Hey guys a big question about my test

I' actually new to this community ,I have hepatitis c ,haven't started treatment yet but will do very soon.I need you guys to help me with my test results.and see how the virus is in my system
thanks in advance

here is the results

quantitative tma
                                         OUT OF RANGE      REFERENCE RANGE
HCV RNA QN TMA           >7500 H 10 /ML                  <5
HCV RNA QN TMA           >3.88 H  LOG IU/ML             <0.70

[tobywankenobi]

These are your viral load calculations here is a website to interpret these numbers


http://www.hepatitis-central.com/hcv/whatis/vl.html


Of my limited knowledge of this virus the viral load (VL) is not a marker on how much damage is being done. Tese factors are calculated from other blood tests, namely AST, ALT, Billirubin, etc.. But your VL may be a marker on how well you respond to treatment, depending on which genotype you have. Hope this is some help to your question, Good luck my new friend.

[mremeet]

As far as I can tell the test's sensitivity is between 5 and 7500 IU/ml, and it looks like you have tested above the range of this test. In other words all it's really saying is that you do have actual HCV virus in your body and you do have an active hepatitis C infection. Beyond that it doesn't really mean anything all by itself. You might want to get retested with another viral load test (PCR) that will give you a concrete number indicating what your viral load is (right now all it says is that your viral load is above 7500). Also make sure you find out what genotype you have, that's important too.

[shaknica4ever]

thank you guys .excelent.well i guess you are right mremeet it doesn't hae especific number so does that mean that if tis is betwwen 5 and 7500 is normal???and beyond that it's just saying that the virus is in the system?

[mremeet]

Well nothing is "normal" when it come to HCV. But no, the viral load being between 5 and 7500 is not normal. If you have a chronic case of hepatitis C (i.e you're well past the initial "acute" phase) your viral load is usually nowhere near that low without being under the influence of some kind of antiviral drug (like interferon and ribavirin etc). Usually it is much higher than that in most of us with an active (untreated) infection. From my anecdotal perch most folk's viral load range between maybe 100,000 IU/ml all the way up to 50,000,000 IU/ml or even higher. It can vary vary significantly from person to person and it can also vary with each person over time quite a bit (and it usually does). But depending on who you talk to, usually a "low" viral load is defined at about 800,000 IU/ml and "high" is anything above that (they don't really have a medium category that I've ever seen described). Most people probably have a viral load somewhere between 1,000,000 IU/ml to 10,000,000 IU/ml...but again it varies alot and there are no hard and fast rules. Although it is true that people who start out with a low viral load, especially well under a million, are more likely to be treated successfully and in a shorter period of time. But otherwise it's just a number, that is until you begin treatment, then the numbers take on a more serious meaning. Hope this helps a little.

[jmjm530]

"Normal" is zero viral load. That said, today's tests can't test to zero, so "normal" is anything below the sensitivity of the test being used. In your case the sensitivity of the test was 5 IU/ml, therefore normal would be "<5 IU/ml", meaning that you tested less than 5 IU/ml. My suggestion is that you get a test like "Heptimax" (By Quest Diagnostics Laboratories) for your next one. Heptimax goes down to 5 IU/ml but it also quantifies your result into the millions, unlike your current test. If you're planning on treating, try and have your viral load taken just before treatment for an accurate pre-treatment level.

-- Jim

[shaknica4ever]

well wow guys you'll sound like hepatologists lol.it seems that from now on I'l be an active member of this really heplful forum.to tell you the truth I'm really afraid because I'm only 25 and have a beautiful daughter that I really want to see getting older ,with god consent

thank you guys