Guest guest Posted November 25, 2008 Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 I went to Mayo Clinic 11/17 and they did a viral load test. I am stilla <10 but my Tx nurse said I am showing as a positive??? Howcan that be? My test results in Sebastian show a <10 with no detectablevirus in my blood. How can it be that Mayo gets the same <10 resultswith a positive????Because <10 is the best results possible from the latest viral load test on the market. The way they phrased it was very confusing to you. You also need to make sure using 2 different labs same type of viral load testing was done using the same grading scale and results. There are many different types of tests and ways of reporting the results. Viral load testing reporting and results is not all standardized the same across the board at all labs. There is no other viral load test or sophisticated enough yet or may never be to check for true 0 HCV viral cells embedded though-out the body just like there is no test to check for true 0 cancer cells embedded throughout the body. Instead of being upset you should be very happy you received the lowest best score possible from tx for HCV viral load testing and for your stage which is amazing. There are no definite medical answers - yes - no - solutions - fixes - cures for many medical questions or diseases just like for HCV and cancers. A <10 which is excellent during or right after finishing tx is still considered a + for HCV since there is no sure cure for HCV and no sure test to true 0 viral load. A less than 10 is not a true 0. A few cells may remain and can go into a type of dormant state. It is a long time wait and see process after finishing tx follow-up viral load testing remaining at <10 for being considered and remaining a long term responder to tx. Just like for cancer pt's after tx's a wait and see process follow-up care to show if tx worked cancer cells have not returned and chronic again. Once HCV+ even after being a long term responder to tx a person can not donate blood. The possibility of HCV cells is still there and should still use blood and sharps biohazardous precautions. It is always better to be safe than sorry later. We will always show + for the hcv antigen produced by our body and immune system trying to fight off HCV. The antigen is not HCV. Since there is no sure cure yet for HCV not even with a liver transplant once HCV+ we carry a HCV dx medical history for life either as chronic ongoing or cleared as a long term responder to tx. Just like cancer pt's will always carry a medical history of having cancer. From HCV tx it is worded as cleared a responder to tx <10 than after staying at <10 for some time considered as a long term responder to tx. There are no 100 guarantees in medicine and in life. We just make the best of it and of our lives. Dr's and us are never really 100 certain at this time because of no sure cure or no sure true 0 viral load test yet. Our medical care and dx's with HCV even after clearing from tx is on an individual pt basis considering many factors geno - possible multiple geno's - how long how many years with it - how chronic it was - how well HCV established body wide - dx's complications related to it or our other prior dx's made worse by it - stage/grade of liver - how much permanent damage to liver - if enough possible ongoing progressions of liver disease even if at <10 viral load after tx. Why tx is best and becoming remaining clear <10 as early as possible and before HCV becomes too well established and too much permanent or ongoing liver damage and other damage from related dx's. Honey crying all day is no solution and I hope you and hubby get everything worked out very soon and you start to feel better. All The Best to Both of You. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 25, 2008 Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 Hi , You are considered to have cleared the virus, just like Deb said < 10 is great, most labs can't measure less than 50 and it used to be 500. I wonder if your nurse might have been talking about your Hep C test which will always test positive because you have been exposed and have antibodies. You and all of us will always test positive. HCV/RNA viral load I went to Mayo Clinic 11/17 and they did a viral load test. I am stilla <10 but my Tx nurse said I am showing as a positive??? Howcan that be? My test results in Sebastian show a <10 with no detectablevirus in my blood. How can it be that Mayo gets the same <10 resultswith a positive????I want to curl up and cry for the rest of the day. Any help figuringthis out will be appreciated. Especially personal experience. said not to worry she is still VERY pleased with my overall almost lackof symptoms and results. I see it as treatment being extended evenmore. Shit it doesn't pay to do well does it :(I am using the Free version of SPAMfighterWe are a community of 5.7 million users fighting spam.SPAMfighter has removed 2281 of my spam emails to date.The Professional version does not have this message Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 26, 2008 Report Share Posted November 26, 2008 I think the positive is just saying that you are positive for Hep C. Regardless of viral load you will ALWAYS test positive for the virus. Same is true of any kind of Hepatitis - once you have had it you will always have the virus just not active. I went to Mayo Clinic 11/17 and they did a viral load test. I am stilla <10 but my Tx nurse said I am showing as a positive??? Howcan that be? My test results in Sebastian show a <10 with no detectablevirus in my blood. How can it be that Mayo gets the same <10 resultswith a positive????I want to curl up and cry for the rest of the day. Any help figuringthis out will be appreciated. Especially personal experience. said not to worry she is still VERY pleased with my overall almost lackof symptoms and results. I see it as treatment being extended evenmore. Shit it doesn't pay to do well does it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 26, 2008 Report Share Posted November 26, 2008 > > I went to Mayo Clinic 11/17 and they did a viral load test. I am still > a <10 but my Tx nurse said I am showing as a positive??? How > can that be? My test results in Sebastian show a <10 with no detectable > virus in my blood. How can it be that Mayo gets the same <10 results > with a positive???? > > I want to curl up and cry for the rest of the day. Any help figuring > this out will be appreciated. Especially personal experience. > said not to worry she is still VERY pleased with my overall almost lack > of symptoms and results. I see it as treatment being extended even > more. Shit it doesn't pay to do well does it > > > Hi, I'm new to the group so I hope I'm doing this right but from everything I've read a person's viral load # is not a good indicator of the condition of the liver. May I ask if you've had a liver biopsy? I have not and probably never will as I am not a candidate for treatment. DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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