TOPIC:

Many countries restrict covered treatment to over a certain liver damage level (eg F2) and/or co-infection to say whether it is covered or not. A viral load is a viral load no matter the count and once 2 tests come back positive over the period deemed to be chronic and not acute (6 months in mine) then the load itself is not a determining factor. The damage criterion steadily drops as time passes and more is known about the cost of leaving someone untreated so check with your countries health system as there is a good chance it may be completely covered.

Thank you very much for the information I am keeping my fingers crossed but if all hope fails I know dr. Freeman will get me right

Although your low level seems a good thing, what it means is that your body is having a "red hot crack" at trying to get rid of it. Your body does this by killing the liver cells containing it, so, as strange as it may seem:

Patients with high viral loads are often less symptomatic than patients with low ones because all the virus wants to do is duplicate itself - it is your body's immune system that is doing the damage by trying to kill it.

There is some discussion here about this: www.webmd.com/hepatitis/c-hcv-viral-load#1

While the 2 experts focus on what is high, what is low there is mention that viral load does not indicate disease severity, prognosis and progression.

Dr James, Is there any data that suggests a high viral load (14 mil) is related to length of time having HCV? I’ve probably had the virus since mid 70’s.

Also, is such a high viral load predictive of possible SVR failure after 12 weeks Harvoni? If so, wouldnt it be prudent to have viral load tested a few weeks before end of 12 week tx so, if necessary, one could continue for longer period of time without interruption? ❤️

Thanks for the information! I will update as soon as i get some more updates i really want to know what genotype i have im not sure if ill need to do more labs or not.

Viral load is essentially meaningless. Anything over undetected is a problem and the response to treatment is great regardless of starting viral load.

Alrighty i just got a call to go in for more labs this morning (bummer) and they scheduled a ultrasound appointment and will call me back for a date. To be honest the whole ultrasound thing makes me nervous, probably because im scared to know the state that my liver is in..
Wish me luck guys.

just got home from doing my labs they did a cbc (i think thats what its called) a genotype, iron & acouple other test for tumors i think. I also am scheduled for the ultrasound tomorrow morning. Ill update as soon as i get more information.

So things are finally starting to move, that's great, good luck Nick.

Thanks Mar

Here are my CBC results please let me know if their is anything out of the ordinary.


Name
White Blood Cell
Normal Range
4.00 - 10.80 10*3/uL
Your Results
4.94 10*3/uL
Name
Mean Platelet Volume
Normal Range
7.4 - 11 fL
Your Results
9.7 fL
Name
Neutrophil Automated
Normal Range
35.0 - 80.0 %
Your Results
39.5 %
Name
Imm Gran Auto
Normal Range
N/A
Your Results
0.4 %
Name
Lymphocyte Automated
Normal Range
20.0 - 50.0 %
Your Results
43.9 %
Name
Monocytes %
Normal Range
2.0 - 12.0 %
Your Results
12.6 %
Name
Eosinophil Automated
Normal Range
0.0 - 6.0 %
Your Results
3.0 %
Name
Basophil Automated
Normal Range
0.0 - 2.0 %
Your Results
0.6 %
Name
Neutrophil Absolute Count
Normal Range
1.80 - 7.80 10*3/uL
Your Results
1.95 10*3/uL
Name
Imm Gran Absolute
Normal Range
N/A
Your Results
0.02 10*3/uL
Name
Lymphocyte Absolute Count
Normal Range
1.00 - 4.00 10*3/uL
Your Results
2.17 10*3/uL
Name
Red Blood Cell
Normal Range
4.60-6.00 10*6/uL
Your Results
5.15 10*6/uL
Name
Monocyte Absolute Count
Normal Range
0.00 - 0.90 10*3/uL
Your Results
0.62 10*3/uL
Name
Eosinophil Absolute Count
Normal Range
0.00 - 0.50 10*3/uL
Your Results
0.15 10*3/uL
Name
Basophil Absolute Count
Normal Range
0.00 - 0.20 10*3/uL
Your Results
0.03 10*3/uL
Name
Hemoglobin
Normal Range
14.0 - 18.0 g/dL
Your Results
13.8 g/dL
Name
Hematocrit
Normal Range
42.0 - 52.0 %
Your Results
43.2 %
Name
Mean Cell Volume
Normal Range
80.0 - 100.0 fL
Your Results
83.9 fL
Name
Mean Cell Hemoglobin
Normal Range
27.0 - 33.0 pg
Your Results
26.8 pg
Name
Mean Cell Hemoglobin Concentration
Normal Range
32.0 - 37.0 g/dL
Your Results
31.9 g/dL
Name
Red Cell Diameter Width
Normal Range
11.0-16.0 %
Your Results
13.4 %
Name
Platelet
Normal Range
140-400 10*3/uL
Your Results
230 10*3/uL

This is only your full blood count but it is remarkably unremarkable and quite normal.

Thank you

I just checked my email and got my results back from the ultra sound pretty interesting!

EXAMINATION:
Liver Ultrasound

EXAM DATE:
5/2/2018 10

TECHNIQUE:
Ultrasound of the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas, right kidney, and spleen is performed.

INDICATION:
Hepatitis C.

COMPARISON:
None

FINDINGS:

Liver:
The liver is normal size, configuration, and echogenicity. No mass is seen. No nodularity of the liver contour is identified.

Gallbladder:
There is comet tail artifact emanating from a portion of the anterior gallbladder wall compatible with adenomyomatosis. No gallstones are seen. There is no gallbladder wall thickening or pericholecystic fluid.

Bile Ducts:
No bile duct dilatation is seen. The internal diameter of the proximal common bile duct is 3.2 mm.

Pancreas:
The pancreas is normal.

Right Kidney:
The right kidney is normal size and appearance.

Spleen:
The spleen is normal size and appearance.
No ascites is seen.

Impression:
There is no evidence of cirrhosis. Normal ultrasound of the liver.



Cool stuff! What is this tail thing on my gallbladder that they mentioned?

Also can the ultrasound determine any kind of fibrosis?