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Is pegasys treatment right for me?

Hello, My doctor advised me for pegasys treatment, I am just wondering if this is effective because it's too expensive here in Philippines and I have to take it once a week for a year, I am jobless right now because they unfit me to work and thinking I have to sacrifice my car because i cant afford it .i am just curious if this treatment is all worth it? Here are my lab results on July 15, 2013
HBsAG-II = 4208 – REACTIVE
ANTI HBS =2.00 – NEGATIVE
ANTI-HBC IGG=0.008 – REACTIVE
HBeAg=967.90 – REACTIVE
ANTI-HBE 4.870 – NEGATIVE
Hepa A = NEGATIVE
Hepa C = NEGATIVE

My Lab result July 29, 2013

SGPT/ALT = 146.46 U/L (HIGH)
SGPOT/AST = 95.66 U/L (HIGH)
ALP=NORMAL

TOTAL PROTEIN/ALB/GLOB = normal
BILIRUBIN(DIAZO)= NORMAL
PROTHROMBIN TIME= NORMAL
BUN KINETIC/CREATINE = NORMAL
COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT= NORMAL

DIFFERNTIAL COUNT:
NEUTROPHILS=30.40 (LOW)
LYMPHOCYTES=54.00(HIGH)
MONOCYTE/ EOSINOPHIL/ BASOPHIL = ALL NORMAL

Liver ultrasound result is normal

HBV VIRAL LOAD = 895,713 IU/ml or 5,213,050 copies/ml

please help me, i am taking lamivudine and liver supplement for two weeks and advised to have the shot next week. is pegasys treatment effective?
16 Responses
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Avatar universal
keep posting.
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Avatar universal
best of luck dear.
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yes, my lab monitoring will be free from roche i think it will done for each month for the first shots and then 3 months after.
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must monitor hbsag quantitative if using PEG otherwise you cannot tailor your approach
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i am afraid i cant get it from india, shipping fee here is more than what u purchased. i will have my first shot on friday! thanks guys!
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Avatar universal
if you can get it in india some roches relabled brands are 100usd per shot

only hbsag quantity in iu/ml plus genotype can tell us if pegintf will clear hbv or will be useless
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Avatar universal
here in philippines its 12,000+ pesos per shot, roche philippines said i get dscount of 50%, now its 6300. i will have to have thyroid check then will see if im okay for treatment. many thnks!
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Avatar universal
hello! thanks so much, i will go have thyroid check up first.
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Avatar universal
check wether you can get it from india..it is relatively cheap in india. 5000 indian rupee per shot. dont sacrifice car as you may not need 1 year course. you can predict interferon response after 4 shots and better after 12 shots.
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Avatar universal
instead of waiting ,take one shot now and see the sides for your own, instead of worrying. to reduce depression best is go out and see the people mob.
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correct the lines as:  may your docter suggest you later. take atleast  2000 iu vit d daily
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thanks so much! can i have tenofovir for 4 months and undergo pegasys after? i want to start on december just in case i've got side effects that will affect my lifestyle atleast december is a vacation month to rest, also, are there post effects of pegasys? i have read patient reviews regarding pegasys and some have very scary experiences like sometimes temporary blindness, others feel a great depression and attempts suicide, some cant even walk. i am scared and worried about this sideeffects. i would not want to be hbv-free but with new complications in later life.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
go for pegasys,not much sides generally fever only.keep paracetamol for fever.take one three hours after first shot.fever comes for 1 day after shot.take injection  on friday evening and you have sat sunday for rest. yes take thyroid test and monitor thyroid and blood parameters.you can reduce dose if too much blood parameter change.may your suggest later. take atleast  2000 iu/ml vit d daily,as vit d help interferron effect as suggested by our community members.you may test for vit d also.follow stef's thread on vit d.
tenofovir s long term and pegasys is for 6-12 month course.
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Avatar universal
thanks stephen for replying, you're a God sent for answering my questions

1. I am taking lamivudine for just 3 weeks now, i don't have other lab test prior to this one. this is my initial result.


2. Pegasys is okay, however i am worried with the side effcts, my new emplpoyer hired me even with infectious stage so i am really happy about it, however my doc already said i cant work with pegasys treatment as i might not perform well because the sideeffects are not good. also i have a problem with thyroid, Roche med representative said before i take pegasys i should have other check ups for my thyroid as it may affect it while on pegasys.

My doctor gave me two options, pegasys  or tenofovir, and get rid lamivudine. i am in doubt to  take pegasys for  now.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Your are 23, female, Hbeag positive, viral load about 8 log5, and ALT is 146 iu/ml. Can you please tell me when did you start taking Lamivudine? I just want to know what your test results were BEFORE taking Lamivudine.

These are my opinions:
1. Lamovudine is not a good choice, as it complicates treatments later.
2. PegIntf is a very good choice and you seem to be a good candidate (female, viral load not too high, ALT is elevated). However, as you say it is expensive. It may also not work. If you do decide to try it, I would suggest you stop taking Lamivudine, as research has shown there is not advantage in taking the two together.

Finally, I generally don't believe in starting treatment just after one set of tests, especially in young persons like yourself who had just discovered your Hepatitis infection.

So, I don't know what to advise you. One option is to stop taking Lamivudine immediately and test again in two months time.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Must do test HBSAG quantative in IU/ML and hep B genotype.  Also fibroscan.

Lamivudine is out of date and makes more dangerous hep b mutant.  should be tenofovir then PEG add on after a few years.  if still not work then sequential treatment.
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