Viral load results and use for other ?

I am a f/44 hep.c type 1a ,My viral load was 44,000 to start with tonight will be my 30th shot of peginterferon/ ribavirin.It has't been easy,I just got my labs back for the first viral load check since i started tx.Here is the results
   hcv rna pcr Quant.    <500 iu/ml
   hcv rna pcr           <2.70  Log iu/ml
  
I really don't understand I never get to see my Doc his nurse just sends my labs.I hope someone can explain what this all means. I have 18 more weeks. Thank you Brenda.

[jonihs]

janis7hepc.com      then click on understanding blood tests or results, not sure which.  Helped me bunches.     Joni

[MajNeni]

Hi, Brenda,
This is pretty good news!  On this test, you are undetectable.

They gave you a viral load test that could find (detect) 500 International Units or more of virus in per mililiter of blood.  Your results show that you may have zero, or you may have up to 499 I.U.; no way to know by this test.  However, very few infected people have loads less than 500 I.U., and until recently this was a typical VL test.  For peace of mind, you may want to have a more sensitive test at the next juncture, such as a Heptimax test from Quest Diagnostics; it measures down to 5 iu/ml.

<2.70 log iu/ml is another way of expressing < (less than) 500 iu/ml.

It's incredible that your doctor does not personally see you a few times.  I hope the nurse is very knowledgable and supportive.

Maj Neni

[Dirac]

Congratulations!!! Yes this is wonderful news.
You are undetectable, keep up the good fight.

[DownThisRoad]

Sit down in a chair and hang on real tight! From your test results, this shows that you are undetectable.

Now, take a deep breath.

[Foreign girl]

Congratulations! These are really good news - undetectable!

Foreign girl.

[Galen]

I agree with all here.  Congrats!

[oldhippiechick67]

Congrats you two  WTG (way to go)!!
My nurse called, said my 12 week Pcr is still pending.  grrrrr, was drawn Tues. oh well.  what's life without a lil suspense?

[snobunny]

Good News...


I recieved my 12 PCR today.....
     UNDETECTABLE    yeah


Some other test results also


WBC               2.2  
RBC               3.64
HCT               34.6
PLATELET COUNT    102
NEUTROPHILS         0.8

These are the ones that are low as of 9/18. Dr called today and said that everything is about the same on the blood work done on 9/23. Now he has me going in for more blood work on 10/7. I am starting to feel like a pin cusion,lol.  



Well good luck to all on this forum.


Elizabeth.

[DebbieDo]

Hi, read your post, thats great.....Enjoyed our chat a couple of weeks ago.....

[Dirac]

I just finished 48 weeks of peg-intron and ribavirin.
I was doing fine on treatment regarding side effects and
also I cleard the virus at week 12.
Every one is different.
Good luck.

[Galen]

I finished 48 weeks or Peg-Intron yesterday and have been undetectable since week 12.  I go for my labs on Monday.  I'm a 1b and worked all through tx ok.

[meandhepc]

Congrats on being undetected!  Great news!

Galen....no shot this weekend...woooo-hooooo!!!!!

[Freebird]

Thanks everyone for your comments when I got my letter I was so scared to open it .I looked at it and thought it meant undectable but I had to hear from some one else For some reason I didn't feel it was real until I heard from all of you .My doc knows I don't have insurance and that I am having a difficult time paying for labs so he just watches my labs and has his nurse contact me.Thank you all so much. I pray we all make it .
Brenda

[haleys comet]

i just got off the janis site and it kind of scared the **** out of me.. i am starting my first shot tonight and i am going to be on pegintron...they dont seem to be very positive about it and it kind of knocked the wind out of me...i will start but any one out there on pegintron doing o.k.?????

[Merlin51]

Congrats on doing all 48 Galen!  Hope you will start feeling like your oldself in few weeks like I did after I finished- been almost 3 mos...mostly all that is left is brain fog-and I may have had it that bad even before tx!   I can't remember!  (smile)


Freebird your undetectable levels are great news... may this news help you deal with the sides for the next 18 weeks!

I wish you both the best of SVR's !!  Us 1's have to stick together and kill the freekin dragon for all!

[willing]

Hi Brenda - many congratulations on getting to undectable. You didn't mention how many other VL tests you've had but if this the first that shows undetectable you may also want to talk to your Dr. about doing more than 48 weeks of tx. To have any sort of realistic chance of success you should have shown at least a   1/100 drop by week 12 and shown undetectable by week 24. If this is your first undetectable result you may still have a shot at success but not with only 48 weeks. This is an important  issue to discuss with your Dr. Best wishes to you.

[Freebird]

willing ,
This is the first viral load test since begining tx. You just about bursted my bubble.I wish my dr. would've tested at 12 weeks but I am also paying all blood work out of my on pocket(no ins.)and I can't afford much more . Freebird

[willing]

If this is the first VL test you've had since  tx then the results are nothing to worry about. Many threads on this forum discuss the expected drop in viral load that accompanies successful tx. Usually people are tested at 12 and 24 weeks to make sure they're responding  to the drugs well enough to bother going on. Since this is your first test you  don't know what your 12 and 24 week numbers were. They could have been great - you could have cleared in the first few weeks - or you could have been a 'slow responder' and have cleared between weeks 24-30. There's no way to know. My concern was that if had you done the 24-week test and shown detectable then clearing at 30 would be a reason to talk to your Dr. about doing more than 48 weeks (slow responders have a low success rate with the standard 48 weeks).

Since you don't know when you first became undetectable, there's absolutely no reason to worry about being a slow responder. Best to assume you're right on track and continue as planned. I'm sorry if I caused you to worry needlessly. Best wishes.