A little sad-12 week bloodwork came back :o(

1b starting viral load 6130000
Stage 3 grade 2(I think)brain fog

12 week viral load 1200

Where does this leave me???
Where do I go from here???
Do I treat for 72 weeks now???

Help please, I really thought I was going to be UND it was going down so nice every 2 weeks!

Thanks for your input!

Donna

[Jakied]

It appears to me you have had a 3 log drop which is good.  i would keep treating and hope for UND the next time.

remember what winston churchill said, ' When you are going through hell, keep going.'

[AngelsOnMySide2]

I am definatly going to keep treating, just wondering if I would have to treat longer now???

Donna

[BRL]

Its not sad..your getting treatment..and your liver will benefit..you will get to SVR land..some take short trips there and some longer.

Im with you in your thoughts and prayers.

[Teufelhunden]

My doctor did my PCR at week 15, Don't dispair. Even if you're a slow responder, just wait it out. It'll get better. Talk to your doctor about 48/72 week option. When's your next PCR?

[wyntre9]

Well, your Vl went down a lot.

I'm not sure about the SOC for 1B's who aren't UND at week 12.  i DO know the recommendation for 1A's in that situation is to extend TX for 72 weeks IF you're UND by week 24.

If you're not UND, that could mean you're a non-responder.

But that doesn't sound like the case with you.

If you want, i'll check my doc's tomorrow for one of the studies that mentioned 1B tx length.

So don't give up - you're making progress.

wyntre

[goldyn]

Give it a week and ill bet youll be unde, your so close and you have the log drop you need so it isnt all that bad, please let us know what the doc says.

[ladybug52]

You did have a significant drop, (3.71 is closer to 4 log drop). Just hang in there, you're moving in the right direction. What does your dr say about extending tx? Does he have a plan, or is it up to you/ins?
Try not to be sad, it's dissapointing, but not devastating. I hope you'll get a good night's sleep and just keep moving forward. You have a great attitude, don't let this news set you back.
Bug

[AngelsOnMySide2]

I guess I was just feeling a little depressed, the nausea is unbearable this week, and the fatigue is so annoying too...I want to do all these things in my head, but my body won't comply...lol...I wasn't even thinking straight when I wrote that post...I am in the Schering 503034 trial, but am in the control group, meaning I get the SOC for the first 24 weeks and if I am not UND by then I will get the trial drug, with the SOC for the next 24 weeks...so I guess there is a plan in place. I'm sorry for complaining, but I guess I just needed to vent. I usually don't do that but I was really thinking I was going to be UND and was so sad that it wasn't. I am ever so grateful that it is going in the right direction though, and so grateful for this board...nobody else really understands what we go through!
Thanks for the advise and for listening to me!

Donna

[ladybug52]

I knew you would wake up and feel better. You were NOT whining. You were sharing your feelings about something we all know something about.
Take care, glad to see you bounce back from the dissappointment.
Hugs,
Bug

[nygirl7]

You ARE responding to the meds...THAT is a very good thing! Try to remember it because some people just don't at all and THAT is the sad thing. See, you have readon to be happy you are fighting and WINNING this battle!  So what if it takes a little bit longer - you are going to win!

I too was very upset when I was not UND at week 12 so that is when I started looking into 72 weeks. At the time nobody did it and I was very nervous so I consulted one of the best hep doctors in the WORLD, Dr. Ira Jacobson in New York City.

He agreed with my logic: if you aren't UND by week 12 but you ARE UND by week 24 - then using both Sanchez Tapias and Berg studies it says to do the 72 weeks to GET THE BEST CHANCE POSSIBLE AT SVR.

It drops your chance of relapse from 50% to like only 30%. That is a HUGE 20% difference! from a half chance to only a third!!!!!!!!!!!  1 in 3 sounds much better to me than half!

So, I went for it. Can't say it was always easy but...my 4 months (should have been 3 month but I got a bad test) PCR said NEGATIVE. So I have one more month to go now before I know if I am SVR.

I'm VERY glad I did it.  You don't have to do it, it is pretty much just people who want to do everything they can possible. Typical SOC is still 48 weeks.

It just is a better chance at kicking the #$@% out of these critters for good!

[friole]

Ditto nygirl.

YOu are responding very well.

But it is time to start doing some research.  YOu are in the group (viral load under 6000 at week 12) which has been shown to do better with 72 weeks of treatment instead of 48.  You still have lots of time to decided what to do.  I would aske for a PCR (sensitive) at week 16 and again at 20 and 24 to see when you do clear (and you will,  I think).  The question is will you stay clear, and that is what the extended treatment is all about.

Start researching.  Google Berg and Tapias Sanchez.  We can help but you need to do some reading.
frijole

[PokerRon]

Does the Berg study say anything about Dosage?

im on 1600mg of Riba per day (4 tabs twice a day)
and the 5ml of peg intron 2B.....

im wondering if these studies that suggest 72 weeks Vs 48 weeks
take into account the amount of MEDs being injested every day
for some of the patients

im at week 16,  still detectable at week 12,  
i had a 2.7LOG drop at week 12 and i will be retested next week

thanks
Ron

[ladywhy]

It ain't over 'til it's over! I actually would be happy with those #'s. At 12 wk PCR, my vl was 109000 with a log drop of about 1.5. We both have a long road to travel..don't dispair, we'll get through this...jus' think how many of those bad boys are gone!
Y

[nygirl7]

Most doctors are using weight based dosage as "the" correct dosing these days with some patients (like idiot moi) asking for more instead and getting manufacturer based which is obviously higher (cause they want us to use more meds to make more money of course).

Studies ARE in the end just STUDIES - showing what results they got from a general population group.  Med dosage is subjective to weight mostly - so you can relatively imagine that pound for pound it should be about the same.

A skinny person on 800 would be getting the same riba as a heavier person at 1600, you know what i mean?  That's generally WHY the amount differs.

[dperry10]

Donna,

Don't be sad.. you are definately responding.     You had more than a 2 log drop and thats what they are looking for, in order to continue treatment,  Thats what my doc was saying to me.   I was lucky and had a UND come back at 12 and 22..   So I am working on that 48 now.. but he keeps saying a year.. he made me wait actually for 3 full months to date, rather than the 12 wks, it was really more like 13 about to do shot 14 , before I had the first PCR.  So maybe doing 52 weeks ?   But you are on the right track.. Keep your chin up and keep chugging.. YOU WILL make it there too.   We are all praying for ya..