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.

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ImKramer 05/29/2013

To lower rates, the society said, it's important to find and treat people with hepatitis B or C.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2013/05/28/liver-cancer-statistics.html

deleted_user 05/29/2013

Well Kramer it is really no wonder most people dont even know they have it untill they go in for something else and descover it as I did. I have found almost everyone that fought in vietnam is infected that is if they had an
injurery Because they used one persons blood and parts on the next guy. Is really sad if you think about it. They Did Not deserve it at all. So thamk you everyone that fought and everyone that is just in the military you are Trully Modern day Hero's

SandyDo 05/29/2013

Power of suggestion, but I read this article and started having liver pain. Scary, scary....

ImKramer 05/29/2013

Yes Jim it's good to get a blood test for HCV and HIV. Not expensive and easy to do.
Sandy there is an upside to this in that as we are already being treated for chronic liver disease, having ultrasounds on a regular basis will catch any tumours early on.
That is not the case for those in the dark about their live health.

WarriorGal 05/29/2013

and one could assume it aint much different down here in the lower 48

SandyDo 05/29/2013

That's true, Kramer, and I have an MRI twice a year to rule out cancer. I don't really spend much time dwelling on the what-ifs; I have enough to deal with! :-) Thanks for posting.

ImKramer 05/29/2013

Apparently it's easy to treat If Caught early

ImKramer 05/29/2013

Perhaps I should say easier to treat..

WarriorGal 05/29/2013

The liver biopsies we - or at least I - get regulalry would reveal it, though, right?

SandyDo 05/29/2013

Rass, I don't think so...they would have to pull tissue from the exact spot where the cancer is located.

WarriorGal 05/29/2013

so what is the quitultimate liver cancer test and how oftenshould we have it???

ImKramer 05/29/2013

Ultrasound and blood work AFP

pershu 06/04/2014

AFP and MRI

erniecoolcat 06/05/2014

Wow this thread is a year old yet still true. Well tx is more desirable now than just a year ago so I understand why many took their chances. Thankfully most with HCV do not develop HCC though. I see the incidence decreasing ultimately. We still need that 2-week tx/cute but the one time injection sure would be bitchen!

deleted_user 06/05/2014

I think MRI with contrast 2 x a year or MRI alternating with a sonogram is the gold standard right now. But as always you're at the mercy of what your your insurance plan is willing to pay for. My Blue Cross commercial insurance (thru my union) always required preapproval but Medicare does not. Of course Part D drug benefit would cost about $10,000 in copays for Sovaldi/Olysio while my union Express Scripts plan (Acccredo) after a little dancing around and stomping of feet will pay (at least for 12 weeks) for $30/month in copays-- which explains while Im back working full time

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