12 week Viral Load

[sh625]

Hi guys,
We got back the VL results today.Nurse just said "Doctor said to tell you its working" I asked what the VL was and she said" it doesn't say it just says less than 43" has anyone ever heard of this? 43 what ? I just always thought they would tell us a viral load like they did before he started txt or tell us undetectable.Thankfully I can get a copy of the results tomorrow. Thanks for always answering my never ending questions

[sh625]

Thanks to all.
I am sure we will be much happier about it tomorrow when we get our copy of the labs and see it on paper.Does this offer any better than the 50% chance of SVR?

[kciav]

It sounds like your husband is either UND or very, very close. His viral load is somewhere between 0 (undetected) and 43. It should say on the copy you receive. One of my son's viral test was less than 10 but still virus detected.  The next test showed virus undetected.  Either way it sounds like good news cause the treatment is working. Congratulations!

[copyman]

labcorp's quantasure plus uses 43 as their cutoff for undetectable. Congrats looks like you are undetectable so far.

[eureka254]

Sounds like a good thing!  
If you used Quest labs, their current standard Quantitive pcr has a lower limit of 43 IU/ml, as Trin & Marcia stated, which would mean you are undetectable by the lowest limit of the test used. It would give you a number greater than 43 if the test were to detect any measurable virus.  You might find it helpful in the future to ask for copies of your labwork, that way you can post them exactly if you have questions.  Seems like news to be happy about... :)

[sh625]

Thanks,It was just rather odd to me the way she said it.I repeated back to her so I should tell my husband that Dr said it was less than 43 she said well Dr said just tell him it looks like its working .the viral load would get bigger if it wasn't.This Dr repeatedly told us the vl does not tell you if it is working it only tells you if its not.I will hope her less than 43 is really just that.Thanks so much

[Marcia2202]

I agree with Trin. It looks like the test goes down to 43 IU/ml and you are undetected.

Congratulations!

[Trinity4]

Sorry, long day

Correction:  You are undetectable for any virus above 43 IU/ml and in my humble opinion that's a UND.

Go to bed Trin

[Trinity4]

correction:  Not qualitative but quantitative test

[Trinity4]

<43 means it's a qualitive PCR and the sensitivity of the test goes down to
43 IU/ml.  The test can't detect anything above that number.  You are undetected for any virus below that number.  There are some tests that go down to 5 IU/ml or even 2 IU/ml but the PCR they performed on you in commonly used.  
You have no viral load, you are UND and that is indeed great news because you want to see that UND on the 12 wk PCR.  It means treatment is working and you have a good chance at SVR.   Keep up the good work!!

Good Luck
Trinity