In reference to when should i get another biopsy

[redz11]

I seen were snookmiester wrote you could go from stage 2 to stage 4 in 6 to 12 months . Is this rare or common .I just never heard of that. doc told me i had a little while to consider my options Im stage 2 with minimal to moderate scarring and swelling

[Kalio1]

There is no way to tell, the disease is nonlinear and it affects each person differently. The way I understand it, the scale is from 0 to 4, 0 being no damage, 4 being extensive damage/cirrhosis. How fast you progress is unknown.
Hep c is a slow moving disease in the majority of people. Some stay at the same damage level then suddenly have a progression some never have a progression. What does your doctor recommend? Mine said have a biopsy every 3 to 5 years. I hope the Fibrosan works out, then you could have a scan instead of a biopsy to keep an eye on it.

[can-do-man]

Before you get worried find out from your doc how the bx was graded. Was it the knodell system or metavir. Knodell is still widely used. And uses numbers  from 0 to 18... Metavir is 0-4 Heres a link to the knodell. Don't understand it but it shows you there are different ways to come up with a number. Best of luck to you


http://tinyurl.com/lmt45

[jmjm530]

Everyone progresses differently but progressing one to two stages in a year would be more the exception than the rule. It took me close to 40 years to get to stage 3, but as mentioned progression isn't always linear, and in some cases it could accelerate fast. So
best to discuss with your doctor and keep a watchful eye on things. My doc recommended a biopsy every 5 years when I was a stage 2. Some recommended every 3 years. If you can get access to something like Fibroscan, then do it yearly. There are also blood marker tests like Fibrosure that some doctors use, while others don't think they're very accurate. All the best luck.

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

FWIW, hospital ER's often work on a triage system, i.e. the sickest get the beds first. Not suggesting you make anything up of course, but when I told my nurse practioner I think I needed to go to the ER, she asked me if my chest felt tight in addition to my weakness and shortness of breath, and said if it did not to forget to mention it when checking in. In other words, don't play your symptons down cause you never know until they examine you. Still took me over an hour to get a bed.

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

Sorry. My last post should have been posted in the thread above. Probably shouldn't have invited my friend Brian Fog over for dinner :)

[can-do-man]

LOL, i read that. Went back and reread it and i knew you posted it the wrong thread. Thanks for the laugh and tell brian i said hi if you remember.

[fishdoc]

(redds, thats a fish bed!!) I haven't had a biopsy since 1999, but two Drs. have not been too concerned because I have persistently normal alt and ast, indicators of liver damage....

[Snookmiester]

It is a known fact, that HCV is nonlinear.. This meaning that yeah for some, like Jim, it took 30 years to reach stage 3.. Now for others, they can go from zero, to stage 4 in as little as 10.. What I have been told by my doc and pretty much all information available on the net, is that the disease progresses faster as the fibrosis levels increase. Say your at level 2, it took ya 20 years, etc.. Well, it may only take 5 years to progress to level 4.. I was told 12-18 month progression from one level to another is NOT uncommon. Revenire's Doc stated the EXACT same data.
I was instructed to get biopsy every 2-3 years and CT scans every 6 months.. I see Schiff in August, and more than likely, I will be scheduled for another biopsy.. Unless he is confident in my Fibroscan results from last year.. I'm pushing for biopsy, as I want to see if damage was reversed as Fibroscan suggested.

[shawn_sph]

I forgot where I read the recommendation somewhere, but I can still kinda remember that people age <50 should be 3-5 years, while >50 should be 2-3 years.

The only reasons I can think of someone who have their level2 fibrosis progress to level4(cirhosis) in 6 months time are:

1. Alchohol consumption (not sure about smoking, but it's better not to smoke)
2. Lack of sleep (sleep is very important, people with liver problems should be asleep before 12am, since the liver start repairing damaged from about 12am-3am, and should get about 8 hours sleep a day)
3. Did not take any medications
4. Improper diets (very important, it's suggested that people with liver problems should consume food that will reduce the stress on the liver's job, which is filtering blood and produce blood when needed. Things that will cause stress on liver include oily/fatty food, high iron/copper contents, alchohol, etc)
5. Work stress, this means both physical and mental stress (physical include lifting heavy stuffs and can fatigue to the body)