Author Topic: We Are All Detectable! (Read 7405 times)

Matty the Damned · « **on:** February 20, 2011, 10:08:58 pm »

Dear luvvies,

Just came back from an appointment with Frau Eva and I am posting this from my netbook at the pub! Mobile internets are so cool.

I'm drinking cider, which isn't really alcoholic, and there is some fat slapper at the next table talking about pissing in the soup.

I think I shall order the shepard's pie for my counter lunch.

Anway I've been wondering why my VL tests are being reported as <40 copies but detectable. Since not a single one of you self important dickheads has been able to tell me why this is (shouldn't <40 be undetectable?) so I had to ask Der Frau.

She says that there really isn't any such thing as undetectable these days modern VL assays can detect down to 2-3 copies per thingy cubed.

So we all have detectable VLs.

Anyway my best friend and nearly dick-twin Stevala has arrived and he has another Bulmers for me.

Sobriety is a hoot!

MtD

Jeff G · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2011, 10:17:36 pm »

Congrats on only being a little bit infectious !!! its a sad world where this is a true compliment LOL ... enjoy your cider and lunch .

Dachshund · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2011, 10:17:49 pm »

We're all detectable, but you sir are delectable.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2011, 10:31:21 pm »

Is this thread a joke? Surely Matty can't be this clueless.

drewm · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2011, 10:38:33 pm »

I still cannot wait for Matty's signature across my heart!

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2011, 10:45:36 pm »

You'll be waiting a while I'm sure -- after his "cider and pie" party I think he has a date vacuuming rosebuds.

drewm · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2011, 10:49:10 pm »

Quote from: Miss Philicia on February 20, 2011, 10:45:36 pm

You'll be waiting a while I'm sure -- after his "cider and pie" party I think he has a date vacuuming rosebuds.

Are you serious? NO!!!! Tell me it's not so! I pump my bud. OMG...MtD and I have more in common than I ever imagined!

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2011, 11:02:41 pm »

Fascinating! Indeed in Matty's younger years he was quite the jet setting pig fisting top servicing a wealthy clientele from Sydney to Tokyo. Asian boys love his red locks.

Ann · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2011, 06:56:32 am »

Quote from: Matty the Damned on February 20, 2011, 10:08:58 pm

I'm drinking cider, which isn't really alcoholic

Yeah, right, and neither is my Highland Poacher.

You might just get these Yanks to believe you as I do not recall ever seeing proper cider in the states, just that cloudy, sweet stuff you get in the shops in autumn. You can't pull the wool over my eyes as easily though. Busted!

Matty the Damned · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2011, 07:59:33 am »

Ugh, cider sucks pants.

I've just arrived home and, frankly, I feel like there's a frenchman living in my head.

I will never drink cider again.

Cider enemas are, of course, a totally different thing. I'm pretty much up for those. Drews, can you advise me on this?

One other thing, tonight I learned that Irish people are horrid. Who knew?

MtD

Dachshund · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2011, 08:19:53 am »

Doesn't Xtube have a Hoovering section?

Ann · « **Reply #11 on:** February 21, 2011, 09:10:49 am »

Quote from: Matty the Damned on February 21, 2011, 07:59:33 am

Ugh, cider sucks pants.

I could'a told you that!

Quote from: Matty the Damned on February 21, 2011, 07:59:33 am

I've just arrived home and, frankly, I feel like there's a frenchman living in my head.

You sure he's not Swiss?

Quote from: Matty the Damned on February 21, 2011, 07:59:33 am

I will never drink cider again.

Heard that before.

Quote from: Matty the Damned on February 21, 2011, 07:59:33 am

One other thing, tonight I learned that Irish people are horrid. Who knew?

Wassamatta, get into a handbags-at-tirty-paces with one of your ancestors, or are you bemoaning all that Bulmers Irish Cider you unwisely imbibed? By the way, was it berry, pear, or plain?

drewm · « **Reply #12 on:** February 21, 2011, 12:21:44 pm »

Quote from: Dachshund on February 21, 2011, 08:19:53 am

Doesn't Xtube have a Hoovering section?

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hellraiser · « **Reply #13 on:** February 21, 2011, 12:59:13 pm »

Quote from: drewm on February 21, 2011, 12:21:44 pm

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It bothers me that A) you know this and B) you were so damn excited about responding to it

Dachshund · « **Reply #14 on:** February 21, 2011, 01:28:26 pm »

Sounds like Prudence Prudish gets her pucker star dry cleaned.

newt · « **Reply #15 on:** February 21, 2011, 02:12:38 pm »

Yes, me kangaroo, we are, and We All Have AIDS in an Princess Di kinda way too I suppose, so who needs cider to barf? Hope it wasn't pear cider, that's so not a real drink. The only cider worth drinking is the first apple pressing you mulched from the Pippin pulp holding on to some strapping Somerset lad's waist when yer adolescent sense of self is first stirring (<< seminal true memory).

50 is the cut-off, that's when HIV goes to sleep (<< references available). Who cares about 20 copies/mL or 2?

I am sure the Frau got off on telling you you're still detectable, as if to say, in a doctory kinda way, you can't get away from me, boy, even when I'm dead, my handwriting will be in your notes.

