My doc. isn't ordering a viral load or RNA or "undie test". at all until 12 weeks AFTER I've completed my S & O, talk about the dark! I am getting liver panels and platelet(?) weeks 4, 8, and 12 with an appt. just after I've finished treatment. I'm. a control freak too, but I agree that if it will cause undue stress, which it will, since I get anxious getting any test results! Sounds like they all have their own style , we just have to trust the drugs , and docs.

" Ok! just for FYI i went ud on the 25th last month still can't wait to get through .And to answer the history : ? 3/15 Started S & O
I was initiated on triple therapy with Incivek, Pegasys and ribavirin by our clinic on June 27,
2012. Unfortunately, he did not tolerate treatment well and self-discontinued all medications on 7/7/2012.
He experienced significant fatigue including daytime somnolence, which he reports resulted in a car
accident. He also developed anal burning, reddened/macular rash to elbow, left arm pain and chest pain
(which he was recommended to seek ER treatment although he didn't as this resolved after
discontinuation of medications). All symptoms improved after stopping treatment, and it was felt he would
do better with non-interferon regimens in the future.Hope this will help someone "

" Here's my Lab history as you ask in the message HCV RNA Detect/Quant Serum Lab Results
UNDETECT IU/mL

Date April 25, 2014 11:43 a.m. EDT More Info
DETECTED IU/mL

Date April 18, 2014 7:24 a.m. EDT More Info
395 IU/mL

Date April 8, 2014 7:53 a.m. EDT More Info
1080 IU/mL

Date April 1, 2014 12:34 p.m. EDT More Info
3370 IU/mL

Date March 25, 2014 12:55 p.m. EDT More Info
2600 IU/mL

Date July 6, 2012 8:18 a.m. EDT More Info
6850000 IU/mL

Date June 27, 2012 7:15 a.m. EDT "

CORRECTION: I wrote "It caused me needless worry as i am not SVR4."

i guess you figures\d out that it was supposed ot read "I am NOW SVR4"

What a difference one letter makes!

And, yes., i don't which is worse: not knowing or getting news that it is good but not great! I guess we tend to worry no matter what. truth is, i have a hard time believing I am really SVR and won't until it's SVR 12. It's especially hard to believe when the treatment is so damn EASY! It was like being on placebo!

Here's another trick: Call the nurse and ask for your test results, or tell her about some side effect and an hour later call again. When she says, "I told you an hour ago." say, "Oh, I forgot. Was that today?"

My 4 week VL was 12, and it still is driving me crazy as I want to be
undetected!!
I swear I am feeling little twirks in my liver, it is making me insane.

I signed up online and I can see that with each lab test for 6 weeks, my liver counts went slowly to normal. All of them!!!

I don't like being lowered to 600mg Riba, as I feel I might fail - although it sure it easier to tolerate.

I think we all make ourselves nuts mentally.....So many post UND at week 4, and we have to realize that we all have different make-ups of the virus.

I agreed to be part of research and followed as my geno3a is different, and they are watching the changes in me without using my name....To help others in the future.

Now I can't wait for my week 8 Viral Load which is in 2 weeks. I have so much more energy NOW - as I look back on how I felt before I started tx....Once you start to tolerate the SOV and whatever else you are on.
There is this guy "Allen B" that posted his entire journey as a geno 2 online. You can google it, but he dropped to a 77 at week 4, and he was thrilled.
Wish I could be as optimistic as him (I worry about the 600 Riba)
Then again, I saw someone being taken off Riba and waiting on just SOV, as after 2 blood transfusions, his levels were too low.

I should be grateful and leave this in God's hands.....We have all been thru soooo much thru the years - this is a lot of mental stuff!!
Hang in there.

HCV RNA Detect/Quant Serum Lab Results
UNDETECT IU/mL

Date April 25, 2014 11:43 a.m. EDT Less Info
Ordered ByRyland ARNP, Kristen L
Note April 26, 2014 2:43 p.m. EDT
------------------------------ FOOTNOTE ------------------------------ HCV RNA is not detected. Result in log IU/mL= Undetected ------------------------- INTERPRETIVE DATA ------------------------- Quantification range of this assay is 43 IU/mL to 69,000,000 IU/mL (1.63 to 7.84 log IU/mL). Testing was performed by the COBAS AmpliPrep/ COBAS TaqMan HCV Test (Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.).

