The All Important 4-week Blood Test

In the treatment of hepatitis C, the 4 week blood test is a point in treatment where ideally, the virus is undetectable in your blood. At the very minimum, you hope for a 2 log drop. What? Okay. Let's say my viral load (VL) was 100 (that's not realistic but it's to simplify). A 2 log drop means that that it has to go from 3 digits to 1 digit (100 to 1). If it was 1000, a 2 log drop would have to go from 4 digits to 2 digits (1000 to 10). Do you get it? So, if my VL was 1,000,000 what would a 2 log drop be? I'll give you a couple seconds................... (if you said 10,000 you'd be correct). I started at 140,000 which is not a high VL to start with and a 2 log drop would mean that I'd need to be at 1400. Ideally lower (as in a big fat zero) but we take what we get. Some people do not respond at all which is extremely unfortunate. Others respond well, others mediocre.

Today, while looking at vacuums at my local Target in West Hollywood, my doc called to tell me that he's quite pleased with my results. I'm responding very well to the treatment and my VL has gone from 140,000 to 43 which is a 3.52 log drop. I was hoping to be undetectable but I have to take in to consideration that my 4 week blood test (also called EVR for Early Viral Response) was actually done a little into my 4th week so technically it was 3 weeks and like 3 or so days. Had I waited the extra days, I'm quite sure I'd be undetectable. A 2 log drop means 90% chance of clearing this. So at this point, if I were to retest, I'd most likely be undetectable.

I see him on Monday the 18th of January as scheduled and we do have things to talk about. For instance, many people become anemic on these meds and I am now slightly anemic which explains the fatigue when I'm in motion. See, I'm not just lazy! I'm anemic! But, there are meds to help with this called Rescue Drugs but I'm not so anemic that he's ready to do this, we're just going to monitor me. If the fatigue gets worse then that means my hemoglobin has dropped even more and I may need to take action. I need my hb (hemoglobin) to be around 10 and I'm currently below 10 but I will get those figures when I see him. Too low and he will reduce my Ribavirin which will decrease my chances of success which I don't want. Even though I have a 90% chance of beating it, I still have to keep the virus gone. I still have to complete the 48 week treatment (43 more weeks to go) and when I'm done, I still have to get tested 6 months afterwards and then another 6 months afterwards to make sure it has not returned. If my hb gets too low, we'll start with rescue drugs before reducing my Ribavirin.

And now, business as usual. 1 shot per week, 5 Ribavirins per day, 1 vitamin D per day and 3 Milk Thistles per day. Oh yeah, and 1 gallon of water per day.

Upon getting the news, I nearly broke down in Target and had to send out a few texts to which I got a fast and wonderful response which made me get all teary-eyed again in the store. I sat on one of their sofas in the furniture department (up on a platform but I just didn't care) and texted away. I cannot thank my support system of friends enough. From Riba Rage fits at work to complaining if I'm sore or tired, I've been supported by just about everyone and this is not doable without that support. I also belong to a wonderful forum of the most wonderful people also battling or finished battling hepatitis C (the Nomads based out of the UK) and without their knowledge and support it also would not be possible.

Again, thank you all for everything and looking forward to November of this year when this is done. Stay tuned for updates!

Adam