hep c 6-c

[defen077]

I had hep c type 6-c started treatment 12/09 . in remission 2/10 stayed with treatment till 9/10 gastoroligest said my cirriosis  is stable. but my spleen 3x larger 22cm my liver 17cm. I look 3 months pregnat can't take presure. good appetite. bathroom 3x daily. Can cirriosis become stable or is this a myth. my platletes are 29000. white 1.5 to 3.2 up & down taking vita K, D. should I get my spleen removed.?

[orphanedhawk]

Are you sure this is your spleen and not ascites ?
It sounds like decompensated cirrhosis to me. This is not good.
The enlarged spleen is a side effect to the cirrhosis and will cause lowered platelets but that 29 is awfully low.

You need to see an experienced hepatologist, a liver specialist.

There are some good recommendations of doctors in NY in this post:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Who-is-your-good-doctor-/show/1715783

Good luck.
OH

[pooh55811]

I am bumping your post to the top again in the hopes that more will respond to it.

[ceanothus]

Hi, and welcome to the forum. I also have Hepatitis C and cirrhosis. I've  had cirrhosis for quite a while now, but still am not much of an expert because I've been fortunate in that so far my cirrhosis has remained compensated, meaning it is still able to perform most of its essential functions. I've never heard of cirrhosis being described as stable, but perhaps the doctor meant compensated? My concern here is that it sounds like your liver may not be compensated very well if you are having such an enlarged spleen and are retaining a lot of fluid. Have you been given a MELD score? Has your doctor said you have ascites or varices, or has he talked about portal hypertension?  Was your HCV treatment successful, so that you no longer have the virus? If not, are you considering treating again?

What kind of doctor is overseeing your liver care? You really need to be under the care of a hepatologist, a doctor who specializes in just the liver, and it's best to see one who is part of a good liver transplant clinic, as they have the most experience with the problems that come up for cirrhotics. If your doctor is not a hepatologist you can ask him for a referral. Have you been getting complete exams, blood work and an abdominal ultrasound every six months? This is critical because cirrhosis brings an increased risk of liver cancer.

One of our best experts here on this forum is Hector, and I would highly recommend reading his reply to another person last month, as he gives a great description of uncompensated cirrhosis. The thread is at http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Level-4-Hep-C/show/1787967. Another excellent source of general info about HCV can be found at http://hcvadvocate.org/.

I hope you can reply with additional info. The best answers come when all the background info is present along with the question. I'm sure Hector or another more expert member will be coming along soon, so if you can get more info posted now, they will be able to help you better. Good luck.

[pooh55811]

I just want to bump your post up in the hopes that some of the people who know more about cirrhosis will respond.

[pooh55811]

I am also not sure what you mean by remission. Are you Undetectable? Is the virus gone?

I am not a cirrhosis expert but I also wonder what your doctor means by "stable" cirrhosis. Having a very enlarged spleen and having fluid in your abdomen does not sound like "stable" cirrhosis to me.

Are you under the care of a Hepatologist? You should be under the care of a Hepatologist. If you are not, that would be my very first suggestion, to find a competent and experienced Hepatologist at a large medical center/liver transplant center.  Regular MDs are not trained to manage advanced liver disease and its complications.

I agree with Idyllic that posting on the cirrhosis forum may get you some good responses, but also you could just repost the same question on this forum, but add more information and also change the subject title to "cirrhosis complications" or something like that. If cirrhosis is in the subject title you are more likely to get responses from people who know a lot about cirrhosis.

Here's hoping someone more knowledgeable than me will respond.

[FaithforHealing]

What in the world does your doctor suggest for platelets of 29000?!? And the enlarged stomach?
How does your doctor determine your cirrhosis is "stable"? New biopsy?
Hopefully, someone is going to come along and address your question soon. Sounds like you need to do something soon.

[Idyllic]

By in remission do you mean you are UND? The reason I ask is because there is another thread on here about being "cured" so your choice of words and using "remission" is interesting. Either way: Congratulations.

Your question is very important. Unfortunately you posted very late on Sunday night which is usually a slow time on the forum.

This is my was of bumping your post. Also you could post your question of this forum as well:
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Cirrhosis-of-the-Liver/show/1390