Aa
Whats goin on with my body now??? Cancer?
Have had hep C for at least 15 yrs, maybe 18...no insurance, diagnosed 10 years ago. No serious problems until a couple years ago-liver pain. Recently been slightly jaundiced, belly swollen a little(or more) for a couple weeks, pain and discomfort in my side...am now experiencing joint pain, swollen glands, exhausted all the time. Also feeling a pressure in my head and lots of eye puffiness and edema elsewhere. Whatcha think it is? Have I gone on to liver cancer? My kids live across the country and am trying to decide if I should just go home to them and spend time with them while I still have a chance. If its cancer...the prognosis is 3-6 months without extreme measures...and like I said, no doc, no insurance...feeling kinda depressed bout it all..dont know if they'll help me in the ER for this really. whatcha think?
Sometimes, you can call your health department and ask them for help. ( I know that might be asking to much ) There might be some programs that can at least refer you for labs and the lab will probably not charge you as much w/o insurance.
I had a biopsy done when I had insurance, but the deductible was as much as the biopsy, so it didn't pay the biopsy, eventually the hospital made arrangements for me to pay a fraction and you may be able to make small payments., or just wait to make payments until you are better able. $10.00 a month sounds good to me.
I fell off a ladder and fractured my back and I now have a $3K bill, which I will make small payments to each month.
As above, try to get into a study.......... good luck, you can do it.
I had a biopsy done when I had insurance, but the deductible was as much as the biopsy, so it didn't pay the biopsy, eventually the hospital made arrangements for me to pay a fraction and you may be able to make small payments., or just wait to make payments until you are better able. $10.00 a month sounds good to me.
I fell off a ladder and fractured my back and I now have a $3K bill, which I will make small payments to each month.
As above, try to get into a study.......... good luck, you can do it.
God your young. what type of hep C , what I mean to say is what is your Geno type? from what I have been hearing its a real slow moving disease. Ofcourse you should consume no alcohol ever again, ever (that being one of the only usefull things my doc said) Do U drink??? you should not take I-bue-profen (spelling)..I can really understand health ins. issues. I currently have it. but I figured it would run out before I could finish tx...Thats why I went to clinical trials. There free and Im cheap. Do what ever everybody told U to do above. find out your geno type. find out the stage of damage your liver is in, they will give you a stage and a grade. Then knowing what your dealing with. You can start looking @ clinical trials with @ least SOC + maybe a bonus drug? for a cure. The liver does somehow heal its self. once you clear the virus. They have trials for all of the geno's. if you have never treated and damage is low (they all want ya) they have trials for people w/cerriousus,trials for non responders, trials for relapsers etc... www.clinicaltrials.gov Good luck and let us know how you do
no one here can diagnose you about if you have liver cancer or any medical condition for that matter.
We can only offer our opinion, I say it is a good idea for you to go to the emergency room.
my opinion is HCV has finally caught up with you and you need to treat it.
best of luck
We can only offer our opinion, I say it is a good idea for you to go to the emergency room.
my opinion is HCV has finally caught up with you and you need to treat it.
best of luck
Thanks. I feel a little better, with your comments, and will pursue the tests you recommend...
It's estimated that long-term hcv infection will lead to cirrhosis in about 20% of the population; however, even for those with cirrhosis, liver cancer happens to a small minority, not the majority. The symptoms you describe may be associated with significant liver damage, so I DO think it's a good idea for you to go to an ER to get assessed if you don't have a doctor, but don't jump the gun about cancer -- though it's always a small possibility, the likelihood is low.
The discomfort you feel may be due to possible complications of liver disease, but the liver has no nerve endings, and the organ itself does not cause one to feel pain but swelling and fluid retention that are symptomatic of liver disease could be the cause. Certainly a complete evaluation will help you get some answers and hopefully rule out any concerns for cancer. Tests that might help would be blood draw for complete blood counts, bleeding & clotting assessment, and liver & metabolic functions, and alpha-feto protein as well as abdominal ultrasound. Depending on the outcome of these tests, it may be recommended that you have a liver biopsy if blood test and imaging results do not get you any answers.
Keep in mind that the presence of liver cancer itself usually presents no symptoms, so it's more likely there are issues other than cancer. As example, my husband's massive liver cancer was found during tests not related to abdominal pain or discomfort, and despite a 12cm liver cancer, he had no swelling or pain. And, my husband is also proof that a liver cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence -- he was diagnosed in 2007 (he did have to undergo massive resection) but he's still alive and kicking today. :)
All the same, you should not ignore your symptoms. Get checked out.
