TOPIC:

Hello,

I've finished my treatment and just had my 24 week labs done. My doctor called to tell me I am undetected. I got a hard copy of my lab results and they actually read:
<15 Not Detected / <15 IU/ml
<1.18 Not Detected / <1.18 Log IU/ml

I've read online that this method of test can't quantify less that 15 viruses but it CAN detect as few as 10-13. What does that mean? How can I be sure, even at 24 weeks, that the virus isn't going to come back or "bloom" again, since my lab paper says, there are indeed a few viruses still floating around in my blood. I want to believe I am cured but now that I'm looking at this lab paper I'm nervous. I know I've seen something about this on this site but now can't find it to reference. Thanks for any words of wisdom you might offer!

It's all good SS- undetected is undetected. There is no such test as zero. there is no live virus- there will always be antibodies for all of us- it is just a record of our battle, our body keeps notes. You are completely, absolutely cured of hep C, like me. It's a blast!

It says "not detected" If you were 3 IU detected, it would say <15 detected, that just means it cannot give an accurate measure lower than that. Even more specific < 1.18 not detected. 24 weeks EOT, You are cured

SShady you are cured.

The <15 is the limit of quantification (counting) and the detected/undetected point is about <8 for that test, but here's the thing:

If you have had no treatment for 24 weeks.

The drugs have been below therapeutic (working) levels for at least 22 weeks and the virus, if still present, would now have grown back months ago.

You are cured, and we have patients with 20 years of follow-up proving that SVR24 is durable.

The only way you're going to see Hep C again is if you catch it again.

Ummmm .... clarification please.

Do you mean you are at 24 weeks after end of treatment (EOT) or do you mean you just finished a 24 week treatment? My reading is the latter.

But even if my reading is correct, the odds that you're cured are extremely high, especially considering that you did 24 weeks for G2 with only F2. I don't remember anybody going that long for G2.
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Edit: I just found your post for when you started treatment, so can see it's 24 EOT.
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Just be aware, all of us have experienced those same nagging questions. Sometimes it takes a while for the mind to accept major life changes. Frankly, the brain has to remap its picture of reality. But it will happen, give it time.

And congratulations!

After being cured myself, since December, I can honestly say I never tire of hearing those two incredible words "I'm cured"

It never gets old.

After telling the first 1000 people, nope, still love sending that email/making that call.

Next 1000 - still not old.

Next 1000 - not quite there yet, but working on it.

I love this story.....

Once upon a time, there was an old man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach every morning before he began his work. Early one morning, he was walking along the shore after a big storm had passed and found the vast beach littered with starfish as far as the eye could see, stretching in both directions.

Off in the distance, the old man noticed a small boy approaching. As the boy walked, he paused every so often and as he grew closer, the man could see that he was occasionally bending down to pick up an object and throw it into the sea. The boy came closer still and the man called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young boy paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can’t return to the sea by themselves,” the youth replied. “When the sun gets high, they will die, unless I throw them back into the water.”

The old man replied, “But there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid you won’t really be able to make much of a difference.”

The boy bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. Then he turned, smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one!”