I love how you say you lurk ;-)... I'm doing okay, panicking about 1000mg riba for my weight of 52kg, and hope they will reduce me after week 12(this week) but got HVCRNA<15IU so was a rapid responder week 4; hope 24 wks(G3a) is enough as they won't extend now. I so miss Sydney - was there for 10 years; such a vibrant city..will take my son over next year for a visit. Wow, so hoping Dec comes soon so you can have a break... you're doing so incredibly well; it is a solitary journey but I guess we're luckier than some. Hope your week is okay - thinking of you.. Kristina

Hey Emi; Thinking of you and hoping your doing well - guess you'd be around shot 30?? Wow, what a marathon - we should getr medals for doing this :-).

Hey Emi, Tks for getting back to me; My specialist doesn't expect me to be RVR on the 4 week PCR either, but as a 3a I won't get much of an extension and will be dropped if I'm not UND by 12 weeks. ANCs down to .66 but they don't seem concerned. Hope you are doing well. I'm checked Emilio's place (I'm NZAnnie on that site - went on ages ago when still paranoid & used my middle name), I get lost on the site so switched to medhelp. Best wishes :-)

Wow!! Working full time and on week 22 - you deserve congrats for doing so well - you give me hope :-). I'm also on hepcaustralasia - joined ages ago as "NZAnnie" when i was still paranoid so used my middle name. I find MedHelp a bit easier to navigate. Thanks for the info on the neuts. Mine went up again week 2 - I hope they stay that way ....

Hi Emilio, I saw your post to Dr D about white cells counts and neutrophils and wondered how you got on? I'm about to take my week 3 shot (Peg 180 Riba 1000); after week 1 my ANC went to .87 (from 2.7) and my WBC to 3.34 (from 5.1). The hospital, in its wisdom, decided that I shouldn't have any more tests until week 5. I know Dr D said the ANC is okay if it doesn't go under .5; I'm assuming mine has lowered from .87 as this count was only 6 days after my first shot. Have you any idea how fast the ANC goes down? A nurse did tell me (quietly) that they didn't want to do more bloods in case they'd be obliged to reduce my tx - I don't want to reduce either but I would've liked to have been involved in the decision making. Hope you can shed a little light. Thanks

Good luck for your 4 week bloods - don't worry about answering my questions below; I seem to be responding well - wbc and neuts down also after week 1 but no-one seems to concerned :-). I'm looking to see a private Hep Spec to ensure I get the 4 week pcr and will check on whether there are any further tx's here depending on that outcome.

Hi Emilio, You didn't mention what genotype you were (I was reading your post to Dr D :-). I notice you're in Australia and don't get the rescue drugs - I'm in New Zealand and believe I don't either (i'm checking with my nurse this week); I'm really interested in what is offered privately in Australia, have you any ideas (not that I have heaps of money, but would sell my house if tx looked good). In NZ for a 3A on 24 weeks they refuse to even to a VL count until post tx and I'm looking at my options now - being a non-responder in 1994 my odds are lower for UND but there is not protocal to extend treatment here as they do in USA for non responders. Thanks in advance for any info and congrats on your lowered VL. (I was in Sydney for 8 years - came back when my Mum was ill in 1989)