Cirrosys investigation

[Latino895]

Good evening to all of you,reading my question !

I was diagnosed with cirrhosis recently : Ishak modified HAI score : stage 6 !
All the blood test concerning the  discovery of my hep.C, genotype 1b , took more than 10 month of investigation ....(including the MRI,Ultrasound, Viral charge,etc)

The periportal interface hepatitis = 4
Confluent necrosis :0=absent   Focal(spotty) lytic necrosis=2 (2 to 4 foci per 10X objective)
portal inflamation =3 (moderate/marked,all portal aereas      Staging :architectural changes,fibrosis and cirrhosis=6

There is a 9/18 and a 6/6 written by hand ......

I'm a 55 female,in desperate quest of the truth regarding this biopsy results eich the MD would NOT explain to me.I 'm preparing strongly for the Pegasys + Ribavirine treatement in January 09 !! I'm aware that my genotype is mostly NOT responding to this Tx.....I feel quite often pain in the liver aerea,specially after eating.......I had my galbladder removed in '97,but ONLY NOW I was diagnosed with Hep.C !!! My viral count is enormous !!!  my pains started just a few months ago....
Do you think that my cirrhosis is BADLY ADVANCED?? am I going to die ?  I'm very affraid of that treatement since I read about all the awfull side effects of IT. I'll appreciate your honest opnion .....

...This diagnosis fraightens me ,since I never used ANY druggs,never received ANY blood transfusion....my ALT & AST were enough high,but my MD never took that seriousely.......Recently he gave me the TWINRIX vaccine,tough....
Please answer me ASAP.....Thany you....

[Latino895]

Hello to all of you,

Thank you for answering my question so fast...thinking it is still Christmas.....cetainly my doctor is a hepatologist.....how else,do you imagine, I would start tx ??? and under whos supervision?? A family doc is not entitled to prescribe such an important tx....

Actually,after discovering my Hep C,it was this specialist hepatologist MD who asked for the biopsy and all blood test together...I still ask myself,what those handwritten numbers on the biopsy result mean???
I'm not eating at all red meat,&I'm not a drinker.....I got the Hep.C ,unfortunately for me,from the dentist !!!  I'm keeping my good fate,in spite of my "horrific" results,as "Mary4now" called it.....
I'm glad to share my despair with you,all...thank you,specially to "Joseph66." for his encourraging....we are all together in it.....Good luck to all of you ,too!
Speaking about stages....in conformity with the Ishak report,stage 6 is the highest.....
Bye for now, to all of you who wrote to me !

[Joseph66]

hang in there - I'm stage 4, started treatment with a viral load greater then 200 million - went undetectable by wk 24 - don't know if treatment will eventually succeed but feel my liver is getting a rest - be gentle with yourself - no alcohol - no red meat - low low salt  - more frequent small meals, etc
love & luck

[can-do-man]

Hey girl, welcome to the forum. Hopefully your seeing a hepatologist. And no having cirrhosis doesn't mean your going to die anytime soon. Sounds like sense your doctor is talking about starting tx soon your liver is fully compensated. I was dx with cirrhosis close to 4 years ago and still doing fine.

Am now doing my second tx. Try not to worry to much. Should be more come around soon to give you more advice. Just don't worry to much ok.

can-do

[Mary4now]

I cant believe your doctor has not advised you about your results that is horrific.  Is your doctor a hepatologist?  Where are you? can you talk with another doctor?
You will get some answers from here based on the information  you provided.  I'm not an expert, but the cirrhosis sounds pretty advanced.  I am only basing that on my limited understanding of the 4 stages, this must be another way to chart progression.  Viral counts can be enormous, my understanding on this is that the Viral Load is not that important, only if you are treating to keep track of your progress.  
I am so sorry you are in this limbo place right now, and I know you will get some answers here, just hang in and the truth be told we are all going to die, even people who dont have this virus or any virus.  The end result of being born is dying.  Hang in there. we are all in this together.  Please try to relax and wait for some answers
a big hug and healing prayers are directed your way. M4now