Hi All,

Ok, here's the story.  In 1999 I was diagnosed with hep c, had 2 liver
biopsies over a 3 year span, the last one in 2003, I think.  It showed
chronic hep c with mild inflammation - but no great progression from the
1st biopsy.

Dr. didn't know what he was doing on the 1st one and stuck the needle
staight into my liver from the top of my stomach by taking a wild guess
where he thought it was.  It hurt like mad.

The 2nd one the Dr. went in through the side, which was more tolerable,
but the neck and shoulder pain was horrible.  The nurse inflitrated the
vein on my hand, and kept putting saline and demerol in while the
automatic blood pressure cuff was squeezing my arm tight.  Tried to tell
her to take it off, but she wouldn't listen.

My hand turned blue and there were massive blood clots all up and down
my arm.  The pain was never relieved in the neck and shoulder either, of
course.

I got up and left, refusing the nurse who wanted me to stay longer
(after a time - until the bleeding stopped in the liver).

Went straight to the Dr. Ofc. to have him look at my arm and when he
peeked around the corner as I entered, he hid from me, and sent a nurse
out to tell me to go home and sleep with my arm propped up on pillows
for a week or so (flat on my back).

My dad was so mad he wanted me to sue the hospital, but I was afraid to
because I knew I would need help again.  This is a small community and
there is only one infectious disease Dr.

The Dr. was planning on my having another biopsy in 3 more years after
the 2nd one, which would have been in 2006.

Instead, I called them and said "Just put me on the treatment and get it
over with.
I don't want another biopsy".

The nurse told me to come down and take a viral load test first, so I
did.

A week or so later she called me and said "You don't have it."  I was
shocked! I had so many questions, but she was in a hurry and got off the
phone quickly.  I did manage to ask her "does this mean I never have to
go back there and have another biopsy?"  She said yes, I do not have it.

So, I left it at that.

The other day I called their office just to find out exactly what my
viral load test said.  A different nurse who was more helpful, told me
it was less than 600 copies.

She said she was confused, too.

How could the 2nd biopsy show chronic hep c with mild inflammation, then
the VL
show nothing?

She told me I should go back and see the same Dr. and have more testing
done.

Well, I also have breast cancer, my mom and brother just died, and
things are a bit too much to handle.

I have an important trip to make in Oct. that I have been looking
forward to, and decided to wait until Nov. to get checked.

Personally, I am scared to death.  I want to know, but I don't want to
know - at least not yet.  Too many irons on the fire all at once.  

Does anyone understand this?

Could I  be one of the 15% who cleared it on my own?  Was it a false
positive?  Can
the chronic hep c, mild inflammation, grade 1, stage 2 be false?

I asked the nurse if there is a more sensitve test and she said no -
they just use the one . . . and less than 600 copies is considered
negative.

Real Weird, huh?

One of my other brother's has it, and several friend's of mine have it.

Yes, I am confused.

Thanks for listening and any advice would be appreciated.

spirit