High Viral Loads

[mamaKat2008]

In 2006 when I was diagnosed with active Hep-C with a viral load of over 300billion. Is that common? or is that an extreme high load?I am a genotype 1A,the biopsy showed a level of damage -but the liver Dr. said that I do not have cyrrosis . This was told to me in 2007. It is now late July 2009. My care provider has sent referals to the liver Drs 3 times this year -but I was Never contacted by the specialists.My provider cannot understand why they never got in touch with me. I told her that it was as I expected. I am a challange to them that they do not know what to do with. I have convinced her that I am serious about being a research subject with the new meds being worked on , but how can I get into a program when the specialists won't talk to me.
  I am in pretty good health right now and I feel that I would be able to withstand the side effects of the meds. I am very focused on this. If you have any ideas for me to get into a study I would very much like to hear from you.
                                                                                            Thankyou and GOD bless us all.  mamaKat2008


This discussion is related to Hep c - clinical trials.

[lalapple]

you have to be an active patient with these hepatologists and find one you are satisfied with.  viral load doesn't correlate with liver damage.  someone with extremely high vl might have no damage while others with low vl might have more damage.  time may also be a factor.  

good for you for considering the medications!  do not wait until it gets worse to treat.  hcv is infamous as a silent disease.  symptoms don't show up until end stages for most.  there are definitely people on here who are on trials for the new medications, also, a huge portion are on Interferon/Ribavirin therapy (i was on it for 48 weeks).  you must be determined to start and carry on with the commitment you make.

hcvadvocate.org  is an amazing website to help you get started

best of luck to you

[newleaf09]

300 billion is not right  I'm pretty sure that no test can measure further than 100,000,000.  You will appreciate going to:  http://www.aasld.org/practiceguidelines/Documents/Bookmarked%20Practice%20Guidelines/Diagnosis_of_HEP_C_Update.pdf
for the current recommended practices on treating HCV (includes info on the viral load tests, too).  This whole ordeal will be easier for you if you ask for copies of all your lab results.  Take a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the doctor if you need to.

You don't neccessarily have to be recommended for a trial.  You can contact the trial directly and they will set up a screening to see if you are eligible .  Go to www.clinical trials.gov to see the trails available, where they are held and how to contact them.

Don't think of yourself as a challenge.  Only people with decompensated cirrhosis of the liver are too much of a challenge (because many of them tend to be too sick to handle the chemo drugs).  The hepatologists may just have too many patients to deal with to add another.  Ask your provider to get back in touch with them again (disgraceful that they could not be courteous enough to contact you at all) and to contact some others who may have room in their practices for another HCV patient