It's odd that a doctor would give advice about treatment based on ALT levels alone. As Mallani has said, it would be a good idea to find out what sort of condition your liver is in, regardless of whether or not you want treatment at this point. It was the first thing that I wanted to know after diagnosis, whether good or bad news. Being well informed is essential imo.
All the best
Steff xx
LC said
Oct 16, 2012
If your doc said you could wait, then I would wait. Especially if you don't think you could tolerate the current treatment. I guess your doc specializes in internal medicine if they aren't a liver doc right? If not, I am thinking it would be best to hear that from a specialist.
You know, my doc wanted a list of every OTC medicine and vitamin supplement I take only to pretty much tell me the same thing - avoid iron. I believe acetamintephine (I don't know how to spell it and I am too lazy to look it up ) was what he suggested for pain.
mallani said
Oct 11, 2012
Hi Lobo, "ALT scores have come down far enough that I don't need treatment". Not sure where that comes from. Your drop in ALT from 71 to 54 means nothing. It could merely be a daily variation. The fact remains that you have chronic Hep C, a high viral load, Geno 1a, and raised liver enzymes. You need an assessment of your liver fibrosis by biopsy or Fibroscan, and then you can decide whether treatment is urgent. Sitting and waiting 6 months only increases your risk of liver damage. Have you seen an experienced Hepatologist? If not, you need to. Good luck.
Biggyb said
Oct 11, 2012
Hi Courtney,,
I have been dealing with this for last 10 years, was gonna wait a couple more, but doc said i was starting cirrosis so he recomended treatment now, 48 weeks, blahh..Main thing is nooo alcohol. I just use tylenol and ibuprofin and try not to worry about it. Just try and live happy. One day at a time. Something better is coming..
lobo11 said
Oct 11, 2012
I have appoint with VA Doctor Oct 4, 2012 . I can barely walk or talk, don't drive so. Oh yea, I don't drink or smoke. The only thing I know is I am Genotype 1a. OK saw Doctor on Oct 4, he said my ALT scores in blood tests had come down far enough that I did not need the treatment right now, and he would test my blood every 6 months, These are the Blood tests he took on Jun 12, 2012: I don't know anything about this stuff: ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE 71 High IU/L 10-40 Details ALBUMIN 4.3 GM/DL 3.2-4.4 Details ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE 68 IU/L 38-126 Details ASPARTATE AMINOTRANSFERASE 62 High IU/L 15-40 Details BILIRUBIN 1.0 MG/DL 0.2-1.3 Details CALCIUM 9.6 MG/DL 8.6-10.0 Details CARBON DIOXIDE 30 MEQ/L 25-31 Details CHLORIDE 102 MEQ/L 98-108 Details CHOLESTEROL 122 MG/DL 0-200 Details CHOLESTEROL.IN HDL 46.5 mg/dl 35-70 Details CHOLESTEROL.IN LDL 64.3 mg/dl 0-130 Details CREATININE 0.9 MG/DL 0.6-1.3 Details GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE.PREDICTED 87 SEE EVAL >60 Details GLUCOSE 95 MG/DL 70-110 Details POTASSIUM 5.0 MEQ/L 3.6-5.1 Details PROTEIN 7.4 GM/DL 6.4-8.3 Details SODIUM 142 MEQ/L 136-144 Details TRIGLYCERIDE 50 mg/dl 0-200 Details UREA NITROGEN 13 MG/DL 8-24
These are the new tests taken on 10 Sept 2012: ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE 54 High IU/L 10-40 Details ALBUMIN 4.1 GM/DL 3.2-4.4 Details ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE 68 IU/L 38-126 Details ASPARTATE AMINOTRANSFERASE 50 High IU/L 15-40 Details BILIRUBIN 0.7 MG/DL 0.2-1.3 Details CALCIUM 9.2 MG/DL 8.6-10.0 Details CARBON DIOXIDE 32 High MEQ/L 25-31 Details CHLORIDE 102 MEQ/L 98-108 Details CREATINE KINASE 79 U/L 49-397 Details CREATININE 1.0 MG/DL 0.6-1.3 Details GAMMA GLUTAMYL TRANSFERASE 43 IU/L 7-50 Details GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE.PREDICTED 77 SEE EVAL >60 Details GLUCOSE 96 MG/DL 70-110 Details POTASSIUM 4.7 MEQ/L 3.6-5.1 Details PROTEIN 7.3 GM/DL 6.4-8.3 Details SODIUM 142 MEQ/L 136-144 Details UREA NITROGEN 10 MG/DL 8-24 Details
I don't want to nor do I think I could go through the 3 drug ****tail, I barely get by as it is so all that other stuff, there is just no way I could get by, by myself, so I belive I'm going to have to deal with this without the treatment they have now.
