Cirrhosis with Hepatitis C infection - Online Doctor Chats

Doctor :   hi
Doctor :  
how can i help you?
User :   Hello
User :   I'm a 32 year old female who has been diagnosed with Hep C a few months back even though I dont do drugs, drink, gotten a tattoo or had a blood transfusion
Doctor :   ok
Doctor :  
It is an infectious disease affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus
Doctor :  
which is often asymptomatic
User :   My doctor tells me that my blood tests looks good and that my liver functions very well but after undergoing a biopsi, they show that I have cirrosis
Doctor :  
ok
User :   How is that possible?
Doctor :  
please provide your age, location, and occupation
Doctor :   it is one of the causes for cirrhosis of liver
User :   32, live in Sweden and I'm a student
Doctor :  
may i ask you how the diagnosis of Hepatitis C was confirmed for you?
User :   what do you mean, by blood tests
Doctor :  
i mean to ask was any serological test done on your blood sample that confirmed it?

Doctor :  
this usually spreads with blood to blood contact
Doctor :   hi
Doctor :  
are you back?
User :   yes
User :   I have never gotten a blood transfusion
User :   I dont drink, never!!!
Doctor :  
i was telling you about the various ways of this spreading
User :   And my doctor says that even with treatment I have a 30% shot of fighting this virus
User :   virus
Doctor :  
ok
Doctor :  
there is chance that you would have got it through some injection prick sometime in your life,
User :   I'm very scared and confused. What can I do????
Doctor :  
and the virus would have remained asymptomatic
User :   I understand
Doctor :  
causing gradual liver damage, leading to cirrhosis
Doctor :  
i will expain you the various treatment options
User :   ok
Doctor :  
1. antiviral drugs like ribavirin
Doctor :  
is known to cure this
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and the cure rates vary from
Doctor :  
50-75%
User :   ok
User :   please go on
Doctor :  
2. lifestyle changes to avoid further damage to liver: Doctor :  
like stopping alcohol consumption and smoking
Doctor :  
3.
Doctor :  
3. there are combine antiviral drugs that have better cure rates, but have lot of side effects too
Doctor :  
they are PEG-Intron combined with ribavirin
Doctor :  
4. there are alternative treatments also that aim to maintain funtional status of liver
Doctor :  
slowing the course of the disease to retain quality of life.
User :   which are, no: 4
Doctor :  
however they do not treat the virus infection
Doctor :  
so what you can do is
User :   yes
Doctor :  
start the treatment for this
Doctor :  
with the antiviral drugs
Doctor :  
ask your doctor if he can prescribe the combinations drugs
User :   which are?
Doctor :  
and also have good diet to support liver funtion
Doctor :  
drugs include Ribavirin and PEg-Intron, which are o=not OTC, and wil require prescription by a
User :   I am on a healthy diet and have shed over 20 kg the past 4 months
Doctor :  
registered medical practioner
Doctor :  
ok
Doctor :  
you can continue the diet, but please be sure to take enough of vitamins and minerals
Doctor :  
they will support the liver
User :   ok. Let me ask you this, considering the fact that I'm 32 and have cirrhosis which can only detoriate, do you think a liver transplat is neccassary in the future??
Doctor :  
A person with cirrhosis should not eat raw shellfish, which can contain a bacterium that causes serious infection
Doctor :  
in case the liver functions do detiorate, and you develop ascites and liver failure
Doctor :  
you can control the damage to liver
Doctor :  
by following a healthy diet
Doctor :  
avoiding alcohol
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and liver damaging drugs and food
Doctor :  
A liver transplant is considered when complications cannot be controlled by treatment.
Doctor :  
have you followed what i have said?
User :   I believe so. Maintain a healty diet with vitamins, stay away from alcohol, let the doctor prescribe the necassary medicine and avoid shellfish???
Doctor :  
coffee assissts in halting liver damage
User :   so coffee is a yes or a no, just to be sure???
Doctor :  
drinking about 3 cups of coffee a day, has been found to stop disease progression by 53%
Doctor :  
so you will benefit from drinking cofe
Doctor :  
in controlling the liver damage
Doctor :  
Is there any thing else I can help you with?
User :   Black coffee or with milk, sorry but I want to be sure. Can the cirrohsis develop into cancer by time.
Doctor :   you can take either of them
Doctor :  
black coffee would be better though
User :   Well I'm afraid that with time the condition can develop into cancer
Doctor :  
cirrhosis developing into cancer happens in advanced stages, when the damage continues, and there is no halt
User :   yes I understand but a couple a months ago my doctor noticed the Hep C, now after the biopsi they say I have cirrhosis, so isnt it developing very fast????
