Hello everyone I'm new here but have been reading for about 2 months now and so glad I found some people that r going through what I'm about to endure not that I'm glad for anyones illness but glad u all came here to help us new people out I'm 45 femail hepatitis c type 2 getting ready to start treatment sometime next week on pegasys can someone please tell me this stuff is not gonna kill me I'm very scared never even been sick before
This may help if you are a "slow responder" (undetectable between Weeks 4 &12...
"Understanding HCV Nonresponse and Identifying Candidates for Retreatment
Source: New Management Strategies for HCV Nonresponders and Relapsers"
By: Mitchell L. Shiffman, MD - Chief of the Hepatology Section and Medical Director of the Liver Transplant Program at the VCU Medical Center for over a decade.
"Approximately 25% of patients with genotypes 2 or 3 do not achieve an RVR but later achieve undetectable HCV RNA between Weeks 4 and 12. It is important to recognize that only 49% of patients with this response achieve an SVR when treated for 24 weeks.[3] It is therefore rational to assume that prolonging the duration of therapy from 24 to 48 weeks in these slow-to-respond genotype 2 and 3 patients may reduce relapse and enhance SVR rates, and a retrospective analysis supports this hypothesis.[21] Unfortunately, no prospective studies have yet addressed this important issue."
3. Shiffman ML, Suter F, Bacon BR, et al. Peginterferon alfa 2a and ribavirin for 16 or 24 weeks in HCV genotype 2 or 3. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:124 134.
21. Willems B, Hadziyannis SJ, Morgan TR, et al. Should treatment with peginterferon plus ribavirin be intensified in patients with HCV genotype 2/3 without a rapid virological response? Program and abstracts of the 42nd Annual European Association for the Study of the Liver; April 11-25, 2007; Barcelona, Spain. Abstract 8.
Cheers!
Hector
My understanding is that 24 weeks is standard for type 2, the easiest to treat. Is there a reason that he thinks it would help. Is the doctor concerned about any factors specific to you (fibrosis level, race, weight?....) Anyway, I hadn't heard this recommendation for type 2, type 3 is getting new strategies though.