Aa
If viral load goes up what does that mean?
Hi: I'm hoping someone can help me with my 24 week blood test. My viral load about 7 weeks ago was down to 5.3. I barely made the log 2. Last weeks test reports a viral load of 5.5, up .2.
Any help is appreciated. Thank You
Any help is appreciated. Thank You
How are you? How is double-dosing treating you? What week are you in? When is your next viral load due? You are in my thoughts every now and then.
I found the following in the Berg study "Extended Treatment Duration for Hepatitis C Virus Type 1: Comparing 48 Versus 72 Weeks of Peginterferon-Alfa-2a Plus Ribavirin". I thought it might interest you since you had that unclear baseline viral load value, which made your 2-log drop at week 12 uncertain as well.
"SVR rates in ... those without a 2 log10 decrease" at week 12 "were 4% (2 of 55 patients) and 11% (6 of 54 patients), respectively (P = .15). Only 26 of the 109 patients with a less than 2 log10 decrease at week 12 (24%) achieved an end-of-treatment virologic response. The relapse rates in these 26 end-of-treatment virologic responders was 87% (13 of 15 patients) when treated for 48 weeks (group A) and 46% (5 of 11 patients) when assigned to 72 weeks treatment (group B) (... P = .034)."
I've always wondered about that time you tx'ed before. What was your response that time? Did you get to UND? What dosing were you on? Do you remember?
Wish you all the best,
Zazza
I found the following in the Berg study "Extended Treatment Duration for Hepatitis C Virus Type 1: Comparing 48 Versus 72 Weeks of Peginterferon-Alfa-2a Plus Ribavirin". I thought it might interest you since you had that unclear baseline viral load value, which made your 2-log drop at week 12 uncertain as well.
"SVR rates in ... those without a 2 log10 decrease" at week 12 "were 4% (2 of 55 patients) and 11% (6 of 54 patients), respectively (P = .15). Only 26 of the 109 patients with a less than 2 log10 decrease at week 12 (24%) achieved an end-of-treatment virologic response. The relapse rates in these 26 end-of-treatment virologic responders was 87% (13 of 15 patients) when treated for 48 weeks (group A) and 46% (5 of 11 patients) when assigned to 72 weeks treatment (group B) (... P = .034)."
I've always wondered about that time you tx'ed before. What was your response that time? Did you get to UND? What dosing were you on? Do you remember?
Wish you all the best,
Zazza
ok, well, I was told to expect the VL to move around...quite a bit sometimes. THe important thing is you did go UND, 2;5 logs, means you have an excellent chance to go onto clear.
I'd definitely talk to jmjm in here...or others who take more, its not unheard of
the tx dose can be increased if VL keeps going up...but you'd want more than one test for that...
it could be you didn't get good absorption the day before (make sure there is fat in your meal, even if it means pouring olive oil on your cereal in the morning...you need it to help get the Riba into the blood.. beyond that you could do Interfergen and shot it more often....the research verdict is out on how helpful this is ir isn't, but lots of docs will switch you to this just in case it might help.
Although, that means a little more reacting to interferon...but whatever works. the pagasus you get all wekk, as it's time release...but not maybe as equally a steady dose as say, every other day shots. Just things to consider.
your weight should be ok st 1000..but my doc doesn't care anymore, he head of everything liver in PDX...he starts everybody out at 1200 and only kicks back the serious sides people. the idea being kick butz while the kicking is good. hope that helps.
need a second opinion you may want to try there....see K. Benner or Flora...the oregon clinic.
I'd definitely talk to jmjm in here...or others who take more, its not unheard of
the tx dose can be increased if VL keeps going up...but you'd want more than one test for that...
it could be you didn't get good absorption the day before (make sure there is fat in your meal, even if it means pouring olive oil on your cereal in the morning...you need it to help get the Riba into the blood.. beyond that you could do Interfergen and shot it more often....the research verdict is out on how helpful this is ir isn't, but lots of docs will switch you to this just in case it might help.
