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Genotype 1b returns after 11 years
Has anyone out there had tx (interferon only) for Genotype 1b and it returned years later? My husband has 1b and received tx 11 years ago (before we were married) and we just found out today that it has returned. He has had periodic testing done up til now with no problems. His vl is 11 million but his liver enzymes are good. He is having pain in his right side and so will get a ultra sound done tomorrow. He is also having the genotype test again to make sure he did not get exposed to a different genotype. Oh, and talking about another liver biopsy. Right now I feel overwhelmed! They may have to do tx again.
I see your steroid post and thought I had posted after it but I could just be in a brain fog mode. Very strange dealings ;)
Some people have a hard time zoom zooming in on the facts. They could say the reason the virus returned is because they ate bostomcream or apples000 pie. I have oooreally learned that there is no justification for the multitude of identities (I mean reasons) why some can't substantiate random remarks.
I was on major steroids for bacterial pneumonia IV in the hospital a month or so before my last PCR and it had absolutely no effect. I was still SVR
I'm not convinced that it's relapse. I don't know the steroid dose but I don't think it was anything like a bolus intravenous course. I've been on steroids several times with no relapse. It just sounds weird to me.
Katy: sorry to hear the news. Late relapse, like spontaneous clearance of chronic infection, is one of those rare events that is well documented medically but unusual enough that it's rarely posted here. Agreement down to the subtype is not conclusive but certainly in agreement with relapse. The course of steroids associated with surgery is more likely the culprit than the instruments. All the best.
all: this does make a case for keeping a vial of pre-und serum frozen away somewhere..
all: this does make a case for keeping a vial of pre-und serum frozen away somewhere..
About a year before I was diagnosed I had flu like symptems a few times and it took me down and it also took me longer to recover. I do not know if it was related to the Hep C but I had never been so sick like that.
Well if he did have regular testing and they always showed up negative then he was reinfected somewhere along the way. Could have been a surgery instrument that wasn't properly sterilized or if he had a transfusion - nothing is perfect and something could have snuck through.
Still think he should get a biopsy to see where he stands before deciding to wait and see IF/when they new meds come out. Just in case.........if he treated 11 years ago then it was probably just interferon and not ribavirin as well. If he cleared then on the interferon adding the riba should make it an easy bet he would clear again.
Still think he should get a biopsy to see where he stands before deciding to wait and see IF/when they new meds come out. Just in case.........if he treated 11 years ago then it was probably just interferon and not ribavirin as well. If he cleared then on the interferon adding the riba should make it an easy bet he would clear again.
I was not around then but from what I understand he got regular testing and even yearly over the last years. I am wondering... earlier this year he had outpatient surgery and has had several problems since then. Surgery went well but the healing didn't he has had to be on several pain meds, steriod or cortisone shots. I am not sure if that even makes sense. Any thoughts?
Yes when I first started the common test was only down to <615 and that was only what 5/6 years ago. I totally think he was never really UND they just didn't have the testing back then to prove it out.
I am curious too if he got a 6 month test or even a one month test?
I am curious too if he got a 6 month test or even a one month test?
Also, I am thinking that 11 years ago the PCR did not test as low as it does now? Please correct me if I am wrong but what if the test 11 years ago only went down to the 640 (or something like that) number and he had 400 copies?
Finally got results back today on genotype. It is 1b the same as before :-( We are scheduling a liver biopsy in January even though did not find any lesions, dark spots, etc on sonogram. Dr said need to do biopsy before tx anyway. They want to wait until May for new treatment though. Thank you to all for your responses and comments. We are so disappointed right now.
Certainly disheartening news for you and your husband about the infection -- sorry to hear that you're dealing with this situation. It's good that his ultrasound is clear, and it's important to know that ultrasounds have good sensitivity in ruling out lesions, but they are NOT reliable for detecting the presence of mild cirrhosis. Just as high liver enzymes do not mean sustained liver damage, normal liver enzymes are NOT sufficient to rule out cirrhosis (as Trinity points out, other blood markers are better indicators than LFT levels), so it may be wise to consider a biopsy if there is serious concern for existing liver damage or cirrhosis.
Re-infection a more likely explanation if your husband truly had sustained viral response (SVR) after his treatment 11 years ago. The fact that he may have had no liver damage at the end of his treatment does not necessarily mean he sustained viral clearance. Re-activation of virus after SVR is rare, but not unheard of, but it's usually in the setting of serious medical interventions or significant compromise of the immune system. Hopefully your husband has not had to deal with any such issues, but it would make a "return" of hep c virus highly unusual.
There's good likelihood that treatment come next year will be considerably shorter and more effective than what was around 11 years ago, so don't despair. Though you're here for less than happy reasons, welcome to the forum, and I hope you find the information here helpful. ~eureka
Re-infection a more likely explanation if your husband truly had sustained viral response (SVR) after his treatment 11 years ago. The fact that he may have had no liver damage at the end of his treatment does not necessarily mean he sustained viral clearance. Re-activation of virus after SVR is rare, but not unheard of, but it's usually in the setting of serious medical interventions or significant compromise of the immune system. Hopefully your husband has not had to deal with any such issues, but it would make a "return" of hep c virus highly unusual.
There's good likelihood that treatment come next year will be considerably shorter and more effective than what was around 11 years ago, so don't despair. Though you're here for less than happy reasons, welcome to the forum, and I hope you find the information here helpful. ~eureka
There are usually other blood abnormalities when cirrhosis is present. Abnormal levels of bilirubin and albumin; and abnormal coagulation parameters along with decreased platelets. If the the albumin, total bilirubin, creatinine, platelets, prothrombin time and INR are within normal parameters he more than likely does not have cirrhosis.
Trinity
Trinity
If the genotype test turns out a match, ask them if they will do further sequencing of the virus, This can sometimes tell if identical genotypes came from diferent sources.
This is so unusual I imagine they may do it anyway.
This is so unusual I imagine they may do it anyway.
unfortunately yes, but if he has cirrhosis it would have appeared in the sonogram in which appears the liver has shrunk with no smooth surface
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