End of Treatment

hi gang-
it's been a while since i posted but i've been lurking from time to time. i usually only post when i have news to report. so here's the news, i only have 1 more shot to do Friday and i'm done! yipee!! just to recap my stats:
51 yo male
bx= st 1 gr 2
VL 3 mil
geno 1a
Peg/riba  180/1200 resp.
UND since between week 12 & 15.
sx minimal but consisted of minor depression, anxiety, shortness of breath, fatigue and itchy skin.
to all those thinking of tx i can say from my experience it has not been terribly bad. i know results vary. i will say getting on aa ant-depressant before tx is advisable. Merry Christmas & a healthy happy New Year.

[nygirl7]

Good for you antman you made it!

[hairtamer]

What a Blessing.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.
God Bless,
Rose

[GrandmaA]

Congratulations! That's very good news.
Happy holidays to you also and SVR for the new year!

[frijole]

Glad to see you made it through. So you decided not to extend.  I can't remember what your 12 week PCR was, but I do remember some discussion on extneding.

Good luck
frijole

[wyntre9]

Congrats to you!  What a great Holiday gift.

wyntre

[Cindy10]

Good for you, you have reach the end. My husband just finished on friday and  he too was glad its done. He had the same sx as you. I wish you a speedy recovery!

[JodyLynn]

Good for you....: )

[ladybug52]

congrats to both! What a long year, right?  I like to remember the good part of starting tx last December, and I really think drinking eggnog with the riba gave me an early und! I'll raise a glass of eggnog to your health (although drinking eggnog to your health is maybe not the healthiest way to go!)

[kcrandy]

i too just stopped tx with similar situationas your antman.

congrats for making it to the end of tx, as well jodylynns hubby too.

i look forward to hearing how you all are doing and i pray we all reach SVR.

Merry Christmas to all of you and your loved ones.

and may all of us have a very blessed year in 2008.   : O )

[Mr Liver]

Congratulations for completing your treatment--it's an accomplishment unlike any other. Best thoughts your way for continued success.
Mr Liver

[kittyface]

Way to go and wishing you a sustainted SVR in the years to come.

Merry Xmas!

Kittyface

[wyntre9]

Congrats on getting to the last shot and SVR forever, Antman.

wyntre

ps - did you do the 48 week or the 72 week TX?  

[antman]

thanks all for the kind wishes! i wish for all of us and the caregivers a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! it's those that stuck with us that are the tough ones- haha. i'll still pop in from time to time with news and progress reports. you guys are the best!

[DoubleDose]

Congrats!!!  I wish you the best of luck!

Did you extend at all???  I notice that you were possibly a late responder....getting clear from 12 to 15 weeks.  IIf you are doing 48 weeks, and you are a type 1 as mentioned, have you considered some sort of extension?  I would think that even 60 weeks would be a good compromise.  I do not want to be the lone voice of caution here, but if you did do only a 48 week course, there is still time, with one shot left, to discuss an extension with your doctor.  The odds of SVR greatly increase for late responders.  I know it may sound odd to consider a 12 week (but maybe as late as 15 weeks) response as a 'late' response, but I think you will find lots of literature supporting a strategy of extending for those who clear from about week 12 to week 24.  

Here's hoping for the very best for you!

DoubleDose

[dancegirl54]

Congrats! You give me a lot of hope - have not tx yet

[wyntre9]

Since I don't know the length of your current treatment, I didn't want to caution you about being a slow responder (UND between weeks 12 - 15) but Doubledose has an excellent point about the positive effect of extending treatment for 1A's in that category.

I didn't clear until week 17 and I'm now up to week 54 with 18 more injections after that.

Have you discussed this issue with your Dr.?  if you need studies supporting this, post back and I'll send links that many kind forum members have sent me over the past year.

wyntre

[zazza]

I remember Antman considering extending, but I think he finally decided on 48. SVR for you, Antman!

[Myown]

wishing you the best!