pain concerns...

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nightrider.36 - 07 Jan 2007 20:30 GMT

Hello all, I'm new to this group.

I'm concerned about hep-c for several reasons.

1. I just found out that a friend of mine that I dated in the late 80s
to early 90s has HCV. In fact, this friend just survived non-hodgkins
and is presently in remission. The HCV wasn't discovered in my friend
until they found the cancer.
**apparently, my friend acquired HCV from a blood transfusion done in
the early 80s. There had always been digestion problems but my friend
otherwise always appeared healthy--other than the digestion problems,
asymptomatic--no reason to suspect that there was anything wrong.

2. Obviously because we dated for so many years--off and on... I'm a
little concerned.

3. During the course of our relationship, we never practiced any of the
commonly understood risk factors for transmission of HCV (sharing
needles, illicit drug usage or anything involving blood to blood
contact).

4. It took about 20 years for my friend to see any obvious signs of
liver damage.
5. I'm now feeling some pain in the lower rib cage area. It feels like
I got finger-poked really hard. It's not a sharp pain or dull, just
like a little jab.
6. I was having some general aches and pains for about a year but they
seem to be gone now.
7. I have a gold-colored smudge on my left shoulder. It looks like a
bruise and I don't remember getting it.
8. I feel slightly nauseous after some meals. That's mostly subsided
now but it comes and goes.

***I have been diagnosed with herpes types I and II and I'm slightly
hypothyroid--also a hiatus hernia and I have slight case of bronchitis
now and I have been coughing quite a bit. I don't know if the pain the
right rib cage area is pressure from that or my liver. What does liver
pain feel like? I'm mostly concerned because I've been reading that you
can be asymptomatic for years. I have a lot of energy and other than
the coughing from the bronchitis, I don't feel sick--I feel really
good. I don't smoke, don't do drugs--never have, I don't drink and am
overweight.

Six months ago, I went to the doctor where she ordered a metabolic
panel.

SGOT .... 17, SGPT.... 42. In fact, it's pretty much a normal panel.
CBC panel turned out normal as well. The only issue my doctor was
concerned with was my thyroid. I asked her for an HIV test which turned
out negative.

But despite my seemingly normal results. I'm concerned because I've
read that some people have normal lab results and still have HCV when
specifically looking for the hepatitis anti-bodies. My doctor is solely
relying on those results and says that it could be depression. That
seems like a catch-all phrase for doctors now.

If there were liver problems that I've been carrying around for years
and years, wouldn't those show up on a metabolic panel done six months
ago?

I'm making another appointment with the doctor soon to discuss these
new concerns and asking to specifically test for hepatitis. I'd
appreciate any helpful comments--sorry for the long post and thank you
for you attention.

-ac

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Cactus Jammies - 07 Jan 2007 20:54 GMT

Hey hi Alex,
You may be in the wrong ballpark and we won't know until you get a test
for HCV antibodies in your system. Note: you will turn up a false positive
if you spontaneously rejected the virus in years passed. (you would
therefore determing that, need a quantified test, most likely done by a GI
or Liver Doc, after referral) Apparently almost 20% of those tested for
active hcv come up this way.

otherwise, lets look at your list.... first of all... sexual contact,
unless you had very risky sex with blood to blood exchange, it is highly
unlikely (impossible?) ... OK the rest... (or some of it)

> 4. It took about 20 years for my friend to see any obvious signs of
> liver damage.

how was that manifested as a symptom?

> 5. I'm now feeling some pain in the lower rib cage area. It feels like
> I got finger-poked really hard. It's not a sharp pain or dull, just
> like a little jab.

could be the start of gallstones, as in my case. I use milkthistle to try
and increase the bile production and flow in the liver, in hopes that it
will pass through to the gall bladder and dissolve the crystals. partial
success so far, no twinges in that area you mention too much any more. get
an ultrasound to test for this, to see if this is the problem.

> 6. I was having some general aches and pains for about a year but they
> seem to be gone now.

could be anything, including transient forms of arthritis, which is just
medical talk for swelling in the joints, and pain.

