My viral load was 290,000 last February 2005 and 116,000 last October 2004.

Now it's 1.78 Million.

What does this mean.

My doctor says it's impossible to tell unless I have the biopsy. I've been trying to avoid the biopsy.

I am trying not to be worried or scared about all this and I certainly feel better than I have in 4 years taking the stuff you recommend. But I am a single mom of 2 young girls and I have had this for 10 1/2 years now. This latest result makes me feel rather nervous.

Can you explain / help me understand what I am looking at. I have not done anything different so I was wondering why it would shoot up so high.

Help!

- My sincere appreciation, as always...K .

Hi K:

There is nothing a biopsy could possible say about the viral load going up, nothing at all.

Almost always, something causes this that one takes.

Antibiotics is the number one item.

Anti depressants, Nexium, flu shot, Hepatitis A & B vaccines, a slight cold or flu, a mild bacterial infection, hormone replacement products just to name a few.

Have you done any of these? Think hard. Usually people remember that they did something.  Have you been to a dentist?

There is no relation between AST, ALT, Symptoms and the viral load.   Many times the die off is measured as the blood test measures dead cells along with the live one in the blood. Please let me know what you may have taken.

Fear not, your doctor wins if he gets you on interferon, you will lose.

Lloyd