4th week and 12th week here.

Thanks Dragon. That's what I'm seeing, so I guess my doc just has a different protocol. It's hard to wait...

Are you sure it seems they always want one vl to see if your responding to tx. Your 2b right peace

Seems to vary greatly with docs, and of course with txs.

I am on just S & O and my doc did my first VL test at 2 weeks and it showed great improvement but not UD. It was 50 as i recall. Then he tested again at 4 and 8 weeks and I was UD. Next test is 12 week EOT.

It's very very hard to wait! but also scary if one of those comes back NOT undie. In the days of INF and Riba based txs, they tested during tx to see if it was working so as to allow pts and doc to decide to continue or not with a rough tx. the new txs have virtually no sides, so no one is going to opt out...and the truth is it really doesn't matter till your done...just hard to wait!!

Is he doing other labs??? You can get a good idea how things are going from your AST, ALT and Platelets.

I'm on S & O and was tested at 4 weeks and will be tested at EOT which is April 1st. Hard to wait but I just think positive

I too was tested at 4 weeks (a week ago, no results yet) and won't be again until 12 weeks/EOT. That's fine with me. I'd rather wait than possibly see a couple or few VL checks still detected along the way. I am not counting on being UD last week - if I am, great; if not, I will be at EOT.

p.s. I didn't even have a start of tx VL test. One was done in December, and I didn't start tx until mid-February.

No VL test for me yet, this Friday will be 3 weeks and maybe they will do one then. I know how you feel, anxious to see how it's working! I think I will do somersaults if I get undetectable VL. :-)

I get labs done every two weeks, like probably most here, checking my CBC (complete blood count) and CMP (comprehensive metabolic panel). Those tests have shown HUGE improvement in my ALT and AST - as in, both were normal at 2 weeks into tx for the first time in who knows how long (since I've had HCV for probably 44 years).

So I don't know my 4 week VL yet - but I will this week; but regardless, those every two week labs tell the story - Sovaldi/Olysio is working! My platelets are steadily going up too as is my albumin - although it's now at the high end of normal. Bilirubin is up a couple tenths of a point, but that's to be expected during tx.

I am happy that I at least get to see those tests every two weeks - very motivating and inspiring.

Full panel blood work including VL at weeks 4, 8 and 12. Additional blood count wo VL at 6 weeks.

For me week 6 , 12, then 18. I don't have an appt. till after my treatment is done, I hope I can get the lab info on week 6 without an appt. I am doing 12 weeks treatment on Sovaldi and Olysio.

Thank you all. Yes, I am 2b. It looks like everyone here is getting tested early on. I called the nurse just to be sure, and it's true. No VL til week 12. Sigh. I guess I have to assume it's working... Or maybe my doc is assuming it will work, and with no other options for me, it better...


Just frustrating. Some positive news could help with getting through some of the sides effects.

Well, beachy, think of it this way: My doc only does VL at weeks 4 and 12. I should be getting my results back any day now for the 4-week VL draw. THEN I don't have them done again until week 12. IF I was still detected at week 4, I have to wait until week 12 to see if the bugs are dead. Even if they WERE dead at week 4, what matters is that they stay that way. So in a way, perhaps my doc's VL schedule may be even harder than to not know anything until EOT (end of tx). However, I am rockin' steady with all this, no matter what my VL was at week 4. What matters is EOT VL and then 12 weeks and esp. 24 weeks AFTER EOT.

Patience needs to be a cultivated art of any "hepper" - or we'll drive ourselves nutz. :) Two years ago I found out I had gone from Stage 0 in 2002 to Stage 3+ (2012). I've had HCV since 1969 or 1972. So the virus got very aggressive in those 10 years. I was born in 1947, so i am certain age played a factor. I refused to do triple tx with Interferon (no regrets).

All of us who are receiving tx with Sovaldi are VERY fortunate. Insurance companies have clamped down since mid-February - they are taking a stand because of the cost and refusing to pay for it. I was approved in mid-January and am tx naive - VERY lucky!

So - I wait..... (tap tap tap).....

Oh, beachy - are you getting NO labs done until EOT? That can't be right. I get CBC and CMP done every two weeks to check, among other things, my platelets and ALT/AST. I've had two of those labs done and it's MORE than encouraging. Great results! When you see how your ALT/AST has gone way down and your platelets are climbing, you will be very happy! :)

Your doc certainly has to be checking on those things, along with white blood count, etc etc etc, during tx. So VL is of course the "big deal" - but those other things tell a story too. A GOOD one!

I just noticed that WarriorGal told you the same thing - so I'm just agreeing with what she wrote. Yes, your labs other than VL that have to be done all through tx will let you know how well it's going - make you a happy camper.