Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Hi, It probably is a matter of cost. Doing the biopsy wasn't suppose to be even considered unless the patient was going through with treatment. I'm insured with Kaiser. Doc agreed to do it with the option left open. The other tests PCR most likely won't be done unless treatment is a go ahead. My liver emzyme have been elevated from 109-120 for quite some time.....over ten years. That being the reason I was checked for HCV. I'll know more after the results of the biopsy, if I'm going to do treatment. Take care Pat and continued good health while your on treatment.........Dee Dee >From: " alley/ " <alleypat@...> >Reply-Hepatitis Cegroups ><Hepatitis Cegroups> >Subject: Re: biopsy >Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2000 08:36:33 -0500 > >Well Dee Dee I'm no doctor but.... I dunno how to tell the state of the >liver thru blood test only. Only way I know of is a biopsy. You can test >liver enzymes and know if they are elevated, but mine have been normal for >10 years.... still got bad hep symptoms....and they have found that liver >enzymes don't tell much in how badly the liver is already damaged....after >the antibody test... a PCR and genotype should be done to confirm the virus >is " active " ... yes PCR numbers vary with time and yes he could be trying to >help you keep costs down. Are you considering treatment? >alley/ >ICQ 12631861 >alleypat@... >http://www.flash.net/~alleypat > ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Hi, It probably is a matter of cost. Doing the biopsy wasn't suppose to be even considered unless the patient was going through with treatment. I'm insured with Kaiser. Doc agreed to do it with the option left open. The other tests PCR most likely won't be done unless treatment is a go ahead. My liver emzyme have been elevated from 109-120 for quite some time.....over ten years. That being the reason I was checked for HCV. I'll know more after the results of the biopsy, if I'm going to do treatment. Take care Pat and continued good health while your on treatment.........Dee Dee >From: " alley/ " <alleypat@...> >Reply-Hepatitis Cegroups ><Hepatitis Cegroups> >Subject: Re: biopsy >Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2000 08:36:33 -0500 > >Well Dee Dee I'm no doctor but.... I dunno how to tell the state of the >liver thru blood test only. Only way I know of is a biopsy. You can test >liver enzymes and know if they are elevated, but mine have been normal for >10 years.... still got bad hep symptoms....and they have found that liver >enzymes don't tell much in how badly the liver is already damaged....after >the antibody test... a PCR and genotype should be done to confirm the virus >is " active " ... yes PCR numbers vary with time and yes he could be trying to >help you keep costs down. Are you considering treatment? >alley/ >ICQ 12631861 >alleypat@... >http://www.flash.net/~alleypat > ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Thanks Dr. Misra, What do you think about determining the state of the liver through blood tests alone? I know treatment is ultimately a choice I have to make myself, but I was given the impression that by having the biopsy it would confirm what this Doc already knows. No liver damage. Or as you said once before the only way to truely know is through a biopsy. Thanks again.......Dee Dee >From: " Doc " <gidoc@...> >Reply-Hepatitis Cegroups ><Hepatitis Cegroups> >Subject: Re: biopsy >Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2000 19:39:34 +0530 > >HCV-RNA load is certainly of use in deciding treatment regimen and >duration and yes it is an expensive test. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Thanks Dr. Misra, What do you think about determining the state of the liver through blood tests alone? I know treatment is ultimately a choice I have to make myself, but I was given the impression that by having the biopsy it would confirm what this Doc already knows. No liver damage. Or as you said once before the only way to truely know is through a biopsy. Thanks again.......Dee Dee >From: " Doc " <gidoc@...> >Reply-Hepatitis Cegroups ><Hepatitis Cegroups> >Subject: Re: biopsy >Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2000 19:39:34 +0530 > >HCV-RNA load is certainly of use in deciding treatment regimen and >duration and yes it is an expensive test. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Sylv, UK, United Kingdom? England right? Just to make sure. This is so amazing how small a world we are becoming with the internet. I love it. The Doc checked for my genotype when he did all the other blood tests. Excluding PCR. I understand that is a expensive test. Maybe they do things differently over there. How did the biopsy go? A little scary? I'm not looking forward to it at all. Hope your results turn out favorable........Ta Ta for now.....Dee Dee >From: " sylvati " <sylvati@...