Went to the hospital and the doctor said "do you want the goods news or the good news?"
I had been full of trepidation and when I got to the hospital early had thought of going to the hospital pharmacy to see if they had prepared a monthly prescription for me. But it's like exam results - at the same time I both did and didn't want to know, so I avoided the pharmacy.
Showing me the results of the quantitive tests, I found I had gone down from 12,947,713 iu/ml in a sample taken on 3 November 2006, and that it is now just 11,011 iu/ml. A significant drop and continuation of the treatment for another seven months.
Excellent news, but coming out of the hospital I became more perplexed. My June 2005 biopsy has said my viral load was 230,000 copies/ml.
Useful help came from the web site: www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factshhets_pdf/VIRALLOAD.pdf
That does the conversion between the previously used measure of copies/ml, and the new standard of International Units. Mine was a HCV RNA test, but there seem to be two types of HCV RNA test - one converts at 1 iu/ml = 5.2 copies/ml; and the other at 3.8 copies/ml. Therefore the 230,000 copies/ml would convert at either 8,740,000 iu/ml (if I have had the Cx HCV RNA test); or 11,960,000 (if I have had the Versant HCV RNA 3.0 test).
I will have to check during my next hospital visit next month for which type of test I actually I had.
Am very relieved - especially because I knew I would have asked for a second quantitative viral load test and was steeling myself quietly to activate Plan B to seek out a patient advocate at the excellent London-based Hepatitis C Trust which helps with appeals.
Am also daunted - in particular the family has to put up with my mood swings for another seven months. There's still a long way to go, so as before I plan to take things forward one day at a time - one foot after the other. It's the only way.
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On a sad note, I was upset about Anita Roddick's death earlier this week. She had certainly inspired me and she was geared up to really help the Hepatitis C Trust and campaign on its behalf.
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3 comments:
Great News,
Your viral load can also jump around by a few thousand, just another added complication to put in the pot.
I am happy for your good news!
These numbers games & fluctuations are maddening but I will go to the site you recommended. Jenn
Thank you Carol and Jenn,
My monthly meeting with other Hepatitis C people has well warned me against any complacency. The viral loads do jump all over the place and can come back with a vengeance.
I look a bit to April next year when it finishes, but my main focus is just day to day.
Again, thank you
Jon
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