Guthrie Hepatitis C Clinic

What To Expect

Fear of the unknown is simply a part of being human. The diagnosis of Hepatitis C is no exception to this. Understanding what the future brings offers a certain level of comfort that is beneficial for anyone who has been diagnosed with a chronic illness. In light of this, let’s make an attempt to outline the process that occurs when you establish with Guthrie’s Hepatitis C center.

Your first encounter will involve an office visit with one of our experienced Gastroenterologists or Nurse Practitioners. Usually, your primary care provider will have already diagnosed you as having been exposed to Hepatitis C. On occasion, the diagnosis will be made by us. Either way, the first meeting will allow us to get to know each other. We will ask you questions regarding your health, look over the records from your primary provider and perform a physical examination. We will also have a frank discussion regarding your diagnosis and how it pertains to you in particular. Every person is unique and we individualize each person’s care. You will be given ample opportunity for questions and we will attempt to answer them to your satisfaction. Additional bloodwork will be drawn during your initial visit.

Although each situation is different, most people will be asked to undergo a biopsy of their liver. This is an extremely important test for a number of reasons. Primarily, it is the only way to determine if the virus has caused any damage to the liver. This information allows you to make informed decisions regarding the management of your Hepatitis C. The biopsy also helps us to determine if there are any additional liver problems present that may prevent you from undergoing treatment. The liver biopsy will be performed at the hospital and you will go home the same day. You will, however, be asked to lie flat for several hours after the biopsy and you will need to bring someone to drive you home.

An office appointment will be scheduled about a week following the biopsy. This will allow the biopsy results to be available for discussion. At this point we will be able to determine if treatment is necessary, as we will have all of your information available. The decision regarding whether or not to begin treatment lies with you. We will assist you in this decision by giving you the most up to date recommendations.

If treatment with Interferon and or Ribavirin is to be undertaken, we will have an in-depth discussion regarding potential side effects and strategies to manage them. Although you may have heard that the treatment is difficult to handle, we have years of experience in managing the potential side effects of Interferon and Ribavirin therapy.

Interferon is given in the form of an injection (shot). The thought of this is not very appealing to most people. Fortunately, most people do very well with their injections. We spend a considerable amount of time teaching you how to do this.

After you have started your medication, we will be seeing you every 2 weeks for a month, then on a monthly basis throughout your 6-12 month course of treatment. We are always available at any time if you need us. You will require bloodwork during your routine visits to determine if you are responding to therapy and to make sure your blood counts are stable.

Before you know it, your 6-12 months of treatment will be over. We will then see you every 3 to 6 months to determine how things are going.

Hopefully, this has helped to ease your fears regarding your Hepatitis C management. Please keep in mind that we are here to help you.