Advertisement
My progress on Tx. thus far:
Viral count at diagnosis - 5.5 million
At 12 weeks - 18,300
24 week results - 6,780
Does this look promising to you members with more knowlledge in lab results?
Viral count at diagnosis - 5.5 million
At 12 weeks - 18,300
24 week results - 6,780
Does this look promising to you members with more knowlledge in lab results?
posted by:
|
Illinois
|
Advertisement
Advertisement
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Thu, March 23, 2006 - 6:19 AMHey Brock,
As you know... I'm just a BABY DUCK in this Hep-C pond.... so I still do not know what is good or bad when it comes to labs.
However, I believe that the lower the viral load the better.... So.... WAY TO GO... KIDDO...
LOL
Big Hugs,
Tonya
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Thu, March 23, 2006 - 7:25 AMWhat you are Brock is very blessed that you have a progressive doc, almost everyone I know including me, medical establishment and ins requires you be at "0" by 12 weeks or they kick you off.
Secondary standard is a 2 log drop by each count, the short version, drop 2 digits. ie
5,500,000 to 55,000 to 550, make sense??
More progressive standards indicate that as long as you just keep dropping its a positive sign. Regardless, congrats, you are definitely going in the right directiion.
-
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Thu, March 23, 2006 - 9:57 AMI have a feeling that my odds have dropped dramaticaly. I received the results from the nurse over the phone and I have an appointment with the G.I. doctor a week from tommoro.
What are some important questions that I should ask?
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Thu, March 23, 2006 - 10:37 AMHow do I find my viral load on my labs- I have the copies but I haven't been able to find them and my Dr. and I have never discussed it...? -
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Thu, March 23, 2006 - 11:28 AMHi Tiffany,
The lab results are sometimes hard to read. I would contact the doctor's office to have them discuss the results with you. If you doctor is like mine... don't wait for a call from them... it probably will not happen unless you ask them to contact you.
Hugs,
Tonya -
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Thu, March 23, 2006 - 6:59 PMTiffany,
There are four things to look for. Stan, my memory may be foggy, so please correct me if I'm wrong. Thx.
Under Hepatic Panel
AST people w/virus have high amounts, so if they go lower, even if it fluctuates, that is a good sign, my doc said 15-17 optimal but there is a variance in lots of people that are perfectly healthy.
ALT same situation.
Under HEP C Viral RNA Qual
HEP C RNA PCR Comment:
Negative: HCV RNA Not Detected
Reference Range: Negative
This will list your viral load, if you have any, above, 615. I've typed in how mine looked when it showed that I didn't have virus.
The most important test of all is the
HEP C bDNA
This test shows if there is any virus below 615. Usually these results come in later. I just got a bill for this test, $419. My doc says it really costs $35. Vive le difference, non? Anyway, she also said that all patients should insist upon the test be analyzed in the bayer lab in southern cal. The other ways that other labs do the test have reported incorrect results. Incorrect results might make a doc make an incorrect conclusion.
Normally, the hepatic panel is done and the rna. If the rna comes back good, they do the bdna. they only did the bdna on me three times, they were satisfied with the rna and the regular alt/ast holding their position. all these three tests came on different lab sheets.
Hey Tiffany, where do you live? I know a place here in sf that gives great seminars with all this info and lots of support.
-
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Thu, March 23, 2006 - 7:03 PMHey Brock, I think any decrease in virus is a GREAT thing. Hang in there, try not to obsess, and let us know what the doc says. You have 1 correct?
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Fri, March 24, 2006 - 9:37 AMGreat thanx for the info!!!! I live out in Southern, Ca near Palm Springs. I haven't heard of any seminars or anything but do you know how I can find out...?
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Fri, March 24, 2006 - 10:07 AMSame same for lab results.
-
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Fri, March 31, 2006 - 7:58 AMI found out yesterday my viral load at dx was 30,628,000. We'll see what it does at 12 weeks-which is in about a month.....
-
-
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Fri, March 24, 2006 - 1:24 AM>almost everyone I know including me, medical establishment and ins requires you be at "0" by 12 weeks or they kick you off.
I know I sound like a stuck record [or is it a DVD nowdays!] but thats just not true. Protocol is 2 log drop by week 12, thats it, nothing more or less.
