TOPIC:

I just had my 4 week blood test after starting treatment with Harvoni. The results are fantastic: ALT went from 69 to 19 and viral load from 5.400.831 to 49.
They also gave me HCV RNA from 6.73 to 1.69. Not sure what this means. Can someone explain it to me?

Thanks

You're in the right place. Congratulations!

Welcome Momo!

The RNA PCR value is the log value of your viral load. It is a scientific/mathematical way of saying it as ten to the power of X where X is the number of times you multiply 10 by itself.

As an example 10³ = 10 x 10 x 10 = 1,000


So you originally had a viral load of 10^6.73 = 5.4 million and that has now dropped to 10^1.69 = 49

Happy for You!!
m

I feel another happy dance coming on. Congratulations Momo!

Hi Momo and welcome
Wow what fantastic news from you, thank you for sharing this exciting pathology. That's a marvellous response to the sof/led, what an enormous drop in VL and LFTs
I'm another sof/led success story myself, thanks to FHC, and I too have that old stuff in my signature I saw your run in with it too, so this just shows the world how darned amazing the new DAAs are and so easy on us no comparison!! I had so few sx, yes my bp went up, but another forum member helped on that and recognised why I was tired etc and it was easily sorted with a bp tablet, I am off that post tx

Wishing you continued success to und then svr
Looking forward to your posts along your way to health
Ariel

They are great test results Momo. Your body is responding in exactly the right way to the meds. Looking forward to the next results.

Thanks everyone! I still keep pinching myself!

I have to admit that I have not posted anything before, because I felt that I had it somewhat easier than a lot of you over the years. I have kept very fit which helped with a lot of the effects from HepC. As I broke my leg a couple of years ago, I was no longer able to be as physically active and bit by bit the symptoms worsened. So discovering FicHepC and starting treatment came at the right time. Not that there was ever a wrong time.

I have had no side effects apart from some slight headaches but I get those anyway. I felt different a few hours after the first tablet and kept noticing differences over the next few weeks but was worried that I was just imagining things. Now that I am feeling the improvements I realised how it was my determination and strong will that kept me going. I wonder what I could have achieved if I had not had Hep C but at the same time am aware that without it I might not have pushed myself as far as I did as I had something to prove Despite having a nasty cold for the last couple of weeks, I still feel that I have energy and can function.

I am so grateful for having been given this opportunity to get my health back and look forward to the next blood results.

Reading through a lot of posts I feel like I am part of a big HepC family and that makes me feel less alone in coping with the disease as others don't really understand at times how big a deal it is, including some of my family members.

Enough of my rambling and all the best to all of you.

I'll post again when I have the next results

Great Momo! Glad you are here & sharing. The RNA # you asked about is just another way of expressing the drop in viral load. It corresponds with your drop from 5 mil to 49.

Congratulations Momo on your results, and best of luck with your treatment journey.

Many congrats, MOMO!! I'm happy for you!!

Momo, I'm glad you decided to join us here. It didn't take you long to see what most every Hep C'er or their supporters who land on this site find, it's like you said, "family". As Sven put it so succinctly, "You're in the right place."
Welcome to the family,

Matt

Hi everyone
I had my blood test last week and got the results: ALT 20 and viral load UNDETECTED!!!!!
I have to say that it has not sunk in. I can't quite believe that after living with this virus for most of my life, it is finally gone.

Unfortunately I got a cold about 5 weeks ago which was quite bad with an annoying cough that kept getting worse. In the end I had to take antibiotics and started feeling heaps better. But a week after finishing them the cough is coming back. I know that other people here have this cold and say it takes a while to get rid of but ts is getting to the point where I am getting a bit worried. Could it be that Harvoni is challenging the immune system a bit and that is why I can't shake it? Anybody else have a similar experience.

Also, I have not really had any side effects but since getting sick need a lot of sleep. Can't keep my eyes open in the evening.

Anyway, I am trying to ignore this little drama and get used to not having to worry about hep c anymore.

Good luck to all of you and thanks for your kind comments!

Pharyngitis as in sore throat and cough is a known side effect but the drugs provide no protection from flu or pneumonia, both of which are more common than HCV and more common than HCV DAA treatment.

If you're getting worse worry, stable or preferably improving hang tight....

Congrats on the UND.

So very good an wonderful! Live, love,An laugh .Now you can !