 is not a very high S/CO ratio. Like the others have said you need an HCV/RNA by PCR, better known as the viral load test. That will give you a definitive answer regarding whether or not you have hepatitis C.

[FlGuy]

This won't be the first time that I ventured into an area that I just about know nothing. I'd vote for the endometriosis for a few reasons.  Hormonal changes can cause the endo to go places that can cause the pain.  The pain of endo aligns with what you are feeling Similarly, re-balancing hormones can lessen the effects.  My wife had problems back in our IVF days and those "radical" meds cause all sorts of wild fluctuations. It's probably why they gave you thge estrogen and the progesterone.

HCV is a less likely culprit because you have a higher s/co and normal liver reading.  Even if you had HCV you probably would not feel the things you are going through.

But, what do I know I'm FL-GUY.

[Anne1717]

I have Acute HCV and my symptoms never included the pain that you are describing or any pain whatsoever.

[Marcia2202]

I echo what Trinity and copyman are saying.

And by the way, HCV is NOT an STD, so if you actually do have HCV, it is highly impossible that you got it that way.

The gynecological problems you are having have nothing to do with HCV. I'm sad to say that during the last year 3 of my close friends had to have hysterectomies. Unfortunately it seems that quite a few women around our age are having gynecological problems.

I wish you the best and hope that you do not have hep c.

[copyman]

i can only help try and answer the Hep C question.  Looks like you tested positive for the Hep C antibodies. You will need another blood test called a PCR to confirm. Some people (up to 20%) have only the antibodies. Their bodies fought off the virus.

I seriously doubt you got Hep C from the sex back in July. Look elsewhere on when you could have been exposed. This disease can lay dormant for 20-30 years.

Also the female problems you describe don't sound like they have anything to do with the Hep C.

Best of luck

[Trinity4]

Have your doctor perform an HCV RNA by PCR test.  That is the only way you will know if you have active hepc.  Looks like they did an antibody test which is not definitive or can be false positive.  You've taken a lot of medications which could have skewd the test results.

Severe abdominal pain is not generally associated with hepc.  Most of us have had it for years with no symptoms.  Generally, liver enzymes are elevate to some degree with chronic hepc.  Sounds like your problem is gynecological in nature.

Hope things get figured out and you get some relief,
Trinity