If that IS the dotor's policy, I'd find a new one. A hepatologist this time around, if you can.
Do you think maybe the doctor was referring to consent for treatment for the biopsy procedure or did he/she specifically say consent to treat the Hep C with medications?
Advocate1955
Get a bx from another doctor is great advice. For me it was the deciding factor on doing tx or not. Its the most important inf. you can get to see how your liver is doing. I am sorry to hear your story. This should not be happening. Be sure to pick a doctor who treats Hep C.
Mo
Thank you all for your answers, I'm definitly going to a different dr. I had a feeling he didn't know what he was doing. again thank you so much!
Get a referral to see another gastroenterologist.
This doctor doesn't understand the proper protocol for performing a biopsy and is not qualified to treat a patient with hepatitis C.
Whether to do treatment or not is ultimately a decision for the infected patient to make. You are correct in questioning their decision.
Hector
Sorry, I don't know about everyone else but I thought that the process was to get the diagnosis for HCV, then a biopsy to see how your liver is, by getting a biopsy. If my biopsy had shown little damage I was told that I had time to decide. When it was determined that I was transitioning to cirrhosis there was not time to wait. Perhaps others can come on and help better than I can. There are people treating who have never had a biopsy however I would want the biopsy first. No sense in treating if you have time to wait. You may want to consult with another hepatologist if this doc is not doing things the right way.
They do in a trial, they make money off of each person who goes in to the trial
It is very odd, to me, that he will not do the biopsy until you consent to treat. That is so unusual. How can you consent to treat until you know what you are dealing with? If you have no damage I would wait to treat with the all orals that are looking so good in trials.
Something is not right. Did he want you to sign a piece of paper? If this is not a trial then your insurance would pay for your biopsy so I am not sure what the doctor is doing.
no, nothing about a trial, does the dr. get a kick back from drug companies ?
It is weird. My Dr. refused to do a biopsy because I was a "bleeder" and felt that my labs and symptoms were enough.
I think we need more information in order to further speculate.
Hi think that is weird, you can't even decide on tx until you know if your liver is damaged enough to need it. Is your doctor talking about a trial?
If you have little damage you could afford to wait on the all orals that are supposed to be out in 3 to 5 years.