one more thing to obsess about... yay!!!

[drummerman]

One more thing... my EOT blood draw is scheduled for one week after my final dose.  Shouldn't this be done closer to EOT so in case there is an increase in the vl (course I know huge increase would mean to stop tx) but if there were a slight increase might it be better to know earlier when there is still plenty of meds in your blood and then perhaps extend treatment 12 more weeks?

Seems like you would want that test as close to the last dose as possible.

dm

[lporterrn]

Won't make a bit of difference.

[Philadelphia]

My EOT is a week after the cessation of my treatment. I was nervous too, but as I've already done 24 weeks there was never an option to extend, and I bargained with the anxiety by saying it would give me a bit of a heads up as to how treatment had gone to be done after a week with no meds in my system.

[lporterrn]

I was rushing out of the house when I wrote that - what I meant was that even if there was detectable virus at EOT, there is no reason to extend. Treatment length is determined at the start - it isn't dependent on the viral load. There are people who have had detectable virus at EOT and have still gone on and had an SVR - what matters is the results from the post-treatment labs.

[Bree]

My doc already has lab request in for EOT - he said go in anytime from 1 to 7 days (within one week) EOT for labs. So, it sounds like 1 day to 1 week is standard.

Drummerman - we started same day - I'm hoping we are double winners!!!  (And, everyone too, of course!)  You're doing great, keep the faith!

[gnatcatcher]

. . . what matters is the results from the post-treatment labs.

-which is why my hepatologist and his colleagues don't even do EOT labs, just 4 weeks into treatment and 12 weeks after EOT. It so happens that my PCP ordered a slew of labs for my regular six-month follow-up, so I'll be taking those near the end of the tenth week of treatment, but otherwise I'd be in the dark for a total of 20 weeks.

[drummerman]

My EOT is a week after the cessation of my treatment. I was nervous too, but as I've already done 24 weeks there was never an option to extend, and I bargained with the anxiety by saying it would give me a bit of a heads up as to how treatment had gone to be done after a week with no meds in my system.

Thanks Philadelphia,
that makes me feel better to know that others are tested a week after EOT.  I thought everyone was treated AT EOT.

thank you!
dm

[drummerman]

I was rushing out of the house when I wrote that - what I meant was that even if there was detectable virus at EOT, there is no reason to extend. Treatment length is determined at the start - it isn't dependent on the viral load. There are people who have had detectable virus at EOT and have still gone on and had an SVR - what matters is the results from the post-treatment labs.

Thanks Lucinda,

Now that I read this... I remember reading it before...my brain is not working at all.  I blame it on Riba totally...
I even sit and think... did I just take those pills (riba)?? and can't remember.

Not so with the vikera cause its in that fancy punch pak and you can tell if you took those.

Gotta keep it together for 2.5 weeks!

Anxious, excited, forgetful.

thanks again, you have brought me calm!

dm

[drummerman]

My doc already has lab request in for EOT - he said go in anytime from 1 to 7 days (within one week) EOT for labs. So, it sounds like 1 day to 1 week is standard.

Drummerman - we started same day - I'm hoping we are double winners!!!  (And, everyone too, of course!)  You're doing great, keep the faith!

Thanks Bree... and we end on the same day!!!!
this makes me feel better.  Nice to know there is a window for testing after EOT and, I guess, if there is no option to extend tx (Thanks Lucinda)  then they could test, 2, 3, 4 , whatever weeks after EOT

Now I can find something else to obsess over... although at this point it is still... can my quantitative test give a UND reading?  Or do I need qualitative test?  Will definitely bring this up with doc at next appt.

dm

[lporterrn]

I totally relate - ribavirin and obsession go together like thunder and lightening. One of the Hep bloggers wrote about this recently, and you can see my reply (along with others) at http://blogs.hepmag.com/davidpieper/2015/09/9_september_2015_a_m.html

The qual test is more sensitive, but at this point, it really won't matter. Either you are detectable or you aren't, and at EOT it won't mean much unless it was wildly high. In that case, obviously the virus is returning.