Then you know what I mean, Trissa. When I was told, "Good news. Less than 2" I went, "WHAT? What does THAT mean." Nurse told me it meant UD - I said "Then why doesn't it say that?" Her explanations never quite satisfied me, so I finally dug around and found that article I posted. I STILL want a QUAL at SOME point - like maybe 4 weeks post EOT. But it depends on what insurance will pay for, I guess. Wouldn't it be nice though to SEE that word "undetected"?

Well, now I'm having a great time reading about Heptimax. It's a Quest Lab test. I found this on a blog, "Heptimax is a two-part test. Part I is a quantitative real-time PCR that goes down to 50 IU/ml. If you are UND on part I, they automatically run part 2, which is a more sensitive quantitative using TMA technology. Part 2 goes down to 5 IU/ml. But again, they only run part 2 if you're negative on part 1. "

Heptimax is a QUANTITATIVE test. "You want either a very sensitive quantitative test like "Heptimax" from Quest Diagnositcs or a very sensitive qualitative test like Quest's "HCV RNA QUALITATIVE TMA". LabCorp also has some very sensitive tests."

I like using Labcorps because I can get results online. HOWEVER, I am going to ask for the Quest HCV RNA QUALITATIVE TMA for the 4 week post tx VL test. Not sure I can get it - guess it's all about insurance.

And - I'm still confused - the more I read the more confused I get. So Beachy, I don't THINK your Heptimax will show "UD" because Heptimax is not a "qual" test - but I could be wron. Instead, like my Quantasure, it will give a number - mine being "less than 2 IU/mL. I had NO IDEA there were so many different VL tests - and unless we as lay persons see either "undetected" or "detected" we really can't understand them. Drat.

And YET I look at DRT's lab he posted - "HCV RNA Detec/Quant Serum Lab Results" - HUH? QUANT SERUM. DRT - look at your lab report and see what exact test that was, can you?

Oh, never mind - I see - it's COBAS. Gonna look that up.

Well, I WANT THE ONE DRTJC had! It's BOTH qualitative and quantitative. You got the best one out there, I think, DRT. Nurses are gonna go nutz when we start asked for tests BY NAME - but I'm sure gonna do it next time. Already have the order for Monday for the Quantasure but I see NO REASON why my insurance would not pay for COBAS AmpliPrep/ COBAS TaqMan HCV Test (Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.) - it's TWO different tests so you WILL see "detected" or "undetected" on the qual part. That said, the Quantasure goes down to 2 - this one down to 15.

http://molecular.roche.com/assays/Pages/COBASAmpliPrepCOBASTaqManHCVTest_2.aspx

My brain is on overload. When I talk to my nurse next, I will try to get more answers - I accepted "insurance wants a quantitative VL test" last week. Okay fine for my labs next week. But she and I need to TALK.

All these things I am quoting come from MedHelp. Here's one more just to keep us confused:

"The advantage of Heptimax, according to Quest, is that you only have to order one test throughout treatment rather than start with a quantitative and then later switch to the more sensitive qualitative.

Heptimax is done in two-parts. First, a standard quant is run with a sensitivity down to 50 IU/ml. Then, and only if the first part is negative, TMA technology is used with a sensitivity down to 5 IU/ml.

But unlike a standard qualitative -- if positive, with Heptimax you will still get a number (for example TMA=15) as opposed to simply just a positive.

A lot of folks here use Heptimax including myself. Quest also has a very good qualitative with a similar sensitivity. LabCorp is another well-respected lab with sensitive tests. "

ERGHHHHHHHHh

I KNOW I am over-analyzing this stuff. But I still want to talk to my nurse about it until I am finally 100% convinced that I do not need a qual test.

Yes I did. I was on SOC treating an acute infxn, which was actually ugly and not so cute. I did not go undie at 4 weeks so I couldn't stop at 24 weeks! That was very worrisome. I had to go 24 excruciating weeks beyond my first undie VL draw. Sucked! I might have been undie at 6 but they didn't draw weekly after that and I was undie by 8 for sure. Mofo's! One less week on SOC is valuable. I went off a little on them.

Anyway ur talking about the new stuff but was responding to ur thread title. I might be an interferon pioneer and dinosaur but I count dammit! :-P

You most certainly DO count, mon coeur.

xoxooxxoxoxoxox

Good god, so to add to the frustration of no. L test during tx, I will now also likely not get that "undetected" vl test anyway??! Well crap on a stick!