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Welcome

Welcome to the Hep Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people who have Hepatitis B, C or a co-infection, their friends and family and others with questions about hepatitis and liver health. Check in frequently to read what others have to say, post your comments, and hopefully learn more about how you can reach your own health goals.

Privacy Warning: Please realize that these forums are open to all, and are fully searchable via Google and other search engines. If this concerns you, then do not use a username or avatar that are self-identifying in any way. We do not allow the deletion of anything you post in these forums, so think before you post.
  • The information shared in these forums, by moderators and members, is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between an individual and his/her own physician.
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Recent Posts

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1
I Just Tested Positive for Hepatitis C / Re: Just tested positive: In complete shock and disbelief. How?
« Last post by Lynn K on Today at 02:55:42 am »
Thanks for asking we’re doing fine at home on staycation lol. Governor issued a stay at home order last week.
2
I Just Tested Positive for Hepatitis C / Re: Just tested positive: In complete shock and disbelief. How?
« Last post by David0045 on Today at 02:30:25 am »
Hi Lynn,

Thank you for the encouraging words. It’s been quite a stressful couple of months in addition to this covid-19 crisis that is really exasperating my anxiety and stress.

I hope things are going good for you.
3
I Just Tested Positive for Hepatitis C / Re: Just tested positive: In complete shock and disbelief. How?
« Last post by Lynn K on Yesterday at 08:46:46 pm »
Well whatever the outcome in this situation, hepatitis c is no a medical emergency. Only about 20% of people infected for 20 years will develop liver damage. Hep c is a very slowly acting illness needing decades to cause serious liver damage if it ever does. Also hep c is now very treatable today. The treatments approved beginning in 2014 are much better tolerated and much more effective than what was previously available. Treatment can be as simple as 1 pill a day for possibly as few as 8 weeks and cure rates are around 98% or better. So even if you do end up learning you are infected with hep c you can be treated and cured.

I’m sure this is very frustrating but hang in there. If I were to bet I’m reasonable confident you do not have hep c.

Best of luck
4
I Just Tested Positive for Hepatitis C / Re: Just tested positive: In complete shock and disbelief. How?
« Last post by David0045 on Yesterday at 08:14:46 pm »
Hi everyone,


So here’s an update after 6 weeks of confusion and 3 tests. The first initial antibody test that was run showed an equivocal result which meant the initial results were positive, but another antibody test (which from what the nurse told me is sort of a ‘control’ mechanism to affirm the initial result) resulted in negative response.

So essentially they use two separate antibody tests. The two tests are supposed to show the same result when there is a definitive infection or definitive non-infection. My first antibody test came back reactive, and then non-reactive for the control test, therefore, not confirming the reactive result and causing the test to be “indeterminate” or “equivocal”

The second test that was run a week later was another double antibody test along with an RNA test because the doctor thought maybe if I gave it some time, my body would produce more antibodies and it could be detected easier; however not the case. The results were the exact same as the first test. It showed a reactive and a non-reactive result in the antibody tests. From what the doctor is telling me, it’s perhaps that a certain antibody in my blood is reacting to the first test which may have a lower signal to cut off ratio and showing that I have Hep C antibodies while the control antibody test to confirm the initial results is saying I don’t have Hep C antibodies because it’s NOT reacting to it with a less sensitive signal to cut off ratio. The unfortunate part is, the lab is unable to run the RNA test because of a low serology signal; meaning they are not even running the RNA test because my antibody levels are so low that they didn’t want to use up resources in testing for RNA due to the unfortunate circumstances of Covid-19, the lab has been overworked.

The third test was done a month later... exact same results. A reactive and non-reactive result for the antibody and a low serology signal (meaning low antiibody signal in the serum), which is protocol for “no need to run the RNA test.”

The doctor has given me some reassurance that because nothing has changed in my antibody test signals and that the indeterminate or equivocal results  have been the same, that it’s most likely a false positive and that my blood is reacting to that one antibody test while the confirmatory antibody test is showing non-reactive.

