72 weeks treatment

[carmencita305]

Because my viral load at week 12 was 38 and at 16 week was 13(I hope at 24 week it will be UND ) I have to treat for 72 weeks.I am 1b,and I treat not for  liver demage,but because I asked to do  the test for Cryo and it was positive..
I take a SSRI to prevent depression,but I am very anxious about the side effects .Till now(I start week 20 today) I am almost O.K.,but I lost 40-45% of my hair,I am afraid to go out because my low count of neutrofiles,I am a little tired and just thinking I have a year more of Interferon make me unhappy  and I feel like I am somehow not free to do a lot of things I used to do and loved(to travel,to go to spectacles).I can't think of something else except that I have 1 year more and I don't know how it will be,how I will do it.
I would like to ask from the people how treated for 72 week or more to tell me  how they did it.
Thanks very much

[spectda]

Your anc although lower then normal is not that low for treatment with interferon. Most of us who are treating and have low anc do not develop infections unless the anc count is extremely low. Many hepatologists will not even suggest neupogen unless a person's anc is below 300.  

I am sorry you have to treat for 72 weeks as I can only imagine how tough this is for people. I know many people will comment during the week who have treated for 72 weeks or even longer and some more then once.

Good luck and try to remember that you will have your life back once this is over.

- Dave

[spectda]

Cryo is generally not debilitating although peripheral neuropathy can be uncomfortable if that is one of your symptoms. Their is an urgency to treat If you have vasculitis or purpura as a result of the cryo, the danger is that this could occur in a person's brain, kidneys, heart or lungs somewhat similar to developing a blood clot. Carmencita mentioned before that this was the reason her doctor was not waiting for the new drugs.

[willbb]

  I am not that familiar with Cryo.however  once the weekend is over others more familar with the condition could maybe help with advise as to wether or not that is a reason to consider continuing treatment at this time and extending to 72 wks

If the cryo is not a significant reason to cont. then I see you said "I treat not for liver damage".Does that mean you have no, or mild liver damage? If so,then being a slow responder(still Det. at wk.16) would mean that your chances of SVR  may only be increased marginally by extending to 72 wks.

If your side effects are quite severe(although your labs look stable)  and your liver damage minimal it might be worth considering  waiting until the new meds are released to hopefully have a better early response.

Always a personal desicion  though, along with your Drs. advice

Hope that helps some..

WILL

[paen53]

Yes, I am SVR as of December 2010 (6 month post PCR) one more test to go in June. We tested the Cryo again then also - and it was negative, so it did work for me both in clearing the HCV and the cryo. It's amazing to me that for a complication rather common with HCV, especially women, that so little data is out there, and especially for the lay person to decifer. Maybe a re-test of the cryo to see if the 20+ weeks has gotten rid of it?

I wish you all the best in what ever you decide, Pam

[carmencita305]

By Carmencita
I don't have any symptoms from cryo,except some very,very small red areas on my lower legs ,sometime(1-2 times a year for a few days).But I am afraid about some other complication in the futur,:like renal failure , beta lymphom ,even cirrhosis ,that are more frquent when the cryo are positive.
My hgb and platelets are10,4 and 183,000,just neutrophiles were once 630(3 weeks ago),but now are 1080.
Are you SVR now?How long are you after tx?How are the cryo now?
If I can not do 72 weeks I will stop and wait for the new drogs.
Thank you
Carmencita

[paen53]

That's a tough call, Carmencita. Had you developed symptoms of the cryoglobulinemia that you and your Dr. were concerned about? I also tested positive for cryo but was basically symptom free ( some red areas on my lower legs like you) though I do understand that it can be debilitating for some. I did tx for 72 weeks but did so because of severe liver damage (cirrhosis). I've got to be honest, I'd be hard pressed to go 72 weeks with minimal liver damage. But then again, we all have different circumstances and support available.

Has your Dr. talked about perhaps waiting and retreating with one of the new drugs coming on the market this year? Is that an option? How have the rest of your labs been for these first 20 weeks - hemoglobin, WBC's, platelets?

It's a call only you can make about the 72 weeks but hopefully you'll get more on the cryo aspect from others here that will help you in making that decision. Hang in there!  Pam