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Avatar universal

Pegasus and Ribovarin Therapy

I am just about to start my therapy, been to the classes, and thought I was prepared for what was to come, until the pharmacist called yesterday and told me the prescription would be $700.00 a month for the next year.  I made sure we were talking about the same medicine, and he said he had double checked what Blue Cross & Blue Shield (Group 105) was paying.  My doctor nor any of the nurses, or instructors had indicated this treatment would be costing anywhere near that, after insurance.  Does this sound like a mistake.

Steven sends...
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Avatar universal
hi, glad you are here!

You found a really old thread, you should really read some of the newer posts, there is tons of positive things going on!
try this one,  not necessarily a new thread, but lots of positives!

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/How-Many-Posters-are-SVR-or-UND/show/98759

We have all been right where you are now, and we all understand your fear. you will get tons of support here, and answers to any questions you have. It has been great for me...
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Avatar universal
hi there all, i am just about to start treatment with geno 3 hepC. i am a nurse but have not had to deal with this b4. would someone pls say something poitive++ as i am pretty nervous right now. i know the negs-- but surely there r some pos's++ thanks
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Avatar universal
Seeing it"s been 7 years ..lets hope Steve is just about finished up  :)
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Avatar universal
I while in treatment since i didnt want any food... i spent alot of time at gnc buying power shakes that i still love but cant afford, with doctoring them up with fruit,they also kept me from dehydration and starvatiobn and alot of vitamins!
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Avatar universal
ALSO i forgot to add, i didnt do any pills,i did injections...self administered
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Avatar universal
I wanted to tell others as i went thru the program 8 years or more ago ang was on it for 8 months, i was blessed to be off it in that length of time. my doctor arranged for the drug company to pay the entire bill. i didnt pay a cent,so if you know anyone please tell them to get theor docs to ask and the money will be taken care of...it saved my life.my wife was not so lucky as i buried her the same year whilr going through the already misery i was dealing with.. God save me!
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1075682 tn?1255702971
Terrible i wont lie,but it was a bit better a few weeks later when i got some what used to it.my thoughts and prayers are with you.
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1075682 tn?1255702971
I finished it and am better it was the most horrible thing i have ever done.Thank you for your support.
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1075682 tn?1255702971
Well its over and im cured:)still have cyrosis though.Thank you all for your kindness.
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Avatar universal
Im new here but ive been on treatment since the start of th year and was told about a month ago that my levels were undetectable which is great. I havent had that many side effects. I find the the first injection out of every pack gives me fever and then im fine for the rest of the month. I have just noticed though that my hair is starting to fall out big time :( Has anyone else had this problem?
-Ace
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Avatar universal
Hi, my name is CW, I am in week 28, I have type 1, I cleared in 12 weeks, I'm craztier than a depressed mentanOl case, I feel fine physically, Medical marijauna is all I take beside treatment pills, they can have all those bug pills, I'm here to tell you you don't need any of that s**t.  Of cource everybody is different, just saying,
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87972 tn?1322661239
Hi Kat; this is an old thread. You should probably start a new one by scrolling to the top of the page, and clicking on the green “post a question” button. Your thoughts will probably get lost here. Welcome to the discussion group,

Bill
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Avatar universal
Hi Nancy my name is Kat and I start Treatment next week, and I am so horrified by reading all of the side affects of Pegasus!! What was your first shot experience like?

Kat
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971268 tn?1253200799
If you start a new thread, Nancy, you will hear from more people.

When my husband started treatment a few months ago, I, too, was very scared.  But it turned out a lot less bad than I had feared.  He's doing okay.  Some people don't have terrible side effects, and maybe you will be one of the lucky ones.  Either way you're doing something about your Hep C and that's a good thing!

Best of luck to you!
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87972 tn?1322661239
Hi Nancy,

You’ll be fine; most of us have gone through at least one course of treatment, and have come out the other side OK. What can you tell us about yourself?

