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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Is The Treatment For Hepatitis C?

I was tested for Hep c two years ago which came back positive, they did a viral load test which came back negative or no viral load detected, all liver tests came back normal. My question is: how often should I be getting tested. My doctor said I did not need to get tested any more that my body cleared. I have been reading that a second test should be done.
Wed, 5 Nov 2014
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Infectious Diseases Specialist,  's  Response
Hello,
Welcome to HCM,

Antiviral medicines are used to treat long-term (chronic) hepatitis C. These medicines can help prevent the hepatitis C virus from damaging your liver.

Sometimes treatment doesn't permanently lower the amount of virus in your blood. But some studies have shown that treatment may still reduce scarring in your liver, which can lower chances of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Further medicines to treat hepatitis C don't work for everyone. Chronic hepatitis C infection is cured or controlled in about half of the people who are treated with a combination of peginterferon and ribavirin.

I suggest you discuss this with a gastroenterologist and then your doctor will decide what is good for you depending on further testing.
Thank you.
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What Is The Treatment For Hepatitis C?

Hello, Welcome to HCM, Antiviral medicines are used to treat long-term (chronic) hepatitis C. These medicines can help prevent the hepatitis C virus from damaging your liver. Sometimes treatment doesn t permanently lower the amount of virus in your blood. But some studies have shown that treatment may still reduce scarring in your liver, which can lower chances of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer. Further medicines to treat hepatitis C don t work for everyone. Chronic hepatitis C infection is cured or controlled in about half of the people who are treated with a combination of peginterferon and ribavirin. I suggest you discuss this with a gastroenterologist and then your doctor will decide what is good for you depending on further testing. Thank you.