Epclusa-please help EXPLAIN 4 week Viral Load results

[MommaT]

Hello-
Can anyone tell me what this results mean? Below is same exact test pretreatment 1,722,660
 
HCV RT-PCR Quant (Non Graph)
 Hep C Quantitation

 <15 IU/mL
HCV RNA  Detected
 
note range of this essay is 15 IU/mL to 100 million
Thanks!

[Steve76]

The first result is your pre treatment viral load(1,722,660).

The second result is that the virus is detected but it is below 15, which is good no worries there(nearly everybody clears while on treatment either at 4 weeks or later) actually with the new drugs people went on to get cured even if they were slightly detected at the end of treatment.


Next test you will be undetected very likely and these new treatments cure just about everybody.

I was also mildly detected at 4 weeks and went on to get cured.  My test measured from 12 so it was slightly more sensitive. At 4 weeks I was 13.  Doctor did not test me again until 12 weeks and 24 weeks(24 weeks Harvoni) and by then i was undetected.
These tests don't seem to  matter as much anymore, tests likely are more for compliance(unless taking Ribavirin with your drug which will require other blood work).  This disease is going to be nearly eradicated soon(there are new treatments curing people who failed Harvoni,etc,etc...  Game over for Hep C) Manage the condition of your liver mine is in a similar state as yours(Ultrasounds and blood work, check for varices, never drink a drop of alcohol after you are cured)  Take you pills and you will be cured

[FutureThinker]

MommaT, please take a look at my signature -- I was still detected at my 4 wk test (30) but went on to SVR 12. The drugs are working!! You've had a huge drop in VL and that is exactly what they want to see. Not everyone clears by 4 weeks!!  Don't get upset about this, as THE test to focus on is your 12 wk post treatment one.

I remember all too well how disappointing this is --- but all the data shows that you are very, very likely to be undetected soon, if not on your next test, certainly by the 12 wk post test. Hang in there, the best is yet to come! FT

[MommaT]

Thank you Steve and FutureThinker!

YES! I do have something to celebrate! This result confused me- so thanks so much for clearing it up and giving me some prospective! To go from almost 2 million down to 15 is Great!  And, I have future Viral Load test coming wk 8 and wk 12. So I will hope for Non-detected soon.

And now I see how follow up SVR 12 or SVR 24 are post treatments numbers to show no relapse. Boy, I am a Newbie!

I feel much better! Again Thank you!

[rk]

Great news MommaT, the bad guys are near extinction! I'm glad you asked I was curious as well. I had a basic idea but what I still don't get is the volume. As a guess I think means international units per milliliter. A milliliter being 1/1000 of a liter. That's my guess and one-thousand of a liter is a small sample of our blood that is drawn.

So whatever the exact quantity, it went from 1.7 million in your case to less that 15!
Sorry, I tend to get analytical but its great to hear good news from anyone that has this disease.  Rod

[Mw2324]

Awesome Momma T! Great to hear!

[Lynn K]

As a guess I think means international units per milliliter. A milliliter being 1/1000 of a liter. That's my guess and one-thousand of a liter is a small sample of our blood that is drawn.

Yes that is correct international units per mL of blood. They draw well more than a mL sample in those tiny test tubes but per mL is an average value. Like miles per gallon is an average.

"The international unit is a unit of measurement for the amount of a substance; the mass or volume that constitutes one international unit varies based on which substance is being measured, and the variance is based on the biological activity or effect, for the purpose of easier comparison across substances. International units are used to quantify vitamins, hormones, some medications, vaccines, blood products, and similar biologically active substances."

Clear as mud now right?   

[rk]

Yes that is correct international units per mL of blood. They draw well more than a mL sample in those tiny test tubes but per mL is an average value. Like miles per gallon is an average.

"The international unit is a unit of measurement for the amount of a substance; the mass or volume that constitutes one international unit varies based on which substance is being measured, and the variance is based on the biological activity or effect, for the purpose of easier comparison across substances. International units are used to quantify vitamins, hormones, some medications, vaccines, blood products, and similar biologically active substances."

Clear as mud now right?   

Thanks Lynn, yes it is - I got it, however it may be boring to most. They care about results, not the math on how it was obtained.

As an aside a couple of years ago I had 18 vials of blood drawn in one lab visit. Yes count them - Eighteen, I thought they was looking for the mother load! I'm not sure what all they checked but it must have been everything related to Hep-c.

[FutureThinker]

Wow rk, I thought 10 vials was bad!! I even got after my doctor after that lab work to try to spread these out next time.  FT

[rk]

Ft, I sat there watching, the nurse just kept pulling out vials and labels. Then I had to verify my info for each one. I lost count but thought it was 14. She said it was 18. She also attached kinda of a holder to keep it in place while vials were inserted and removed. I never asked why but there must of been a good reason?

With my current Hepatologist it is usually just 4 however he has ordered labs every two weeks during treatment. I must look like a pin cushion.