Gilead clinical trial

[3xlucky]

Just started their trial two weeks ago. 2 time non responded on the old interferon regime.  Low stage 3 liver damage. Praying it works. Will know tomorrow what my first week viral load is.  Rash started middle of week two. Treated with benedry and steroid cream.  Well run trial with great care.  Worry about anemia which I was affected by in previous treatments and ave been told they will reduce Ribaviran if necessary. Can not give procrit any more. Which I had in previous treatments. Heard from my doctor that they are very hopeful from past results that this will work. Would love to hear from anyone else who has done this protocol or in this trial currently.  I hear that it is 600 people nationwide.

[cthopeforall]

Hi PJ, the GS stands for Gilead Sciences INC. The number that follows it is the trial drug. Most of us on this forum are or have been on a Gilead clinical trial for HCV drugs. Are you on treatment or waiting to treat? Best CT.

[PJ1966]

I'm new at this so can you explain what GS stands for?  The terminology is all new to me.  I get the UND (undetected) I think.  I have tests for AST & ALT &  Hep C RNA, Quant Blood results.  My last Quant Blood was 259914 which seems like a different test than the 5 mil results reported here.  I guess I have a lot to learn.

[cthopeforall]

Hi all, got call today from gilead trial cordinator 6 months post TX blood work came back UND!!! SVR!!!

[AKHepper]

that's excellent news, ct! They told me 12 weeks was the new SVR standard, so looks like you got her whupped!

[skier3438]

Woo hoo!!!!!!!  Congrats. That's great news!! 3 more shots to go for me in this trial

[cthopeforall]

Hi all, just got call from trial cordinator, 3 month post TX blood wook still UND!!!!! Hope all are doing well. Best to all. CT

[cthopeforall]

My 4 week post TX blood work was 3/28/12. My 12 week post TX blood work will be this wednesday 5/23/12. Someone else must be further along. I will post when I get results. Trying not to think about it because it just gets me to worried. Best to everyone. Take care CT

[nowhine]

Great news that you have completed tx and you are on your way to SVR. It's been a long road and you survived...now enjoy. Best of luck to you. God Bless.

[beyondmwd]

My Clinical Research Director.  She said at last report (Tuesday) only one person was past the 12 wk ck point.  That would be you?  A few people were pulled/stopped early because there viral load went back up.  Everyone else is staggered behind you. Only one relapse so far.  Good luck.  Thx.  E

[cthopeforall]

Beyondmwd that is fantasic news, so very glad for you. Its good to hear from you. I know it got pretty tough for you towards the end. Glad you were able to finish. Where did you get the news about the number of people who finished, and the results? Take good care. CT

[beyondmwd]

My 24 wks are over as of today!   GS 5885,9451, and SOC. UND since wk 4.  Now I pray it stays that way!!!!  Thanks everyone.  There was a  glitch in the randomization at end of trail drugs to continue SOC or not for 24 more weeks.  By accident everyone who cleared by 2, reached UND by 4 was taken off everything at 24 weeks (not randomized).  So far 74 or us have finished and only 1 person has relapsed...SSSSOOOOO.....they are taking the rest of us off as we finish too.  Good luck to all.  Beyondmwd

[AKHepper]

So I get there today and they take 7 vials, then she says, Oh by the way, we need some more urine, too. I said, what's wrong with the pee I gave you yesterday?
Oh, we can't use that, it's a different kit.
Of course, I had just peed right before I walked in the waiting room.

Oh well, it wasn't too bad, Mom went along for the ride so she could get away from the house for a while, and we had a nice lunch down by the Riverwalk.

[MagTX]

Hi AK,

If I do end up in a trial in SA then that's an 8 hr round trip for me, of course I think I may be hopping on a 30 min SW air flight....  But hey, if they screw up drawing my labs they will for sure be paying me back too for their screw up..LOL

That's too bad they didn't call someone or check out what you were questioning...  Geez!

