16 week labs?

Question

I noticed that a lot of folks get labs on week 4, 8, 12, and 24.  Do they usually do a full blood workup on Week 16?  My next appt. will be Week 16 of 28 on Peg/Riba/Vic.

willbb · Accepted Answer

Hi..

It is not really a matter of they skip one ,just that it really is not necessary other than for interest's sake as I mentioned 

On Vic therapy the 4 week is important as it gauges how one is responding to the Interferon and the 8 week is protocol to see if the patient is eligible for the RGT(response guided therapy of just 28 weeks)

And the 12 week is just to make sure one is < 100UI/ML of virus   or the stopping rule applies and then the 24 week  as this one is protocol to be UND. or again the stopping rule applies.

Sorry to hear you have such a hassle with your insurco ..sometimes they can be a pain to be sure 

good luck..
Will

beanie123870 · Answer

is week 24 important due to being comple

frijole · Answer

Liver enzymes - ALT and AST --  of 25 are in range. The ranges on my labs are about the same as yours.   What I was trying to get across is that it may be that 25 is high for me personally.  I have early cirrhosis.  Yet my liver enzymes have always been in range. Before I started tx in 2005 ALT and AST were 29 & 28.  Before I started tx in 2011 they were 30 & 25 -- yet still the early cirrhosis.  So they haven't gone up much in 6 years even though the biopsy shows that the liver damage has.

Naya, what are your AST and ALT ?  And, do you have any tests done that span a large period of time so you can compare them?  I will be curious to see what my AST and ALT end up being when I am done with treatment.

frijole (bean)

Advocate1955 · Answer

My husband had monthly labs for the most part which included full CBC and PCR (viral load check).  I recall those being at week 4, week 8, week 12, week 16, week 20, week 24, etc.  Although it isn't required, his NP did check his VL at week 16 and week 20.  I'm not sure why.  It may have been for interest's sake.  Or it may have been because he was a previous partial responder/poor responder to Interferon.  When he had symptoms of anemia, at about week 12 - 16, his NP had him come in weekly or every two weeks to check his hgb.  The only critical and required PCRs are at week 4, week 12, week 24, and I believe week 48 (if treatment is going that long).  The reason is because these PCRs guide the therapy.
Advocate1955

Naya888 · Answer

Hi frijole ,I was also surprised  about liver enzymes being high at 25 ,where did you get that info?.What is your lab range for Alt/Ast .My labcorp range values are 0- 40.I am usually at the higher end in 30's these days. I learn always something new here, how valuable is this site for all of us - I am so grateful to so many people here.

frijole · Answer

will and cando -- thanks for the encouragement. Only 2 weeks and 3 days to go.  Will - those enzymes stunned me.  Who knew -- that 25 should have been an alarm for high enzymes.  They had crept up to 30 just prior to treatment.

gerad -- they are right that the 8week pcr only means something if you are eligible for the response guided therapy.  However, the comfort level is really there if you have a -0- at 8.  I have done some charts on those of us mostly that started in 2011 and posted them to my pictures.  Unfortunately there are not any post TP members that I can think of on it.

bean

gerard11 · Answer

Thank you. On 90 mg interferon 1 a week,  and 400 2x a day ribrviron. So a definite reduced dose. What is a 1 log drop? Thanks!

willbb · Answer

Hi gerard.

cando covered it great (as he always does)  Good luck on your 8 Wk. PCR.

bean :  You are just about there ,,hang in and WOW enzymes to die for !!

Will

can-do-man · Answer

Since you don't qualify for the 28 week course that is why your teams only concern is your 12 week test. If at that time your not under 100 then treatment will be stopped... It would be ideal at week 8 to be und, you would then be what is called an eRVR. But since your on a lower dose of interferon and maybe Riba starting out that might be hard to get. Plus you did not have a 1 log drop by week 4......... Good luck to you.

gerard11 · Answer

Good morning  Will ,curious about labs and Vic. I am in my10th day of Vic. What kind of drop should I be watching for at the 8 week mark?. Being a post liver tranx. Patient I do not qualify for the 28 week therapy. The first 4 weeks showed a viral drop from roughly 3,000,000.00 to roughly to 1,600,000.00. Team I am working with seems to only concerned with my 12 week viral.mmust be under a 100. Fingers crossed!!!! Thanks to all who take the time to post. It means a lot to me!!! Thank you.

BoceprevirGal · Answer

Hi Momof: I am on Vic also, and I am on Procrit, for the anemia. The blood draw I had after 12 weeks, was at 18 weeks, but no viral load was done (not until 24 wks), just the usual "comprehnesive metabilic panel". That way, I could see where my HGB was at~

can-do-man · Answer

Best to you mom, will covered it great. Hope things are going good for you. From a Vic surviver I wish you the best.

Bean....Hang in there girl, its almost over. You got this one in the bag.

frijole · Answer

It is not necessary but you could request one if you want.  I kind of feel the same way -- you don't get a VL test from week 24 to week 48.  Now that is a long long time.  I have some comfort however in that my liver enzymes have never been so low in my life (17 & 9) at week 44.

Have you been UND since the VIC?  What was your 4-week lead in VL?

frijole

momof2jewels · Answer

Thanks, Will.  I wonder why they skip that one?  Is it just assumed that nothing has changed from Week 12?  Believe me, if any insurance would have an "issue" with it...it would be mine.  Every med, every test, every referral has involved a gazillion phone calls.  What a bother!

willbb · Answer

Hi.

No a PCR is not usually protocol on week 16.Some may request it for interest sake ,however insurance coverage may be an issue ..

The week 24 is the important one..

Best ......

Will