My doctor wants to wait for better treatment

[abdelghany1967]

I have a viral load of 730,000.  The liver biopsy showed stage 2 liver damage.  I am genotype 1.  My doctor wants to wait for the newer medicines that is suppose to come out next year.  I will see him again in Febraury.  He said that I only had a 25 out of 100 cure rate as we stand now.  I am Bipolar and take antidressants and a mood stabilizer daily.  

My Question is does all of this sound right?  Do doctors sometimes put off treatment?

Thanks
Lisa

[abdelghany1967]

Thanks everyone for the great advice.  I will listen to my doctor.

Lisa

[Marcia2202]

I equally agree, I think you are getting some good advice from your doc. Especially with the new meds, you would be only exposed to half of the length of treatment.

Wishing you all the best.

Marcia

[nygirl7]

I agree that you should listen to your doctor.  With your history of being bipolar( to which none of us are qualified to speak to obviously) if he has determined you should wait for a shorter more effective course I would listen to him too.

IF the time comes when your liver degenerates to the point you really must treat, I am sure he will make sure that you are well seen by a professional and that they manage it the best they can with meds and a doc.

Personally i have no history but took antidepressents starting a month before treatment at my doctors advice.  I found that even with them at times it was difficult at best and was very glad I had listened to him.

That is why they make the big bucks and we just offer our opinions in here.

Good luck.

[R Glass]

Don’t be offended. We are not attacking you. We are just asking you to turn off the caps. Like Great Bird said it is hard on the eyes.
Have a good day, R Glass

[GreatBird]

It's also extremely hard to read posts of more than a line that are ALL IN CAPS. I skip them because it's just too hard on my aging eyes and brain.

[maxygirl]

It would be polite if you turned your caps off.  it is the same as shouting.

[annieCinMD]

I agree that you should wait. Since you are bipolar and on anti depressants, the shorter treatments that the new drugs allow would be more tolerable for you. I had an awful time on treatment and I am not normally depressed. I had to quit after 7 months because I couldn't take any more. I was supposed to do 52 weeks. I made 28. Trust me, 6 months is doable but some of us can't manage the 48 or longer that SOC calls for. And to then relapse on top of it could be crushing emotionally. The new drugs really improve the odds that you will succeed on treatment. Hang in there!

[jacksonblue]

i agree with yuor doctor chance of soc working is about 39 percent the day you start treatment this may increase as time goes on if wait for new drugs chance to reduce treatment to 24 weeks maybe increase odds to about 80 percent

[HELLOWORLD217]

I THINK THERE ARE BIGGER ISSUES HERE, THAN ME WRITING IN CAPS.

[WriteItDown]

I agree with your doctor, I would wait for the Telaprevir.  While the percentage chance of curing you on current SOC he quoted is too low, you will still have a much better chance of clearing the virus, and perhaps in half the time, on the Telaprevir.

However, if you are anxious to treat now, or if you do not have good insurance, you could consider a clinical trial.  There is a very good upcoming Phase III trial for Boceprevir (another one of the new drugs for which your doc recommended you wait.)  You would be guaranteed to get the Boceprevir for free, though the treatment period is 48 weeks and your Hgb has to be under 15, since the trial is about treating the anemia that is often a side effect of the treatment.  Here's the link in case you;re interested:
http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01023035

Best of luck to you!

[orleans]

i tried to warn ya

[copyman]

PLEASE TURN CAPS OFF !!

[working dog]

don't drink at all......i've been waiting for the better tx for a few years now and i do have sx..vl was 5.5 million...stage 1 two 2...1a....have to get another biopsy soon.......i really watch what i eat....good luck....billy

[Vic1967]

Hi I have type 1 and about the same damage.  I knew about my HCV for about 17 years before I treated.   I am currently on my 36th week.
You could wait.  Take good care of yourself in the meantime.
The Tx is hard mentally. Physically I think it is hard but doable.   I had no history of depression and it hits you hard.  Most people take anti depressants while on tx.
If he is knowledgeable and is a Heptologist, I would listen to him. Although your chances are better than what he says, around 40-50.  Especially if you respond well the first four weeks.
There are many on this forum who are very informed and know first hand what to expect.
I know that if your liver is not that compromised that you have time.
48 weeks is a long time, believe me if I could have gone 24 I would have in a heartbeat.
Best of luck to you in what ever you decide
V

[abdelghany1967]

Thanks for all the replies.  I feel much better about waiting now.  Thanks..really appreciated it.

[desrt]

If the new meds allow you to treat for 24 weeks instead of 48, with a higher chance of success, I'd say watch and wait, even if it's for another year. Given your other issues, it might make the difference between being able to finish tx and not.

[HELLOWORLD217]

THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WITH HEP C THAN THERE ARE HIV PATIENTS......THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF ANYWAY......THERE ARE FAR MORE WHO HAVE IT AND DONT KNOW IT. AND BY THE TIME THEY FIND OUT THEY HAVE HAD IT FOR 20/30 YEARS AND BY THAT TIME ITS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CLEAR IT.....BECAUSE THERE ARE NO IN YOUR FACE SYMPTOMS OF HEP C PEOPLE DONT KNOW THEY HAVE IT, AND MOST FIND OUT BY ACCIDENT.....JUST LIKE AN HIV TEST THE HEP C TEST SHOULD ALSO BE DONE AS A ROUTINE TEST......IN MY EXPIERIENCE I HAVE HAD NO DEPRESSION THOUGHTS......JUST VERY TIRED.....MUSCLE ACHES....THATS ABOUT IT.......WHAT MAKES SENSE TO ME IS.....IF YOU HAVE HEPC.....THATS IT YOU HAVE IT....DOING A LIVER BIOPSY AND THE LIVER ENZYME TEST ARE BS........BECAUSE WHY WAIT TILL YOU HAVE DAMAGE TO START TREATMENT......THE GOAL IS TO TREAT IT AND GET BETTER NOW......AND YOU KNOW WHAT...YOU WONT KNOW HOW YOU WILL REACT TO TREATMENT UNTIL YOU TRY IT.    GOOD LUCK.......

[orleans]

best listen to yer hepatologist

[abdelghany1967]

Thanks Helloworld that makes me feel better.  I have thought about getting a second opinion but wanted to wait.  My doctor is a Gastroenterologist/Hepatologist and said he has cured many.  So I want to trust him.  However, if nothing new is available in Febraury I am thinking to tell him i want to try the medicine that is available now.  The wait is depressing me more than my illness.  However, I have been reading that people go along time with this illness before getting treatment.  I am also worried that all of these antidpressants and mood stabilizers I am on are affecting the liver.

[HELLOWORLD217]

HELLO......IM NOT SURE IF I CAN HELP , BUT I AM GENOTYPE 1 AND WE BELIEVE I HAVE HAD HEP C FOR LITTLE OVER A YEAR, MY VIRAL LOAD JUST A MONTH AGO WAS ALMOST A MILLION........EVEN WHEN MY FIRST VL WAS TAKEN IT WAS VERY LOW NOT EVEN 200,000......MY DOCTOR DID NOT HESITATE TO START ME ON THE COMBINATION THERAPY.......I KNOW ONE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS ARE DEPRESSION AND BEING THAT YOU ARE ALREADY TAKEN MEDICINE FOR YOUR CONDITION......I BELIEVE THE NEW MEDICINE MIGHT HAVE LESS SIDE EFFECTS MAYB THATS WHY HE WANTS TO WAIT......I THINK IF THERE WERE NO OTHER DRUGS THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO......YOU WOULD MOST LIKELY BE ON THE RIBIVIRIN/INTERFERON NOW........ITS A TOUGH CALL.