
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.
The first thing you need to know is that the relationship between the severity of liver cell damage and the viral count is weak at best. What's more important is how your body responds to the presence of the virus in your liver than how much virus is in your liver.
Also keep in mind that viral counts can also change within a day, and in a week, ranges varying several million copies per millitliter of serum in common. These ups and downs might not be caught at a single point of time, which is why following viral counts alone doesn't paint a full picture.
So, breathe, be ready to ask your doctor lots of questions, and remember that when the viral load elevates it doesn't mean the liver has taken more damage.
Hugs,
I had a biopsy done about 2 years ago and I had almost no damage, especially considering I was born with Hep C and am now 27 years old.
It's really very strange, indeed.