Brock, I assume you are geno 1 on 48 weeks treatment, if you are still detectable at 24 weeks I think your chances of SVR after 48 weeks treatment are slim to none.
Two ways of looking at how treatment works.
1. The drugs stimulate the immune system to attack the virus but really your own body does the work. The sooner you go undectable the "stronger" your immune system is, so undectable at 4 weeks is almost certain [90%] SVR, 12 weeks say 80% then the graph drops away quite quickly.
2. The other idea is often called the Drusano model and suggests that the key is to treat for a certain length of time after being undetectable, in short forget about fixed treatment length but just look to get undetectable and then add on 30 plus weeks after. "The model predicted that patients infected with HCV genotype 1 require continuous nondetectability of virus load in serum for 36 and 32 weeks, to attain 90% and 80% probabilities, respectively, of a SVR. The average time to clear serum of genotype-1 virus was 30.4 weeks, which indicates that the 48-week duration of therapy provided a suboptimal probability of a SVR."
I'm in a similar situation to you although my numbers are worse. If I were you my concern would be that following your 24 week test your Doctor may be ready to throw the towel in. If you want to continue on treatment you need to be ready to make a good case, the Drusano model [although not proven] may help you do that. I suppose it depends on your liver damage, the more you have the less downside from long term treatment effects. -
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Fri, March 24, 2006 - 6:38 AM>I know I sound like a stuck record [or is it a DVD nowdays!] but thats just not true. Protocol is 2 log drop by week 12, thats it, nothing more or less. <
I beg to differ as I have been through this twice and know dozens if not hundreds of people, mostly with HMO's, my 12 weeks are up April 7th, and if I am not at undetectable, they will remove me from treatment. Its the regular gig here in USA.
The fortunate few with more progressive docs and more liberal ins carriers are the only ones that get the log drop plan. Brock you are blessed that you are in the fortunate few. You go get that dragon, your doing just terrific, my prayers are with you.
-
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Fri, March 24, 2006 - 7:19 AMLike Sherrill, I've done two protocols and both times the HMO's criteria was undetectable at 12 weeks or the "highway." Having relapsed twice, they won't treat again with anything until biopsies show my liver "cratering" or some other secret criteria. That's the way it was last June. I'm inclined to coast for awhile and enjoy my good health and good fortune. I'm at an age where Mr. C has to compete with other demons. -
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Fri, March 24, 2006 - 9:26 AMMy situation is different in that I've been on the disabled list for quite some time and
medicare/medicaid are footing the bill. I may still get booted off of treatment when I see the G.I. doctor next Friday. Hell, I may even ask to be spared the drama if she wants to keep me on treatment. I'm geno 1a and I knew that this was the probable outcome. I can try coloidal silver and chinese herbals, which may just keep my viral load down. Ive been told that having my viral load down; even if its just while I'm on treatment, is a good thing.
I have some goals I need to start working towards (going back to college in the fall), and I need to start working out alot to get my body back in shape.
-
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Fri, March 24, 2006 - 10:20 AM>I beg to differ
I know :)
I'm not saying you are wrong but your people are *not* following the correct protocol [depending on individual medical circumstances], that make sense?
>Ive been told that having my viral load down; even if its just while I'm on treatment, is a good thing.
Well Brock its never a bad thing but viral load has no relationship to liver damage. The simplest way to think of it is that the virus itself does not damage the liver so there is no relation between load and damage. -
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Fri, March 24, 2006 - 2:46 PMHep C boy's in the UK, aaaah, the difference in living in a place with socialized medicine. Here in the USA "medical" protocol means nothing, the insurance complanies dictate protocol. The joys of living in the USA, would'nt trade it for the world, but some days.......
Brock, you are doing just fabulous, and looks like the docs going to let you keep on plugging away at it and "0" will be your winning number here very soon.
