Hepatitis Forums
Hepatitis C Main Forums => Considering Hepatitis C Treatment => Topic started by: wileydog1 on August 09, 2015, 04:34:39 pm
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Hi all, this is my first post. I have been reading posts on this website for the last week. I contracted Hep C in 1979, an was first diagnosed in 1998. I was so floored when I left the doctors office, I felt like I had just been hit by a bulldozer. Then the doctor started me on Interferon and Ribavirin, then I knew I had been hit by a bulldozer. I did that for a year and a half and as soon as I stopped, my numbers were right back up. So recently I have not been feeling well and went to the doctor, my ammonia levels were high and they started me on Lucatose and I had an ultra sound done and I am waiting for the results. Worrying. I believe the doctor is going to prescribe Harvoni and that makes me anxious reading all I have read about new criteria from the manufacturer. Don't know if I will qualify. :-\
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Have you had a fibroscan, a fibrosure blood test or a liver biopsy to have the condition of your liver evaluated?
I am just a layperson but having an elevated ammonia level and needing lactulose for treatment could mean you have hepatic encephalopathy which could be a symptom of cirrhosis.
I don't want to alarm you so please ask your doctor about all this.
As for qualifying for Harvoni if my guesses are correct and you do have cirrhosis this places you at high priority for treatment which will improve your chances for getting treatment. Are you genotype 1?
If you see my signature below that has a summary of my treatment history.
There is hope with cirrhosis I have had cirrhosis coming up on 8 years now but with cure of hep c it is possible some of the damage from hep c can reverse with time.
Let me know if I can help answer any questions you may have
Lynn
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Lynn, Thanks for responding and I am so glad you are doing so well. This seems like an ugly can of worms to open.
I had a biopsy in 1999. I do not have any of the specifics other than I am a geno type 1a and 3,000,000 copies. No records at previous doctor as they shipped them off since I had not been seen by him in 10 years. Had my gallbladder out about 15 years ago and that dropped my as, alt to normal range. My most recent as ast and alt on the high end of normal. Ammonia level was 57. the doc on my first visit wanted me to have a colonoscopy and a endoscopy with the ultra sound, due to some vomiting in the am of an egg yolk like substance and some bathroom issues. They called me the day my labs came in and told me to forget about the scopes but to have ultrasound NOW. Same day they started me on lactulose. What are these two tests you mentioned. I believe the insurance company is going to give me a hard time. $6000.00 deductible I have to meet/snowflakes prayer in hell of that happening. Feeling Kind of lost, but optimistic.
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The fibroscan is a test similar to an ultra sound but uses thumps to gauge liver stiffness.
http://www.myliverexam.com/en/lexamen-fibroscan.html
A fibrosure uses different blood test results to give a score that can also give a good idea of liver stiffness.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FibroTest
Both are good tests and less invasive than a biopsy but are not as accurate when liver damage is in the middle ranges F1 F2 but very accurate if the result is F4 cirrhosis
My ALT AST have been slightly above normal for many years I have been seeing a liver doctor every year since 1990 since my diagnosis and through my 3 failed treatments.
I have an abdominal ultrasound every 6 months and will for the rest of my life to look for signs of liver cancer as a person with cirrhosis is at increased risk of HCC (heptocellular carcinoma).
Have you looked into my Support Path they can help some patients with the cost of treatment. They have recently changed some of their policies but I believe they are still providing copay assistance.
http://www.mysupportpath.com/
With a co-pay coupon, most eligible patients may pay no more than $5 per co-pay (restrictions apply)
Not valid for patients enrolled in government healthcare prescription drug programs, such as Medicare Part D and Medicaid. Patients in the coverage gap known as the "donut hole" also are not eligible
The HARVONI and SOVALDI co-pay coupon programs will cover the out-of-pocket costs for HARVONI or SOVALDI prescriptions up to a maximum of 25% of the catalog price of a 12-week regimen of HARVONI or SOVALDI
PATIENTS CAN CALL 1-855-7-MYPATH (1-855-769-7284) TO REGISTER OVER THE PHONE
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here are some of my old results before I treated recently
Component Standard Range Your Value
PROTEIN, TOTAL 6.0 - 8.5 g/dL 7.4
ALBUMIN, S 3.5 - 5.5 g/dL 4.7
BILIRUBIN, TOTAL 0.1 - 1.2 mg/dL 0.8
BILIRUBIN, DIRECT 0 - 0.4 mg/dL 0.3
ALT (GPT) <33 U/L 78
AST(GOT) 0 - 50 U/L 54
ALK PTASE 39 - 117 U/L 103
PLATELET CT 140 - 415 bil/L 93
HCV RNA RT-PCR, QT 2,065,760 IU/mL
HCV LOG 10 6.315 log10 IU/mL