Everyone, latecomer - Had appt with my new doc on Friday - Great Experience

Female, 51, Geno 3, no bx  Treating week 8/24 Pegasys and 800 mg Copegesus

V/L prior to tx - 1,930,000 IU/mL    6.286  log10 IU/mL

V/L @ 4 weeks - 720 IU/mL  2.857  log10 IU/mL

I went to my appointment with the new doc who is a hepatologist.  First, I want to say you don't find many doctors like this anymore!  Dr. G. was so kind, gentle, respectful, impressed with my knowledge and knows his stuff.  Now when have you EVER had a doctor say to you "It would be an honor to treat you".  I was blown away.  At the end of the appointment instead of the usual handshake or nothing at all he actually hugged me!  But very respectful.

OK so now for his observations.  He was disappointed that I had not had a bx.  But was OK with it and said "well, nothing to do about it now."  He asked me why I wanted to change docs and when I told him the other doc wouldn't do a 4 week PCR and that he had told me that if I wasn't UND at week 12 treatment wouldn't work - Dr. G said he could understand why I wanted to change.  Then he said a few choice words and something about those who think they can "walk on water".  Made me laugh.

As for my 4 week PCR, even though I was still detectable, he told me I was doing "SPECTACULAR" and that as far as he was concerned he would call it RVR.  He said a day or two could have made the difference.  So I'm still on course with the same treatment.  I feel so relieved!

Latecomer - If you see this message I will tell you who I went to see.  I'm about out of space.

[Cindy10]

That is interesting, because your numbers were similar to mine and my doc says to extend. I wish I knew for sure.

Best wishes Lindy!

[jmjm530]

Linda: At the end of the appointment instead of the usual handshake or nothing at all he actually hugged me!
------------------------------------------------------

You know, I've heard this once or twice before, but it's always with the women :)

But seriously, very happy you found a doctor you can connect with. It's the difference between battling your doctor for stuff you shouldn't have to and a partnership where you work together for the same goals.

All the best,

-- Jim

[LindyK]

What was your beginning V/L and your 4 week V/L?  My doc was very confident about not extending at this time UNLESS I'm not UND at 7 weeks or 12 weeks.  He was very reassuring that I would do well.  Now, I'm not counting my chickies before they hatch, anything can happen but for now I am just going to be happy - at least for the next 2 weeks until I get my 7 week PCR.

I brought a copy of that study I posted and he was familiar with it.  We talked about not being UND at 4 weeks.  But like I said before he said that he would consider me RVR.

We shall see!

Good luck to you on figuring this out.  I still may be with you!  Time will tell.

[Cindy10]

I started at 1.3 mil and at week 4 was <615, and then UND at week 12, doc really wants to extend.

This new Doc you have is he one of the top Hep docs I have heard of?

Hubby going to Dr. A in Boston in a few weeks (made the appointment months ago) so we shall see what his thoughts are on everything. I am going to ask him what he thinks about extending. Just want to make sure hubby ok first.

But your news is encouraging, even for me. Glad to hear it.

[Cindy10]

Though I must say my current Doc is Asst. Professor (hepatologist) at large teaching hospital, so I trust him as well.

[Myown]

So happy to hear that you are pleased with your new doctor. That makes a world of difference.  

wishing a big svr for you and us all!!!!!

[MissMiss]

There is a value to the 4-wk pcr, please don't mistake that.  Used in conjunction with your other pcr's will paint a picture.  I wish I had had one but didn't know at the time to ask for it and am pretty sure my conservative GI would not have gone for it anyway.  

But, there is a true value to the 4 wk pcr.  Maybe some others can go further on why it is valuable.

miss

[scubadiver30]

Way to go... You found the right one

[LindyK]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed on that 7 week PCR!  How are you doing these days?

Linda

[NYgirl]

If you are still detectable at 12 - 24 weeks you need to extend.

THAT is what the studies spell out.

Being UND at 4 is a great thing but...........isn't a signal to extend at all.

Believe me - "extending" is much harder than you think...I'm on week 70 this Friday and well - I'm glad I did it to have every chance at SVR possible BUT if I had not been positive at week 12 I would not have.

I had RVR at week 4 with a 3 log drop but KEPT the same number (400) from week 4 until week 24 when I was UND.  Those remaining ones were a real b*tch to kill off but they finally went.

4 weeks is really too early to tell ANYTHING about what is going to happen either way. But you certainly don't need to talk about extending that early.

Not until week 12. In the 'olden' days when I just started on here most docs wouldn't even THINK of doing a 4 week PCR...you REALLY had to beg for it.

[Cindy10]

So you think if you are UND at week 12 no need to extend?
I too had a 3 log drop at week 4

[LindyK]

Looks like even the experts aren't in agreement! Following is a bio on my new doc:

Dr. Gitlin received his bachelors and medical degrees from the University of Cape Town and continued his medical studies in both London and Edinburgh. While studying in England, Dr. Gitlin was a student of world-renowned hepatologist Dame Professor Sheila Sherlock. After arriving in the United States in 1983, he held appointments at the University of California in San Francisco for six years. He was named chief of hepatology and professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in 1993. Dr. Gitlin joined Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates as a hepatology consultant in 1999.

Dr. Gitlin has authored two textbooks on liver disease and written 75 original papers on the subject. He is the editor of "Clinics In Liver Disease of North America," and serves on the editorial boards of several national journals and medical societies. He is actively involved in a number of research studies, including the treatment of hepatitis C and B and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

He is a member of the American Association of the Study of the Liver, the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Federation for Clinical Research, the American Gastroenterology Association, the American Medical Association, the British Medical Association, the Georgia Medical Association and the Georgia Gastroenterology Society.

[scubadiver30]

Hi there..
Well, not doing too well but hangin in there.
I'm a little worried because of prednisone.(I read in other posts is an steroid) and I'm using suppositories and now I read they contain prednisone. I sure hope they don't mess up with the IFN. I'm getting a cbc and a third pcr on monday. I can't complain though, they won't give me procrit but they will monitor me all the way until my Hgb goes down to 6 and I'll have to drop out ;-)

saludos
scuba