hep c and currently pregnant...

[boomy33]

Hi everyone, im new here. I am 18 weeks pregnant and found out i have hep c at the same time. I went to take to blood test to find out which kind, its been months and still no results. This is my second child and luckily my first is hep free. Is there any treatment safe during pregnancy?

[Dee1956]

Hi I wanted to come back just to say that when I was diagnosed I thought it was a death sentence, I found this site and learned that it is very slow moving as far as damage to the body.  The good thing is that you know so you can make sure that you eat liver friendly foods to help your baby and your body.
I am now cured and am getting better every day.

Take care, please keep in touch
Dee

[boomy33]

Thank you soo much Dee. I will look into finding a hepatologist, I would love to get a firm grasp on whats really going. I am very enthusiastic about this little one being virus free. My first is virus free, thankfully. I will update asap. :)

[Dee1956]

Hi I am not a doctor so I may be wrong here but I thought acute HCV was someone who had just acquired the virus.  I looked it up and found this

http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/c/cfaq.htm

If I were you I would want to find a Hepatologist, especially since you have been told two different things, one that you are chronic, then that you are acute.  Most regular doctors are not very knowledgeable about HCV

At the same time I wanted to add that I contracted HCV, did not know it and had two children.  Neither has it.
HCV is very slow moving.

Take care, please keep in touch

Dee

[cheflady]

hi and welcome to the forum. Congratulations on the pregnancy but i agree with other posters dont start tx while pregnant and if you read up on ribaverin it clearly states that in can cause untold damage to the developing baby so my advice is start tx after your baby as been born. Please try and relax and enjoy your pregnancy

[boomy33]

Im confused. The first doctor i had seen for my liver told me i had chronic hep c and this my ob ordered for another liver panel to find out how my liver is. Well my results say acute. Could i possibly be in remission due to this new baby? I have heard that when mother has internal damage (or infection) baby will send stem cells to help repair. Am i making any sense?  Anyways, im always itchy and my joints hurt pretty bad in this cold. I have read these are hep c symptoms... would like some clarification.

[shocked60]

I am one of those who went through a pregnancy not knowing I was hep c. My child does not have hep c. All the best to you.

[orphanedhawk]

Do not do treatment while pregnant !! No way.

Many of us weren't diagnosed until after we'd bore and raised children yet they do not have the virus.( This was my experience)
It is spread via blood to blood transmission. Be careful if you breast feed that you don't get cracked nipples.

Take care of yourself and enjoy your preganacy. After your baby is born consider your treatment options.

[boomy33]

Unfortunately I'm pretty positive i am not among the 20%.  I have made some really poor decisions in the 5 years. I have called the doctor but to no avail. I have an appointment for some labs tomorrow thanks to maternal doctor. So hopefully the dust will settle.

[Dee1956]

Hi I just thought of something, you said you are waiting to hear your geno type?  Are you also waiting for your viral load?
Is it possible that you have just had the one test that said you were positive?  There is another test, for me it was the geno type and the viral load.
Unfortunately mine came back with both.

It is possible that you are one of the lucky 20% who test positive for being exposed but not actually have the HCV.

Can you call the doctors office and ask for your results?  It should not take more than a week or two to get results.

I hope that you will find that your body was able to fight it off and you can relax and enjoy being pregnant and look forward to the birth of your child

Good luck
Dee

[Dee1956]

Hi I am so sorry that you found this out while pregnant.
I have never spoken to anyone who treated while pregnant.  I don't think it would not be safe for the baby.  Most medications for HCV state that you should not get pregnant within 6 months of taking the tx.  Of course things can change but I would not want to take a chance.

If I were you I would wait until you have your child.

There are other tests you would need to do, i.e. you would need a biopsy to see the amount of damage that has been done to your liver.  Sometimes they will do a sonogram first.

It is possible that you don't have a lot of damage so waiting would be the answer either way.

I wish you a healthy pregnancy and baby.

Take care
Dee