24 week UND!!! Are PCR's unreliable?

[sfbaygirl]

Good Morning Vietnam!

I got 21 week PCR yesterday and called the dr. I read to me UND, but wasn't sure b/c of the language. Of course I am happy of this result, but it is so hard to understand.

The comments in parens are the 12 week PCR;

Hep C RNA >1.9 (8) (this said Not Qnt last time)/
<1.9 log IU (same as before)

*(8) Viral load is Result for HCV RNA is LESS Than 75 IU/ML

...Results below the limit of detection (1.9log IU/mL) will be reported as >1.9 log IU/mL. Results between 1.9 and 2.3 log IU/mL (75 to 200 IU/mL) will be reported as "HCV RNA detected below the limit of quantitation."

Would you say this means I am UND? Why the Not Qnt last time? Ultrasound says fatty liver versus cirrhosis, this is scary as he said it could be one or the other.

The GI told me that PCR's are SO unreliable that he doesn't put too much stake in them. Interesting! He says he was one of the first Dr's in the world to do PCR's and has done them by hand. Claims that the same blood sample can change from hour to hour as far as VL. If this is the case why do we put our lives in the reports of PCR's. I asked about getting a more sensitive test or TMA etc. He said they are all the same. He will do a Qualitative next time...I really thought this was something to discuss here. If PCR's are so unreliable and fluxuate, then why do we say someone that has a breakthough with a few copies stop tx?

[Myown]

The dormancy thing is in my mind because I feel that this disease is similiar to hiv in some ways,maybe because of the hidden mysteries of it, just my opinion.
I've had many gay friends who have had their partners come down with hiv ,progress to aids, die..but all the long, the partner tests neg,,several years later to find they are positive.

Now of course some can say , well maybe they continued with someone else in risky behavior and yes, that is possible, but a few of my friends i believed to have not taken risks and one never even had a boyfriend again after his loss and then suddenly one day, 3 to 4 years later were positive.

Just like when you get an hiv test, it says on the report to get another one 3 months later, I believe(?) Why? False neg or dormancy??  Who knows,,, its all one big pain in the neck.

[APKhaos]

Cuteus is right. Several Drs had seen elevated enzymes, but ignored them because they were treating something else. No follow up. If any one of them had tested for HCV [since the test became available] then it would have been confirmed. Nobody bothered, until last year. AFAIK there is no "dormant" HCV state. If the virus is present, the PCR will show it.

[Mister beagle bailey]

Congratulations! on being UND, your on your way to SVR.

Beagle

[sfbaygirl]

Thanks Beagle! I just read your PCR was the same. Awww, I was hoping for a false positive. No trials for the viribavarin for geno 2's anywhere? Geez, that is discouraging. Maybe you ought to look into that medical waiver we were talking about.

[goldyn]

Congratulations, your still kickin  that virus down,,,,,so your almost half way through hopefully this will give you a good boost to keep it going...

[sfbaygirl]

Believe me I am watching this guy!! I asked about a TMA, he also said it would not make a difference. Not sure why! If I had a more sensitive test and had a small VL, like NY, at 12 weeks I would most likely extend. Given the fact that my test said NOT QNT, the ins. co approved me for a year of tx, whereas I would have had to stop if my 12 week showed detectable. Gotta wonder which would be better, having to stop or continue not knowing you had a small VL.