Hope that helps, and let us know how things turn out for you. Best of luck. ~eureka
The discomfort you feel may be due to possible complications of liver disease, but the liver has no nerve endings, and the organ itself does not cause one to feel pain but swelling and fluid retention that are symptomatic of liver disease could be the cause. Certainly a complete evaluation will help you get some answers and hopefully rule out any concerns for cancer. Tests that might help would be blood draw for complete blood counts, bleeding & clotting assessment, and liver & metabolic functions, and alpha-feto protein as well as abdominal ultrasound. Depending on the outcome of these tests, it may be recommended that you have a liver biopsy if blood test and imaging results do not get you any answers.
Keep in mind that the presence of liver cancer itself usually presents no symptoms, so it's more likely there are issues other than cancer. As example, my husband's massive liver cancer was found during tests not related to abdominal pain or discomfort, and despite a 12cm liver cancer, he had no swelling or pain. And, my husband is also proof that a liver cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence -- he was diagnosed in 2007 (he did have to undergo massive resection) but he's still alive and kicking today. :)
All the same, you should not ignore your symptoms. Get checked out.
Hope that helps, and let us know how things turn out for you. Best of luck. ~eureka
While a real possibility, the likelihood of developing primary liver cancer as a result of HCV infection remains a possibility, not a probability by any means. I’m not sure that any of your stated symptoms are predictive of cancer. Only a few percent of us will develop cancer as a result of our HCV infection. One of the tests used as a marker for primary liver cancer is ‘Alpha-feto protein’, but it’s unlikely an ER facility will order that; they’re job is to address and stabilize immediate concerns. Stuff like that will likely be referred out to a GI specialist for follow up.
Try to do what you can to obtain medical insurance, even if it means moving to another state. That’s really the only way to ensure adequate medical care for chronic illness in this country.
Sorry to hear you feel so poorly, and I do wish you luck at ER when you get there. Keep us informed as to your progress—
--Bill
Try to do what you can to obtain medical insurance, even if it means moving to another state. That’s really the only way to ensure adequate medical care for chronic illness in this country.
Sorry to hear you feel so poorly, and I do wish you luck at ER when you get there. Keep us informed as to your progress—
--Bill
Sound like symptoms of cirrhosis to me. You can ask them to do an AFP (Alpa Feto-Protein) which is a tumor marker blood test. Normal limits are 0.0 - 8.3. Very accurate blood test in depicting the probability of liver cancer. Also, a comprehensive metabolic panel can show blood abnormalities such as abnormal levels of bilirubin and albumin; and abnormal coagulation parameters along with decreased platelets, These are all indicators cirrhosis is present.
Trinity
Trinity
What kind of tests do I need to tell if I've developed cancer? I have to be able to insist on them tomorrow when I go to the ER. They gotta do all I need in one clean shot.
I'm in Colorado...and short of having a child under the age of 6 and making less that $680 a month im not eligible. kinda *****. But ive just plain felt really sick all the time lately and am concerned that I'm missing the little time I have left, without my kids. I plan to go to the ER tomorrow and insist that they evaluate me thoroughly because I have no other option for medical care here. If i were home(NY) I would be able to get help. It is amazing the way I feel stonewalled right now. But honestly you dont think it is likely I have developed cancer? I feel like my head is going to blow up every morning, between the swelling in my glands, and the feeling of pressure in my head-bad headaches, every night-about 6 hours after I hit the sack. I've never felt sick like this- I can actually see my neck and face swollen when I get up at 3am. So uncomfortable. Gotta sit up straight to relieve the pressure in my ribcage-and it doesnt go away...just lightens a little. Can't pay a doc to check it out- applied for SSD but that will take forever-you know? Feel like I'm outta options. What to do? ;)
Aside from your other stated symptoms, abdominal swelling and peripheral edema are likely the most disconcerting.
What sort of medical care is at your disposal, other than an emergency room?
Have you attempted HCV treatment in the past?
Primary liver cancer rarely develops unless cirrhosis is present; but if you have progressed into cirrhosis, it is a possibility.
There is no way to assess your condition without lab results and/or physical exam; a doctor should be able to detect frank cirrhosis without too much difficulty or expense. You really should get some medical care and evaluation if it’s been a while. Can you access Medicaid?
Good luck—
Bill
What sort of medical care is at your disposal, other than an emergency room?
Have you attempted HCV treatment in the past?
Primary liver cancer rarely develops unless cirrhosis is present; but if you have progressed into cirrhosis, it is a possibility.
There is no way to assess your condition without lab results and/or physical exam; a doctor should be able to detect frank cirrhosis without too much difficulty or expense. You really should get some medical care and evaluation if it’s been a while. Can you access Medicaid?
Good luck—
Bill
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