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Post Info TOPIC: Need Help with Some Test Results
pl1952


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RE: Need Help with Some Test Results
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Enviago:  I see what you mean!  Good luck with your treatment.  I'm still waiting for results especially the genotype.  I gained so much knowledge from you guys posting your life experiences with this disease.  Many thanks!



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Me: 62 yr. old female, GT 1b, fibroscan 4.5; VL 650,975 as of 2/4/14;started Harvoni 3/6/15; SVR


Hubby: 59 yrs.; GT1b; fibroscan 25-cirrhotic; S/O for 12 weeks started tx 3/20/14; SVR56; fibroscan done 7-7-15 = 8.5
OldenSlow


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And yet another example - In the last ten years, or so, my VL's have ranged from 1.2 million to over 15 million.  All over the map.   Prior to treatment, I had stopped giving it much thought, to be honest.  Now, of course, it commands my full attention. smile

Wayne



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66 y/o male - Geno 1b - F4 cirrhotic dx 2001 - 16 wk treatment w/ Sovaldi/Olysio/Riba - Und @ EOT+24 SVR

 
Enavigo3891


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Hi again pl1952

I just wanted to give you another example of the fluctuation in VL's. As I previously mentioned below... my VL's have always been under 500k - well I just got my pre-treatment VL count and it's 1,922,967 !!! That means over this last year it went up by 1,617,211 .... but, treatment starts Tuesday. And I just got my lab order for my 2nd week blood draw, looks like my doc is only running LFT's so I won't get another VL until I guess the 4 week mark.



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Born HepC + in 1983 ... diagnosed @ age 13 ... GT2 ... 12 wks of Sovaldi/Riba from 2/11/14 to 5/5/14  #ribazombie

1/30/14 - Starting VL 1,922,967 * 3/11/14 - UND @ 4 wks * 7/29/14 - SVR12 * 11/6/14 - SVR24 * May 2015 - SVR52 * MAY 2016 - STILL UND * FEB 2018 - STILL UND

 
mallani


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Hi Pat,

You've had some good responses. Your VL is low-medium, depending on what study you want to use. The VL fluctuates, and the old adage of low VL's doing better on treatment is reserved for the SOC days. A Virologist once told me it takes one trillion replications per day, to maintain a VL of 1 million. That's a lot of hepatocyte cytoplasm being chewed up! Cheers.



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Geno 1b, IL28B CT,  x3 prior relapser,  ex-cirrhotic, 75 yo, did 48 weeks with Victrelis/Peg./Riba.  VL 1.28m at start, UNDET. at 8 ,12 ,16 ,24 ,30  and 48 weeks.  EOT 15 Feb 2013 , UNDET. at EOT + 28 weeks. SVR!  Still Undet. at EOT +5 years

Malcolm
Tig


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Hey Kristen,

That's a spot on explanation! It's nice to have so many informed and friendly people here. I'd like to add this link to some information on the basics of that test. HTH!

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis%5CBasics/Viralload.pdf

Tig



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Tig

67yo GT1A - 5 Mil - A2/F3 - (1996) Intron A - Non Responder, (2013) Peg/Riba/Vic SOT:05/23/13 EOT:12/04/13 SVR 9+ years!

Hep C FAQ   Lab Ref. Ranges  HCV Resistance

Signature Line Set Up/Abbreviations   Payment Assistance

 
pl1952


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Thank you Enavigo for explaining that to me!  I'm seeing double from all the reading I've been doing, catching up on everything now that I should have been doing a long time ago.  I'll know more in April when the ultrasound is done and then I guess treatment will be discussed for both me and hubby!  Thanks!



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Me: 62 yr. old female, GT 1b, fibroscan 4.5; VL 650,975 as of 2/4/14;started Harvoni 3/6/15; SVR


Hubby: 59 yrs.; GT1b; fibroscan 25-cirrhotic; S/O for 12 weeks started tx 3/20/14; SVR56; fibroscan done 7-7-15 = 8.5
Enavigo3891


