LENGTH OF TREATMENT

[dodger1]

Hi everyone.  I just came back from the doctor in Chicago on Friday and after 7 injections my bloodwork came back undetected less than 5. My viral load was 1.5 million when I started. I was excited then the doctor said I had to be undetected for 15 months straight?  I thought everyone only had to be on the treatment for 48 months not 72 months?  My genotype is 1a which I know is the hardest to treat but I thought the treatment was still 48 months.  My hemoglobin was 9 and she said I was anemic and my white blood count is at 1.8 low. I told her I was tired all the time and my legs were sore and felt like rubber and some days I could not hardly walk.  She said drink more gatorade and when I felt like I could not get up in the morning she would give me a shot of procrit. Why cant she give me the shot now?Do ihave to wait because my hemoglobin is not low enough yet?  Does this doctor know what she is talking about???  I am a mail carrier and some days I can barely make it threw the day in this heat we had. I feel like crying all the time. I come home from work and go straight to bed for at least a 2 hour nap and then I am back in bed at 8:00 pm.  I feel so bad for my family that I am so tired all the time.  Is there any vitamins I can take??  Thank you for all your responses and help.  I appreciate it so much.

[dodger1]

I started treatment on June 17th and had hemoglobin at 14.7 then on July 3rd ended up in the ER because I could not breath and my Hepat Doc said that it was because I quit smoking prior to treatment.  My hemoglobin in ER was 11.7.  That was 2 weeks after treatment.  Went back for bloodwork on August 1st one month later and now my hemoglobin is at a 9 and she says that is no concern of hers.  I still have a hard time breathing.

[dodger1]

She wants to treat me 15 more months so I would be treating til next October.  She says you have to treat 15 months longer from the month you became undetected.

[jmjm530]

Based on what you just wrote you need a new doctor, assuming your insurance allows. If you tell us what area you live in, maybe someone can make a suggestion. But in the meanwhile -- or if you're stuck with her for insurance reasons -- somehow you've got to demand the Procrit. You know her better than we do, but often if a doctor is challenged, they will relent.

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

We just had a crossed post. My suggestion to change doctors was not to treatment length but to the Procrit situation. 15 months post clearing is a legitimate tx strategy for geno 1's. Especially if you're a stage 3 or 4. Have you had a biopsy and do you know what stage you are?

[dodger1]

I have great insurance.  I work at the Post office and have blue cross and blue shield.  I live in Indiana and this doctor is in Northwestern hospital in Chicago.

[Tallblonde]

The price on my SAM-e (30ct. box of 400 mg. caplets) is $19.99 at vitacost.com

Susan