Anyone else trying to get by without the treatment they have now. What should I take instead of aleve, I can't take aspirin as it thins the blood and I have two metal clips in brain so no aspirin.
What should I eat or not eat, well everything anyone wants to say as I know nothing about any of this, except no iron. Thanks to all who respond, as I said I know nothing about this mess but I am scared to death about it, Gee, make it through brain operation, please help me make it through this. You see I live in Panama City, FL, there is only a outpatient clinic here, so I would have to go 150 miles to Pensacola, FL to see liver Doctor, and then if I needed anything else, I would have to go to Biloxi, Mississippi. My viral load is 5,800,000. I live alone, no one cooks or cleans for me, I barely can make it to the mail box because of Brain operation, plus paying the bills I need to be somewhat out of the fog, it's very hard now because of brain thing, Hep C meds would make it worse and I would not know if something bad or not right was happening to me as I'm already very messed up. Thank you for hearing me, I am scarred to death about all this. I also believe I got this Hep C in 1994 when they gave me brain operation. Thanks to anyone that will tell me to wait and see if blood test results in 6 months is OK.
Hi Lobo and welcome
It's odd that a doctor would give advice about treatment based on ALT levels alone. As Mallani has said, it would be a good idea to find out what sort of condition your liver is in, regardless of whether or not you want treatment at this point. It was the first thing that I wanted to know after diagnosis, whether good or bad news. Being well informed is essential imo.
All the best
Steff xx
If your doc said you could wait, then I would wait. Especially if you don't think you could tolerate the current treatment. I guess your doc specializes in internal medicine if they aren't a liver doc right? If not, I am thinking it would be best to hear that from a specialist.
You know, my doc wanted a list of every OTC medicine and vitamin supplement I take only to pretty much tell me the same thing - avoid iron. I believe acetamintephine (I don't know how to spell it and I am too lazy to look it up
) was what he suggested for pain.
Hi Lobo, "ALT scores have come down far enough that I don't need treatment". Not sure where that comes from. Your drop in ALT from 71 to 54 means nothing. It could merely be a daily variation. The fact remains that you have chronic Hep C, a high viral load, Geno 1a, and raised liver enzymes. You need an assessment of your liver fibrosis by biopsy or Fibroscan, and then you can decide whether treatment is urgent. Sitting and waiting 6 months only increases your risk of liver damage. Have you seen an experienced Hepatologist? If not, you need to. Good luck.
Hi Courtney,,
I have been dealing with this for last 10 years, was gonna wait a couple more, but doc said i was starting cirrosis so he recomended treatment now, 48 weeks, blahh..Main thing is nooo alcohol. I just use tylenol and ibuprofin and try not to worry about it. Just try and live happy. One day at a time. Something better is coming..
I have appoint with VA Doctor Oct 4, 2012 . I can barely walk or talk, don't drive so. Oh yea, I don't drink or smoke. The only thing I know is I am Genotype 1a.
