[boboboy]

Hi girls,
I did a search but nothing at all came up so hoping someone out there can help me.
I had to get blood tests done for DE IVF this August.
My Hep C came back and one of the three results on it came back as a weak positive.  I got it repeated but it still came back the same.
My doctor cannot explain what this means for me in terms of having IVF and cannot really tell me a lot about it.
I am up the walls with worry as doing DE was our last hope.

Can anyone shed any light on this ?

BoBo

 

[coughsweet]

Hello hun

I expect you may well have acted already as you posted yesterday 
I would perhaps try phoning the Hep C Trust or the helpline on the NHS Hep C website 0800 451451 to find out more information on what your test results actually might mean in the first place if your doctor can't help. I'll bet they will know something about how it might affect IVF treatment as well.

Hope things are ok for you
love coughsweet x

 

[drownedgirl]

Chelsea and westminster hospital's ACU are experts on HIV and hep C and their doctor spoke to our IVF doctor... my DP has +ve hep C antibodies.

It is possible to be +ve for antibodies (been exposed to the virus) but for no live virus to be detected via an RNA test. A certain % of people actually clear the virus from their bodies.

That may apply to you. False +ves are also possible.

It sounds like you should be referred to a specialist, as if you were +ve for hep C then you may need treatment for it...

With regards to IVF, you may be considered as infected with hep C (even if you're not) the implications of that are that some clinics may not treat you, others may treat you but not store any embryos (that's what happened with us, we had to ship the spares to Chelsea and Westminster, they have a special facility)

I'd see your GP, get referred to a liver specialist and get info from your clinic or Chelsea and westminster about how it may affect treatment

xx

 

[drownedgirl]

PS, actually, thinking about it, DE will mean the embryos are your DP/donor... your hep C status is irrelevant!!

 

[drownedgirl]

http://www.metrokc.gov/health/prevcont/hepcfactsheet.htm#dx
"Hepatitis C infection is usually diagnosed in two steps using blood tests. The first step is a screening test called ELISA (Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay), which tests for an antibody against hepatitis C. (ELISA is often shortened to "EIA".) Antibodies are the cells that your body makes when something enters your body that it does not recognize. Antibodies can tell you that the virus has been in the blood, but they do not tell you if the virus is still there. After exposure to a person with hepatitis C, it can take several weeks to develop hepatitis C antibody. A negative ELISA should be repeated in 3 months if the person has had an exposure.

Sometimes the ELISA can be false positive. False positive means the test is positive but the person does not have hepatitis C. It is important to do a second test that will confirm the results of a positive ELISA test.

There are two tests that are used to confirm hepatitis C. One is called RIBA (Recombinant ImmunoBlot Assay) and it is a more accurate antibody test than the ELISA. The other test is called a nucleic acid test (NAT). This test can find hepatitis C virus (HCV RNA) in the blood. If the virus is found, the person definitely has hepatitis C."

Also see: http://www.cdc.gov/NCIDOD/DISEASES/HEPATITIS/c/faq.htm#3a

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5203.pdf

This post contains an unconfirmed link/information and readers are reminded that FertilityFriends.co.UK or its owners are not responsible for the content of external internet sites

 

[boboboy]

Hi girls,
Thanks for your kind replies.
I got to talk to my practise nurse on friday about the results and she called up the clinic that does the tests and spoke to them about what the results mean.
They said my GP should have explained things more clearly to me and that this was what I should have been told as per the fax they had sent her :

"There has been no significant change in the monolisa results since previous sample. Therefore this result represents non-specific cross-reactivity rather than true positivity or early seroconversion - Interpretation : NEGATIVE HCV SEROLOGY"

So in the heel of the hunt its actually a negative result and my GP just didn't take the time to talk to the clinic about it all.  I am so relieved as you can imagine.

Thanks again girls for taking the time to help me out in my hour of need.

BoBo

 

[coughsweet]

Really pleased to hear that Bobo    Wretched GP  - like you need any more stress!

best of luck with your journey 

love coughsweet x