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viral load increase
Hello I am a 46 year old male .I had a liver transplant on feb 2010. Hep c virus came back to 36000000 .I went on treatment May 2010.The viral dropped to 1405 as of August. I was tested today and my viral load increased to 7774.Does this mean the meds have stopped working?Or is this common?Thanks
Congratulation on being able to get a liver transplant.
As with any health question post transplant, I would suggest you talk to the hepatologist who is treating your HCV. Ask them these questions. Ask about your current HCV status, why you are still being treated for HCV when you haven't achieved an undetectable viral load at week 12 or 24 and your future options for dealing with HCV in your new liver. They know your full health history and status. Which none of us do. Plus we are not doctors who work daily with post transplant patients with reoccurring HCV. Since you are a transplant patient you should have immediate access to members of the transplant team to get your questions answered.
Best of luck with your new liver.
Hectorsf
As with any health question post transplant, I would suggest you talk to the hepatologist who is treating your HCV. Ask them these questions. Ask about your current HCV status, why you are still being treated for HCV when you haven't achieved an undetectable viral load at week 12 or 24 and your future options for dealing with HCV in your new liver. They know your full health history and status. Which none of us do. Plus we are not doctors who work daily with post transplant patients with reoccurring HCV. Since you are a transplant patient you should have immediate access to members of the transplant team to get your questions answered.
Best of luck with your new liver.
Hectorsf
Hi there, and welcome to the discussion group.
Unfortunately, from what you describe, it appears you’re having some trouble with the treatment. If a person becomes full undetectable for virus then returns during the treatment period, it’s labeled as ‘viral breakthrough’ and signals an unsuccessful therapy.
You never achieved undetectable status, so they will probably label this technically as ‘null response’ unfortunately. I’m not all too familiar with treatment post transplant, but I imagine that part of the problem involves the anti rejection meds you’re now taking; intuitively, it makes success that much harder to achieve.
Have you spoken with your transplant team about this yet? They’ll want to review the results with you, obviously, and come up with a plan. By all means, continue uninterrupted with meds until you discuss this with them though.
We have several other transplant survivors here; I imagine they’ll stop by and offer their thoughts; they will be much better informed than I am. Other, more efficacious meds are in currently in late stage development, and will hopefully be approved and market ready by later next year. I’m sure your TP team will discuss these with you as well.
Best of luck to you—
Bill
Unfortunately, from what you describe, it appears you’re having some trouble with the treatment. If a person becomes full undetectable for virus then returns during the treatment period, it’s labeled as ‘viral breakthrough’ and signals an unsuccessful therapy.
You never achieved undetectable status, so they will probably label this technically as ‘null response’ unfortunately. I’m not all too familiar with treatment post transplant, but I imagine that part of the problem involves the anti rejection meds you’re now taking; intuitively, it makes success that much harder to achieve.
Have you spoken with your transplant team about this yet? They’ll want to review the results with you, obviously, and come up with a plan. By all means, continue uninterrupted with meds until you discuss this with them though.
We have several other transplant survivors here; I imagine they’ll stop by and offer their thoughts; they will be much better informed than I am. Other, more efficacious meds are in currently in late stage development, and will hopefully be approved and market ready by later next year. I’m sure your TP team will discuss these with you as well.
Best of luck to you—
Bill
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