anyone know the difference?

Jessy,

From what I know autoimmune hep is a far more serious condition where your own immune system is attacking your liver and causing inflamation. This is what I was told when I was first diagnosed some 15 years ago.

That being said, I would assume that you cannot catch it from anybody, or give it to anybody. I'm not sure if there is even any treatment for it.

I have autoimmune thyroid disease. Supposedly when you have one autoimmune disease, it is easier to develop another autoimmune disease. I had to be tested for autoimmune hep to make sure I didn't have it when I went on treatment years ago.

Glenn

Jessy,

From what I know autoimmune hep is a far more serious condition where your own immune system is attacking your liver and causing inflamation. This is what I was told when I was first diagnosed some 15 years ago.

That being said, I would assume that you cannot catch it from anybody, or give it to anybody. I'm not sure if there is even any treatment for it.

I have autoimmune thyroid disease. Supposedly when you have one autoimmune disease, it is easier to develop another autoimmune disease. I had to be tested for autoimmune hep to make sure I didn't have it when I went on treatment years ago.

Glenn

Thank you.

I think you get auto immune hep with hep B. BERRYLEE

Jessy,

From what I know autoimmune hep is a far more serious condition where your own immune system is attacking your liver and causing inflamation. This is what I was told when I was first diagnosed some 15 years ago.

That being said, I would assume that you cannot catch it from anybody, or give it to anybody. I'm not sure if there is even any treatment for it.

I have autoimmune thyroid disease. Supposedly when you have one autoimmune disease, it is easier to develop another autoimmune disease. I had to be tested for autoimmune hep to make sure I didn't have it when I went on treatment years ago.

Glenn




I was diagnosed with Beurger's disease approximately 4 years ago. It is believed to be an autoimune disease and just today I was diagnosed with Hep C and Hep B. There is nothing in my recent past that indicates I was exposed to these two diseases. Autoimune is the only explanation I can conceivably accept. I know of no other way I could have contracted these. I find out next Tuesday what form of Hep C and Hep B I have (ie: acute, chronic- and type C genre ) I am scared to death and the information I am reading on the internet is confusing and contradicting. :confused:

ftwwalker,

As far as I know autoimmune hepatitis is a different disease from Hepc or Hepb. You don't get one from the other. Both Hep B and Hep C are a virus and autoimmune is not.

There is a large percentage of people with both B and C that don't know how they got it.

Have you been tested for autoimmune hep ? When I tested positive for HepC my doctor told me that autoimmune hep can cause false positives for C. He also told me I had to be tested for autoimmune before going on treatment because it can be dangerous to go on treatment for C when you don't have it and you do have autoimmune.

Glenn

Glenn B.,
I have had three sets of testing done, all by blood sample. The initial full screen my (new) doctor performed that showed the elevated levels of enzymes.The second one, that he told me confirmed that I have Hep B. and Hep. C. And the third one that I have not received the results of yet, (supposed to receive next Tuesday-June 5th) He said would determine whether the Hep B and Hep C are acute or chronic and will show my viral load. He is referring me to a heptologist, but I have no idea how long it will be before I have an appointment-its a "we will notify you" type situation. If it is autoimmune and a "false" positive for Hep. C, the viral load results should show this correct? For there would be no viral infection if it is autoimmune so it would seem to me based on my hazy logic.... Also I take three medications that are known to cause elevated enzyme levels in the liver, will this also somehow create a false positive, as the viral load is yet undetermined??
(...also I had an ultrasound of my upper quadrent and no growths were found)
Thank you for your response Glenn B.

my husband has been diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis and the docs say it is a genetic disease which can be ascerbated by a virus or some other cause --the docs don't know why, exactly, people get it. It is separate and distinct from Hep a and b. --not caused by alcohol, drugs or sex. He was on prednisone but it did not stop the liver inflamation so they added cellcept and prograf (drugs that are given to people who have liver transplants) and his enzymes have been stable for 2 years. He had no symptoms that he noticed but the disease was found when he had a physical with a liver enzyme test. He has a blood test every month. There is no cure but is a chronic disease which can be put in remission. It's effect only a small percentage of eastern european races so there's not a lot of money available for research. there's an AIH support group from UK who posts on the web with lots of info and questions from sufferers. hope this info helps.

I would make the same assumption that if you have autoimmune you should have no viral load. I would assume that a false positive would also show no viral load.

I know that sometimes my liver enzymes were normal and sometimes they were elevated. There are a lot of medications that can elevate liver enzymes
but I don't know of any medications that cause false positives.

bayroad - Thanks for the info about autoimmune. Very helpful.

Glenn

Thanks Glenn B. and bayroad for the help, the responses, and the information.
I will find out more about what is going on Tues. and (most likely) post the results of the tests and any questions that the doctor does not or can not satisfactorily answer for me. Thank both of you again and I hope you both have a wonderful weekend.
Steven (ftwwalker)

well, I got the results back finally and the Hepatitis C was a false positive. YEAAHHHHHHHHHH!!:blob_fire :blob_fire
and more good news....
the Hepatitis B though I do officially have it, BUT my body has produced the right antibodies to fight it (I tested positive for them) and the hepatits B has been contained and the viral load is almost non-existant.The dr. said it is safe at this point to have unprotected sex and that the chances of me transmitting the disease is so low that it is not enough to be considered a risk. YEAAAHHHHHHHH!! :blob_fire :blob_fire
I want to say thank you again Glenn B and bayroad!! ya'll are awesome and truley appreciate ya'lls input regarding my situation.
Oh one last thing I am still going to see a secialsts as a precaution and I have requested a test for autoimmune Hepatitis to be done! thanks again!
Steven