Pardon my ignorance..

[maddalfred]

I am sure this has been covered somewhere, so please cut me slack for repeating it you have seen it a million times before.

I was scanning recent bloodwork to send to my new dentist this a.m. and noticed that the vl on the most recent round for the HVC was 2777935.  That figure is on a line that is under the heading of HCV RNA, PRC Quant.

Is this good, bad, make any difference in the overall scheme of things? I am doing my best to understand all these numbers and acronyns but I am afraid a great portion is still Greek to me.

Rex

[Peter Staley]

Rex -- I'm no expert in HCV, but our lesson on it is worth reading:

http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/HCV_9984.shtml

HCV Viral Load Testing: To look for HCV, a healthcare provider can request a qualitative PCR test to determine whether or not the virus is in a person’s bloodstream. A healthcare provider can also order a quantitative PCR or bDNA test – very similar to those used in HIV – to check for the presence of HIV and to figure out the person’s HCV viral load (the amount of HCV in a measurement of blood).

The HCV viral load is a very important laboratory test. Unlike viral load testing for HIV, which can help determine how fast someone may develop AIDS, the HCV viral load test cannot determine if or when someone with hepatitis C will develop cirrhosis or liver failure. However, the HCV viral load can help determine how likely it is someone will respond to treatment. As a rule of thumb, the lower the HCV viral load, the better someone’s chances that he or she will respond to anti-HCV treatment. Note: HCV viral load numbers are usually much higher than HIV viral load numbers. This can be very confusing. A low HIV viral load is considered to be less than 5,000 copies/mL; a low HCV viral load is considered to be less than 2,000,000 copies/mL.

So it sounds like you're just above what's considered "low".

Ann -- you want to weigh in?

[Ann]

Rex,

I don't really have anything to add to what Peter's said - your hcv vl is edging up into the middle range. If I remember correctly, my hcv vl was in the mid-3,000,000s when I started hcv treatment. I do distinctly remember my doc saying he's seen hcv vls in the 6-7,000,000s and that mine wasn't the worst he's seen by a long shot.

Have you discussed hcv treatment with your doc?

Ann

[maddalfred]

Thank you so much for the input, Peter and Ann.

The "plan" my HIV doc wants to follow is to wait until  my CD4 is consistently above 500 (to her that is 3 blood work ups in a row). She also says that she is concerned about depression being a factor in my being able to tolerate Interferon, the drug she plans to recommend.

I get my next blood draw in a few weeks (the vampire in their closet will be SO pleased) and hope that this latest round of flu hasn't knocked my CD4 down. I won't have any results on that until I meet with her two weeks following that.

Wish me luck!

Rex

[Ann]

Good luck Rex. As long as you're over the flu for a week or so before your blood draw, it shouldn't be refected in your CD4s.

Ann