Immune system

[Wynchie]

Hello all, I have a question. I was diagnosed with hep c many years ago and went through the Interferon treatment, my numbers were over 4 million to start with and they had gotten down to around 27,000 at the time I had to stop. Know I have issues with my Immune system, can anybody tell me if that's is a bad sign or what.

[Groupergetter]

Hi Wynchie, glad you are starting on your path to getting rid of this nasty virus.  Did your blood work tell you what your platelet count is?  If low this may be one cause of your bruising..  Normal platelet count is between 150,000–450,000.  Your test might also be reported between a range of 15 and 45.  If your platelet count is under 15 it is considered "low."   Once it gets below 10, doctors start to get more concerned and may prescribe something to help.  

As nan535 said above, if you are seeing a primary care doctor or an internal medicine doctor, you should ask for a referral to a hepatologist or gastroenterologist in your area that specializes in treatment of hep c.  There are new meds out that make the cure quicker and with less side effects.  Time to get busy and follow-up with your doctor. Don't delay. As you already know, if your liver is bad, you shouldn't drink or do other things that would make It worse.  Take care, and  be well.  

[Wynchie]

That's the  one thing I haven't done yet, I reckon that will be next.

[virt111]

Have you had a fasting glucose test?  

If you're diabetic, your immune system will be compromised, as will your ability to heal from cuts.

[Wynchie]

Hello all, I have received the results of my blood work and all is well. I haven't gotten the blood work for the hep-c viral load yet but they did the Liver and kidney and a few other thing and they were normal, so it all comes down to the end of the month when I see the specialist.

[rks5555]

Even after you had to stop,used to be referred to as a "non responder", the doctors should have kept monitoring you, such as MELD score and a liver biospy.  These will tell how much liver damage the hep c is doing.  Yes, you need to get back to the liver doctor, treatment today is better but the interferron is still part of package.   But there is a trial study going right now that does not involve interferron.  As you know your immune system is important, but the hep c should not be causing.  Usually people with transplants take a immenosuppresion to lower immue system.  I had a liver transplant over six yers ago cause of hep c type 1.  Doing well but still have recurring hep c.      

[Wynchie]

   Hello all,  I went and had blood work done last Friday but I haven't received the results yet should have them today. And I also have an appointment with a infectious disease Dr for the 27th so I'm starting this process again.

[mikesimon]

Treatment Failure May Lead to Accelerated Fibrosis Progression in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C

J Viral Hepat. 2014;21(2):111-120.

Abstract and Introduction
Abstract

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients with treatment failure (TF) remain at risk of continuing fibrosis progression. However, it has not been investigated whether there is an increased risk of accelerated fibrosis progression after failed interferon-based therapy. We aimed to investigate long-term influence of TF on fibrosis progression compared with untreated patients with CHC. We studied 125 patients with CHC who underwent paired liver biopsies from 1994 to 2012. Patients with advanced fibrosis were excluded from the analysis. Sixty-three patients had TF, and 62 patients were treatment-naïve (TN). Annual fibrosis progression rate (FPR) was calculated, and significant fibrosis progression (SFP) was defined as ≥2 stage increase in fibrosis during follow-up. Multiple regression analyses were performed to find out independent predictors of FPR and SFP. Demographic characteristics and duration between paired liver biopsies were similar in TF and TN groups. Baseline alanine aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels (71 ± 31 vs 47 ± 22, P < 0.001 and 49 ± 39 vs 36 ± 28, P = 0.027, respectively), baseline mean fibrosis stage (2.2 ± 0.7 vs 1.9 ± 0.7, P = 0.018) and histologic activity index (6.3 ± 1.9 vs 4.3 ± 1.6, P < 0.001) were higher in the TF group compared with the TN group. In regression analyses, the strongest independent predictor of fibrosis progression was the GGT level (OR: 1.03, 95%CI 1.01–1.5, P < 0.001). Treatment experience (OR: 5.97, 95%CI 1.81–19.7, P = 0.003) also appeared as an independent predictor of both FPR and SFP. Failed interferon-based CHC treatment may lead to accelerated FPR in the long-term compared with the natural course.

See article at:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/820188

[Wynchie]

Hello Nan, I'm going tomorrow to get blood work and find out what's going on. The reason I had to stop the injections was I was taking the one shoot a day and things were ok then I was put on the peg one a week and that like to have killed me. The Dr. said that my whole body had gotten inflamed, but here lately I've been very week and know if I get a cut or a bruse it won't heal, it actually gets worse.

[nan535]

Hi.
Welcome to the forum.
Are you seeing a hepatologist or gastroenterologist currently?

You said you were diagnosed and then treated with the interferon treatment but you had to stop. The viral load being down to 27,000 showed treatment was working but since you had to stop, the virus likely began replicating again. This was many years ago. Have you been seeing a doctor since?

You really need to get an update on the status of your liver. There are new treatments available now that have fewer side effects and higher cure rates.
If you provide some more info about your genotype and liver condition you will probably get some good advice on your specific question.

Best of luck
Nan