I've seen the lists of tests that generally are done to check for infections, but I was wondering what kinds of results are people getting that lead their doctors to determine that antivirals will be useful. Which particular tests are showing up abnormal?
-
Welcome to Phoenix Rising!
Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of, and finding treatments for, complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.
To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.
What test results call for antiviral use?
- Thread starter Ocean
- Start date
heapsreal
iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
- Messages
- 10,099
- Location
- australia (brisbane)
I was positive for igg which are life long antibodies which docs mistakenly say is a past infection, for ebv and cmv. What my doc used to determine if they were active was a lymphocyte sub set test which showed total lymphocytes high and cd8 which is common in ebv/cmv. other cd t cells were also high. Antivirals have slowly lowered these markers as my symptoms have improved.
Using dr lerners fatigue score i was functioning at a 3 out of 10 prior to antivirals. After about 12 months of using famvir i was functioning on average a 6 but this was up and down from a 4-7 depending on sleep and PEM etc but it was a noticeable improvement. I have stopped famvir in the past and quickly returned to a 3 or 4, so i think i will be on famvir for along time. The last 8 weeks i have been on valcyte at a low dose of 450mg with famvir and i have improved quite alot. I feel that i am functioning at about 8 consistently at the moment. I have another 8 months worth of valcyte and will consider staying on famvir after this at a low dose. Currently i am working full time and doing light exercise. I think i have responded quickly to valcyte as the famvir prior has helped to lower my viral load and made the job for valcyte easier. I have had a couple of initial trials of valcyte in the past where i had alot of symptoms/reactions but at that time i was also having sinus issues and also since then have fixed my low dhea levels. SO i think correcting this sinus problem and improving dhea levels has helped me to tolerate and improve on valcyte. Antioxidant and mitochondrial supps have also helped, as well as treating sleep issues.
cheers!!!
Using dr lerners fatigue score i was functioning at a 3 out of 10 prior to antivirals. After about 12 months of using famvir i was functioning on average a 6 but this was up and down from a 4-7 depending on sleep and PEM etc but it was a noticeable improvement. I have stopped famvir in the past and quickly returned to a 3 or 4, so i think i will be on famvir for along time. The last 8 weeks i have been on valcyte at a low dose of 450mg with famvir and i have improved quite alot. I feel that i am functioning at about 8 consistently at the moment. I have another 8 months worth of valcyte and will consider staying on famvir after this at a low dose. Currently i am working full time and doing light exercise. I think i have responded quickly to valcyte as the famvir prior has helped to lower my viral load and made the job for valcyte easier. I have had a couple of initial trials of valcyte in the past where i had alot of symptoms/reactions but at that time i was also having sinus issues and also since then have fixed my low dhea levels. SO i think correcting this sinus problem and improving dhea levels has helped me to tolerate and improve on valcyte. Antioxidant and mitochondrial supps have also helped, as well as treating sleep issues.
cheers!!!
Thanks so much for the info heapsreal. What does cd8 test for? I looked it up but didn't understand the info.
It scares me that you may require such longterm antiviral therapy and get worse again as soon as you go off them, because if that is common, I don't know how I could manage for so long given the cost.
What kinds of things do you use for mitochondrial support?
Thank you so much!
It scares me that you may require such longterm antiviral therapy and get worse again as soon as you go off them, because if that is common, I don't know how I could manage for so long given the cost.
What kinds of things do you use for mitochondrial support?
Thank you so much!
heapsreal
iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
- Messages
- 10,099
- Location
- australia (brisbane)
cd8 is a t-cell(lymphocyte) cd8 is commonly elevated in ebv and cmv as well as other viral infections http://www.sydpath.stvincents.com.au/tests/ImmunoFrames/lymphocytosis.htm
The length of treatmment is long i think because the viruses involved have a long life expectancy and antivirals work by stopping them replicate, so its a matter of waiting for these viruses to die out. Also i think it can take awhile for your immune system to heal before it can take over and supress these viruses.
I have been on famvir for 3 years approx and the valcyte for only 8 weeks, so far all my liver and kidney function tests have been fine. I also think antioxidants like NAC and lipoic acid which are known to help protect the liver have helped me alot with this.
Mito supps u can find under my thread the shot gun approach. But i didnt get alot out of these supps until i had all these viruses sorted etc. I think lots of antioxidants can help with reducing the amount of damage we go through with this illness and these supps do have a cross over with mito supps. A few studies showing cfs have alot of oxidative stress going on as well as studies showing we have low carnitine levels and q10 levels, so they would be good supps to take as well as the common antioxidants vit c/e.
There is an online pharmacy that sells famvir well priced, let me know if u want details to this.
i hope this has helped.
cheers!!!
The length of treatmment is long i think because the viruses involved have a long life expectancy and antivirals work by stopping them replicate, so its a matter of waiting for these viruses to die out. Also i think it can take awhile for your immune system to heal before it can take over and supress these viruses.
I have been on famvir for 3 years approx and the valcyte for only 8 weeks, so far all my liver and kidney function tests have been fine. I also think antioxidants like NAC and lipoic acid which are known to help protect the liver have helped me alot with this.
Mito supps u can find under my thread the shot gun approach. But i didnt get alot out of these supps until i had all these viruses sorted etc. I think lots of antioxidants can help with reducing the amount of damage we go through with this illness and these supps do have a cross over with mito supps. A few studies showing cfs have alot of oxidative stress going on as well as studies showing we have low carnitine levels and q10 levels, so they would be good supps to take as well as the common antioxidants vit c/e.
There is an online pharmacy that sells famvir well priced, let me know if u want details to this.
i hope this has helped.
cheers!!!