So in conclusion.... he wants a 3 month follow up of another antibody test and hopes that in that time, my body may have cleared any antibodies that are giving off a reactive signal for that lone antibody test. However, if the results are the same, they may run another test that specifically looks for the virus or viral load.. He reassured me that there is nothing to be urgent about and that it’s most likely a false positive as they would expect some change or a higher serology signal in my antibody tests if it was an acute infection.
5
Hepatitis C Research News & Studies / Youth Hep C Testing, Treatment Rates Are Inadequate
« Last post by Hep Editors on Yesterday at 12:57:59 pm »
Even as the opioid epidemic causes a surge of new cases of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among young people, testing for the virus in this population remains suboptimal, and actual treatment is rare.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the proportion of the U.S. hep C population that was between 15 and 24 years old increased from 3.8% in 2009 to 9.1% in 2013 to 2016. Today, the majority of new cases are among people younger than 30 years old who inject drugs. Indeed, injection drug use—specifically, the sharing of drug injection equipment—is the major risk factor for transmission among young adults.

Read more...
https://www.hepmag.com/article/youth-hep-c-testing-treatment-rates-inadequate
6
Hepatitis C Research News & Studies / Curing Hepatitis C Boosts Lymphoma Treatment Outcomes
« Last post by Hep Editors on March 27, 2020, 05:03:55 pm »
Among those with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and lymphoma, curing the virus is associated with improved treatment outcomes for the blood cancer, Healio reports.

Sanjal H. Desai, MD, of Medstar Health in Baltimore, and colleagues conducted a study of 40 people with HCV and lymphoma, 22 of whom cleared the virus. Desai presented findings at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting in Orlando this month.

Twenty-one (95%) of those who achieved clearance of HCV had an overall response to lymphoma treatment, meaning complete or partial cancer regression, compared with 11 (69%) of those who did not clear the virus. This meant that clearing the virus was associated with a 2.4-fold greater likelihood of having an overall response to lymphoma treatment. Sixteen (73%) of those with viral clearance and six (38%) of those without had a complete response to lymphoma treatment, making viral clearance associated with a 2.3-fold greater likelihood of complete response.

For more...
https://www.hepmag.com/article/curing-hepatitis-c-boosts-lymphoma-treatment-outcomes
7
Hepatitis B / Screening for Hepatitis B Before Chemotherapy Is Cost Effective
« Last post by Hep Editors on March 26, 2020, 11:38:15 am »
Compared with not screening at all or screening only those at the highest risk for the virus, universal screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV) before individuals receive chemotherapy for solid tumors is the most cost-effective option, Healio reports.

Chemotherapy for solid tumors can suppress the immune system and raise the risk of reactivation of HBV.

Gauree G. Konijeti, MD, of the Scripps Clinic in San Diego, and colleagues conducted modeling of a theoretical population of U.S. adults who started chemotherapy for a solid tumor. Publishing their findings in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, they compared three screening strategies, including a screen-all strategy, screening only the high-risk patients or screening none.

For more...
https://www.hepmag.com/article/screening-hepatitis-b-chemotherapy-cost-effective
8
Am I Infected? / Re: Confused about facts...
« Last post by Lynn K on March 24, 2020, 10:39:38 pm »
No, I personally wouldn’t give it a second thought or even a first thought really.

If you need more assurance for your own piece of mind wait a minimum of 12 weeks after this occurred and have the hep c antibody test.

Just to add hep c is not easily contracted, less than 4% of the US population has hep c and that amount is shrinking every day. Also, with the introduction of new meds approved since 2014 hep c is now nearly curable for over than 98% of patients with simple well tolerated treatments,
9
Am I Infected? / Re: Confused about facts...
« Last post by CJones on March 24, 2020, 10:27:44 pm »
Ok! So you wouldn’t even worry about testing from this?
10
Am I Infected? / Re: Confused about facts...
« Last post by Lynn K on March 24, 2020, 04:04:59 pm »
Hepatitis C infected blood must enter the blood stream of an uninfected person. As I mentioned even if you were to have an accidental needle stick where the needle had just been used on a person with known hep c the odds of transmission are only 1.8%

So no I wouldn’t worry about this.

Stay safe out there was your hands
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