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Author Topic: What doctor can perform the RNA/PCR test?  (Read 11597 times)

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Offline Newbie15

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  • Posts: 2
What doctor can perform the RNA/PCR test?
« on: June 09, 2015, 09:47:18 am »
During my annual visit to my gynecologist, routine std testing found I was positive on the antibody test.  He referred me (informally/told me about) to a liver specialist or hepatologist. This was after I questioned him whether the RNA test had also been performed. I had read enough about it the day before to know to ask that. Irked me that he didn't volunteer that part himself so I don't get extra depressed.  My insurance sucks (ObamaCare) as I have to meet the deductible first, so my question is...is it the general practitioner/primary care doctor that performs this test? That may be cheaper. Every office I call, I have to spend minutes trying to explain to them what I need. Meaning that they don't get confused and say they do the test when it's only the antibody test. My insurance also said the primary care doc had to refer me to the specialist so I guess i have no choice but to go to a Primary Care doc. Because I was also thinking I'd save by going directly to the specialist and having him do the test plus the additional tests, treatments, etc, if my gyno officially refers me. Ugh! Btw, the gyno didn't order the RNA/PCR test. Said something like, since he doesn't deal with Hep C, it wasn't up to him.

Offline davidsconfused

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Re: What doctor can perform the RNA/PCR test?
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2015, 02:06:42 pm »
My regular doctor did the antibody test and when it came back positive he did the RNA test (well, his office drew the blood and sent it to a lab on both). THEN I was refered to a gastroenterologist.  I wouldn't want to pay a specialist before I knew I actually had HCV if I were you.

Offline Philadelphia

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Re: What doctor can perform the RNA/PCR test?
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2015, 05:37:23 pm »
I'm in Australia, so different system perhaps, but I can get a HCV RNA from my GP (regular dr) if +ve to antibody test. Wouldn't expect my gyn to do it. That'd be like expecting my hepatologist to do a Pap smear.
CURED SVR24  Class of 2015
Wk 12 post EOT 30.11.15: ALT 14 AST 22 GGT 22 VL UND
Week 19 07.08.15: ALT 17 AST 23 GGT 25
Week 12 18.06.15: ALT 21 AST 23 GGT 28
Week 8 25.05.15: ALT 23 AST 27 GGT 30 VL UND
Week 4 20.04.14: ALT 30 AST 36 VL 40
Treatment start 23.03.15: ALT 137 AST 185 VL 342,600
Cirrhosis Child-Pugh A, Genotype 1a - Viekira Pak + riba 24 weeks
Total failure interferon/ribavirin/boceprovir Mar 2013
https://www.hepmag.com/blogger/grace-campbell

Offline lporterrn

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  • LucindaPorterRN
    • LucindaPorterRN
Re: What doctor can perform the RNA/PCR test?
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2015, 05:40:56 pm »
Any licensed MD or DO, nurse practitioner or physician's asst can order an HCV RNA qualitative test
Lucinda Porter, RN
1988 Contracted HCV
1997 Interferon nonresponder
2003 PEG + ribavirin responder-relapser
2013 Cured (Harvoni + ribavirin clinical trial)
https://www.hepmag.com/blogger/lucindakporter

Offline Newbie15

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 2
Re: What doctor can perform the RNA/PCR test?
« Reply #4 on: June 09, 2015, 06:14:40 pm »
Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond! I just made an appointment with a family physician that will send me to a lab to do the test...for tomorrow! WooHoo!! Just want to know the results already. I'm staying confident that I'll be among the few who's body has cleared it.  :D I was last routinely tested in January 2014 and it came back negative, so I had to have come in contact with it in the last year and a half.

So one of my follow up questions is, if in fact there's an active infection, is there a better and easier chance of treatment the sooner it's treated from the time it's contracted? Because I suppose there would be less of the virus in my bloodstream? I have drank alcohol quite a bit this year, so who knows how that will affect it.
Also, about how long does it take for the results to come back? The receptionist said part of it would come back Thurs morning (appt is Wed afternoon) and the rest Saturday or Monday. But not sure if she's basing it on lab results in general.

Haha Philadelphia...I figured his office could send off another (or same?) blood sample to get tested for the additional test to the lab that originally tested for the other diseases.

Offline Lynn K

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  • Get tested, get treated, get cured, fight Hep c!
Re: What doctor can perform the RNA/PCR test?
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2015, 03:48:26 am »
No mater how long you have been infected with hep c odds are very good you will be cured by the new generation of medicines. I don't recall seeing any studies looking at recent infection vs long standing infection related to cure rates.

Key factors affecting cure rates are genotype, amount of liver damage. and prior treatment history.

Alcohol does not affect the hep c virus but both alcohol and hep c affect the liver by causing liver damage.

My viral load tests usually come back in 4 days to 1 week.

Good luck hope you are not detected for the virus.

Lynn
Genotype 1a
1978 contracted, 1990 Dx
1995 Intron A failed
2001 Interferon Riba null response
2003 Pegintron Riba trial med null response
2008 F4 Cirrhosis Bx
2014 12 week Sov/Oly relapse
10/14 fibroscan 27 PLT 96
2014 24 weeks Harvoni 15 weeks Riba
5/4/15 EOT not detected, ALT 21, AST 20
4 week post not detected, ALT 26, AST 28
12 week post NOT DETECTED (07/27/15)
ALT 29, AST 27 PLT 92
24 week post NOT DETECTED! (10/19/15)
44 weeks (3/11/16)  fibroscan 33, PLT 111, HCV NOT DETECTED!
I AM FREE!

Offline tblount

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Re: What doctor can perform the RNA/PCR test?
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2015, 07:33:37 am »
Message deleted - rules violation -- providing important phone numbers and links for Hep C support groups.
« Last Edit: September 23, 2015, 01:02:48 pm by tblount »

Offline jberlin

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  • Contracted Hep C in 76, treated 2004 & 2012, cured
Re: What doctor can perform the RNA/PCR test?
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2015, 03:38:35 pm »
Tblount,

That is a troubling and incorrect post.  I am not sure what your real issue is, but we should not be discussing it here where people are trying to help each other get well. If you would like, I would be happy discuss by direct messaging, or even by phone if you wish, but not here in this forum. We do't 'hack' anyone and our rules are pretty simple and very common sense. 

This was what we edited that I am guessing made you upset:
A few days ago I found that I could buy hep c at-home test
for about $8 each <Hep Moderators: In keeping with our policy of not promoting commercial sites, we've removed a promotional link> and I bought a package of 5.


Yes, if you wish to promote commercial sites, we are not the place to do this as it calls into question a respondent's motivation.  Direct message me if you wish and we can discuss further.

jack
« Last Edit: September 23, 2015, 03:48:44 pm by jberlin »

 


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