ALT/AST normal questions

[Trish77]

I have decided to go ahead with treatment in January and my tx is covered to 80%.  I applied for coverage for the remaining 20% to our federal drug plan here and their response is that because my ALT/AST is normal, no treatment is required.

Subsequent reading tells me that some people have normal ALT/AST and yet can have progressed stages of liver damage and high viral load....and that the reverse has also been found, that you can have elevated levels of ALT/AST and yet have none to minimal liver damage.

If you have been / are either of these scenarios, can you weigh in please?  And also, can you weigh in on whether what I've stated is true or false?

First of all, I want to be sure I have my facts right.  Second of all, I'll likely proceed with tx regardless but it's going to be tight.  Third of all, my GI is really, really upset with their position as it's from their "medical expert".  He's written them a really nasty note as he has to include his treatment recommendation along with my application and their expertise trumps his apparently.  

What I'm MOSTLY concerned about ... is that if they're only basing it on ALT/AST levels and this is their expert, there are others who will also be applying who don't have any coverage at all or worse coverage than me who will be turned away for this.  I don't want to let this slide and I want to make sure of my facts before I decide what I want to do about this, both for myself and others with HCV as a whole.

Any info you can share that clarifies the picture here will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Trish

[Lady Lauri]

  "I should of left well enough alone"....................................

  Oh no, no, no! These debates, conversations are keeping my brain active thru tx :}
Trust me, take away the fatigue, nausea, aches and constant 'stoned on BAD drugs' feeling and I'll be right in there with ya' : }

                                                                               LL

[Lady Lauri]

Off the apparent topic, but if Chuck Norris wanted political influence wouldn't he just beat the country into submission?  ----------------------------------------

LOL.
I always thought we should send the suit and ties over to the front lines for awhile, from both sides of the equation. They could take ol' Chuck, Claude, Arnold and Segal with them :}

                                                                             LL

[Forseegood]

forgot...we already have a kind of split in America...the cities most certainly voted for Gore, in the majority, and some upscale areas in the country...the outer suburbs, or the x-burbs as they call them - new development.....the urban sprawl type of places, where development "develops" around a Home Depot, Starbucks, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc...that is say, 60, 80, 100 miles outside of a major city....where ever that is, voted for Bush...also Republican stronghold types of places, say Orange County over in this area....and these x-burbs are all over the US, so they comprise A LOT of people...the people in these places took Bush over in the electoral vote.

[Forseegood]

might have something to do with how youre raised...and what channels on TV you watch, or whether you read newspapers, read the articles all the way though instead of listening to just sound bites and propaganda on both sides, for your information on issues that are immensely complicated, and need a more thorough analysis....youre comment on liberals having more heart, and conservatives having more "brains" is one I've heard before. .

Cept that if you took stats on the way people lean in the vast majority of colleges and universities (students and profs), the preponderance is certainly more "liberal"....if you went to a tractor pull, more right wing.....(sorry, couldn't help that last cheap shot, he he he, I'm an idiot sometimes)

But all things considered, I certainly don't have much to argue with in this last post of yours, and I do think, especially for a right winger, you seem to be as fair and balanced as they come, without a bunch of outlandish statements...and your kindness seeps through your writing, always a plus...people can co-exist, as long as they respect one another, as human beings with different attitudes and opinions, that's all...

[gauf]

I am always amazed that liberals believe as strongly in their views as I do mine.  I have noticed that their passion is rooted in what they percieve to be right and good. I honestly cannot figure it out. It isn't really an intellectual or historical debate; rather, for me, it is simply how one percieves right and wrong. It is just that simple. A liberal view sees right and good through eyes I just do not have, and vice versa. I don't know what makes up what is "moral" in ones persona, but it truly amazes me how the country can be almost exactly split down the middle in how they determine right and good.  I am talking about rank and file liberals here, not the "rooted in evil institutions" such as the ACLU, and others.  I stopped arguing with lefties long ago because we can never agree on that simple perception. I do admire their passion, and wish it were redirected. (as they do for me, I am sure).   I don't think conservatives and liberals can even compromise because of this fundamental difference in perception. Once I had children, the immorality (that continues to grow) in America scared the batcrap out of me.  Is theology the reason we see morality through different eyes? Perhaps somewhat, but I was very UN religious for most of my life. Jesus loathed politics and simply preached "Love the lord your God...", and "Do unto others...".  I do not dislike liberals per se, I just don't understand them.  I think 2 independent American countries is the only solution. Could call em America Left and America Right or something.

[IAmTheWalrus]

Off the apparent topic, but if Chuck Norris wanted political influence wouldn't he just beat the country into submission?