viral load?

[peaches45]

If your viral load is at the lower end, does that mean you can wait on treatment or have a better chance that the treatment will work for you?

peaches

[jt57]

You will learn patience with this disease, and tx.  It can be very frustrating.  I always considered myself a very patient person....not...    the best advice I can give you is to learn all you can about this disease, your genotype, and rely on the advice of the people on this board.  I feel that if I had not found this forum, I would not be as successful as I have been during my tx.  Although I relapsed the first time, it looks as though I have got it beat this time...I pray....I have gotten some great advice.  i have also learned that when it comes to your health, you really have to be your own advocate with drs.  This forum helped me with that.  I have challenged drs, and I was always right.  my last hepa was probably very glad that I did not use him again.    I HAD TOO MUCH KNOWLEDGE!  So do yourself a favor.  Monitor your labs, keep record of them. educate, educate, educate.  and best of luck to you.  If you get in a spot, someone on here will help you.  and no question is by no means a dumb question.  Very complicated disease, and very complicated treatment.  no exact science to it, and everyone responds differently.

I wish you the best!!

Jean

[Bill1954]

Dr Pearlman is a prominent hepatologist in the Atlanta area, if you’re looking for one—

--Bill

[spectda]

Ask questions and read other people's threads, comments and questions. It takes time to learn. The good news is that we are entering a golden age for hep c geno 1 medications. The next several years look very promising.

Unfortunately there is a lot of waiting time dealing with this disease. waiting for doctor's appointments, waiting for blood results, waiting for biopsy results.

The good thing is that this virus generally moves very slowly and most of us have time to make informed decisions about treatment and how to proceed.

Many of us on this forum have had this disease for 20-40 years or even longer, many with minimal damage to their livers. Of course you will not know until your biopsy results are complete.

It's scary and stressful when you first find out about having hcv, but it gets easier and your anxiety should subside as you become more knowledgeable.

I am not suggesting you find another doctor since I know nothing of yours, but it looks like you live about 1 hour from atlanta, is that right? I think you can get a recommendation for a very good hepatologist in atlanta if you decided at any point to change doctors.

take care,
Dave

[peaches45]

Thanks. This is starting to get to me. I am waiting on the biopsy and go from there, but I want to know what numbers is important to me. It sure is a lot to take in.
peaches

[Bill1954]

Hi Peaches,

HCV RNA refers to the active virus, as opposed to say, antibodies.

I’ve dealt with this disease now for six years, and am still learning about it; it’s a bit optimistic to expect to learn everything about it in one sitting :o).

As you encounter specific questions, please feel free to ask about them, and someone here will try to help with answers for you.

Welcome to the discussion group, by the way—

--Bill

[peaches45]

Thanks, so I know the  biopsy will show a lot, but what is all of the other numbers for?
I think I saw AT, RNA or something like that.  Could you tell me what all I need to know?

peaches

[nygirl7]

However sometimes it can be harder to succeed if you start with a low viral load. We don't know why but it has been guessed that your immune system is already ramped up and working to kill the virus (but if you have had the virus for six months you are now considered chronic and that means it will not spontaneously clear on it's own).

viral load is really on important when you are on treatment - we use it to determine if we are on target killing the virus off on the schedule that is very important.

[Trinity4]

Viral load fluctuates.  Although a lower viral load of <400,000 IU/mL is a positive factor when starting antiviral therapy it should not be a consideration in waiting to start treatment.  Degree of liver damage is most often used to determine whether a watch and wait approach should be used.  

Trinity