Is this normal?

I just got home from my 8 week check up at doctor, he said was to early to tell if the treatments are working.....well i know thats BULL S*** because the nurse told me they can tell in 4 weeks before he even came into the room. He told me in 4 more weeks if its not helping me they have to pull me off treatmeants. All this for nothing? I thought this was a 48 week thing, was i wrong?

[Andiamo1]

The doctors are probably measuring your viral load and trying to determine the speed with which the virus counts decline.  The faster the better, but all is not lost if you are not undetectable at week 4.  I am not up on the latest techniques, so someone else will have to fill in the details.

I don't think you should worry at this point.  I know how difficult it is to be on treatment - I am also in treatment now.  It makes us paranoid and raises anxiety to unbelievable levels without the stress of worrying about the effectiveness of the treatment.

Were I fault the your doctors is the way they are handling the information.  They should sit down with you and explain where you are: what was your starting viral load and how much did it drop by week 4.  I think they should give you much more information.

My thoughts are with you and I hope this all works well for you.

[nygirl7]

Usually if you don't have a two log drop by week 12 than most doctors think you aren't responding well enough to stay on treatment.  (To figure out the log just take the decimal point and move over two places, ie: 1,000,000 with a 2 log drop is 10,000) but ideally they want you clear by then.  If you are not clear but you've had a 2log drop then you have until week 24 to become undetectible (but then now the thinking is that you need to do 72 weeks of treatment) which is what I did.


Did he take a PCR at week 4 or week 8?  Do you know what your viral load was at each of these tests?

Good luck.

[Forseegood]

Hi, I can't speak to treatment issues too much, but just wanted to share that my doc believes that a person w/ lower liver damage is taken off treatment at 12 weeks without responding (clearing at that point)....

that's what his office is doing now after some years of experience...I guess because the newer drugs are coming sooner then later, and a person with low liver damage can afford to wait on them. Now this might come down to some individual decisions on your part, if you're doc is willing to go along with them.

Because there have been some patients who finding out they haven't cleared at 12 weeks, go on extended treatment times, and/or heavier dosing, etc and they ultimately reach SVR...

But you aren't at the 12 week point yet....there are many posters here who know a lot more then I do, who can explain some options and contingencies better then I.  I'm wishing you the best of luck with this, and peace and serenity.

[FloridaMouse]

If you have a reduction in your viral load at week 4 it is "assumed" that treatment is working.  However, as others have said, if that reduction does not reach a 2 log drop by week 12 it's usually not worth continuing.

Mouse
Genotype 1a, Stage 3, Grade 3
Finished 48 wks of tx on 4/13/07
Relapsed 6 mos. post

[wyntre9]

Did you get a copy of your labs?

If you post the numbers, including VL pre-TX and current VL, someone should be able to give you an idea about the progress you've made thus far.

It's hard to respond to your question without knowing your stats.  If you didn't get lab copies, I would call the office tomorrow and insist they be faxed to you ASAP.

You still have time so try not to worry too much but you should have your lab results.

Wyntre

[ShoshanaPNW]

I think it was inappropriate of the nurse to tell you what she did. There is not a clear standard for 4-week testing; testing at 12 weeks is the standard even though some docs test earler.

[copyman]

first not sure if you make it clear, do you know for a fact that you had pcr's 4 & 8 weeks? this is why you have to get ALL your labs so you know for sure! yes this is a 48 wk treatment but over the last several years they have come up with stats that show if you are not responding at certain weeks the chance of SVR is almost nil. the bottom line is if you do not respond at 12 weeks there is no sense continuing.  stop, regroup, try again with different drugs/dose or wait for the new drugs in the pipeline. good luck

[charm27]

As far as I know the tandard for pcr's are 4, 12, and 24. Thats how oftenn I will be tested in addition I was told I can goo out of network if I want one or two pcr's added in between.

Jody----------I hope you straighten all this out--
Try to write EVERYTHING down--or get copies of all labs.

good luck---hangin there.

[nygirl7]

A 4 week is a crucial PCR but many people don't have doctors who do it automatically.  I am glad I listened to the forum and ASKED.  My doc had no problem writing the orders for it and it DRASTICALLY changed the outcome of the course of my treatment.