(CBP - Complete Blood Picture or FBP - Full Blood Picture)

This gives a number of results including: Hb-haemoglobin (should be normal) WCC-white cell count (immune system, should be normal) Plts-platelets (little cells involved in clotting the blood and are often a bit low in chronic hepatitis). Normal range is 150 - 400 x 10 /L. In Hepatitis C this often runs at 100 - 150 x 10 /L. These levels are fine and simply reflect the disturbance to liver function and blood-flow. Levels less than 40 are worrying and less than 10 - 20 can lead to catastrophic haemorrhage. Platelet levels do tend to fall with interferon treatment and can lead to a lower dose of treatment or stopping treatment altogether. People with low platelet numbers tend to bleed and bruise easily. MCV-mean cell volume is the size of your red cells, the ones that carry haemoglobin, the iron-protein complex which carries the oxygen in your blood. If the cells are small it often means you are low in iron. If the cells are big, then it often means that you are short of B-Vitamins, especially folate and B12. Discuss with your doctor and check you are eating enough green leafy vegetables and wholegrains.