Confused and Freaking Out - indeterminate RIBA

[clueless1980]

Hello, I am a 30 year old female who just found out last Friday that I tested positive for the antibodies for hep c. I am not sure what test I had initially as I was just getting routine blood work done before starting an IVF cycle with a fertility doctor. Because the first test was positive for the antibodies they had me do a second test. The second test I did was a RIBA test which can back as indeterminate being positive for C33C. I
My fertility doctor referred me to a GI doctor and sent me this morning to get a viral load test done. I have been all over the internet since last Friday and when I asked the tech drawing my blood which type of test I was getting done she said a genotype test. I'm a bit confused because from everything I've read, genotype test are only done once HCV is confirmed. Does a genotype also test for viral load?
I can't for the life of me think of when I would have/could have even come in contact with HCV. I know I was tested for the antibodies four years ago and was negative. I am going to say it is safe to assume that I came in contact with the virus in past four years right?
Has something like this happened to anyone else? Is it safe to assume that I am postive for the virus if they are running a genotype test?
I am sorry if these are stupid questions, I'm just really confused and scared.

[clueless1980]

Thank you both for your input and insight.

[carol411]

My guess, and this is just a guess, is that they are doing an HCV RNA by PCR.  The test is to determine how much (if any) virus is in your blood.  They would not be able to determine genotype unless they had some virus to test, so if they find some then they would want to know the genotype.  Try not to freak out too much.  James is right, they may not find any virus.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.   Carol

[James10500]

I would think they would run a viral load test.  Common practive is the sequence that you stated. Ask your doc what they ran, maybe the lab tech doesn't know.  You will have antibodies for a very long time after exposure to Hep C, doesn't mean you have active virus you may have cleared it on your own. People clear it 20% of the time.  I hope this is the case.

Good luck,

James