Thanks for your words of encouragement. I guess it's not time to freak out until I get the other tests to confirm whether or not I have HCV. I decided to take another test for the antibodies first in case the first one was a mistake and before spending hundreds of dollars on the qualitative test.
I don't know what the numbers mean...
But here's the steps:
You get a hep panel... It comes back neg or pos.
You then get a PCR (Quantative)
and you get a genotyping.
From there you determine if you had HEP C -- and cleared it --- and only have the antibodies....
OR --- you determine your VIRAL load.
If you have a viral load -- they should send you for a biopsy or a fibroscan.
Some doctors won't even bother to do that ---- and will ask you to treat right away...
They haven't taken the TX themselves - So it's easy to push pharmaceuticals on folks...
Then you have to make a decision if you need to Treat (TX) or if you don't - based on your knowledge and your belief.
Google Janis and Friends ---- go to that site and read up on HCV -- then come here and read through the forum ---- go through at least the last 12 pages in both the Hepatitis C and the Hepatitis Social group.
Then you'll kind of have at least a better idea of what you're up against.
Right now you are in the HURRY UP AND WAIT phase --- it's kind of scary and you'll feel like you've been handed a death sentence.
But don't freak out - it's normal to go through the stages of grief... and it's normal to be kind of scared.
Remember a lot of people live quite comfortably with HCV - some don't get very much damage.
So - get informed read up --- and much luck to you.
Welcome to the MedHelp Hep forum - there are a lot of really really REEEEAAALLLY good folks on here - who've been there - done that... And you'll be able to learn a lot from them.
Hugs,
Meki