Normal for numbers not really changing on treatment?

[dragonslayerinprogress]

Is it normal to not see any improvement in numbers as in bilirubin, albumin, platelets etc while on treatment? I have 6 more weeks and have been undetected for 14 weeks now but the numbers were crawling up slowly but have hit a standstill for the past 2 months. As I am writing this and logging it into an excel file, I am finding that every result from CBC and CMP-14 all are exactly as last test in April. I thinks the nurse read me the wrong results. SMH. Will check back in but if you know if they move slowly, please let me know lol

[dragonslayerinprogress]

So she's harrassing me, tellilng me that I never took any other tests but an Alpa Ferro Protein test which is a tumor marker and it's elevated. Dr. Says not to worry but we'll do another ultrasound. I'm scared to death. She finally got that I wasn't playing around and that there was another lab result still at Labcorp and that I dropped off 9 vials of blood that day and to call them back now because I want my results in today. Sure I pissed her off but I hate incompetent nurses!

[dragonslayerinprogress]

We have inprovement. Albumin 3.4 from 3.2, bilirubin is normal at 1.1, alt, ast, hemoglobin are all normal. Platelets dropped one point from 63 to 62 so that was disappointing but in all...I'm relieved!

[KimInTheForest]

We have inprovement. Albumin 3.4 from 3.2, bilirubin is normal at 1.1, alt, ast, hemoglobin are all normal. Platelets dropped one point from 63 to 62 so that was disappointing but in all...I'm relieved!

Glad to hear you have improvement, dragonslayerinprogress! Your platelet drop is so tiny as to be insignificant. It could vary that much from one minute to the next. I am impressed that your hemoglobin is normal after this many weeks of ribavirin. Mine was gutted early on and still has not returned to normal range (and I am 10 months post-treatment).

kim

[lporterrn]

If you have cirrhosis, your numbers may not improve - there are many factors, but in general, unless the cirrhosis is mild, you can cure hep C and still have cirrhosis to deal with. Thus the platelets, bili, and albumin might not budge much, or could worsen. Continue to be diligent with advocating for yourself, strive for the healthiest lifestyle possible, find ways to stay positive and free of fear, and life will be easier. I know all of this is easier said than done, but I watched people live with advanced liver disease for many years, and some did amazing stuff...stuff I haven't tried in my healthy, young days!

And we are hear to remind each other that we can live well, even when things fall apart.

[Lynn K]

I have had cirrhosis for over 8 years now. One year post treatment my ALT & AST are in normal range and my platelet count has risen slightly from my pre-treatment level in the 90's. My last test was 110. My AFP prior to any treatment was 26.6 but is now 10.8 just barely above max normal of 8.3

My bili was always in normal range and my INR is steady for years at 1.1 protime 11.6

I will be seeing my hepatologist annually and having liver ultrasounds and blood work every 6 months plus annual upper endoscopies as I had esophageal varicies in the past that required banding. Hep c is gone but not entirely out of the woods yet.

Congrats on your improving numbers!

[Philadelphia]

My alt and AST are normal after years of not being normal. Or they were last test I had, about 6 months ago. My albumin is finally in normal range and my bili either just normal or slightly out of normal. All my markers have been crap in the past and have improved - except for my platelets and INR. I have cirrhosis but so far it's not being terribly difficult. Just annoying. I'm prepared for not much more improvement but I'd be chuffed if things stayed the same more or less.

[lporterrn]

Stories like this is why we all need to keep trying and to never give up. Thank you Lynn and Jane!

[Lynn K]

LOL Philadephia I had to Google "chuffed"

I am right there with you  I'll be chuffed if things stayed the same more or less as well

[Philadelphia]

Yes you have to be careful Lynn - there's nowt but a slip of the tongue between chuffed and chafed.

[lporterrn]

Chuffing and chafing aside, and while you 2 ladies had a fairly typical experience, it is important to keep in mind that it doesn't always work out that way. So much so, that hepatologists are reconsidering the value of treating those with decompensated cirrhosis or nearly decompensated. So dragonslayerinprogress, things may still work out for you, but if they don't we'll be here to help you through that too.

[Lynn K]

Hi Lucinda,

Do you have some info on that discussion? I had seen some material previously that for Child C patients it might not be doing them a favor to cure their hep c and leave them hanging being very sick but not qualifying for a transplant so in a medical limbo. Is that what you are referring to?

[lporterrn]

It is what I am referring to. It will take some time to track down info, and if I find some, I'll post it. Recently I heard some presentations highlighting the complicated medical dilemmas the new treatments are creating. Some patients with serious liver disease are being left in a limbo, created by a successful treatment. They aren't really well, but now they aren't sick enough to get a liver transplant. Some go on to kidney failure or liver cancer. We didn't see this coming, and researchers are watching this closely.

Of course, if we treated people early, this would fix the problem...

[Lynn K]

And get those folks who don't know they have hep c tested before they show up at the emergency room with symptoms of cirrhosis.