I found out my actual viral load 'number', post 12 wk

[susan400]

Hi there. If anybody is interested in this.  I had forgotten to ask the CMA at the doctor's office what my actual viral load number was and he hadn't told me. So, today, I got him on the phone on the 'in between days of the holidays', and asked him, 'oh I was wondering what the actual count was'.  He told me it was 1.8 million.  My pre-treatment viral load had been over 2 million, so it seems like after I relapsed that it didn't take very long to replicate back up there. In the whole scheme of things, it doesn't really matter that much; because you're either detected or undetected. But, I was talking to my husband and he had asked me what the number was. I guess if it had been real low, like a 1000 copies, it might have been worth it to get it redrawn and repeated on the outside chance that it was an error. But, not with it being that high.  Anyway, just reporting the news.  Susan400

[Dee1956]

This is interesting.  When I treated the first time, my VL was 7M, 4 to 6 weeks later when I relapsed it was 4M.
I am really grateful for everyone here
Thank you all so much
Happy New Year to all of you
Dee

[flyinlynn]

In a way it reminds me of when I quit smoking and would start back up again.

I was smoking a pack a day and quit then think, oh I can have just one. Within a very short time I was back to a pack a day like it is some comfort level. I have been quit now for many years.

Similar when we lose weight we are good for a while then right back to where we started. I guess it must mean something but I don't know what.


Happy new year
Lynn

[susan400]

I agree, it was 'fun' while it lasted, thinking I'd licked this thing, that it was 'down the toilet', flush away for good.   I just always thought it was weird how it seemed to 'know' where it wanted to jump back up to. Strange isn't it?

Susan400

[hepcandme]

Just wanted to chime in and ditto my experience after relapse with S/O.

About 2 million at beginning of treatment and almost exactly that after relapse so, when it comes back, it doesn't waste any time getting cozy again

There was a thread here a while back that raised the question of whether the virus comes back even stronger after relapse but that wasn't my experience

Still, it was nice to have those few months of zero

[flyinlynn]

Hi Susan

My stats
GT 1a Cirrhosis for 7 years. null responder to interferon
Sov Oly 12 week treatment relapsed

Just to give you another data point my pre treatment viral load was

HCV RNA RT-PCR, QT 2065760

and at my 12 week post treatment relapse it was

HCV RNA RT-PCR, QT 2422260

For what ever that means. I guess the extra 400,000 is not statistically significant but it did come straight back to where it was before treatment.

Good luck to you in 2015
Lynn

[Livelife777]

Hi there Susan.   Oh My!   What a bummer.  Not to be a Debby Downer but I'm sure this news was not the best.  Everyone says that the # is not that important, but it does have significance.   When I treated my viral load was 357, and was UND within 2 weeks.  
Guess what I'm trying to say is perhaps you should consider another go-round while its still relatively low.  I guess I feel for you and want to see you be done with this nuesence.  
Know when it's time you will be there!
.....Kim