> >Reply-Hepatitis Cegroups ><Hepatitis Cegroups> >Subject: Re: biopsy >Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2000 17:45:42 +0100 > >Hi Dee Dee, > >I asked my doc for a PCR and was eventually given one. I assumed they >would >be counting viral load but no, they just confirmed I am Hepc, which I >already knew. screwy, huh? > >what test did they perform to show which genotype you are? > >I just had a biopsy, now awaiting result. here(UK) they won't start >thinking about treatment til after you have had one. > >love sylv > > biopsy > > > > Hi Everybody, > > I hope this posts this time. I seen my Doctor and have an appt. for a > > biopsy the 9th of Aug. This was my request. He agreed but said all my > > blood tests came back favorable, indicating little or no liver damage. >My > > blood is cloting fine. He said being genotype 2b means 6 months >treatment > > and a 40% chance of clearing the virus. I asked if he ran a PCR to find >out > > my viral load and he said it doesn't tell you much. Is that true? >Makes >me > > wonder if they are trying to keep costs down. I was wondering if blood > > tests are accurate enough to determine how well the liver is >functioning? > > Maybe I don't need to have the biopsy. If very little damage, I'm >opting > > not to go through with treatment for now, otherwise yes. To biopsy or >not > > to biopsy........thanks for the input I received on symptoms before > > treatment.......Dee Dee > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Get a NextCard Visa, in 30 seconds! > > 1. Fill in the brief application > > 2. Receive approval decision within 30 seconds > > 3. Get rates as low as 2.9% Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR > > 1/6631/1/_/619765/_/963730257/ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Sylv, UK, United Kingdom? England right? Just to make sure. This is so amazing how small a world we are becoming with the internet. I love it. The Doc checked for my genotype when he did all the other blood tests. Excluding PCR. I understand that is a expensive test. Maybe they do things differently over there. How did the biopsy go? A little scary? I'm not looking forward to it at all. Hope your results turn out favorable........Ta Ta for now.....Dee Dee >From: " sylvati " <sylvati@...> >Reply-Hepatitis Cegroups ><Hepatitis Cegroups> >Subject: Re: biopsy >Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2000 17:45:42 +0100 > >Hi Dee Dee, > >I asked my doc for a PCR and was eventually given one. I assumed they >would >be counting viral load but no, they just confirmed I am Hepc, which I >already knew. screwy, huh? > >what test did they perform to show which genotype you are? > >I just had a biopsy, now awaiting result. here(UK) they won't start >thinking about treatment til after you have had one. > >love sylv > > biopsy > > > > Hi Everybody, > > I hope this posts this time. I seen my Doctor and have an appt. for a > > biopsy the 9th of Aug. This was my request. He agreed but said all my > > blood tests came back favorable, indicating little or no liver damage. >My > > blood is cloting fine. He said being genotype 2b means 6 months >treatment > > and a 40% chance of clearing the virus. I asked if he ran a PCR to find >out > > my viral load and he said it doesn't tell you much. Is that true? >Makes >me > > wonder if they are trying to keep costs down. I was wondering if blood > > tests are accurate enough to determine how well the liver is >functioning? > > Maybe I don't need to have the biopsy. If very little damage, I'm >opting > > not to go through with treatment for now, otherwise yes. To biopsy or >not > > to biopsy........thanks for the input I received on symptoms before > > treatment.......Dee Dee > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Get a NextCard Visa, in 30 seconds! > > 1. Fill in the brief application > > 2. Receive approval decision within 30 seconds > > 3. Get rates as low as 2.9% Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR > > 1/6631/1/_/619765/_/963730257/ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Well Dee Dee I'm no doctor but.... I dunno how to tell the state of the liver thru blood test only. Only way I know of is a biopsy. You can test liver enzymes and know if they are elevated, but mine have been normal for 10 years.... still got bad hep symptoms....and they have found that liver enzymes don't tell much in how badly the liver is already damaged....after the antibody test... a PCR and genotype