Although, that means a little more reacting to interferon...but whatever works. the pagasus you get all wekk, as it's time release...but not maybe as equally a steady dose as say, every other day shots. Just things to consider.
your weight should be ok st 1000..but my doc doesn't care anymore, he head of everything liver in PDX...he starts everybody out at 1200 and only kicks back the serious sides people. the idea being kick butz while the kicking is good. hope that helps.
need a second opinion you may want to try there....see K. Benner or Flora...the oregon clinic.
I weigh 160lbs. And yes I take everything and don't think I've even missed one Riba. I'm just doing what the Dr. recommends.
Won't pick up on Riba 'cause I maxed out my prescription plan. They put the peg under "Medical"
Come on guys...it's an individual plan...can ya see my dilemna?
Come on guys...it's an individual plan...can ya see my dilemna?
I just can't understand/figure that if that is the standard protocol...why my Doc. (The head of hepatology at a Univ. Hosp in a (kinda major ;) city has prescribed double dosing (Two shots 180 IU or UI a week) the pegasys at the 25th week with a vl...AND that my Insurance company (that will NOT pick up on the riba) is willing to pay and ship it w/o a copay. I do not have the best plan! It's too dang much to think about! I'm up all night again.
what weight r u?
because I'm in oregon too...and SOC is 1200 riba minimum.....at the oregon clinic...can't speak for Pill Hill OHSU but that sounds on the chintzy side unless you are tiny.
do you take ALL your doses? viral load return quickly with any let up in tx.
because I'm in oregon too...and SOC is 1200 riba minimum.....at the oregon clinic...can't speak for Pill Hill OHSU but that sounds on the chintzy side unless you are tiny.
do you take ALL your doses? viral load return quickly with any let up in tx.
Yes, the protocol is to stop tx if not UND by 24 weeks. However, since your husband had a relatively low viral load at week 12, he is in the subgroup which might benefit the most from extending to 72 weeks if UND by week 24. "Hell on the family", yes, but at least you are not the one taking the drugs, don't forget that.
Thank you people for the info. The treatment has been 1000 of Riba and .4ml of Peg. Being a 1a it's not too shocking. I'll be sent to the University of Oregon Health Sciences to receive treatment from here. They are running trials up there but not Teleprevir. What trials he didn't say. I'd really like to end this treatment the sooner the better :-)
jmjm: I'm 54, male and geno 1a. My initial viral load was 20 million. The reason treatment has been necessary because my liver is a 2-3 stage 3.
I can remember doctors in the seventies why my liver enzymes were so high. They're like 60 and 100.
jmjm: I'm 54, male and geno 1a. My initial viral load was 20 million. The reason treatment has been necessary because my liver is a 2-3 stage 3.
I can remember doctors in the seventies why my liver enzymes were so high. They're like 60 and 100.
The log of 1'000'000 IU/ml is 6.
The log of 5600 IU/ml is 3.75.
The log drop therefore is 2.25 log.
The log of 5600 IU/ml is 3.75.
The log drop therefore is 2.25 log.
This answers a question that has been rolling aournd in my brain for 16 weeks. My hubbys 24 week PCR is right around the corner (well at Christmas time) and although his docs say nothing (believe me, NOTHING) I have always had the hunch that if he is not UND at 24 weeks he'll be taken off TX. Is that the protocol? By 12 weeks he had only acheived a drop from 1 milion to 5600. Slow responder. He's a transplant patient and very Type-A, so he'll want to treat some other way ASAP.
Honestly, the last 2 years have been hell on our family & I could stand a break, if he had to wait for a new drug.
Honestly, the last 2 years have been hell on our family & I could stand a break, if he had to wait for a new drug.
looks like you are a non responder. it is irrelevant what the viral load is at 24 weeks, what matters is if you have any count at all this means treatment is not working and should stop. sorry for the bad news. dont worry new drugs are on the horizon.
also what are your tx drugs, and what dose of peg and riba and how much do you weigh. first time treating or not, compliance, etc, etc.
Is it possible to express your viral load in IU/ml instead of logs? Also, you only mention two tests, a week 24 test and what appears to be a week 17 test. What was your viral load (in IU/ml) at week 12? Any earlier tests than week 12? You might also want to include your stats such as age, sex, genotype, pre-tx viral load, amount of liver damage, etc.
-- Jim
-- Jim
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