What does it mean if ur count comes back over 1 million

[Mimiparker5]

Liver count

[flyinlynn]

What is the name of the test?

If it is the HCV RNA by PCR test that is looking for the presence of the Hepatitis C virus in your blood this would mean you have a viral load of 1 million virus in every mL of your blood. This would mean you need to be treated to eridicate the hep c virus from your blood.

The result would be something like
HCV RNA detected
10000000 IU/mL

But right now I am not sure what test you are asking about.

What has your doctor that requested this test for you told you?

[Smada65]

A high viral load is considered to be anything over 800,000 IU/ml (800,000 International Units per milliliter of blood or 800,000 standardized units per milliliter) or 2 million copies/ml. A low viral load is, typically, anything less than that, although some studies have shown that the cutoff is too high and should be readjusted to indicate that those with a viral load of 400,000 IU/ml or lower are thought to respond best to treatment.
It’s important to understand that, even though viral load is measured when a person tests positive for HCV antibodies and then again at regular intervals while they are undergoing treatment for HCV (usually, every 3 months), viral load is only a measurement of the potential for successful therapy and then whether or not therapy was successful. Other tests – liver biopsies and enzyme tests or genotyping one’s virus will determine the extent of the disease’s damage to the liver and how fast the disease will progress.

[willbb]

What in heavens name are you talking about?

[willbb]

Above addressed to Smada65

[flyinlynn]

We worried more about what was considered a high viral load or low viral load in the past with the old interferon treatments. Today with the mixers DAA’s viral load is less of a consideration.

The viral load test in not the antibody test. If you have a viral load that would have been the HCV RNA by PCR test or similar named test. The Hepatitis C antibody test does not provide viral load information.

If you have a viral load the next test would be a test to determine which genotype of hep c you carry with names like 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b etc there are about 16 genotypes in all but mostly they only consider GT1 vs 2 or 3,4,5,or 6. With this information your doctor will determine which of the many new meds is best for your individual situation.

You may also have other testing to determine how much if any liver damage you may have. There is really no way to predict how fast or slow you may develop any future damage but that really doesn’t matter because now that you have been diagnosed you will be treated so no future liver damage can occur.

[Smada65]

You need to go and see your doctor and be tested again. If you went through the interferon and ribavirin treatment and you have not been clean for 5 years of a viral load then it's come back you need to go and see your doctor and be tested again. They have way better treatments out now.

[flyinlynn]

Smada it sounds like the OP has never seen a viral load test before so I doubt the were ever previously treated.

Where are you getting not clean for 5 years there was no mention of this.

The op only has asked about a viral load test and the meaning.

When they said comes back I am sure they mean the result they received (ie came back) not a return to having a viral load they had previously cleared

[Smada65]

I miss understood the question, I took it as it came back. I am only answering based on my experience if it comes back then you need to be tested again.

[flyinlynn]

Good point if you were previously treated in the past and later the virus has “come back” on a test for the virus you would have to start all over do what ever testing is needed and get treated.

I am reasonably certain the intent of the original question:

“What does it mean if ur count comes back over 1 million?”

might be better stated:

“What does it mean if your HCV RNA test result is over 1 million IU/mL?”

Not a return of the virus but the return of a test result.

Of course we here are familiar with discussing hep c infection in basically standard terminology, but for someone just learning for the first time they carry the virus they do not yet know the lingo.