should be done to confirm the virus is " active " ... yes PCR numbers vary with time and yes he could be trying to help you keep costs down. Are you considering treatment? alley/ ICQ 12631861 alleypat@... http://www.flash.net/~alleypat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Well Dee Dee I'm no doctor but.... I dunno how to tell the state of the liver thru blood test only. Only way I know of is a biopsy. You can test liver enzymes and know if they are elevated, but mine have been normal for 10 years.... still got bad hep symptoms....and they have found that liver enzymes don't tell much in how badly the liver is already damaged....after the antibody test... a PCR and genotype should be done to confirm the virus is " active " ... yes PCR numbers vary with time and yes he could be trying to help you keep costs down. Are you considering treatment? alley/ ICQ 12631861 alleypat@... http://www.flash.net/~alleypat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Well Dee Dee I'm no doctor but.... I dunno how to tell the state of the liver thru blood test only. Only way I know of is a biopsy. You can test liver enzymes and know if they are elevated, but mine have been normal for 10 years.... still got bad hep symptoms....and they have found that liver enzymes don't tell much in how badly the liver is already damaged....after the antibody test... a PCR and genotype should be done to confirm the virus is " active " ... yes PCR numbers vary with time and yes he could be trying to help you keep costs down. Are you considering treatment? alley/ ICQ 12631861 alleypat@... http://www.flash.net/~alleypat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Well Dee Dee I'm no doctor but.... I dunno how to tell the state of the liver thru blood test only. Only way I know of is a biopsy. You can test liver enzymes and know if they are elevated, but mine have been normal for 10 years.... still got bad hep symptoms....and they have found that liver enzymes don't tell much in how badly the liver is already damaged....after the antibody test... a PCR and genotype should be done to confirm the virus is " active " ... yes PCR numbers vary with time and yes he could be trying to help you keep costs down. Are you considering treatment? alley/ ICQ 12631861 alleypat@... http://www.flash.net/~alleypat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 HCV-RNA load is certainly of use in deciding treatment regimen and duration and yes it is an expensive test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 HCV-RNA load is certainly of use in deciding treatment regimen and duration and yes it is an expensive test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 HCV-RNA load is certainly of use in deciding treatment regimen and duration and yes it is an expensive test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 HCV-RNA load is certainly of use in deciding treatment regimen and duration and yes it is an expensive test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Hi Dee Dee, I asked my doc for a PCR and was eventually given one. I assumed they would be counting viral load but no, they just confirmed I am Hepc, which I already knew. screwy, huh? what test did they perform to show which genotype you are? I just had a biopsy, now awaiting result. here(UK) they won't start thinking about treatment til after you have had one. love sylv biopsy > Hi Everybody, > I hope this posts this time. I seen my Doctor and have an appt. for a > biopsy the 9th of Aug. This was my request. He agreed but said all my > blood tests came back favorable, indicating little or no liver damage. My > blood is cloting fine. He said being genotype 2b means 6 months treatment > and a 40% chance of clearing the virus. I asked if he ran a PCR to find out > my viral load and he said it doesn't tell you much. Is that true? Makes me > wonder if they are trying to keep costs down. I was wondering if blood > tests are accurate enough to determine how well the liver is functioning? > Maybe I don't need to have the biopsy. If very little damage, I'm opting > not to go through with treatment for now, otherwise yes. To biopsy or not > to biopsy........thanks for the input I received on symptoms before > treatment.......Dee Dee > ________________________________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Get a NextCard Visa, in 30 seconds! > 1. Fill in the brief application > 2. Receive approval decision within 30 seconds > 3. Get rates as low as 2.9% Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR > 1/6631/1/_/619765/_/963730257/ > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Hi Dee Dee, I asked my doc for a PCR and was eventually given one. I assumed they