Log drop clarification

[DoxieMom04]

Viral load question. If my vl started at 8,650,000 and at 4 weeks was 104,000 - would that be considered almost a 2 log drop?  

Thanks
DoxieMom04

[DoxieMom04]

Hi nygirl,
I was pretty sick and getting worse. They knew my liver was inflamed and the immuran I had been taking for 9 years was pushing the problem along.
They said, bottom line you will either clear or not. Doing a biopsy is not something they are doing routinely where I go.

DoxieMom04

[portann]

Hi Doxie,

Concerning log calculations, here's an alternate way to do your log drop that's more streamlined. It's a site created by a former member and is great because of its ease of use:

http://www.brodo.co.uk/StudyPics/HCVLogDropCalc.htm.


My NP was also disappointed when I didn't clear after four weeks.


She said all the right chirpy things to encourage me and faked how 'well'  I was doing but I could see she was disappointed. And this, despite what she said next, which was her observation was that patients on SOC who've had the virus for a long time take longer than four weeks to get to UND. Never tried to pin her down on that one, though.

Anyway, it would have been easier on my morale to have that RVR in my pocket but I went on to get SVR.

.
Susan

[nygirl7]

As a genotype one with the disease over 30 years I'm sort of confused about why they wouldn't feel a biopsy was in order.  Usually that is step one for all of us 1's out here.  The biopsy is the gold standard to find out just how much liver damage you alrelady have; however, if you decided to treat irregardless I guess it might not be that critical. Still most of us needed to know so we could make that decision and then decide how aggressively to treat.

[DoxieMom04]

No I have not a had biopsy.  My doc did not feel it was necessary. Is there any other way to determine stage and grade?
Cindy

[spectda]

have you had a biopsy, if so do you know the stage and grade of your disease. Good luck with the treatment. There's a lot of collective knowledge on this forum and great support.
- Dave

[DoxieMom04]

Thank you Bill.
I sure hope for a good result with my labs later this week.
DoxieMom04

[Bill1954]

If you have a PC, you can go here to find a scientific calculator to calculate log (logarithm) reduction if you like:

Click the start menu, then open ‘programs’ or ‘all programs’.

From there click on ‘accessories’, then ‘calculator’.

Once the calculator is open, go to its ‘view menu’ and make sure it’s set to scientific, rather than standard mode.

Now, just enter your numeric viral load, in your case 8,650,000. Once the number is typed in, click on the ‘LOG’ button in one of the left hand columns of keys; this should show the result 6.937…

Or, the simple method is to move the decimal point one place to the right for every log reduction you require:

8,650,000
865,000 = I log drop
86,500 = 2 log drop
8650 = 3 log drop
etc.

--Bill

[DoxieMom04]

Monday night will be my 8 week shot of Pegasys 180 and 1000mg ribasphere. My NP was disappointed that I did not have better than a 1 log drop. I remembered what I had been reading here and thought it was "close" to a 2 log drop. That at least makes me feel better than the low end of 1 log.
I am genotype 1.  Received in blood transfusion almost 30 years ago.
I sure appreciate allthe wonderful responses everyone gives.
I have found a very good support group here locally. That helps too.

Thanks,
DoxieMom04. yes I have 4 Dachshunds.

[spectda]

It sounds like you are having a good response. What genotype are you and what interferon and riba dose are you taking? When do you get your next vl? How is your hgb doing?
- Dave

[Gee704]

Almost - a 2 log drop would have been 86,500. Just take off 2 of the far right numbers. Sounds like you are doing well. Keep up the positive momentum.

What treatment are you currently doing? Are you in a study or are you doing standard of care?

[Trinity4]

Not quite a 2 log drop.  Actual log drop is 1.92