Aa
viral count up
Well, the nurse just called and told me my viral count has gone up. I started at 994., 4 wks into tx my count was 18., now wk 7 it went back up to 115. She said lets not worry about it till wk 12. I really thought things were going better, because I feel pretty good after taking procrit and my sx have been so mild. I really feel pretty normal these last 2 wks. I'm on wk 9 of tx.
I almost feel normal I would say 80% of the time. My riba was lowered from 1000 to 800, after 2 wks thats when I started feelg normal again.
Did anyone experience these ups and down with their viral counts in the beginning? In other words is this pretty normal.
I almost feel normal I would say 80% of the time. My riba was lowered from 1000 to 800, after 2 wks thats when I started feelg normal again.
Did anyone experience these ups and down with their viral counts in the beginning? In other words is this pretty normal.
'Sensitivity to interferon' in medical jargon means how well it works it clearing virus-the more 'sensitive' you are the better!
Sorry to have confused you.Meant that you were not sensitive enough for it to cause viral suppression-nothing to do with side effects.
The side effects probably were due to riba.
I'm saying I don't think the riba reduction certainly caused the viral rebound,although it will have reduced the chance of SVR as nygirl commented.
This is all conjecture on an internet forum-you need to get into the detail with your doctor.who has your lab results,knows your history ecr.
Sorry to have confused you.Meant that you were not sensitive enough for it to cause viral suppression-nothing to do with side effects.
The side effects probably were due to riba.
I'm saying I don't think the riba reduction certainly caused the viral rebound,although it will have reduced the chance of SVR as nygirl commented.
This is all conjecture on an internet forum-you need to get into the detail with your doctor.who has your lab results,knows your history ecr.
your saying that the interferon is the cause of my vl going up and down? I never really thought about the interferon being the culprit. I guess because on shot day I just feel like mosquitos are biting me within 2 to 3 hrs after shot. I feel dizzy and nauseated sat and sun. After that I'm ok....sort of. When i was on 1000 riba my back hurt alot, I was nauseated alot. Once riba down to 800 all symtoms almost went away. Thats why I was surprised you said the sensitivity to interferon was the problem.
The riba does not actually destroy the hep c virus and I don't think that the reduction is necessarily the cause of the problem.
nygirl is 100% correct about the importance of max dosing though.
The riba (as far as is understood) causes the virus to mutate in a disorganised way thus reducing it's chance of establishing an interferon resistant mutant,usually called a wild type variant which lays low and re-emerges when treatment ends.
I suspect the problem here is your sensitivity to interferon.
I've been wrong before,but that's my hunch.
nygirl is 100% correct about the importance of max dosing though.
The riba (as far as is understood) causes the virus to mutate in a disorganised way thus reducing it's chance of establishing an interferon resistant mutant,usually called a wild type variant which lays low and re-emerges when treatment ends.
I suspect the problem here is your sensitivity to interferon.
I've been wrong before,but that's my hunch.
Do it right now it's the only chance you have. NOBODY likes how the riba feels or the sides we get - believe me I will NEVER forget my six point drop in one week never ever EVER ... but we have to do what we have to do. It's only TEMPORARY keep remembering that........it will be over one day so just hang on and do what you have to do!
Will do. I thought it was strange that I feel so good. Its like I dont feel the riba at all.
I hate to up the riba but if thats whats going to work then up it is.
I hate to up the riba but if thats whats going to work then up it is.
Lord that dosage reduction did a number didn't it. Jesus.
Call the doctor and tell him you've already increased back up to weight based riba and do it. Unfortunately feeling great on treatment usually unfortunately isn't a good thing. As Jim said it is a tradeoff that we have to make sometimes but hopefully it's a temporary thing and once treatment is over and we are SVR we have the rest of our lives to have a nice high fat hemo number...
You have to get that number to start going down now if you possibly can - and honestly with even the increase it's going to almost impossible so you must do it NOW.
If you can get it to turn around and start going down again at least you could extend to 72 weeks to make up the difference but you gotta get it to turn!
Take the extra riba immediately - Call that doctor!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Call the doctor and tell him you've already increased back up to weight based riba and do it. Unfortunately feeling great on treatment usually unfortunately isn't a good thing. As Jim said it is a tradeoff that we have to make sometimes but hopefully it's a temporary thing and once treatment is over and we are SVR we have the rest of our lives to have a nice high fat hemo number...
You have to get that number to start going down now if you possibly can - and honestly with even the increase it's going to almost impossible so you must do it NOW.
If you can get it to turn around and start going down again at least you could extend to 72 weeks to make up the difference but you gotta get it to turn!
Take the extra riba immediately - Call that doctor!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm guessing I've had the virus probably since i was in my 20's; I'm now 49. and never had any sx to detect anything was wrong. Donating blood was how I found out i had the virus. Never did a biopsy. Figured I just want to do the tx and hopefully put it all behind me. But I will request one when tx is all said and done.
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Sorry for the confusion, i meant 994,000, 18,000 & 115,000, I just leave out the zeros. I will get a call back from the nurse today to check my hbg count since it was down 9.5. Its been 3 wks since I took procrit and am feeling great. I see my dr. thur and will discuss the riba uptake.
thanks guys your input is always comforting.
thanks guys your input is always comforting.
Don't know your detailed history -- but as a general principal, I would discuss going back on a full-dose of weight-based ribaviirin directly with your doctor -- especially since you're on Procrit and you say your side effects are "mild". Feeling "normal" is great, but on treatment, the usual tradeoff for becoming undetectible is feeling a bit less than normal. BTW do you mean "994" or 994,000 as a pre-treatment viral load? "994" would be one of the lowest pre-treatment viral loads I've heard about. Did you recently aquire Hepatitis C (acute stage) or have you had it over six months?
-- Jim
-- Jim
Could you confirm those numbers? Do you mean the baseline was 994 or 994000?
I have heard not heard of such low starting levels before.
A spike in the RNA during tratment needs consideration.It means that -to use a metaphor-the virus is getting the upper hand in a arm wrestling match.
If this has occurred a 'wait and see' response from the nurse is not satisfactory.
The doctor should consider changing the interferon or increasing the dose.
Those numbers have got me guessing though-more info from you would be welcome
I have heard not heard of such low starting levels before.
A spike in the RNA during tratment needs consideration.It means that -to use a metaphor-the virus is getting the upper hand in a arm wrestling match.
If this has occurred a 'wait and see' response from the nurse is not satisfactory.
The doctor should consider changing the interferon or increasing the dose.
Those numbers have got me guessing though-more info from you would be welcome
To me this sounds like bad news, especially since it coincides with a reduction in riba. I never had ups/downs in VL. I went UND at week 4 and have been UND since. I did reduce riba a bit at week 8 along with starting procrit, but my VL did not ever fluctuate.
Can you reach your doctor by phone? Maybe give him/her a call and discuss your concerns. Don't just wait and worry til the week 12 pcr comes back (at week 14) - you'll just make yourself nuts.
Good luck, let us know what the doc says and how the 12 week VL turns out.
jd
Can you reach your doctor by phone? Maybe give him/her a call and discuss your concerns. Don't just wait and worry til the week 12 pcr comes back (at week 14) - you'll just make yourself nuts.
Good luck, let us know what the doc says and how the 12 week VL turns out.
jd
Will they let you up the riba again? I know the sx are terrible but it seems to me to be the key for many to get to undetectible and stay that way. Maybe someone else might weigh in but I think it is less harmful to lower it a bit after the 12 week mark. You were really responding great and hopefully this little blip will be unimportant.
Blessings,
Ev
Blessings,
Ev
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