- matt

denb45 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 21, 2011, 03:15:46 pm »

Quote from: newt on February 21, 2011, 02:12:38 pm

Yes, me kangaroo, we are, and We All Have AIDS in an Princess Di kinda way too I suppose, so who needs cider to barf? Hope it wasn't pear cider, that's so not a real drink. The only cider worth drinking is the first apple pressing you mulched from the Pippin pulp holding on to some strapping Somerset lad's waist when yer adolescent sense of self is first stirring (<< seminal true memory).

50 is the cut-off, that's when HIV goes to sleep (<< references available). Who cares about 20 copies/mL or 2?

I am sure the Frau got off on telling you you're still detectable, as if to say, in a doctory kinda way, you can't get away from me, boy, even when I'm dead, my handwriting will be in your notes.

- matt

Yeah, that is what I thought <50 is where I'm and have been there for the last 5 or 6 yrs.

Inchlingblue · « **Reply #17 on:** February 21, 2011, 03:52:10 pm »

The important thing about low level viremia (in someone who's virus is suppressed through meds) is that it's been shown not to be actively replicating virus but rather virus that's coming from the reservoirs as they slowly get depleted.

Until only about 2 or 3 years ago researchers weren't sure if this low level viremia was actively replicating or not. If it were replicating that would imply resistance to meds might eventually happen. Since it's not, a person who's undetectable and adherent to a proper combo could use that combo indefinitely with no real concerns about resistance.

I suppose an argument could be made that a higher "undetectable" viral count of, say 40 copies/mL as opposed to 3 copies/mL is better since it means more of the reservoirs are being depleted.

It's becoming standard-of-care in most developed countries to use an assay of <20 copies/mL as constituting "undetectable" but as Newt notes (alliteration!) <50 is for all intents and purposes a good benchmark. Back in the day the best assays available considered <75 copies/mL as undetectable.

LINKS:

http://www.thebody.com/content/toparts/art50467.html

http://www.hopkins-aids.edu/q_a/patient/recent_questions/re__how_long_does_each_regime_last_before_failure_.html?contentInstanceId=544961&siteId=7151

PS: I'm so suggestible now I want some hard cider! And shepherd's pie! There's an Irish pub near me but it aint cheap. I think their shepherd's pie is about $20. New York rents and all that.

PPS: What's a "dick-twin?" Someone who has a penis very similar to someone else's?

elf · « **Reply #18 on:** February 22, 2011, 06:30:42 am »

My latest lab results (from 5 months ago, new results in 2 weeks).

cd4:1221, 28%, vl:41

Well, I used to be undetectable (<50), but now they're using a more advanced test
which can detect even the smallest viral parts around,
in order to be undetectable, you would have to have less than 1 copy of the viral NA.

elf · « **Reply #19 on:** February 22, 2011, 06:36:26 am »

I was a bit shocked when I saw numbers in that little space which always used to have ''undetectable''
but I noticed the new fancy name below: TaqMan, so it was all clear to me.

elf · « **Reply #20 on:** February 22, 2011, 06:47:57 am »

Quote from: Inchlingblue on February 21, 2011, 03:52:10 pm

I suppose an argument could be made that a higher "undetectable" viral count of, say 40 copies/mL as opposed to 3 copies/mL is better since it means more of the reservoirs are being depleted.

I'd be happy if this was true.

skeebo1969 · « **Reply #21 on:** February 22, 2011, 12:16:11 pm »

Quote from: Ann on February 21, 2011, 06:56:32 am

Yeah, right, and neither is my Highland Poacher.

You might just get these Yanks to believe you as I do not recall ever seeing proper cider in the states, just that cloudy, sweet stuff you get in the shops in autumn. You can't pull the wool over my eyes as easily though. Busted!

Yeah, I kinda figured there must be more to it than Matty slamming glasses of bad apple juice with his mates. It didn't make sense at first, but it does now. lol

mecch · « **Reply #22 on:** February 22, 2011, 07:10:15 pm »

My ID doc said that getting measures in the "undetectable" range can mean the test registers "non-viable" virus. So technically there is no viremia - for instance blips can be, sometimes, meaningless - its still sleeping.

Did I hear correctly? Sometimes doing this in French trips me up.

newt · « **Reply #23 on:** February 23, 2011, 10:04:29 am »

Quote

My ID doc said that getting measures in the "undetectable" range can mean the test registers "non-viable" virus

Yes, viral load tests measure quantites of broken up viral particles so they could well be "dead" rather than "alive".

- matt

denb45 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 23, 2011, 11:05:24 am »

I haven't heard a peep outta Matty, with the Earthquakes in NZ, I do hope that he is ok? anyone know?

GSOgymrat · « **Reply #25 on:** February 23, 2011, 12:16:13 pm »

He left a message earlier today regarding the earthquakes in Off Topic "NZ Earthquake" thread.

denb45 · « **Reply #26 on:** February 23, 2011, 01:16:48 pm »

Quote from: GSOgymrat on February 23, 2011, 12:16:13 pm

He left a message earlier today regarding the earthquakes in Off Topic "NZ Earthquake" thread.

OK, then I take it he's alright then, thanks, was kinda worried bout my ole mate Matty

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