Hello.

I am from California and have either GT1A or GT1B.

LamontCranston.....I like that map idea! 

3a

WA State

Pennsylvania /GT 1a

Maybe we could create a map? Of our own, that is.

What I want to know is when did I go to West Africa or French Guiana? Type 2 and variants are clustered there. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4303918/figure/fig02/

-- Edited by LamontCranston on Sunday 3rd of September 2017 04:10:38 PM

genotype 1a

southern California 

The map named

ViralCancer7.pdf is gone. :(

But, I found this article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4303918/ 

-- Edited by LamontCranston on Tuesday 28th of March 2017 11:06:49 PM

San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California

2, 2b 

You would think that would be more common to the United Kingdom.

GT2a.  Pacific Northwest.

xtra wrote:

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Cinnamon Girl

Thank You

That is exactly what I am going to need help with. Understanding the Dr.'s view which are those lab test.

I know what the ALT 89 AST 72 stand for but are those levels high or medium high or low high? I suppose it requires more tests to give it meaning. Does it say anything about liver damage?

I am trying to set up a signature but I don't understand the terms yet. I suppose before this is over I will be Harvoning and SOVRing and ALTing right along :)

 

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 Hi again MM,

Your ALT and AST (liver enzyme) levels indicate inflammation in your liver which is resulting from an ongoing infection, and they are roughly what we`d expect to see.  They aren`t particularly high considering you have Hep C but they are out of the normal range.  Most people find that within a few weeks of starting treatment their liver enzymes drop to within normal levels. (which are...ALT 5 - 40, AST 10 -40 U/L)

Apart from that, those numbers don`t tell us anything about the actual level of fibrosis (liver damage) and you would need to have further tests to determine that, as others have said.

Mike has given you some more detailed information, but I thought I would add a simple explanation as well. 

Feel free to ask as many questions as you like, we`re here to help, and it`s what we like to do. 

think your being very wise in getting to know exactly what the situation is before jumping into anything. the way these meds are developing am sure in the near future there will be a cure with nil side effects .all the best                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  william

xtra wrote:

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I am trying to set up a signature but I don't understand the terms yet. I suppose before this is over I will be Harvoning and SOVRing and ALTing right along :)

---

 Yes you will be. I was confused by all the 'secret code terms' too when I first got here lol. Our very knowledgeable member mallani posted a thread with a definition for all the terms which can be found by clicking the following link:

http://hepcfriends.activeboard.com/t51085702/forum-abbreviations/

I'm no medical professional but from my understanding ALT / AST refers to liver enzymes that function inside liver cells primarily and are present in the bloodstream in small quantities. When there is something causing  injury to liver cells, these enzymes leak into the bloodstream in large quantities causing a high level result on your lab work. ALT 89 / AST 72 is above normal and indicative of a person who has a liver injuring condition such as excessive alcohol consumption or active untreated hepatitis, etc. For example, my enzyme levels were ALT 307 / AST 52 when I was first diagnosed fibrosis final stage (cirrhosis), at which time I stopped daily consumption of alcohol. Currently, after 2 yrs with no alcohol, 24 weeks of treatment last year (even though SVR was not acheived), and 11 weeks of subsequent  treatment so far this year, liver injuring activity was reduced therefore my latest results are much better - ALT 22 / AST 7.

As Tig 56 posted previously, a test needs to be done to find the extent of scarring that has occurred in your liver. This is referred to as fibrosis. This can be assessed by way of liver biopsy, or less invasive Fibroscan (also called transient elastography) or Fibrosure blood serum test. This result shows degree of liver damage therefore can determine the urgency of your need for treatment.

Talk to your doctor and ask him about genotype, viral load and about a test to determine fibrosis progression stage, and keep us up to date on the results. Hang in there MM. You'll get this taken care of.

FourLocos

Thanks, it is scary. Any new drugs or treatments are. But so far, the treatments seem mild compared to chemo or as one friend I have who has diabetis, 5 shots a day. That makes Harvoni seem very mild indeed. Still, I want to be very informed before I talk to the doctors about treatment.

I am so glad I found this forum. It is exactly what I wanted. I have been reading the threads about treatment and now when I go the doctor, I will know what the treatments are, what the side effects are and how to get the insurance to pay for it all.

This forum has been a real treasure specifically tailored to the immediate needs of Hepatitis C people. Help deciphering blood tests and real people reporting on drugs and side effects.

I appreciate this very much.

