Antidepressants on VX-950?

The VX-950 Informed Consent form it states that "some medications prevent the study drugs from working properly: heart drugs, blood pressure, cholesterol, sedatives,pain, stomach, anti-siezure, antibiotics, antifungungals, antidressants, stumlants, and herbal medications."

Last time I treated about three weeks into it I thought that I was going to go nuts!  My doc put me on Wellbutrin (antideppressant) and the feeling went away.

If I do the VX-950 trial I was hoping to start ADs 1-3 weeks early to aviod the gap of deppression.

Did any of you prior VX-950 trial people use antideppressants while treating?  

[mremeet]

Hmm, that's different than what they stated in our consent form. We were only told that rescue drugs were prohibited during the first 12 weeks (i.e. the VX dosing period), and pretty much everything else you might normally need to  manage side effects would be allowed (specifically including AD's). In fact, considering the potential likelihood of depression during IFN/riba treatment (including the rare, but possible "suicidal ideation"), I'm surprised they're suggesting that A/D's will not be allowed (albeit they apparently do not outright forbid them based on your quote). In my view that could easily be crossing the unethical threshold. If they were to impose a "no A/D" rule during VX dosing, no doubt they'll be some trial participants who will keep their depression under wraps, much less any suicidal thoughts, for fear of being discontinued from the trial. This could potentially lead to a pretty obvious situation for a patient experiencing bad depression by feeling the need to keep their depression secret from their trial doctor. No, I'd say a "no A/D" ruling would be a mistake, and even a possible serious liability for treating physicians and Vertex alike.

Speaking for myself, I've been on two A/D's so far (Lexapro first and now effexxor) during the trial. I didn't start them until after I stopped taking telaprevir, but I could have taken them during the telaprevir dosing period as well. And not that these A/D's seem to do anything for me, but point being is that they were/are allowed.

[miked]

I reread the protocol and it states that your doctor may change your medication.  So with AD it may be just a change to another.  It's a question that I will ask.

How did the AD's you refernced work out?  I tried Zoloft first and experienced severe diarreah (diarrhea) and it really didn't help.  Wellbutrin worked fine.

[GrandOak]

This defenitiely sounds like something to check on and to see if trial guidelines are changing in this respect from previous trials.  Given the change in target population and tx period changes being tested, it is conceivable that some of these may have very well changed.

[mremeet]

I didn't think Lexapro did anything for me, so I switched to Effexxor a few months back. I don't really think it's doing anything either, although I am feeling somewhat better compared to early in treatment. So I dunno, maybe it's having some subtle effect, and amid the maelstrom of IFN, riba, lunesta, benadryl and atarax I'm just not realizing it? But I think my emotional well being has more to do with a general improvement in skin condition than anything else. When my skin is feeling better, I'm feeling better. When my skin feels worse, I feel worse. Same thing when my HGB drops below 11. Glad to hear the wellbutrin works well for you, maybe I'll give that a shot it I take a depressive nosedive between now and EOT.

[web52]

i was taking 150mg per day welbutrin (continuous release)before starting vx, upped it to 300 after 2 months of treatment. still taking 300 study doc was aware, welbutrin wasnt a problem.