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Hi pl1952,

That means your Viral Load (VL) is 650,975. You may have noticed that many people have their current or pre-tx VL's listed in their signatures.  The is the number of "little buggers" in your system and it can fluctuate. Until you treat, don't let it get you crazy. The VL does not really suggest one thing over another. For example, many people on here have VL's in the millions while others are in the hundred's of thousands. It doesn't mean that someone with a 4mil VL has any less chance of reaching SVR than someone less than 1mil. I just actually had this convo with my doc - I've done my own research on it but I noticed that many here were in the millions and I've never been over 500k. My doc basically explained that the HepC virus duplicates inside your body on a daily basis. I lower count either means you're not duplicating as fast or your immune system is doing a good job at clearing many of them.  I remember when my regular primary doc did my LFT's and VL for me last year, she called and said "Have you been to the transplant center lately? You're VL is extremely high!" .... I asked what it was, thinking she was going to tell me millions and she said: 305,756! I actually laughed, clearly she has very little knowledge of the disease. Anyway, when you treat, that's when you will want that number to go down, and down, and then get and stay undetectable (UND).

As for the other tests, they're all fairly important. In addition to ALT's and AST's, another one you'll end up watching in tx is your Hemoglobin. Having a good starting number is good as tx will often lower that number and if it's too low you will need to lower your Riba dose (if you're on riba) or if too low some people have to get injections. I've heard different opinions on how important your Vitamin D level is. I know my doc was a bit concerned as in last year's test it was a 16... he specifically said this year in reviewing my pre-tx labs, "good, you're VitD is up to 40". 

Overall - when you get all your labs, feel free to post them. As you've probably noticed, everyone here is real good about providing input. Ask many questions!



__________________

Born HepC + in 1983 ... diagnosed @ age 13 ... GT2 ... 12 wks of Sovaldi/Riba from 2/11/14 to 5/5/14  #ribazombie

1/30/14 - Starting VL 1,922,967 * 3/11/14 - UND @ 4 wks * 7/29/14 - SVR12 * 11/6/14 - SVR24 * May 2015 - SVR52 * MAY 2016 - STILL UND * FEB 2018 - STILL UND

 
pl1952


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The other tests were hubby's that you looked at, and he did not get the HCV RNA Quantitative results yet.  And I don't see genotype for either one of us yet...at least they didn't post it for us yet. 



__________________

Me: 62 yr. old female, GT 1b, fibroscan 4.5; VL 650,975 as of 2/4/14;started Harvoni 3/6/15; SVR


Hubby: 59 yrs.; GT1b; fibroscan 25-cirrhotic; S/O for 12 weeks started tx 3/20/14; SVR56; fibroscan done 7-7-15 = 8.5
pl1952


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Hi Mallani, this is my result:

HCV RNA QUANTITATIVE650975


__________________

Me: 62 yr. old female, GT 1b, fibroscan 4.5; VL 650,975 as of 2/4/14;started Harvoni 3/6/15; SVR


Hubby: 59 yrs.; GT1b; fibroscan 25-cirrhotic; S/O for 12 weeks started tx 3/20/14; SVR56; fibroscan done 7-7-15 = 8.5
mallani


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Hi pl1952,

We've covered the LFT's. Now we need the Genotype and the VL. The VL ( Viral Load) will probably be called HCV RNA. Yours will probably be low and hubby's somewhat higher. Cheers.



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Geno 1b, IL28B CT,  x3 prior relapser,  ex-cirrhotic, 75 yo, did 48 weeks with Victrelis/Peg./Riba.  VL 1.28m at start, UNDET. at 8 ,12 ,16 ,24 ,30  and 48 weeks.  EOT 15 Feb 2013 , UNDET. at EOT + 28 weeks. SVR!  Still Undet. at EOT +5 years

Malcolm
pl1952


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Hey guys, I went Tuesday to get bloodwork done; first time seeing a liver dr.; my next appt. is in April, but they provided me with a link to access the results of the bloodwork that was done.  I know the ALT AST are important; I'm not sure which test is the viral load test, and which other tests results are important for me to look at regarding hep c.  If someone can help me out, I"ll be happy to post them here.  Sorry, I feel like a dunce....Thanks!



__________________

Me: 62 yr. old female, GT 1b, fibroscan 4.5; VL 650,975 as of 2/4/14;started Harvoni 3/6/15; SVR


Hubby: 59 yrs.; GT1b; fibroscan 25-cirrhotic; S/O for 12 weeks started tx 3/20/14; SVR56; fibroscan done 7-7-15 = 8.5
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