Hi xtra,

I just wanted to say that I am the most paranoid person when it came to medications.  I have driven doctors crazy with my inability to tolerate antibiotics or anything really.  So when I was blessed to be approved quickly (without any hesitation from Blue Cross) for Harvoni I sort of went into a tailspin.  Because I was way early gaining treatment not much was out there to read on the forums about side effects during or post treatment.  Either way I knew that I didn't want to die of liver failure.  I was having symptoms bad enough that I was fatigued and in pain.  That is what brought me to the doctor and how I found out that I had Hep C for about 40 years.  Luckily I never drank so I was at a F1-F2 level.  But what I thought was just aging and stomach problems was really the virus that I didn't yet know I had.  Bottom line is I treated.  Fearfully for sure but I did it.  And if I can anyone sure can.  One day at a time... with help from the lovely people here.  I might have issues from treatment still and perhaps forever but I am blessed.  And I am free of it.

Cinnamon Girl

Thank You

That is exactly what I am going to need help with. Understanding the Dr.'s view which are those lab test.

I know what the ALT 89 AST 72 stand for but are those levels high or medium high or low high? I suppose it requires more tests to give it meaning. Does it say anything about liver damage?

I am trying to set up a signature but I don't understand the terms yet. I suppose before this is over I will be Harvoning and SOVRing and ALTing right along :)

Hello MM, welcome from me too!

Yes, you`re right that Hep C is still very poorly understood, and I`m glad you found us.  Sounds like you`ve been looking after your health and your liver, and I think it`s very sensible to avoid over the counter medicines whenever possbile.

Do keep in touch and let us know when you have any more information or lab results.  We`ll do our best to help explain anything you need help with. 

Wishing you all the best of luck with getting your treatment plan in place. 

(Ps - You`re welcome to start your own new thread whenever you like, just click on `Start a New Topic` at the top right hand side of the reply box.)

Thanks,

I am entering strange territory. I will be glad to get some help understanding the Dr.'s view of this disease.

Many people don't know they have this chronic condition until they get sick. I have been lucky because I know that I have to stay healthy because even a bad cold, for me, can have the unusual symptoms of vomiting and nausea, the first tip off that the hep has kicked in. So I have lived a very active healthy life.

I don't know about anyone else but I am extremely wary of medicine. For me the local drug store is the equivalent of a candy store to a diabetic. I have taken a lot of good natured kidding about my baby aspirins from the grown ups who eat Tylenol and Aleve like penny candy. I say, "I have hepatitis" and I am regaled with stories about "Oh, I had that from drinking the water in a foreign country."

Now, if I go to the drug store for cold medicine. I come out with a big box of chocolate. I feel instantly much better.

That goes double for Dr.'s. I have noticed lately that Dr's when I tell them I don't take drugs, seem to think I am going to refuse antibiotics. This is the first Dr. I have been to who reacted to the information that I had Hep C. Or maybe the Dr.s heard it loud and clear, but no treatment, next subject. I am extremely wary of medicine. Nuff said.

Hi MM and welcome from me also. Although still not 100%, SVR rates with the latest medicines are showing excellent results. There are many more success cases than failures. And side effects are much easier to live with than treatments just a few years ago. Make yourself at home here and ask any questions you have. We have several knowledgeable members who can  give you answers. Please keep us up to date on any additional lab test results you get and which treatment protocol your Dr decides to put you on. 

Hi MM,

Welcome to the group! Thanks for sharing your story with us. Your bio sounds very familiar to many here, but you seem to have both suffered and triumphed throughout the years. That's going to change though. These new treatments are nothing like the old days and your chance to rid yourself of this disease have never been better.

The additional testing your doctor will do should tell you what genotype (strain) you have and a viral load or count that tells you the viral quantity. Those two items determine what type of treatment and the length of time is needed to destroy it for good. Have you had your fibrosis stage evaluated recently? That needs to be done too.

There will be others along soon to welcome you, so have a look around and if I can be of assistance, just ask. Here is some helpful info that will explain our lingo around here and how to set up an informative signature line if desired. I'm glad you're here! 

http://hepcfriends.activeboard.com/t58862021/forum-abbreviations-link-and-help-with-creating-your-signatu/

Welcome MM, you've found a great place. Special people here who care and have been through some of what you're dealing with.  It's a great time to start treatment.  Take some time and read through threads here.  Lot's of good information and shared knowledge.  Your labs will give indication of your liver's status and possible courses of action.  Please keep us posted on your results. Folks here look forward in helping to make your journey as easy as possible.   Be well :)

I had hepatitis 50 years ago. I had all the classic symptoms then it went away. Except it didn't. It recurred periodically over the years. In 1992, I was diagnosed with Hep A. The two together were classic liver failure. It never occurred to me to get medical treatment for all the symptoms. I did what I have always done, take good care of myself and wait for it to calm down. I was delusional for a few days but I recovered after a while.

