Hep C and surgical assistants

[sepikmari]

I was tested several years ago as positive for hep c.
My liver functions are low normal range (very good) and I tested "not detected" in my pcr test. I read in your comments that a test down to 100 copies per volume is accurate. My test was down to 50 copies per mL -

1) is 50 copies more or less accurate than 100?(my test was in Australia).

2)How many more times do I need to take the pcr test to verify that I am one of the 10-15% who cleared, AND,

3)I am supposed to start school to become a surgical first assistant. If I test negative again for pcr, can I do this job, (do I evenneed to test again)and if I test postive, can I still do this job? First assistants are the surgeon's second pair of hands and do touch the patients (retract, suture, suction, harvest, etc.)

[Honey15637]

Everything you stated looks real good and sounds like you are clear but maybe your dr can better direct you on if you should be tested again.
Is anyone in this forum using peg-intron?  I couldn't remember and it does seem like so many are using pegasys because of the so called easier sides. My dr originally had me signed up for peg-intron but after reading many posts on this forum when joining....I was more for easier sides if this is in fact true!

[scruffy]

I've been on peg-intron/rebetol combo for 44/48. Most of what I've heard here says pegasys has milder sides. I've also heard that pegasys lasts longer. Of course if I'm cured using peg-intron I'm ok with that but if I were just starting Tx I think I'd go with the pegasys combo just from the comments I've heard here.

[Honey15637]

Well...according to that study...You aren't doing too bad with your choice of peg intron.  My dr told me in beginning that he had patients on both and they were the same but just made by different companies.  Have you experienced some rough sides?  Congratulations on #44....you are not far from that wonderful looking finish line!!

[Honey15637]

LOL  yep...you hit that right on the head!!  I hate shot nite!! My heart is just not into the shot tonite...It definitely is weird how we all experience so many different sides and like you said at such different times! I had flu like symptoms first 3 months but not terrible..just achy and feverish at nite and now that is gone!  I hope you are doing ok and your week is sx free!

[Showboat]

This is my third tx.  First Mono therapy.  Second peg-intron with blind study.........Now, pegasys combo.  For me, it is difficult to say what tx sx are more pronounced.  I lost hair with all of them, but the duration period was shorter. (24)...I am a 3a and am doing peg/com for 48.  I think that since I am doing this tx longer, I do have more sx this time around, and many more different sx that come and go.....come and go...come and go...and the "mental" stuff is harder...BUT I only have 3 shots left.....it has been quite a journey.  I know that I had a tough time on the other two tx, but after each tx period was over I just about "forgot" about all the misery.

Chev:  I did have lower left jaw pain (jaw to chin)....thanks for reminding me....see, I am forgetting my sx already...(lol)and I would have slight groin tenderness on both sides but that would not last long, and that would come and go too.  My Doc reassured me that it was from sx......and to keep him posted.  My neck and jaw were the biggest pain, and it traveled down to my left shoulder/coller bone front and back. (but I would still have Doc Brown Eyes made aware of it.....you may have an infection that needs meds.....)  Your last post about Doc B.E. made me laugh, cause my imagination was getting the best of me.
Thanks for the chuckle.

[cuteus]

The peg vs pegasys study was mentioned to me by my PA, as the latest to verify efficacy. when I asked her if it was sponsored by an independent entity or a drug co,  and she said Sclough, was behind it,
i mmediately dismissed it as anything but one co. trying to gain the edge over the other.  
Numbers can be manipulated by the vested party to their advantage.   Who is going to prove them wrong? only another drug co that has the money and financial interest in the oppossite result, and that might take YEARS given the nature of geno 1; by then, the other co would have made tons of money.
  When an independent pty is willing to spend the money just for the sake of actual knowledge rather than a share of the drug market, I will give it more attention.  The only good study we Geno 1 need is the one that will prove optimum dosage and tx duration to achieve the same svr as non 1.
and the saga continues...with the drug co. winning.

Glad to see you are back at your fighting post, a tad mellower, are you tending to the cyber "garden" you created?9 where you "play") ;-}

[Galen]

I did 48 of Peg-Intron and finished up 7 months ago.  When I started Pegasys was not yet available but was about 3 months after I started.  I have heard and feel from my own experience, that the first 10 weeks are the hardest.  After that, the sx from both seem to be pretty much the same.  The main differences after that point seem to be indivdual.  BTW, I was geno 1B and cleared at 12 weeks.  Still clear at 7 months and will test again at 1 year.  Life is great now, feel wonderful!

[Honey15637]

Galen...that is great news and thanks for checking in with all of us as that is exactly what keeps us going.  I know that making it pass that 6 month post...has got to be a great feeling and congratulations!

[Amerabrit]

I am 1B PegIntron;  peginterferon Alfa 2-b 120 pg per 0.5ml; Rebtol 200 mg - (3 pills am - 2 pills pm)
This Fri is 12/48.  SX have been mild.  Insomnia is the worst but I'm managing.
Hope this helps.  Good luck:)

[Honey15637]

Glad to hear you are doing good and having minimum sides.  Sounds like peg intron is not much different then pegasys.  Who knows....I guess you could take so many people and get different sides and the extremes from one to another.  I guess it just depends on the individual.  You are not far behind me...in fact a couple of weeks!  Good Luck and hope you continue to feel well!

[Honey15637]

Hey...Got up early to post a question this a.m. and saw questions closed.  Also noticed all threads full....Is this board being closed down or does anyone know?