would be counting viral load but no, they just confirmed I am Hepc, which I already knew. screwy, huh? what test did they perform to show which genotype you are? I just had a biopsy, now awaiting result. here(UK) they won't start thinking about treatment til after you have had one. love sylv biopsy > Hi Everybody, > I hope this posts this time. I seen my Doctor and have an appt. for a > biopsy the 9th of Aug. This was my request. He agreed but said all my > blood tests came back favorable, indicating little or no liver damage. My > blood is cloting fine. He said being genotype 2b means 6 months treatment > and a 40% chance of clearing the virus. I asked if he ran a PCR to find out > my viral load and he said it doesn't tell you much. Is that true? Makes me > wonder if they are trying to keep costs down. I was wondering if blood > tests are accurate enough to determine how well the liver is functioning? > Maybe I don't need to have the biopsy. If very little damage, I'm opting > not to go through with treatment for now, otherwise yes. To biopsy or not > to biopsy........thanks for the input I received on symptoms before > treatment.......Dee Dee > ________________________________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Get a NextCard Visa, in 30 seconds! > 1. Fill in the brief application > 2. Receive approval decision within 30 seconds > 3. Get rates as low as 2.9% Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR > 1/6631/1/_/619765/_/963730257/ > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Hi Dee Dee, No, blood tests alone can't tell you how much, if any, damage has occurred to your liver. The same blood tests, done frequently over a long period of time, can help in determining how your liver is functioning, but it just isn't adequate in an actual diagnosis. And if you do decide on treatment then a viral load test is necessary to monitor if you are responding. Also, if your viral load is very high, especially if other factors are not good, you may need to be treated for 48 weeks instead of 6 months. Some doctors are already starting to rethink the 6 month thing because a lot of genotype 2's are starting to relapse after only the 6 month course of treatment. (The Mayo Clinic is going to start treating ALL genotype 2's for 48 weeks now, instead of 6 months.) By the way, I think your decision to wait if your biopsy comes back mild is a good one. As slowly as this disease progresses that is a good option for those with only mild damage, and better treatments are not that far off. Take care! ===== Claudine claudinecrews@... __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Hi Dee Dee, No, blood tests alone can't tell you how much, if any, damage has occurred to your liver. The same blood tests, done frequently over a long period of time, can help in determining how your liver is functioning, but it just isn't adequate in an actual diagnosis. And if you do decide on treatment then a viral load test is necessary to monitor if you are responding. Also, if your viral load is very high, especially if other factors are not good, you may need to be treated for 48 weeks instead of 6 months. Some doctors are already starting to rethink the 6 month thing because a lot of genotype 2's are starting to relapse after only the 6 month course of treatment. (The Mayo Clinic is going to start treating ALL genotype 2's for 48 weeks now, instead of 6 months.) By the way, I think your decision to wait if your biopsy comes back mild is a good one. As slowly as this disease progresses that is a good option for those with only mild damage, and better treatments are not that far off. Take care! ===== Claudine claudinecrews@... __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Hi Dee Dee, me again!!! This is just a comparison, but frankly, it doesn't mean anything. My LFT's were elevated for about 4 -5 years before a doctor checked me for HCV. They were checked frequently, as often as every three months the last 2 years prior to diagnosis. My ALT was never higher than about 75, and MORE THAN ONCE came back NORMAL. And while my biopsy wasn't bad, it did show stage 1 fibrosis. ===== Claudine claudinecrews@... __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2000 Report Share Posted July 16, 2000 Hi Dee Dee, me again!!! This is just a comparison, but frankly, it doesn't mean anything. My LFT's were elevated for about 4 -5 years before a doctor checked me for HCV. They were checked frequently, as often as every three months the last 2 years prior to diagnosis. My ALT was never higher than about 75, and MORE THAN ONCE came back NORMAL. And while my biopsy wasn't bad, it did show stage 1 fibrosis. ===== Claudine