Hepatitis C Support Group
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral disease which can cause liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. Many people with HCV infection have no symptoms and are unaware of the need to seek treatment. Hepatitis C infects an estimated 150-200 million people worldwide.
I had hep doc clarify for me to what extent liver damage I actually have, as I was told 2 different things - one thing by the surgeon who took out gall bladder and who "saw" liver and performed biopsy, and one thing by hep doc who did scans later and saw pathology reports and is doing TX. The two dxs were completely different, and both doctor's approaches and "words of warning" completely different. In my fear of the next stage of liver failure and cancer, I did not understand completely, and started paying attention to conversations here, and doing my own research and none of it added up in my case. Then asked hep doc specifically to know what extent damage I have, and what stage (scaled) and what prognosis.
Apparently I have mild fibrosis scaled between a 0 and a one, possibly between 1 and 2 in some areas that were not as clear, but not as likely. There is a "possibility of early cirrhosis" notated on files. I was told that with TX and proper care it is reversible. That cells can regenerate!!
I am stunned that all along I have been believing that I had irreversible stage 2 cirrhosis moving towards stage 3. :-(((
How does a doctor drop that bombshell on a person, and not know for sure??? Talk about depressing for the last 5 months...
Apparently I have mild fibrosis scaled between a 0 and a one, possibly between 1 and 2 in some areas that were not as clear, but not as likely. There is a "possibility of early cirrhosis" notated on files. I was told that with TX and proper care it is reversible. That cells can regenerate!!
I am stunned that all along I have been believing that I had irreversible stage 2 cirrhosis moving towards stage 3. :-(((
How does a doctor drop that bombshell on a person, and not know for sure??? Talk about depressing for the last 5 months...
It can take many years to move from one level to the next.
Even with cirrhosis and with active HCV a liver can continue compensating for another 10 years.
Now HCC (cancer) that is a whole other pathology and is not totally dependant on stage of liver fibrosis. It can hit anyone anytime
I am sorry you lived with unnecessary worry and very glad you got it clarified. I had one biopsy that staged me at 3 "severe" fibrosis. All other tests say 0-1 or 1-2. So I am ignoring the "outlier."
cannot imagine how "possibility of early cirrhosis" could be predicted. very odd.
I had myself dead and buried last year in my mind.. It messes with your head, it really does.
The worst part is all these docs say different things and I am still thinking I am doomed - I am awful to myself.
I have to stop analyzing my lab reports!!
Good luck to you!!
Anyway, we are are worst enemies when we try to analyze our labs way too deeply, My CO2 was way down about a month ago, and today the pulmo doc explained what that meant. I didn't understand it, but - ha - it's nothing serious, and it was back up to normal on the next two week standing HCV labs.
One of my hepatologists, a stellar one, wrote in his notes that I was either, "Stage 1, Stage 2, or Stage 3" - HUH? Based on a biopsy he did that came back as Stage 1 - but NO WAY - the imaging and labs did not back that up. Current doc says cirrhotic. So I don't know what stage I WAS. As long as we're compensating well, we're good. Of course, we do want to tx the soonest we can.
I was just told that being undetected at 4 weeks post or SVR-4 ...
I have 99% chance of SVR-12 which is as close to cure as it gets. I was told only 1 in 100 fail after being SVR-4.
All my friends are cheering and saying THAT'S GREAT!
Me? I'm thinking: "I could be that 1 in 100." And, don't count your chickens...
It's comical!! It really is, how we always think the worst.
The treatment was soooo easy and I never had any symptoms i could attribute to HCV, so I feel the same...so it's really hard to believe that I don't have something I never really felt like I had.