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12 week test results confused!
I have Hep C Geno 2b. No liver problems. Very slightly elevated alt/ast before treatment, picked up in a cholesterol test. My VL was 2,300,000 when TX began in Sept. At 4 weeks VL was less than 10 iu/ml, and I was tracked for 12 weeks TX. As of yesterday (which was 12 weeks) my VL is up to 250 iu/ml using quantasure plus. I'm very confused about these results and can't see/talk to gastro till appt. Did my VL really go back up? Is this a significant presence or below threshold of the test?
are you ok?
Thinking about you lately...I will try and find your #, my car is a mess and lost my address book in there. It might take a while...Tnguy posted a link to a case where the man got SVR but still tested + for cryoglobulins, I thought about your concerns, check it out when you can.
be well
Thinking about you lately...I will try and find your #, my car is a mess and lost my address book in there. It might take a while...Tnguy posted a link to a case where the man got SVR but still tested + for cryoglobulins, I thought about your concerns, check it out when you can.
be well
The above assumes of course that you are interpreting the test results correctly. Like MrsOckert said, first find this out by speaking directly to your doc or NP. This is not the time to be patient and understanding about your doctor's busy schedule.
I would wait to hear from the doc. Sounds like some VL was detected at week 12. Not much .. however.
First and foremosr, I hope you are not stopping any of your tx medications, in light of the PCR positive result. I would think your Gastro would now have you go for a full 24 weeks, assuming you are4 fully undetected on the next test. I would ask for another PCR..IMMEDIATELY! At this juncture, you cannot afford to miss any doses.
Second.... You can't talk to your doctor until your next appt.?????? That is crazy! He should have been on the phone to you as soon as your PCR pos. result came in...to plan the next move! I would place an EMERGENCY call to him ASAP! This is the time to salvage ytour tx! not sit and wait for an appointment!
Third...I assume you have taken the same dose for each of the 12 weeks so far! If you dose reduced in any way, this may have caused the viral breakthrough you have experienced. If you have not reduced dosagem, your doctor may want to slightly adjust your dosages upward (Interferon, or Riba, or both), in order to address the apparent viral resurgence. Another quick PCR would vreify whether this last result was accurate or not, and which direction things are moving.
You are moving in the right direction to achieve SVR, but need to alter the treatment plan! Don't be complacent...or let your doctor be complacent. You need to intervene now.
Good Luck!!!
DoubleDose
Second.... You can't talk to your doctor until your next appt.?????? That is crazy! He should have been on the phone to you as soon as your PCR pos. result came in...to plan the next move! I would place an EMERGENCY call to him ASAP! This is the time to salvage ytour tx! not sit and wait for an appointment!
Third...I assume you have taken the same dose for each of the 12 weeks so far! If you dose reduced in any way, this may have caused the viral breakthrough you have experienced. If you have not reduced dosagem, your doctor may want to slightly adjust your dosages upward (Interferon, or Riba, or both), in order to address the apparent viral resurgence. Another quick PCR would vreify whether this last result was accurate or not, and which direction things are moving.
You are moving in the right direction to achieve SVR, but need to alter the treatment plan! Don't be complacent...or let your doctor be complacent. You need to intervene now.
Good Luck!!!
DoubleDose
Please excuse all the typos above...was in a rush to beat the storm and run errands!!!
DD
DD
Sorry about the test results, I know how stressful and confusing this can be. To help clarify things...
1) Were both the tests from the same lab?
2) What dose meds were you on and was it the same for the entire 12 weeks?
3) Are you still continuing with the meds? I assume you are since the plan was only to stop if you were clear at week 4 and 12, which it appears you may not be.
----------
In any event, I wouldn't wait for your appointment but would want to talk to the doctor or NP right away. At this point, even if you're non-detectible next week, it sounds like you'll need a longer course of treatment depending on when you clear. If a follow-up PCR is still positive, you might a different dose of meds or a different peg. It all depends on how agressive you want to treat and your biopsy stage, how well you're tolerating treatment, and other personal factors may figure into that.
To add to what Coug said about frequent PCR's. I was 18 IU/ml at week 3 but 101 IU/ml at week 5. I cleared at week 6 (<5 IU/ml) and have remained clear through my last test at week 37. So it's possible the ping pong game is still being played and your next PCR or two should tell the story.
All the best and hopefully things will work out fine.
-- Jim
1) Were both the tests from the same lab?
2) What dose meds were you on and was it the same for the entire 12 weeks?
3) Are you still continuing with the meds? I assume you are since the plan was only to stop if you were clear at week 4 and 12, which it appears you may not be.
----------
In any event, I wouldn't wait for your appointment but would want to talk to the doctor or NP right away. At this point, even if you're non-detectible next week, it sounds like you'll need a longer course of treatment depending on when you clear. If a follow-up PCR is still positive, you might a different dose of meds or a different peg. It all depends on how agressive you want to treat and your biopsy stage, how well you're tolerating treatment, and other personal factors may figure into that.
To add to what Coug said about frequent PCR's. I was 18 IU/ml at week 3 but 101 IU/ml at week 5. I cleared at week 6 (<5 IU/ml) and have remained clear through my last test at week 37. So it's possible the ping pong game is still being played and your next PCR or two should tell the story.
All the best and hopefully things will work out fine.
-- Jim
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