undetectable

[plumb2fish]

I have geno type 1a, my viral count prior to treatment wasd 19.1 mil. After 5 weeks of treatment my enzymes were in the normal range and the virus is undetectable. My question is what is the advantage to continue to suffer through this treatment for the next 8 months after clearing the virus?

[newleaf09]

Never heard that one before?  Means hiding out, digging in, etc.  I can think of a dozen slang terms but brain will not come up with the right term for infected liver cells.  Maybe that's what I mean to say after all.

[nygirl7]

It's the Holed Up in the Liver Gang!

Where's Robert Redford! Where's Paul Newman find them and their gang fast! On the way to Mexico to take out the holy virons!

[Marcia2202]

'holed up' in the liver???

I've never heard that term being used.

I think that a little more accuracy would be better.

[T246]

Your news is great.  I am waiting for my week 12 numbers and week 9 VL was 5000.  If I am not clear at week 12 it is 72 weeks for me, so take your success and be thankful you just need to get to week 48.

Hang in and use your news for motivation to complete, we would all like to have your Vl number at week 5, Rapid responder.

[newleaf09]

You're doing very well.  You've killed the virus in your blood but it is stilled "holed up" in your liver.  It has not yet been established exactly how long the treatment time period is to assure that all of the virus in the liver cells is gone.  We'll know that some day but we don't now.  You're doing great.  Stick with it.

[nygirl7]

Please don't believe that just cause you achieved UND the game is finally over......it's just not that way.  If you want to STAY UND for good - continue to the end.

My own brother in law felt he was cured for good after 8 months and relapsed.  I continued and finished and have been SVR for over two years.

Best to do this once and get rid of it for good and never ever have to worry about doing it again!

[plumb2fish]

Lately I've been fishing for sanity. Been extremely depressed, fatigued the norm with treatment. But normally I think I am a steelhead fisherman.

[plumb2fish]

Thanks for the encouragement. I have not been able to work since I started this and did not have the forethought to apply for temporary disability through my job until last week.The good thing is I appear to have responded to the treatment... I have disability available and faxed to insurance company today... and I will still have a job to go back to when this is all over. Once again thanks-                                                                                                                                  Mike

[GoofyDad]

The good news is your odds of successfully beating the virus have shot way up. The bad is you need to keep on truckin' to keep those odds up.

Contrats on the first - tough break on the second.

PS - What'r ya fishin for? Dyslexic carp?

[Bill1954]

The concept of treatment is to achieve long term sustained viral response (SVR). This is defined by staying virus free for a period of six months after completing treatment.

The virus replicates in our liver; but we test for it by checking levels in the blood. If even miniscule levels of virus remain, it can return; beginning the entire process over again.  Hang in there, be patient; hopefully you will achieve SVR and will never have to endure this again—

Bill