Hepatitis C Support Group
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral disease which can cause liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. Many people with HCV infection have no symptoms and are unaware of the need to seek treatment. Hepatitis C infects an estimated 150-200 million people worldwide.
I started tx without doing the genotype test, the Dr didn't ask for it because GT4 is the most common here (90%)
I was going to ask for it with the next CBC test because if I'm GT 2 or 3, I can stop at 24 weeks and save all this time, but I found this on lab corp's website
"This procedure may not be successful when the HCV viral load is less than 600 IU/mL serum or plasma. As a QC measure, viral load is confirmed on samples that fail genotyping."
Ooooops.... I'm UND now, or at least less than 25 IU/mL :(
(I should be happy, but I'm sad because I lost my chance of reducing treatment duration).
Now, let's forget about me, I just wanted to tell anybody who is going to start treatment that 'Knowledge is POWER'.
Take your time before starting and read as much as you can about your treatment duration, drugs, side effects and genotype.
I was going to ask for it with the next CBC test because if I'm GT 2 or 3, I can stop at 24 weeks and save all this time, but I found this on lab corp's website
"This procedure may not be successful when the HCV viral load is less than 600 IU/mL serum or plasma. As a QC measure, viral load is confirmed on samples that fail genotyping."
Ooooops.... I'm UND now, or at least less than 25 IU/mL :(
(I should be happy, but I'm sad because I lost my chance of reducing treatment duration).
Now, let's forget about me, I just wanted to tell anybody who is going to start treatment that 'Knowledge is POWER'.
Take your time before starting and read as much as you can about your treatment duration, drugs, side effects and genotype.
I ask some pretty stupid questions so excuse me if I have just added to my list.
Nancy
The last time I saw hep c in my blood was on Jan and the blood sample should be frozen at -20C.
They told me the test will take 8 days and when I got the results on time, I saw the printing date on the paper after 2 days of doing the test. I don't think they will keep a frozen sample for this long time.
do you have your early paperwork with the viral load?
What kind of dr r u seeing...U have me very concerned!
Nancy thinks she asks some stupid questions and I tend to over react..so we should balance each other out!!! ; )
I also have all the paperwork and there's nothing about genotype, just the VL.
@carolan, I don't balme the Dr for not doing the test, it's the stupid insurance.
You know what? One day I was at the hospital, asking the Dr something when someone from the hospital's pharmacy (where I take the meds) came and asked the Dr if she can prescribe me a cheaper drug instead of Peg IFN! But the Dr said NO. I understood that the cheaper drug was the old IFN which was 3 times a week and much less SVR chance!!!!
Sorry for whining.
As far as insurance companies - my doc told me someinsurance companies want geno 1's to Tx old SOC for 48 weeks before they are will give incivek - which would mean another 48 weeks - I can't imagine - this is about money - and IMO I believe it happens more than we think - conversations between insurance and physicians where we are excluded - as hard as Tx was - I am glad it's over and I hope this dragon is dead - I just wish my medical issues were over
Yes, the Dr told me that before I start and I asked again just before I do week 12 VL, I asked whether I'll continue for 48 or stop at 24 weeks if I'm UND. The answer was 48.
The genotype test can't be done for me because it requires a VL higher than 600 IU/ML. and I'm UND right now. I wish I had a time machine to go back few months and do this test.
Hmm.... old SOC with geno 1? I've read that it's not very successful, which means that these insurance companies will pay for another 48 weeks of triple instead of just 24 with triple. I think this is a lose-lose deal for the hepper and the ins co!!!
You're right about GT 1 in USA, that's what I've read too, but I'm in Egypt.
It's my mistake, I should have said that this 90% is in Egypt.
PS..........they never tested my X for genotype either......but that was back in 1997 on SOC back then - Interferon only x 3 a week