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newby says howdy

Hey guys.  I am newly diagnosed with hep c and am still waiting for my first appointment with the gi doc. I have not been genotyped or had a liver biopsy.  Just scared and nervous.  And I also have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.  Sometimes I think they are working together.  Any friends or help is appreciated.
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2065676 tn?1331422440
Welcome to the forum. Best wishes toward your treatment. We will be here when you need us.....Take care
Helpful - 0
163305 tn?1333668571
Welcome to the forum.
I put together a list of questions for newbies. I'll post them here for you to consider.
Do be sure to write down everything you want to ask the doctor before you go in for your appointment. It's so easy to forget.
Good luck.
                                    ****************************************
It is always preferable to have a hepatologist, a liver specialist and not simply a GI to help you with treatment. A GP is not trained in liver issues and should be the one to refer you to the specialist.

Questions for the doctor:

How experienced are you in dealing with Hep C ?
Do I need a biopsy before treatment?
How often will I be doing labs during treatment?
What is your protocol for dealing with low wbc or rbc?
What about other side effects?
How often will I be seeing you during treatment?
Who do I contact in an emergency ?
Will I be able to have copies of all my labs and tests ?
Will you be available via phone or email to answer my questions ?
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Avatar universal
I do believe I did come to the right place. This is great! Thank you for your reply.




Cheryl48
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for your reply. Everyone sounds so nice and supportive. I am waiting for my first appt. so I will let everyone know what is happening with me as I find out. Thank's so much.



Cheryl48
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Avatar universal
Thanks for your reply. Sounds like you have a good sense of humor about everything and that's good. I'm glad I found this site because I need other people to talk to. I will keep everyone posted on what is happening with me.



Cheryl48
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank your reply. I feel better just knowing that I have people to talk to and ask questions. When I go to my first appointment and I learn more about my condition I will be letting everyone know on this site. This is great to have support from everyone on this site.



Cheryl48
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Avatar universal
Thank you for your reply. I am scared and worried about the treatment that is coming. I see my G.I. doctor for the first time at the end of August. I am glad that I found this site and can talk to other people that have gone through this or are going through this. It is good to be able to talk to other people about it.



Cheryl 48
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Avatar universal
Thank you so much for your reply. I am so new to all this and I have a lot to learn. I will be seeing a G.I. doctor at the end of august for the first time. I am worried about the treatment and how my body will respond to it. I am very thankful that I found this website and I can talk to other people that are going through the same thing.


Cheryl48
Helpful - 0
317787 tn?1473358451
Hello!  Welcome. I was told that my rheumatoid factor was elevated due to the HCV, in fact I have read about people who find out they have HCV when they go to a rheumatologist.  I am not HCV free, other things have improved as well
This is a wonderful forum for support, information, help during tx, etc
I wish you the best
Helpful - 0
2111792 tn?1342704627
Welcome!  Boy, have you come to the right place!!  There are some very knowledgable people here and educating yourself is the best way to alleviate your fears.  Wishing you all the best!
Hugs,
Janette
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal


I know it is very scary as you go through the process after being newly diagnosed..I found I felt much better after getting all the info on my condition, genotype..biopsy and tx options.

There is many great supportive members in this community that are very knoweldgeable in many different areas of HCV so whether you decide to treat right now or manage your condition and need help you can find it here. ;)

Best wishes and welcome,
Laura


Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi Cheryl Welcome to the circus!  Don't worry we were all scared and nervous and still are HA!  Come back often and let us know more details as you find them out.

Have a great day!

Jules
Helpful - 0
2114467 tn?1358210256
Howdy, yes the initial shock of hep C  is a little scarey. Good thing is you found this site. Lots of helpful people here. You're definitely not alone. Seems like people are always around to answer questions and you'll probably have a few. Please don't worry too much and the best to ya.
C
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi and welcome, so your scared and nervous? Well your at the right place as I think we all were when we first found out... But I'm sure you will find out as time goes by its not really that scarey. Theres never been a better time to treat as cure rates are in the 75 to 85% range with time range of about 24 weeks.

First thing is find out your genotype, that will tell you allot, depending on that, your age and bloodtests your doctor may or may not feel a biopsy is needed... Hep C is a slow moving virus so I'm sure you have plenty of time to figure it all out...... Come back and ask any questions you need answered or any support you might want. Just don't worry to much, trust me everything will be alright......... Best to you
Helpful - 0
1797925 tn?1341096204
Hi Cheryl...and welcome to the forum.  You have definitely come to the right place.  I was diagnosed last September and I remained "scared and nervous" for quite some time. But I learned so much from the great people in this forum and the support is fantastic.  I am sure they will be along shortly to welcome you as well.  Have you posted on the Hepatitis C medical forum as well?  If not, you should. Keep us posted when you find out your genotype and people can chime in with info & support.

Warmest regards,
Margaret (genotype 3a)
Helpful - 0
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