Doctor :  
and it generally happens with continued alcohol intake, poor diet and hepatotoxic drug use over the time
Doctor :  
see the Hepatitis C virus would have been there for a long time, it is just diagnosed now
Doctor :  
and which means that the liver damage too has happened over a period of time
Doctor :  
and not short time
Doctor :  
Not all patients with hepatitis C have an increased risk of cancer.
User :   Then why is my blood work good if the condition of my liver is not.???
User :   Iä
Doctor :  
this means that you liver is still not got into advanced cirrhosis and damage.
Doctor :  
what was the report of your liver function tests?
Doctor :  
you can also do a test called 'alphafetoprotien test' which will determine the risk of you developing liver cancer as it is a screening test
Doctor :  
are you there?
User :   The doctor told me that my liver is functioning very good. That I should start with treatment of 48 weeks
Doctor :  
yes
Doctor :  
you should
Doctor :  
to avoid further damage
Doctor :  
and as your liver is in good condition
User :   ok
Doctor :  
the chances are that if you do develop
Doctor :  
liver cancer
Doctor :  
it will be very late in life
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you have to maintain
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good nutrition
Doctor :  
avoid drinks
User :   The doctor said that I have a 30% chance and that I should be prepared for a though patch in my life
Doctor :  
and also be very very careful of taking any medications that wil damage liver
User :   what medications
User :   should i avoid
Doctor :  
you can always mention to any doctor before he prescribes, not to prescribe any drug which might injure liver
Doctor :   i will tell you very simple equation
User :   ok.
Doctor :  
if you have acute hepatitis, you have 15% chance of developing chronic hepatitis
Doctor :  
and if you have acute hepatitis not treated , there are 25% chances to develop chronic hepatitis
Doctor :  
and not all develop into cirrohis
Doctor :  
and not all cirrhosis develops into cancer, there is a time delay
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and in your case you should be happy
Doctor :  
that liver functions are good
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which is a very good sign
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to halt and stop further liver damage
User :   yes but she has said that I do have cirrohis. What is my outlook ?
Doctor :  
just start with the treatment with the antiviral drugs
Doctor :  
and continue with good nutrition, and vitamin supllement
Doctor :  
be very careful not to get prescribed any liver damaging drugs
Doctor :  
avoid all kinds of OTC drugs from now on
User :   You have stilled my worries. My doctor said that I should not take vitamin supplements?
User :   OTC DRUGS?
Doctor :  
OTC: Over the counter drugs
Doctor :  
Vitamin deficiencies are very common in the bodies of people with cirrhosis because the liver is the organ responsible for converting vitamins into a usable form within the body; a malfunctioning liver affects the synthesis and metabolism of vitamins.
User :   OK. How about Levaxin for thyroid
Doctor :   To protect the liver from damage, supplements such as choline and methionine (amino acid) are strongly suggested for use by patients with cirrhosis of the liver.
Doctor :   are you taking levoxine?
User :   yes
Doctor :  
The liver also deals with all dietary fats and is the site of storage for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E, till proper liver function is regained, supplements of these vitamins must also be included in a daily or regular basis.
User :   should i stop
User :   taking them?
Doctor :   in cirrhosi
Doctor :  
of liver
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there is reduced conversion of thyroxine in the peripheral blood
Doctor :  
for action
Doctor :  
so do not stop them
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continue to take
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and ask your physician to adjust the dose of levoxine.
User :   So do you think I have a good outlook. what vitamins should I take?
Doctor :  
yes you do as your liver functions are normal
User :   is there any chance that they've messed up with the results, should I get a second opinion?
Doctor :  
you should take multivitamin with vit A, D, E, b-complex, cholinem methionine
Doctor :  
for your satisfaction yes, you can take a second opinion about these, now that you know more about your condition
Doctor :  
Is there any thing else I can help you with?
Doctor :   Please fill the feedback form say done when done.

User :   Thank you very much doctor for your time and for all your good advice. I feel a lot better. Have a great day and take care.
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