I`ve got hepatitis C and I need information about possible relief. Thanks.
REPLY:
A positve hepatitis C antibody test indicates that you are currently infected or have been infected with this virus at some time in your life and may have recovered. It should be noted that a positive result may indicate a "false-positive" status which means that there is a reason, other than exposure to the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), as the cause of the positive result. More accurate tests allow doctors to measure actual virus nucleic acid to distinguish between truly positive and false positive results.
Because 50% of true HCV infections go on to a chronic form and 20% of these patients can progress further to the more serious cirrhosis stage of liver disease care by a physician familiar with this disease is advisable.
A liver biopsy may be indicated to determine whether there are signs of chronic hepatitis or developing cirrhosis.
Anti-viral treatment is of benefit to some patients with chronic HCV. Interferon alfa-2b is taken by injection usually three times each week for several months. During this time blood tests are monitored to see if there is evidence of response to the treatment. There are side-effects to this treatment with many patients complaining of flu-like symptoms but, in general, the side-effects are mild and do not usually lead to interruption of treatment. Many of these effects disappear during the course of the therapy.
Because treatment of HCV is currently changing with new strategies being tested to yield improved results your best approach to this disease is to seek out an experienced physician in this area; this may mean contacting your local school of medicine or university hospital.
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Bruce Sckolnick, M.D.
NOTICE: OFCN is not engaged in the rendering of professional medical services. The information contained on this system or any other OFCN system should not supplant individual professional consultation. It is offered exclusively as a community education service. Advice on individual problems must be obtained directly from a professional.
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