Hi, I am HCV positive Geno 1, viral load 24345, AST 50, ALT 92, stage 1, should i start treatment or can wait

[munish1972]

Hi, I am HCV positive Geno 1, viral load 24345, AST 50, ALT 92, stage 1, should i start treatment or can wait

[munish1972]

I got liver elastography done today
results are
fatty infiltration of liver with normal stiffness of the liver parenchyma noted on elastogrpahy with arfi value of .93 - 1.32 mt/sec. liver is normal in size 140 mm.

ALT and AST are 141 and 76 this time (normal 0- 40)

what should i do now

[desrt]

In your place I would wait to see how much the new protease inhibitor drugs will add to the cost of treatment, how readily available they will be where you live, and what their long term side effects will be. At stage one there is no rush to treat and if you can get access to a tx that will minimize or eliminate your exposure to IFN, it might be worth the wait.
Either way, 24,000 or 240,000 are both considered 'low' viral loads and since viral load varies and the tests are never really exact, consider that a rough aproximation.
There is no telling how quickly the disease will progress, so if you decide to 'watch and wait', a biopsy every 3-5 years is probably in order.
Good luck.

[James10500]

There is no script for HCV it seems to progress differently in everyone.  If it were me, I would wait.  I would get a biopsy every 18 months, and possibly wait for Pharmasatts interferon free drug, stock ticker VRUS.  Talk about buying the rumor the price has doubled since March.

Obviously it could never happen, but interferon free would be a dream.

Good luck

[munish1972]

Hi, I am HCV positive Geno 1, viral load 243435, AST 50, ALT 92, stage 1, should i start treatment or can wait.
how long it will take to proceed to stage 4

correction in viral load numbers.

please advise.