How soon start second round of Harvoni?

[soldieradvocate]

EOT 17 after 8 weeks of treatment on Harvoni. SVR test scheduled for June 17th. I just had a blood test done at another doctor and am awaiting results. If it shows virus has come back and is growing, how long before I can effectively take a second round of Harvoni treatment?

[soldieradvocate]

Thanks so much for the information and encouragement. If I come in contact with dried blood from when I was infected like on a shirt or surface, will that still endanger me with reinfection? Have disinfected the house but nervous about any surface I might have missed.

[AWorriedMom]

Soldier, a couple of things....if people are uneducated about hep C they may believe that you are still infected. There is no carrier state in hepatitis C. You cannot transmit the disease if you are undetected. And the virus can only live outside the body for a little while....4 days is the amount of time I have seen reported but that is in a perfect environment. I would not worry for one second about your clothes. I would get rid of your toothbrush and hygiene articles that might have blood on them like razors, etc. Good luck on getting that SVR.

Livelife, I think you said something that you didn't mean to say....."It's kinda like if you had Chicken Pox.  Once you have it you will always carry the antibodies but will never be infected again." Hepatitis C antibodies are not protective. There is no immunity. You can reinfect if you engage in risky behaviors.

[dontworry_behappy1]

Carrier is an old term used to explain "positive hepatitis C antibodies".  It's sometimes used still but I find the term confusing.   "Carrier" sounds like you are a carrier of the hepatitis C virus.   You see how this can confuse people.
Once you have been confirmed positive for hepatitis C antibodies......you will test positive for the rest of your life.   Hepatitis C antibodies don't protect you from getting reinfected with Hepatitis C.  

You are currently undetected absent SVR.   It's unknown if you are able to
reinfect others in your current status.   So, conduct yourself as if you have Hepatitis C till you obtain SVR.   There is still a rare chance the Hepatitis C virus can return after 3 months and you should test and confirm your SVR
at 6 months.

Wishing you the best outcome.

[soldieradvocate]

Good reminder about safety. Thanks to everyone for your responses. Very helpful. and reassuring.

[hepcandme]

Congrats soldier! Looks like you have an excellent chance of achieving SVR!

This is the part that is puzzling to me:

"I just had a blood test done at another doctor and am awaiting results. If it shows virus has come back and is growing"

to "The second test at another doctor reported the virus "undetected"."

I just don't understand how a fairly standard lab test could have produced such opposing results. Perhaps your doctor misread the labs?

[flyinlynn]

I believe the reference to "If it shows virus has come back and is growing" was a concern about a what if possible senario.

In other words "if the test shows the virus has returned" how long do I need to wait before I can be retreated.

Then the second post showed the second lab showed not detected but I did not see soldier post about the actual result of the first test just being worried about "what if"

At least that is how I understood soldiers comments.

Hi soldier did you get the result back from the original lab test also or was there just  one test you are discussing?

I am a little confused by "EOT 17 after 8 weeks of treatment on Harvoni. SVR test scheduled for June 17th"

Do you mean you were tested for the virus at 17 weeks after end of treatment so your 8 week treatment was completed 17 weeks ago?

And SVR test June 17 so how many weeks after treatment has ended will you be on June 17th is that the SVR 24 test? The six months post treatment result?

If I am understanding correctly your dates you are cured soldier!

Many doctors consider SVR 12 to be cured and definately SVR 24

Congrats you made it soldier!
Lynn