Genotype and considering treatment

[bock]

Hi,
I was recently diagnosed as HCV positive but acute infection that just turned in chronic stage. From april of this year, confirmed because in may I was anti-hcv negative and then in july positive. I'm from Europe and only have possibility to get generic drugs. Generic Epclusa because today I found that I have 1a and 2 genotype.
My question is how effective is Epclusa for two genotypes, I didnt expect this, only one so I am a bit scared of the outcome.

Thanks in advance

[lporterrn]

Your chances are 99-100% of a complete cure. Many people have more than one genotype, but for a variety of reasons, only one genotype shows up in the testing.

In short, your chances are excellent. Good luck!

[bock]

Thank you!

It means when someone with experience firsthand like you writes that!
I had luck that on one genotyping it showed only genotype 2 but I did another   because in my country for genotyping it is a long waiting list...long story

If someone else has experience I would appriciate.

1st oktober viral load 22 milion-genotype 1a, 2
24th oktober 1.5 million genotype 2

when it was acute in july it was only viral load of 44.000 iu/i

[Mugwump]

On a personal level: My advice is to pay more attention to your liver enzyme test results. These show the current level of liver damage occurring. I just wish that the definitions of chronic and acute were less emphasized by clinicians and the association to viral load levels was finally debunked.

On a social and economic level however: In my books one either clears the virus naturally or doesn't. It does not matter if an infected individual takes years to develop serious liver damage. The fact that HCV caused liver damage can occur if the disease is not cured and the fact that all those who have the infection can pass on the infection accidentally are the real social and economic issues at stake here, with choosing to not immediately treat all those who are infected with HCV now that there are cures readily available.

A very high viral load like the one you quoted may mean that there is severe damage going on or it might be just a blip in the infection that your body will fight down. During the many years I was infected there is no doubt in my mind that my viral load count went through the roof. But then my system fought back the infection to levels where I felt healthy and my liver enzymes indicated that I was still fine.
Making accessible, affordable and immediate treatment for HCV is the issue now for all who have the infection. Attaching dollar figures to curing HCV and removing it from society the way we did polio are the real issues here.
All the best to you getting treated before you have any level of liver damage occur.
Eric

[Lynn K]

From my understanding viral load means little in regards to severity of illness or degree of liver damage that has occurred or is happening presently. Additionally, viral loads can vary often.

Also, liver enzymes numbers also don’t correlate to degree if liver damage only that something is currently bothering your liver. Having high liver enzymes also do not correlate to amount of damage that has occurred or is occurring. You can have high liver enzymes and no liver damage or like myself I have normal liver enzymes since I no longer have hep c but I have liver cirrhosis.

I only had very sightly elevated liver enzymes while I had hep c but over 30 years of infection I progressed to cirrhosis.

Best of luck

[bock]

Liver enzymes now are alt 119 ast 62. Durin acute stage in spring when it was
discovered my alt was over 2000 and all other liver tests were high.
They are now normal but alt remains around 100. Until summer they checked my liver panel every week and it was from 100 to 300 some weeks.

[Lynn K]

“Normal Levels of AST and ALT. ... Typically the range for normal AST is reported between 10 to 40 units per liter and ALT between 7 to 56 units per liter. Mild elevations are generally considered to be 2-3 times higher than the normal range. In some conditions, these enzymes can be severely elevated, in the 1000s range.”

https://www.emedicinehealth.com/liver_blood_tests/article_em.htm#