[cthopeforall]

Hey AK, take that hundred bucks and buy 3 or 4 dozen waterdogs or big O shinners and soak some bait on a nice rock pile. I bet those big hawgs down in south Tex are ready to play right about now. I grew up on the lakes and ocean here in southern Cal. Have not had the strength or drive to get out on the water these last 4 years because of 2 tx's. Just sit in the recliner and look at them on the wall. Those were the days. Sorry about the drive. CT.

[mikesimon]

That's what I call a "Sheet sandwich". A guy's eating a sandwich and it looks like sheet. You say "hey fellow that sandwich looks like it's made out of sheet" and he says "no man, it's really good - here take a bite" and you take a bite and right away you know for sure that it really was sheet.

I had a mechanic pulling on a wrench on my engine and I'm thinking to myself that this guy's pulling way too hard and he's could break the bolt. I refrained from saying anything because hey, the guy's a mechanic and he knows better than I do. Then, of course, he snaps the thing and I have a bigger problem with my car. A shoeshine guy was buffing my shoes really vigorously - snapping the rag and all that stuff - and I had nice delicate leather tassels hanging there. I said "hey, be careful of those tassels" and he says I've been shining shoes for 25 years..." and at that moment the right tassel goes flying off my shoe.

It's like you are sure you know better but because of the person's position you listen to him/her only to find out that the person didn't know sheet after all.
When that happens I am usually madder at myself for listening to the idiot than I am at the idiot. I really knew better. Now, I scream a lot but I have avoided a lot of sheet sandwiches that way.

Sorry about the drive.
Mike

[AKHepper]

Here's what happened yesterday: The girl draws my blood and I ask her: "Why are you only taking 3 vials?, they usually take 6 or 7."
"Oh, that's what it says on the paperwork, blah, blah, blah"
I'm skeptical, but what do I know?
2 hours later when I'm a hundred miles down the road towards home I get a phone call, "can you come back and give us some more blood? We missed 2 vials."
Well, I said; I don't think so, it's a 5 hour round trip. So she had to talk to her boss, he calls me back and offers me a hundred dollars to make the trip. So today I get to drive all the way back to San Antonio for two vials of blood.

[beyondmwd]

You guys are the best.  Just knowing you made it to the end, going through the same stuff,  is pushing me to try. So far,  I am hanging in there.  Did get some Rx help for when needed. My pcp says....at this point......whatever it takes to finish. Clinical research agrees...... Shot #21 coming up Tuesday/new blood wk.  Thank you ct,  AKhepper, all!  Beyondmwd

[cthopeforall]

AK congrats, you should get your blood wook back in about a week right? I go back in in late may for 3 month post check. Hopefully it will hold for all of us. CT.

[1oftheclub222]

yay!  Glad you were able to tough it out...i hear it can be the hardest at the end of treatment.

I am trying to hold off on taking any days off of work till I finish, so i can take a few weeks to recoup, 12 more weeks to go for me, we'll see if I can hold out till then...

[AKHepper]

I am now officially finished with the meds, now begins the waiting game to see if it holds.

[AKHepper]

Thanks, ct, I got it made now that last shot finally wore off some. That was a rough one!

[cthopeforall]

I think its best to continue the soc with the trial drugs. Its the combination of soc and trial drugs that is working. All 4 drugs instead of just 2. I had to take xanax because it was sooooo bad. Your posts of your sides are identical to mine. It brings me to tears just thinking of what we have gone through and others are still going through. Please hang in there and finish the meds, PLEASE.  If you need support I am here anytime. Thoughts and prayers. CT.

[cthopeforall]

AK, congrats your almost there. A few more days of meds. Hang in there. CT.

[AKHepper]

I haven't taken anything, but I sure have wanted something to take the edge off, they should add valium or something like that to the mix.
But work? What's that? I couldn't even imagine trying to work on this crud.