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TOPIC: Blood Test, Wow! Do I ever feel Stupid!

Blood Test, Wow! Do I ever feel Stupid! 5 years 3 months ago #21021

fretboard
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Hey friends,
I'm sharing this with y'all so nobody else makes the same mistake I did. I went this morning to get my 8 week blood test results and my doctor said we don't have them. You see, here in the US my doctor had me going every two weeks for blood tests. That's probably standard across the board, IDK. I'm a hard stick so it's always really embarrassing or shameful for me to get blood work done and maybe get stuck more than once or twice. Anyways, as a result, I figured hell they don't need that much blood, it's overkill. So I made up my mind that I would just hit what I felt were the important blood draws, like 4 weeks, 8 weeks etc. Bottom line is today I was told that I f'd up by not going every two weeks because they don't take your viral load every single time you give blood. Ouch!

As a result, I only have a 4 week UND but nothing else. Don't let this happen to you!! If you're a hard stick so f'kn what, go and give up the blood test. The phlebotomists get paid to deal with hard sticks, you won't be the first and you're definitely not the last!!

G1a dx'd in 1992, Biopsy F2 VL 8mill +. Tried tx with Interferon/Riba, back in 2008 didn't last long it felt horribly ugly!! I stopped tx, after 5 weeks!!
Started tx 6/1/16 with Harvoni.
12 Month Labs= UND

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Blood Test, Wow! Do I ever feel Stupid! 5 years 3 months ago #21030

beaches
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Don't beat up on yourself! If your LFTs are normal chances are you're ok.
All I got was 4 weeks then 12 (EOT), and then 12 weeks after which is coming up.

Genotype 1a
Diagnosed in 2004, had HCV for all my adult life. Until 2016!!!!
Harvoni treatment, started 19 March 2016
4 week results Bilirubin 12 down from 14 pre treatment,
Gamma 25 down from 52, ALT 19 down from 63, AST 19 down from 47,
VL <15 down from a lazy 6 million or so

EOT Results
Bilirubin 10, GGT 18, ALT 19, AST 21, VL UND

12 Weeks post EOT
Bilirubin 11, GGT 16, ALT 22, AST 20, VL UND
Cured baby

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Blood Test, Wow! Do I ever feel Stupid! 5 years 3 months ago #21031

Greedfighter
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No worries Fretboard,

If you have 4 weeks Undetected, that is the holy grail bro! You are undetected and will still treat for another 8 weeks? That is the overkill factor that locks in the cure dude. Make sure you do 12 weeks, or even 16 (or 20)! If insurance cuts you off at 8 weeks, keep taking your Generic meds for another 4 or 8 weeks.

Personally, I would take the 20 weeks if you can, since you had some fibrosis, and have the meds. Unless you are having issues, it can only help your chances. The longer you treat, the better your chances (up to 24 weeks) You are on schedule for a cure!

I did 6 weeks (UND), then EOT (UND) and now SVR 16 (UND). The early UND is key, 4 weeks it is looking good for you!

Gt 1a, F0, VL 6.5 million, AST 59, ALT 62
Started Twinvir 1/15/16
6 wk. labs VL UND, AST 27, ALT 20
EOT labs VL UND, AST 23, ALT 19
SVR 16, VL UND, AST 28, ALT 17
SVR 24 , VL UND, 10/8/16
SVR 125, VL UND, 9/22/18
SVR 230, VL UND, 10/3/20

Last Edit: 5 years 3 months ago by Greedfighter.

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Blood Test, Wow! Do I ever feel Stupid! 5 years 3 months ago #21032

Gaj
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Hi Fretboard,

If you were UND at 4 weeks don't sweat it, you'll be fine for the rest of treatment. Here's what Dr James said about it.

"The new DAA medications do not require a lot of monitoring (unless Ribavirin is involved). Once you fall to UND (Undetectable) you will remain undetectable for the duration of treatment so further measurements are a waste of your time and money."

fixhepc.com/forum/viral-load-and-svr/287...-what-to-expect.html

Maybe try to renegotiate testing frequency with your doctor but you may need to humour them to ensure you get the important SVR tests later.

G3a since '78 - Dx '12 - F4 (2xHCC)
24wk Tx - PEG/Riba/Dac 2013 relapsed
24wk Tx - Generic Sof/Dac/Riba 2015/16 relapsed
16wk Tx - 12/01/17 -> 03/05/17 NS3/NS5a + Generic Sof
SVR7 - 22/06/17 UND
SRV12 - 27/07/17 UND
SVR24 - 26/10/17 UND

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Blood Test, Wow! Do I ever feel Stupid! 5 years 3 months ago #21040

fretboard Offline Elite Member Defender-Against Big Pharma! Posts: 175 Thank you received: 340 Karma: 3	Yes, I really appreciate the comments!! I'm fairly sure I'm gonna be alright, because my hands aren't swollen anymore. As long as my hands or my feet don't swell up, I'm thinking I'm still UND. Either way I'll find out in a week or so. Thanks again!!
	G1a dx'd in 1992, Biopsy F2 VL 8mill +. Tried tx with Interferon/Riba, back in 2008 didn't last long it felt horribly ugly!! I stopped tx, after 5 weeks!! Started tx 6/1/16 with Harvoni. 12 Month Labs= UND The administrator has disabled public write access. The following user(s) said Thank You: Hieupham, Matt-Kenney-google

Blood Test, Wow! Do I ever feel Stupid! 5 years 3 months ago #21044

Sven
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Really your not. I have only seen, personally, maybe 10% of people getting tested every 2 weeks. Why would you want to, I mean what good is it unless your really having issues otherwise every 4 weeks is good.
Right?

Contracted HCV 1980's
Geno Type 1a
F3 ( doc says once treated I'll be F2 maybe F1)
Meds shipped 6/17/2016 arrived early 7/2016

Viral count - 3,471,080

4 week quantitative bloods: August 17, 2016. I have been diagnosed as <15 (told undetected)

8 week quantitative bloods: September 14th. I have been diagnosed as <15 (told undetected)

11 week PCR RNA Qualitative bloods: September 26th 2016 - Undetected

December 19th 2016: Cured!
Viral count: zero!!!
2018 viral count: still zero!
Cured!

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Blood Test, Wow! Do I ever feel Stupid! 5 years 3 months ago #21048

fretboard Offline Elite Member Defender-Against Big Pharma! Posts: 175 Thank you received: 340 Karma: 3	Sven wrote: . Why would you want to, I mean what good is it unless your really having issues otherwise every 4 weeks is good. Right? Absolutely right! Wish my doctor would read this!
	G1a dx'd in 1992, Biopsy F2 VL 8mill +. Tried tx with Interferon/Riba, back in 2008 didn't last long it felt horribly ugly!! I stopped tx, after 5 weeks!! Started tx 6/1/16 with Harvoni. 12 Month Labs= UND The administrator has disabled public write access.