There wasn't any treatment when I contracted the disease and I lived with it. Talking to this new Dr. about this chronic condition, I was surprised how aware and protective I am of my liver. I guess it is the habit of a lifetime. Second nature without a second thought

The Dr. did some blood tests. Creatinine was low, 9  The AST is 72. The ALT is 89. I don't know what that means. The hematocrit was 47.2. No other abnormalities.

The Dr. is doing tests for RNA and for B which was non-reactive.

This isn't something I ever talk about. There was never any treatment although I see there are some which, reading the boards, fail as often as not.

It looks like my liver is going to become an issue with the Dr. so I would like to join the group to help me interpret the way the rest of the world views this condition which is now so much a part of my life, it is like the color of my eyes.

When the Dr. said, you have Hep C, I said, "I know." And I know a whole lot more about it than that.

Try this one.

https://hcv.lanl.gov/components/sequence/HCV/geo/geo.comp?organism=HCV&region=nam&region=us&form=all&show=Show&prev_region=us&filo=

Born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1980, genotype 1b. Most likely infected through a blood transfusion as a newborn. But have lived the last 15 years in NYC, so who knows...

-- Edited by kickingit on Wednesday 3rd of June 2015 06:27:28 PM

Hi Kristen,

I haven`t been able to locate a map which shows what you`re looking for, only a global distribution one.  If you come across one, please would you post it here, please? 

For general interest, here`s a link to the global distribution per genotype...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4303918/figure/fig01/

As well as another map I came across...

I know there are statistical maps for Genotype breakdowns per country but if anyone comes across one per state in the US please send it to me. I'm curious.

Born and raised and living in Michigan. Genotype 1a. I Believe I acquired the virus after a blood transfusion in Panama in 1989, although I'm sure the U.S. Army was using American blood. Started treatment with Viekira Pak+ Ribavirin on 3-5-15. Beginning viral load 21.8 million ml. Undetected after 4 weeks.

Hello, My name Roger Blood, genotype 1a. I'm going to take my first Harvoni tablet tonight at 8 PM pacific time. I'm looking forward to the day that I'm declared undetectable! From Wa. State

Another Army brat here. Born in Japan and grew up all over the place but mostly in Oklahoma. Now in Oregon.

Genotype 1a

Born in Mississippi and for the last 17 years have lived in south Florida. Geno-type 1a.

Originally from NY and living in Tennessee.  Geno 2b.

Originally from Texas but am an Air Force brat so lived all over. Home for last 20+ years is Kauai. Genotype 2, docs always tell me I got lucky with that cause it's not that common in USA. But then again, I've lived overseas and Kauai is multicultural big time. Probably contracted it through drug usr

Privet Sergey i dobro pozhalovat'!

Vancouver Island, Canada. Genotype 2b. Infected in Montreal, Quebec in the 70's most likely from IV use.

Hello !2000 year -hepatit b +c+d , 2012,2013YEAR -RNA HCV-not detected,Russia ,Cheljabinsk

From Baton Rouge, LA

Genotype 1a ; VL 165,000; ALT 400 ; AST 300. Have had HCV for about 25 yrs.

From Northern California, Geno 1a. Have had it since at least the 80s, possibly as early as the 70's (as a child from blood products). In 1984 I was told my liver was 'enlarged', in 89 that I had non AB, and then in 2006, HCV.

From Los Angeles but live in Missouri now. I'm genotype 2b contracted in 1998 from my ex-girlfriend and I.V. drug use 

From Angel,London. Type three, got this in about 1985(though only recently diagnosed). I can actually pinpoint the two people that I could have caught this from...Why o why was I so stupid? What makes this worse for me is I am not stupid...I have no excuse,I just took a crazy risk.

1A I got in Texas from IV drug use or also had a blood transfusion in 1987/88 waiting for the one pill a day interferon free regimen.

This is 100% accurate info

I live in Brooklyn, NY. GT 4c...how I got it?  Unsure...Either from previous IV drug use or my ex-husband who received a blood transfusion...