Rah, rah, rah, woo, hoo, hoo, we are all cheering in your corner. -
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Fri, March 24, 2006 - 4:56 PMGod Bless You All! I aint done fighting. -
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Sat, March 25, 2006 - 6:17 PMHepCBoy, I've heard the same that you relate, and Sherrill speak the truth that in many ways our lives are dictated by insurance if we are lucky enough to have it. My viral load bounced up to millions and down (I am using the past tense you will notice!) and I was still 1:1 20 years in. Being in the 'system' Brock can work against you, at the indigent hospital they will only treat just before cirrosis. I've heard pretty much everywhere of the 12 week cut off if not non-detectable, but also that now with 2 and 3, they are beginning to believe and some mds treat certain patients for 12 weeks only as that may be sufficient. All that said, I had (!) (let me have my window of hope here people, please do not rain on my positive attitude) 3e, which is a 24 week tx, I went non-detectable right away but had started on a weird protocol for various reasons and after a skipped dose it was back, low but back enough for me to move into pitbull mode and convinced my md to continue me for an additional 24 weeks, and when the insurance company didn't come through, got the meds elsewhere. Stan, I credit you for the impetus to find the meds elsewhere. My point here Brock is that regardless of the visit with your md and your life situation you have options and choices, you are not at the mercy of the 'system' if you let yourself be.
-
-
-
-
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Fri, March 31, 2006 - 8:00 AMSo if your genotype 1, like me, and lets say I drop to 0 at 24 weeks, do they still continue with the whole 48 weeks...? -
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Fri, March 31, 2006 - 8:43 AMI will find that out today for you Tiffany. I'm going to the G.I. doc. I'm going to ask her since she is a progressive doc if she plans to keep me on Tx for 30 more weeks after I go undetectable.
-
-
-
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Sun, March 26, 2006 - 5:43 AMHell yeah Brock
Way to go. Looks very promising. Doctors are always looking for a 2 log drop but I don't know how they came by that standard. Your viral load is dropping and that is always a good thing. Are you staying on tx for the 48 weeks? I hope so. Your chances of clearing the virus seem really good.
Hang in there.
Jeanmarie -
-
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Fri, March 31, 2006 - 2:24 PMMy doctor said that length of treatment is determined by genotype. Length of treatment for genotype 1 is 48 weeks. As long as there is a two log drop by week 12, the length of treatment is 48 weeks. If there is no two log drop by 12 weeks, the person is considered a non-responder and taken off of treatment. So 48 weeks is it unless your doctor is doing an experiment and wants to use you as a guinee pig. -
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Mon, April 3, 2006 - 8:04 AMFabulous!! :( I was just hoping I guess... Are you a 1?? You've had considerable drops so are you on for the year....? -
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Mon, April 3, 2006 - 4:18 PMYep, just started week #27. 21 weeks to go. I am geno 1a. I'm a big, mean, fat, dragon killing machine. -
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Mon, April 3, 2006 - 4:39 PMseriously great news. i'd say go out and get drunk to celebrate but... -
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Mon, April 10, 2006 - 5:46 PMwow, we have all dropped off the map. my brains are just so squishy that i have a difficult time formulating whole thoughts let alone get my fingers and brains going at the same time, lol. had 12 week pcr's on frinday, now just hurry up and wait to see if done or off on another 36 weeks of this lovely adventure, wish me luck. Got 2 cats couple of weeks ago, can't imagine what the hell I was thinking, can't remember to feed myself let alone them, at least they are vocal at dinner time so I guess we all get fed. Have vowed no major decisions or purchses without a commitee of 3 from here on out. Have pneumonia, oh joy, covered from head to toe w/impetigo, itchy, itchy, itchy, tried everything, blow dryer works best, who knew, tip from a friend.
How the hell is everyone,
Bev, you gettin your giddy up back yet?
Tonya (Tonjha) sweetie, yoo hoo where are you?
Brock, hows the love life?
Jeanmarie, Tiffany ladies, how are you?
anyone know how Georgia's doing? -
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Wed, April 12, 2006 - 8:14 AMBest of luck on your results!! Keep us posted, I go in for my twelve week at the end of these month............ Oh- and I turned 30 today........ -
-
This is the maximum depth. Additional responses will not be threaded.
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Wed, April 12, 2006 - 8:15 AMHappy Birthday and Good Luck with the test results.
Hugs,
T
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Re: 24 Week Lab Results
Sat, April 15, 2006 - 7:22 PMhow wonderful all the responses you're getting! you're really not alone. i've been there too. just remember your liver is still getting better while you're on treatment, no matter what those darn numbers are. i relapsed after 48 weeks and though disappointing (to say the least!) i still hold my hand on my belly and remind myself that my liver is better, i gave it my best shot, and it's not over yet! please look for my book, to be released May 1st. "Hepatitis C Through A Patient's Eyes". it can help you with your thoughts and emotions.
HANG IN THERE!
