Viral Load Results - 1 Month In

The treatment is being done through Kaiser Permanente and Kaiser tests for viral load on a monthly basis. They tested at the beginning of treatment and, now that the one month date has passed, they tested again to see if the treatment is having the desired effect.
My viral load at the beginning of treatment was 3,550,000 IU (international units) per milliliter of blood. This is considered a high viral load. Not as high as the first time I went through treatment when it was 15,000,000, but still high. High viral load (anything over 800,0000) was considered to be somewhat more difficult to treat under the old regimen.
After one month of treatment, the test came back at 25 IU per milliliter. That is more than a LOG 5 drop in viral load which is an excellent response to treatment. Here is a post about what Log numbers mean regarding viral load.
In Hep C treatment, any number under 50 IU per ML is considered to be a Sustain Viral Response or SVR which means you are cleared of the virus. In the case of Harvoni treatment, this level of response has to be repeated at the two month test and the 3 month test to be considered successful.
Finally, in order to be considered to be cleared (or in remission) this same low level must be repeated in a test 6 months after treatment is finished. If you are below 50 IU per ML six months later you are considered to be, according to the doctors, in remission. The drug manufacturers, of course, say you are cured.
So, the viral load is currently below the threshold for an SVR which is great news. If this continues for the next two months it will be even better. It certainly makes the headaches and gas easier to deal with.