starting treatment soon...got palmar erythema

[niceguy2007]

hi everyone..

i've decided to start interferon and ribavarin treatmetn as soon as possible.

i'm 25 yrs old, been infected with HCV genotype 3 for less than 4 years...

in this past month i've developed a singular blotch of palmar erethema under my little finger on my left hand..it throbs with a glass slide placed on it.

i've also developed what appear to be the early stages of terry nails, though that is debatable cuz my entire family thinks thats not so.  but i've emailed my pics to a doc.  i'm terrified!


but i thank God that i have no spider angiomata.

my latest liver ultrasound shows increased echogenicity, though it was perfect 2 months ago.  docdtor suspects fatty liver.

i've ingested about 1 gram of alcohol per day in homeopahic milk thistle , so maybe that has somethign to do  with it? cud i have deverloepd fatty liver , or worse, cirrhosis, in 2 months time?

riht now i feel really bad:(

[cuteus]

the problem with not biopsing is in the case where tx is not working and you need to know how aggressive you should be.  I don't know where the 38% comes from, but the articles I read state that nothing is as accurate as the biopsy when determining the damage before cirrhosis sets in.  The only thing that is coming close to it is the fibroscan.  The actual tissue also can be tested for other things, can't remember what at the moment, that add to a more complete picture of the state of health of the liver.  An ultrasound guided biopsy, has very few complications.
a web search of the term 'benefits of a biopsy" should offer all the reasons, other than staging, that will be assessed by the pathologist.  there is no substitute for looking at the actual tissue. all the other tests can do is offer a good guess.

[OnAPrettyPoison]

My sides always hit two days after the shots, Thursdays or Fridays both work pretty good.  Good luck!

[copyman]

hi, i may be wrong about the 38% but that is what i thought. it may have been the other way around, that it is wrong 38% of the time. i think the jist of the one article i read was that because of small sample size in a biopsy you can not get a complete dx of the "whole" liver. if you are gonna have it done ask the doc to sample 2 or 3 areas to be sure. i will try and find the link about this. dont get me wrong i think a biopsy is a valuable tool but only in certain patients including geno 1's that have other signs of liver damage. there are so many markers and sx that a "good experienced" liver doc can decide if a bx is necessary based on them. i hope you agree that docs are slowly getting away from biopsies?

[FlGuy]

Two things. Red palms is more distinguised by the redness at the heel of your palm.  And, in case this hasn't been mentioned before, deciding to begin tx now without the benefit of a biopsy could be a very big mistake.  Reconsider, see a hepatologist and get a biopsy before you begin.