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.
Hi everyone-
My husband has his first doctors appointment with a gastroenterologist today. Can anyone shed some light into what we can expect? What questions to ask? Anything would be helpful. Thank you.
My husband has his first doctors appointment with a gastroenterologist today. Can anyone shed some light into what we can expect? What questions to ask? Anything would be helpful. Thank you.
Let us know how the GI appt. went and we'll all go from there.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
About Treatment
Following is a list of suggested questions to ask your doctor about hepatitis C treatment. You can print this page, add your own questions if you want to, and take the list with you to your doctor appointments. Preparing for your doctor visits in advance will help you to make sure all of your questions and concerns are addressed.
Doctor's Name:
Doctor's Phone Number:
Other Emergency Phone Number:
* Do I need to start treatment?
* What is my genotype and how can it affect my treatment outcome?
* What is my viral load and how can it affect my treatment outcome?
* What kind of treatment should I receive?
* How long will treatment last?
* Do I have any other conditions that will complicate treatment?
* Should I be tested for hepatitis A and B?
* Do I need a liver biopsy?
* What medications should I avoid while I am on treatment?
* What precautions do I need to take while I am on treatment?
* How often will I have doctor appointments?
* What tests will I need to take?
* How will treatment affect my daily life? Will treatment affect my ability to work?
* What side effects will I have?
* Are there any long-term risks from treatment?
* Other questions you want to ask:
o _______________________________________
o _______________________________________
o _______________________________________
And Thanks Debbear for the list of questions.
Well...nothing happened! They ordered all of the tests you've all mentioned (took eight viles of blood) and an ultrasound. He felt his liver and didn't notice anything abnormal. We have to go back in three weeks to that doctor. We made him another appointment this Monday with a specialist who is supposed to be world renown. I'm hoping we can get his blood-work back and take it to the doctor next week.
The reason we had my husband tested is because his mother came up positive. She had used heroin twice as a teenager in the 70's. She had also lived with a man who later (in the 90's) was found to have Hep C. We figured that my husband contracted it from her from birth since he hasn't been exposed to the virus in another way. BUT, the doctor yesterday kept saying his biggest risk factor was his two tattoos. I have one itty bitty tattoo and we both got them from the same tattoo place. They take the needles and ink out of sealed packages right in front of you before they start and where rubber gloves. It just doesn't seem possible to me, well I guess anything is possible at this point. Never the less, I have read of several people on this site and others that have passes it on to their children. I'm just not quite sure I believe him on that, the coincidence factor seems too high.
I also mentioned to him about supplements and herbal treatments. He pretty much dismissed them all, even milk-thistle. I have already read so much information on Hep C and it seems that pairing western medicine with herbal medicine and healthy lifestyle seems to be the best way to keep your liver healthy. I guess I'm not totally sure if I really felt good about that doctor, I'm glad we will be going somewhere else too.
Any comments? Hope everyone's having a great day.
Milk thistle is consistently touted as helpful to the liver, never heard of any dr dismissing it. Abstain from alcohol. Healthy diet, lifestyle.
You'll learn more from the expert. My doc just sent me home to live with the disease & its symptoms. I took charge of my health & am preparing to enter a trial.
(now with that said.....moving right along)
In the old days, tats may have been a problem....even when they used new needles.....they still used "used" ink. Maybe your doc doesn't realize that (many don't)
Milk Thistle has been around a LONG time. Its not a drug a doc can get a kick back on.....you can get it in the stores.......never heard of it hurting anyone.....check it out to see if its right for you. (do I sound like the cialis commercial?)
Some herbs are harmful to the liver.....Valerian comes to mind. Just do your research.
Lots of helpful people here with good advice......and always remember.....if you knew where you got it.....you would give it back!!!
Best of luck to both of you.
~~~bear
The possibility he got it from his mother is much higher. As soon as I told my doc I had gotten a blood tranfusion when I was born in '86 she said "yea thats much more likely where you got it from."
Doctors never really know for sure so I wouldn't freak out about your tattoo what I would do is you should get tested too and see what your status is. My friends got their tattoos done on the same days I got mine by the same artists and they came up negative. So I knew it was from the blood transfusion, most likely.
So I think you may have a doctor who is against anything besides just regular medicine which isn't a good thing. Because you can ask other people on here that have used supplements to help their treatment or keep their liver healthier than before.
When we weren't sure my tx was gonna work around week 12 my doc said if it doesn't one of her past patients cleared the virus after being a non responder to meds naturally and I could try the chinese supplement he did if I needed too. (thank goodness I didn't!)
Do your research its worth it! Good luck!