anyone else know

[skyler411]

ok i was recently diagnosed w/ hep c and haveing some pinching pain in neck and on right side also some numbness in my fingers,it comes and goes just like that ,just wondering if anyone can help or has experienced this themself?? any help w/ this would be apreciated.

[Rockerforlife]

Maybe i should re-phrase that a "ulta sound is a waste of money",what i meat to say is i always thought a BX was the way to find out the true damage to the liver and this determines if and how and when you should be treating.Im saying you cant use a U-SOUND to determine this,i got my BX first and the the u-sound second,I guess the order wont matter as long as you get that BX .

[Bill1954]

Julie, while having normal liver enzymes is welcome news, it doesn’t always correlate with organ health. Roughly 25-30% of HCV patients will have normal ALT/AST, and some of them will have sustained significant fibrosis. I agree, it’s wonderful to have access to these resources, and by all means take full advantage of the situation.

Best of luck, and let us know how it goes,

--Bill

[skyler411]

doc said my liver enzyme test was in normal range ,so not sure why he wants me to go for this ultra sound,guess it's not going to hurt to check things out ,,even though my liver doesn't seem to be enlarged ,guess there could still be some amount off damage from hep c anyway right now i 'm thankful to have the resources to go for all these test

[Bill1954]

I heartily disagree that a liver ultrasound is a wasteful procedure; please listen to your doctors.

Right off the bat, an abdominal ultrasound can locate any hemangiomas that might be in the liver. These are generally benign and otherwise harmless ‘blood tumors’ that are fairly common; if found, they usually don’t require any intervention, but a doctor doesn’t want to biopsy through them.

There are, of course, many other benefits to ultrasound, but this is the first that comes to mind and most important to discover prior to needle biopsy.

--Bill

IMHO, that is...

[Rockerforlife]

What Can a Liver Ultrasound Show?


http://www.ehow.com/video_5116393_can-liver-ultrasound-show_.html

[Rockerforlife]

It may now show the grade but it will tell its enlarged .

[Trinity4]

Ultrasound doesn't provide the grade of inflamation in the liver.  

[Rockerforlife]

Ulta sound is usally done to detect cancer and inflammation,not liver damage,so NY gal is correct,it would be a waste right now,first you need to see the level of damage with a BX...this is the usual order of operations.

[skyler411]

theres some hope here,,for me write now there sooo much that i'm unsure off  until i get all my test and results back .I'm going on monday for an abdominal ultrasound we'll see how that goes ....and see what the next move we'll be for me ??? ty for ur responses

[portann]

Hi Julie,

I know for sure Rocker thinks there's a clinical cure for HCV. He's living proof, just like the rest of us who beat this thing.

And you can do it, too.

An informed decision is the best decision.

[Bill1954]

Hi again, Julie—

Hep C can be successfully resolved with interferon/ribavirin; in fact, some doctors use the term ‘cured’. The term we use synonymously in here with cure is ‘SVR’, or Sustained Viral Response. This occurs when treatment is completed, six months pass without additional meds, and the patient remains undetectable for virus. When this occurs, the they will remain virus-free or cured over 99+% of the time.

--Bill

[skyler411]

so you say your cured ,thought there isn't a real cure for this????

[skyler411]

well i'm deff,going to consider everything my doc say's to do,and think it's great to have  support on line,I have 4 verry good reason's to hang in w/ this that would be my baby girls and my hubby if not for them not sure what i'd do write now ! thanks again for your support.

[nygirl7]

Since geno2 and 3 are rarely biopsied but from what I gather usually ultrasounded (If there is such a word) it would appear that it is crucial to the diagnosis factor, you are right GSD!

[GSDgirl]

I guess because I only had the ultrasound is why "I" said go for it but if I had known then what I know now I would have had both.  I like the fact that US does show other "things"

[nygirl7]

I wouldn't waste my money on an ultrasound when it still won't give you a clear picture of how much damage your liver has gotten."

Why on earth would a newly diagnosed member render such a medical piece of advice such as this?  Ultrasound and biopsy are two different tools with two very different sets of things that they look for. It'd be great to find out she was stage 1 but then six months later die of liver cancer wouldn't it?  This is why doctors make the calls on these things and not new patients on the internet.

If you've ever known anyone who has had liver cancer - it is a very fast road downhill and a very, very unpleasant one at that.  If the medical doctor advises the test please do not "skip" it to save money. That is just absolutely absurd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[skyler411]

i'm probably going for ultra sound sometime next week have yet to make oppt.read up on liver biopsy not sure if i want that, it's not with out complication and don't think it's nesasary for treatment...nygirl7 it could verry well be a pinched nerve i work out daily so maybe...sorry about my spelling lol!

[GSDgirl]

Hi and welcome to the forum.  The pinching that you are feeling in your neck is something that I have had for a long time (not related to hep).  The numbness COULD be from a pinched nerve in your neck affecting your fingers.

I would find a good and I mean a good chiropractor that takes x-rays before he even touches you.  Doctors do not read x-rays the same way a chiro does.  In the mean time try ice on your neck / upper shoulder area.  Even heat works sometimes.  Good Luck

Denise

[GSDgirl]

I would go for the ultrasound, it shows more than just the liver.  The biopsy can always be done also.

[nygirl7]

FYI the most obvious answer is that it probably is a pinched nerve in your neck that would also cause numbness in your fingers. it probably has absolutely nothing to do with hepc at all really.

[Diane12855]

I wouldn't waste my money on an ultrasound when it still won't give you a clear picture of how much damage your liver has gotten. Just go straight for the biopsy, then you won't have any doubts. It isn't that bad of a procedure, and it answers all of the questions at once.

[skyler411]

not on treatment yet i found out only because i asked to be tested for everything !! doc not sure if he can offer treatment yet..have to go for abdominal ultra sound,think somemore test,still not sure of how i got this !! thank you for your responses maybe it is stress...if it persists i'll have to bring it up to the doc .

[Diane12855]

I did have the numbness in my fingers off and on for years, then found out it was carpal tunnel syndrome. Also had a little right side pain off and on.

Do you know how long you have been infected? Have you started all the testing before treatment?

[Rockerforlife]

Dont talk about stress to me,i went tru freakn hell...stress can cause phyicial illness if ya dont control it somehow,it can also rack your brain...LOL...dont worry Julie you got good friends here who will guide the way.I remember how i felt when i first found out.Jim Jim was the man who helped me along and NY girl.