OK saw Doctor on Oct 4, he said my ALT scores in blood tests had come down far enough that I did not need the treatment right now, and he would test my blood every 6 months,
These are the Blood tests he took on Jun 12, 2012: I don't know anything about this stuff:
ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE 71 High IU/L 10-40 Details
ALBUMIN 4.3 GM/DL 3.2-4.4 Details
ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE 68 IU/L 38-126 Details
ASPARTATE AMINOTRANSFERASE 62 High IU/L 15-40 Details
BILIRUBIN 1.0 MG/DL 0.2-1.3 Details
CALCIUM 9.6 MG/DL 8.6-10.0 Details
CARBON DIOXIDE 30 MEQ/L 25-31 Details
CHLORIDE 102 MEQ/L 98-108 Details
CHOLESTEROL 122 MG/DL 0-200 Details
CHOLESTEROL.IN HDL 46.5 mg/dl 35-70 Details
CHOLESTEROL.IN LDL 64.3 mg/dl 0-130 Details
CREATININE 0.9 MG/DL 0.6-1.3 Details
GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE.PREDICTED 87 SEE EVAL >60 Details
GLUCOSE 95 MG/DL 70-110 Details
POTASSIUM 5.0 MEQ/L 3.6-5.1 Details
PROTEIN 7.4 GM/DL 6.4-8.3 Details
SODIUM 142 MEQ/L 136-144 Details
TRIGLYCERIDE 50 mg/dl 0-200 Details
UREA NITROGEN 13 MG/DL 8-24
These are the new tests taken on 10 Sept 2012:
ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE 54 High IU/L 10-40 Details
ALBUMIN 4.1 GM/DL 3.2-4.4 Details
ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE 68 IU/L 38-126 Details
ASPARTATE AMINOTRANSFERASE 50 High IU/L 15-40 Details
BILIRUBIN 0.7 MG/DL 0.2-1.3 Details
CALCIUM 9.2 MG/DL 8.6-10.0 Details
CARBON DIOXIDE 32 High MEQ/L 25-31 Details
CHLORIDE 102 MEQ/L 98-108 Details
CREATINE KINASE 79 U/L 49-397 Details
CREATININE 1.0 MG/DL 0.6-1.3 Details
GAMMA GLUTAMYL TRANSFERASE 43 IU/L 7-50 Details
GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE.PREDICTED 77 SEE EVAL >60 Details
GLUCOSE 96 MG/DL 70-110 Details
POTASSIUM 4.7 MEQ/L 3.6-5.1 Details
PROTEIN 7.3 GM/DL 6.4-8.3 Details
SODIUM 142 MEQ/L 136-144 Details
UREA NITROGEN 10 MG/DL 8-24 Details
I don't want to nor do I think I could go through the 3 drug ****tail, I barely get by as it is so all that other stuff, there is just no way I could get by, by myself, so I belive I'm going to have to deal with this without the treatment they have now.
Anyone else trying to get by without the treatment they have now. What should I take instead of aleve, I can't take aspirin as it thins the blood and I have two metal clips in brain so no aspirin.
What should I eat or not eat, well everything anyone wants to say as I know nothing about any of this, except no iron.
Thanks to all who respond, as I said I know nothing about this mess but I am scared to death about it, Gee, make it through brain operation, please help me make it through this.
You see I live in Panama City, FL, there is only a outpatient clinic here, so I would have to go 150 miles to Pensacola, FL to see liver Doctor, and then if I needed anything else, I would have to go to Biloxi, Mississippi. My viral load is 5,800,000. I live alone, no one cooks or cleans for me, I barely can make it to the mail box because of Brain operation, plus paying the bills I need to be somewhat out of the fog, it's very hard now because of brain thing, Hep C meds would make it worse and I would not know if something bad or not right was happening to me as I'm already very messed up. Thank you for hearing me, I am scarred to death about all this. I also believe I got this Hep C in 1994 when they gave me brain operation. Thanks to anyone that will tell me to wait and see if blood test results in 6 months is OK.