Below is an email exchange with a new friend who just got his meds:
Thx Mike.
Synopsis & Question: my gastro doc is extremely busy and though we have a good past he may be unable to monitor me as he is 3 months out on appointments unless he makes an expedited time for me due to the extraordinary circumstances.
On the other hand my GP would be my second choice as he has taken the all of my blood tests , except for a few, over the last 10 years and delivers that information to the gastro doc if he requests it, otherwise he just sends it to me for my records. So is your opinion, is to go with either one that can see me first? What benefit would I have by waiting this long when my GP could see me right away? Also my GP and I are have to wait, maybe up to a month, to see the gastroI or should just go with my as we are friends, with like and kind interests and have known each other for over 15 years.
Thx Mike. BTW, this opportunity is awesome and everybody associated with it. I'm anxious to get this out of my system.
XXXXX
Hi,
Are you in REDEMTPTION? If so, they will need tests every "x" weeks. That's a good thing. You can see your liver healing....
Your GP can order your labs, mine does. My GI is 200 miles away. I have seen her exactly once and that took 7 months.
Start treatment and tell your GP you want a liver panel and qualitative HCV test every 4 weeks until you are undetected. If you are detected, they will do a quantative test to come up with a viral load.
Once you are UND, you won't have to test again until 12 weeks after you finish, unless you are in REDEMTPTION.
The more frequent tests are part of the clinical trial.
SVR 12 is GOLD!
SVR 24 is PLATINUM!
SVR 24 means you have as much chance of relapsing as an uninfected person has of contracting HCV.
Get Well!
m