Bill
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1075682 tn?1255702971
i start treatment today,so scared.
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Avatar universal
It absolutely cures Hep C
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Avatar universal
Don't talk, I'll do all the talking...  If you have any questions after you read this brochure, you can call the nurse."  ... I was seen by a nurse who was literally yawning in my face in boredom, would not answer any questions...
----------------
Sorry about that but probably all too common and one of the reasons for this place. The reinfection answer has simply been passed along anecdotally from what several liver specialists have told their patients. The were presented as anecdotal but sometimes that's all we have. Always best to check and double-check everything here because while no one will yawn in your face there is a lot of misinformation in all these forums but unfortunately a lot of misinformation in the doctors offices as well. If you put the time in hopefully you will be able to separate things.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for pointing out the date thing/out-dated posts.  Someone else just pointed this out to me.  I thought I was reading from a list of new posts, but see I have to check the dates on each posting.  
But I still don't understand how you can reinfect yourself, or if that's even possible.
But I see there's a ton of informtion that people are getting and sharing and that's great.  I don't know where you are getting it.  The CDC still says the same thing it said several years ago, and when I went to a "specialist" after being newly diagnosed the first thing out of his mouth was "Don't talk, I'll do all the talking.  If you have any questions after you read this brochure, you can call the nurse."  I swear.  And after I let my primary physician talk me into seing another "specialist" several years later, I was seen by a nurse who was literally yawning in my face in boredom, would not answer any questions, walked out of the room repeatedly and left me hanging and basically only wanted me to join a study, but not until I had a biopsy.  And then I read the inserts on the drugs.  So if I seem a little turned off by standard medical care and seem so uninformed, perhaps this will shed some light.
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96938 tn?1189799858
It's a bit interesting how information flows in cycles in this forum.  For example, it was common for many people to preface with statements like 'there are no doctors on this forum but...'  There was also a time when 'change razors and toothbrushes' was a common recommendation.  Snook man and Snookmeister is indeed a real person (anothe South Florida guy at that).  He just stopped by a short time back.  And yes, I have seen the 'razor and toothbush' thing in reputable web locations.
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Avatar universal
I never threw out any razors or toothbrushes or hairbrushes.  I'm still UND at 44 wks probably cleared around wk 15.  
Did not re-infect myself and cut myself with my razor several times.  PCR shows steady log drop, no extreme increase or decrease in virus over 14 wk period.  I've never seen any published literature advising us to throw away our personal items each week because of re-infection to ourselves so I think that concept is rather far fetched.  I'm not saying it's totally impossible but if it were in jeopardy all HCV treatment advisories would include those instructions.  No sharing of personal items for sure.
Trinity

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Avatar universal
"SnookMan" is for real but since his post is five years old, I'll speak on his behalf as he doesn't come around here much.

Snookman treated with Dr. S. of Miami, arguably one of the best liver specialists in the country. I also threw out such personal items after I became UND at week 6 and periodically during treatment as well as after tx until SVR. Razors and toothbrushes would come to the top of the list. Threw razors out after each useand changed toothbrushes weekly. The virus can live on surfaces for days so why take the chance of reinfection, however small it may be.
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Avatar universal
Hope this question doesn't sound stupid, but how could a person "re-infect" themselves while on treatment?  Wouldn't this be like catching it twice? Don't you have antibodies that would protect against a new introduction of the virus?
Which leads me to a legitimate question (I'm not trying to yank anyone's chain), but I have wondered and have not seen this addressed any where:  If you have hep c, can you "catch" hep c again from another person who has a different genotype, either by blood to blood contact or through sex?  or can it be passed back and forth with the same genotype? or are you immune from any other hep c virus coming into your body?
Really want to know.  Thanks.
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Avatar universal
Are you for real? Or do you just get off spreading fear and drama? Throw out hairbrushes, razors, toothbrushes...re-infect while on treatment? I SERIOUSLY doubt your intentions and integrity, and don't try to avoid responsibility by crying, "I',m just passin along' what my doctor told me!'  Stupid (truly) is as stupid does. Interesting that you have no profile info, too.
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