Low neutrophils reducing peg, but undetectible at 12 wks

Hi,
I noticed that I was getting lots of little infections; sinus, ear, every cut I got. My twelve week labs showed I was very low in neutrophils which apparently makes me more suseptible to infections. My dr reduced my peg to 135ml. We may have to reduce the riba to 1000 due to anemia.

The big news is I finally got the rest of the 12 wk results and I am still undetectible. Wooo who! I am amazed and thrilled, sure hope cutting down the peg and riba does not effect the long term results!

Good luck to everyone!
G

[crossroadsec]

Congrats girl on UND! I'm on an antibiotic for bladder infection. Still no rescue drugs, but 90 of peg this week again. I can't WAIT to get my 12 week! So happy for you!

[spectda]

Congratulations on being undetectable. How low is your ANC and HGB?
-Dave

[beeblessed]

Hi Gerbils, congrats on the 12 week UND!!  Hoping the dosage changes will make you feel better :)  

[flcyclist]

If your ANC is low, has your doc considered neupogen as an alternative to dose reduction?  

[frijole]

gerbils-
That is great news.  You stopped the INC at week 9 due to side effects, didn't you?  I am really glad you got that UND.
frjiole

[Gerbils]

Hi,

Crossroadsec, are you doing 90ml of peg? I tried to check back on your journal but didn't see the entry. I was offline for a week and a half or so. ANC is 514, the dr. wanted to reduce the peg first and if the ANC does not improve then will decide what to do; did not consider the neupogen. I do not not know my HGB. I do labs again Monday. I cant believe it but this Thursday will be my 15th shot.
Hi Frijole, yes, I stopped the incivek at 9.5 weeks due to rash. Some of you out there are doing so well. It is disappointing to not be able to stay at full bore on the meds. Some of you are so strong. I keep updating my status because the only reason I had the courage to start this was because of what I read online written by people like you all. I was scared to death. The one thing I promised myself was that I would post my results (sides etc.) just in case it helps someone else. Thanks to everyone who responded.
G

[researchmonkey326]

I had to reduce my peg every few weeks because of low ANC.  My insurance company would not consider off-label use of Neupogen so that was not an option for me.  So one week I would do 135 of peg, the next, I'd be back to full dose.  I had weekly bloodwork to keep an eye on everything.  My ANC would bounce back to over 500 after the dose reduction and actually went over 700 at one point.  I've got to say, those weeks with the reduced dose were much easier for me to get through. Good luck on the remainder of your treatment.

[SusieS2010]

Gerbils, My ANC went to 0 on my last round of Peg. Yours is 514 which, while low, is more than enough to fight infection. I don't believe your infections are because of the low ANC. In hepatitis patients, studies have shown that people with low ANC do not get more infections than people with normal ANC. Even with 100 neutrophils there are enough to fight infection. If your doctor is concerned he should send you to a hematologist.

[Gerbils]

I have done the reduced peg 2 wks now and the many infected cuts and ear infection have stopped also. I agree that it is easier to get through with the dose reduction but it worries me. I will still follow the doc's instruction though. My doc's rule of thumb was that if the neutrophils reach 500 or thereabouts reduce the peg. I repeat the labs tomorrow. Thanks for the comments researchmonkey! I know you are still SVR so it helps to know you did it with the reductions. I