> 7. I have a gold-colored smudge on my left shoulder. It looks like a
> bruise and I don't remember getting it.

don't know about that. spontaneous bruising could come from a number of
disorders, ask your doc.

> 8. I feel slightly nauseous after some meals. That's mostly subsided
> now but it comes and goes.

that could be your gall bladder, too.

hope this helps a bit. get that antibodies test for HCV asap to set your
mind at ease. it does not sound likely to me that you are suffering from
HCV infection. And what were your ALT and AST (liver function test) scores
on your last CBC?

cactus jammies ==========
relapsed after one 48 week bout of combo tx, type 1b HCV

> Hello all, I'm new to this group.
>
[quoted text clipped - 63 lines]
>
> -ac

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nightrider.36 - 08 Jan 2007 01:31 GMT

thank you for taking on this my questions, Cactus...

> > 4. It took about 20 years for my friend to see any obvious signs of
> > liver damage.
>
> how was that manifested as a symptom?

I'm not sure that I understand what you're asking... How was 'what'
manifested as a symptom? the liver damage? lymphoma?

> could be the start of gallstones, as in my case. I use milkthistle to try
> and increase the bile production and flow in the liver, in hopes that it

the digestive system is so complex. I hadn't even considered the
possibility of gallstones. It's possible, I suppose. With all the
other digestive problems that I have, I certainly wouldn't be
surprised.

> > 6. I was having some general aches and pains for about a year but they
> > seem to be gone now.
>
> could be anything, including transient forms of arthritis, which is just
> medical talk for swelling in the joints, and pain.

I've been following these aches and pains for about a year. They're
mostly gone now and at first I thought it was a side effect of some
medications that the doctor put me on. Then I thought it was part of
the hypothyroidism--then herpes... the list continues. The doctor never
seemed concerned about aches and pains. The thing is that when you're
looking signs and symptoms for certain conditions, a lot of them
indicate, general aches and pains--if that's what you're feeling,
you're going to fear the worst.

> > 7. I have a gold-colored smudge on my left shoulder. It looks like a
> > bruise and I don't remember getting it.
>
> don't know about that. spontaneous bruising could come from a number of
> disorders, ask your doc.

but see? according to some websites, this is one of the symptoms of
hepatitis. So, once again, that's what I'm going to assume.

> > 8. I feel slightly nauseous after some meals. That's mostly subsided
> > now but it comes and goes.

again, this is also listed as one of the symptoms of hepatitis. But,
you pointed out gallstones and also I read that it's a problem with
GERD which I also have a slight case of.

> that could be your gall bladder, too.
>
> hope this helps a bit. get that antibodies test for HCV asap to set your
> mind at ease. it does not sound likely to me that you are suffering from
> HCV infection. And what were your ALT and AST (liver function test) scores
> on your last CBC?

Yes, I'm getting an exam asap and I'm going to point the doctor in the
direction of hepatitis. But this is mostly because of my friend told my
about her condition. Otherwise, I wouldn't even suspect hep.

Thanks again, and I'll keep you posted on what I find out.

-ac

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Di Di - 08 Jan 2007 01:39 GMT

> thank you for taking on this my questions, Cactus...
>
[quoted text clipped - 59 lines]
>
> -ac

AC - For me I find it's better to assume I don't have something until
proven otherwise. "They" say 90% of what we worry about never happens.
I just don't have the energy to spending worrying about that 90% of
life. :-) But that's just my perspective. Di

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Di Di - 08 Jan 2007 01:31 GMT

> Hello all, I'm new to this group.
>
[quoted text clipped - 63 lines]
>
> -ac

AC - I didn't have any symptoms that I attributed to hepatitis C when I
was diagnosed, although off and on I've had lots of the symtpoms you
talked about - digestion problems, abdominal pain, other aches and
pains, etc. I don't think they were from my HCV though. FWIW - both my
husband of 23 years and the guy I was with for 9 years until just
recently tested negative. From what I've read, sexual transmission only
accounts for something like 3% of transmissions. I agree with Cactus,
the only way to really know is to be tested. You're probably just fine
though. Di

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