Hep c treatment

[Mr.Bill]

I have Hepititis C type 2. I treated  for 19 weeks this time last year.My treatment used PegIntron 120MCG and Rebotol 200 MG.  My viral load after one month was 0. Then after 19 weeks treatment was 0. The test 6 months after  treatment ended showed 15000 viral load.. My doctor recommends waiting for the new treatments due out in a year or so and says if I retreat with the same treatment my chances of clearing the virus are only 20%.  My feeling is that since my viral load is so low that the treatment would be very effective if treated now.  Another factor is is that I can get this treatment for free, and don't know if it will be so a year from now.
So my main question is what do you think my chances are of clearly the virus if I retreat now with the same medication.
   thank you         Bill

[R Glass]

"Yes , I should have stuck with it, but I believed what I read about EVR  and type 2 getting away with shorter treatment"

  It’s been awhile since I read up on shorter treatment for G2s. If my memory serves me correct this is for RVRs (you where), low VL before tx and I seem to remember reading that age could also play into factor. By your screen name I would say your 50ish.
I sympathize with you. I was G2 VL 5.5ml. I went in to tell them I was done @16 weeks. I was told that it would lower my chances from almost guaranteed SVR to 80%. He increased my Ambian, Elavil, Xanax, and Lortabs. I was barley able to pull off the final weeks but I did.
Tx effects everyone different and I feel comfortable stating that it would be humanly impossible for anyone to complete these final weeks without these increased meds or being 100% bed ridden (was not an option for me).
I don’t know where he came up with this 20% chance and agree with the others. Find a real Heptolagist, get retested, and consider waiting for the newer tx.

[Thomas D Schiano, MD]

if you have never had a liver biopsy I would get one.  if there is not advanced fibrosis then i would recommend waiting until 1 of the protease inhibitors are available or alternatively seek a clinical trial.

[Mr.Bill]

Yes , I should have stuck with it, but I believed what I read about EVR  and type 2 getting away with shorter treatment. So here I am. I go to a new doctor next week since the old one is pissed at me and will not retreat me . My biopsy score was a high 1 to 2 . I can get the meds until Jan of 2011 from commitment to care. I don't know if they will offer them again to me later. I don't know where the last doctor came up with this 20% chance thing. We will see what the new doctor says. I'll let you know. Thanks Bill

[nygirl7]

It's hard to remember but part of the reason we do treat for so much longer after we are UND is because of just this - our bodies do have to learn to beat down any remnant of the virus that might somehow be around but not showing up in your bloodstream.  Was the test that you received to check very sensitive?

I too think if you had treated longer you probably would have made it (if that testing was very sensitive).  I don't know that your odds would be 20% - I've never heard of that before and seen plenty of relapsers while I've been on here who did treat again longer and with a bit more meds who finally succeeded even without the PIs.

What stage liver damage are you?  Are you at a point where you really do need to treat now? If not I might wait for the PIs myself - just because this time you really should treat for 48 weeks in case you have built iup any tolerance or inability to fight any mutation.

It's just one reason i never really bought into treating for less time than necessary - it's not worth it to me, especially 19 weeks versus 24.

Good luck. Any chance you can get a second opinion by another doctor?

[stg088]

If the virus was undetected at 4 weeks and at 19 weeks, this is an indicator that you had a very good chance of achieving SVR.  

Why did you treat for only 19 weeks?  Were you having serious side effects and the doc made you stop treatment?  Treatment usually lasts 24 to 48 weeks, depending on genotype.  My feeling is that you probably would have achieved SVR is you had treated long enough last year.