update

CAN SOMEONE DECIFER THIS FOR ME PLEASE?  THIS WAS MY LAST BLOOD TEST AT DUKE ON THE 7TH OF JULY....MY ORIGINAL HCV/RNA CAME BACK AS 13,600,000 THAT TEST WAS DONE IN MARCH.

HEPATITIS C RNA PCR QUANT   Updated: 07/10/2009 10:33
SOURCE: SERUM

FINAL REPORT:***** FINAL REPORT *****HCV RNA DETECTED: 5,570,000 (6.8 log 10) IU/mL.Performed by real-time RT-PCR.Linear range: 50 to >32 million (1.7 to >7.5 log 10) IU/mL.This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by the Duke University Health System Clinical Microbiology Laboratory. It has not been cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.


THANK YOU ALL
PAT

[alagirl]

Your viral load can fluctuate.  Damage to your liver is not based on how high your viral load is.

[jdwithhcv]

The viral load result that is most important at this point is the one you have taken just before starting treatment.  That result will be used for comparison purposes during treatment to see how you are responding to the meds.  Until your treatment begins, as alagirl says, your viral load can fluctuate and this is not really significant.  

When do you start tx?

jd

[newleaf09]

Fluctuation of VL is common when not on treatment.  Like JD says, you can compare the Viral Load from just before you started treatment to one taken during treatment and it will give you a good idea of your progress (how well you are responding to treatment).  You'd look up the drop in VL (there's a good chart on the janis site) to see how you're doing.

The rest of the language just says that the PCR test was one that Duke developed for their own use, not one of the brand name protocols like Heptimax or Taqman.  Good research program & school, should be a good test.

[nygirl7]

Did you also get back your liver enzyme results in a CBC? They would be the AST and ALT numbers. They can't tell you how much liver damage you have accumulated during the time you have had hep but they can be an indicator sometimes of how much the virus is beating up your liver right now.

For example before I started mine were in the mid to upper 200s. Now...2 years after treating successfully for 72 weeks they are only in the low teens.

Which makes sense because I don't have the virus any longer.

[RonniePATWebb]

TY .. I failed to  indicate that I also had an Ultra Sound done and there was no damage detected  yaahoooo only fatty infiltration of the liver. Dr Patel is sending my name up to the test group as a possible study and if I am accepted will begin treatment in the near future. 3 groups just opened at Duke University so he said I had a great chance of getting into one of those and my liver biopsy cost and all meds would be picked up bye Duke or the pharmaceutical companies that were doing the testing.  Which is great news since I am uninsured and at this point not insurable for the HCV.  My ALT and ASP were normal as were all my other test.  so seems like I may not have been infected that long ago. Not going to worry about that part... just focusing on the future .  Good luck to you all and I will keep you updated from time to time.
Happy Health
Pat

[lapis]

My ALT and ASP were normal as were all my other test.  so seems like I may not have been infected that long ago.

I had Hep C for about 14 years prior to tx, and my enzymes were never elevated.  They were close to the top of the normal range, but not above that.  Enzymes don't start going up until there is serious damage, at least that's my understanding.  (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong : )  That's one of the reasons people can have Hep C and not know it, since bloodwork can be completely normal, as mine was.

[RonniePATWebb]

Hi everyone,
I just got back from Duke University  and did the initial intake interview.  Blood test,  Chest EXay,  Urinalisys, EKG, and Physical... Spoke with April and she will be contacting me within a week or 2 to see if I have been accepted... a new study with a pump that dispenses the Inferon in constant smaller doses.. Instead of a weekly shot. But still taking the Riba.
Okay feeling a bit drained now.
Happy Health all
Pat

[IAmTheWalrus]

I haven't heard of the Introna before. It will be interesting to see how this works with the continuous interferon (I think that is what you say it is). Good luck!

[RonniePATWebb]

INTRON A  plus ribaviron or PEGINTRON plus ribaviron is name of the meds Duke is using for the study. Being used in a Paradigm infusion system.
yep  Walrus  double checked my paperwork and it has it several times spelt that way.

[IAmTheWalrus]

Intron A, not Introna!  My mistake. Really the same alpha-2b interferon that everyone else is getting by  it is not pegylated for longer half-life and is in a form suitable for IV infusion.

Well here's hoping that the Medtonics infusion process will lead to easier tolerability and greater chances of SVR.  Good luck.

[RonniePATWebb]

Biopsy in 4 hrs ay Duke.. Anxious and sleepless maybe I will fall asleep and not feel anything  Ya Think?

[newleaf09]

Hope the biopsy went okay.  We always get pretty worked up over it.  Like reading the list of all possible drug side effects on a label can scare you off, the biopsy dangers can almost make you too frightened to get the test done.  Hope it went well and you are now joining the ranks of us thinking, why did I get so freaked out; it was no big deal.  Hope the results are not too bad, either.

[sandysf]

I am sure it will be fine!  Let me know how it goes.. mine is tomorrow morning.  Yikes..

[RonniePATWebb]

It wasn't as bad as I thought  TG but was a bit painful...I slept most of the day and of course the 2 and a half hr drive home was kind of rough. But it is almost midnight and I just woke up an hour ago.
Good Luck Sandy  as stated you will do just fine.
Thanx guys
Pat

[sandysf]

The anxiety was the worst!  I had an interventional radiologist perform mine using ultrasound first to mark the spot.   He said the lidocaine would be the worst part but I barely felt that.   When the performed the actual biopsy it was quick, hurt just for a second and then it was over!  Not bad at all and not nearly as horrible as I expected.   I stayed in bed the rest of the day and feel fine this morning!  

[RonniePATWebb]

And here it is 48+ hours after the biopsy and I am almost back to normal. If I was ever normal LOL. I feel a bit weak maybe from being in bed so long but other than that I feel good. Now to hear about the results and IF I am accepted into the study.