claudinecrews@... __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2000 Report Share Posted July 17, 2000 Hi Dee Dee, Yes England. Here we fortunately do not have to pay for treatment. There is a knack for manipulating the system til you get seen to properly though! You ask about the biopsy. I can think of better things to do with a handsome young man than having him slide several inches of steel between my ribs but that was all he was interested in at the time! I was completely petrified and gibbering and blubbing all the way through. However, although I felt pricks from the many injections of local anaesthetic given first, there was very little actual pain, either during or after. The worst thing about it was just the sheer terror! I had heard that sometimes you can get pain in your right shoulder but this didn't happen to me. If you can find someone to go along & hold your hand it would probably help. Good luck with it. love sylv biopsy > > > > > > > Hi Everybody, > > > I hope this posts this time. I seen my Doctor and have an appt. for a > > > biopsy the 9th of Aug. This was my request. He agreed but said all my > > > blood tests came back favorable, indicating little or no liver damage. > >My > > > blood is cloting fine. He said being genotype 2b means 6 months > >treatment > > > and a 40% chance of clearing the virus. I asked if he ran a PCR to find > >out > > > my viral load and he said it doesn't tell you much. Is that true? > >Makes > >me > > > wonder if they are trying to keep costs down. I was wondering if blood > > > tests are accurate enough to determine how well the liver is > >functioning? > > > Maybe I don't need to have the biopsy. If very little damage, I'm > >opting > > > not to go through with treatment for now, otherwise yes. To biopsy or > >not > > > to biopsy........thanks for the input I received on symptoms before > > > treatment.......Dee Dee > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > Get a NextCard Visa, in 30 seconds! > > > 1. Fill in the brief application > > > 2. Receive approval decision within 30 seconds > > > 3. Get rates as low as 2.9% Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR > > > 1/6631/1/_/619765/_/963730257/ > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2000 Report Share Posted July 17, 2000 Dear Dee Dee, I must have said this earlier but I dont mind stating it again, currently treatment options for HCV depend upon a high HCV RNA load alone. They are further reinforced if you have demonstrable hepatitis( elevated AST/ALT) and or fibrosis( on liver biopsy) going on. This is so because merely decreasing the viral load has been shown to be of benefit in halting progression of the disease to cirrhosis and HCC. It is true that biopsy is the best instrument for determinig the state of the liver disease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2000 Report Share Posted July 17, 2000 Dear Dee Dee, I must have said this earlier but I dont mind stating it again, currently treatment options for HCV depend upon a high HCV RNA load alone. They are further reinforced if you have demonstrable hepatitis( elevated AST/ALT) and or fibrosis( on liver biopsy) going on. This is so because merely decreasing the viral load has been shown to be of benefit in halting progression of the disease to cirrhosis and HCC. It is true that biopsy is the best instrument for determinig the state of the liver disease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2000 Report Share Posted July 17, 2000 Dear Dee Dee, I must have said this earlier but I dont mind stating it again, currently treatment options for HCV depend upon a high HCV RNA load alone. They are further reinforced if you have demonstrable hepatitis( elevated AST/ALT) and or fibrosis( on liver biopsy) going on. This is so because merely decreasing the viral load has been shown to be of benefit in halting progression of the disease to cirrhosis and HCC. It is true that biopsy is the best instrument for determinig the state of the liver disease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2000 Report Share Posted July 17, 2000 Dear Dee Dee, I must have said this earlier but I dont mind stating it again, currently treatment options for HCV depend upon a high HCV RNA load alone. They are further reinforced if you have demonstrable hepatitis( elevated AST/ALT) and or fibrosis( on liver biopsy) going on. This is so because merely decreasing the viral load has been shown to be of benefit in halting progression of the disease to cirrhosis and HCC. It is true that biopsy is the best instrument for determinig the state of the liver disease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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