Stopping TX

[applez]

I saw my Hepatologist today and she recommended I stop treatment and wait for PIs. My viral load only dropped from 7.89 x 10 (log 5) to 2.52 x 10 (log 5) after 16 weeks of Pegetron.

[PSP-n-Me]

I am sorry to hear that

[applez]

Thank you. I'll be OK until PI's arrive next year.

[nygirl7]

Just think of it this way - no more cruddy ribavirin for you!  Try to relax...have a good summer (hey now that you aren't on IFN you can go in the SUN!!!!) and then in the fall try and regroup.

It really does stink but...ENJOY it like a vacation if you can.  Cause you know next year...you'll be starting all over again and winning that battle!

(I know how hard it is, I didn't clear until week 24 - and I did 72 weeks of the junk...anc considered myself lucky to be able to do that.  I don't mean to make light of your situation I just don't want to be anymore of a downer than you've already had).

[HappyDeb]

[zazza]

I have had some trouble understanding the way you express your viral load numbers, but I think you mean you have dropped from 789'000 IU/ml to 252'000 IU/ml, which would be a 0.5 log drop. And yes, that unfortunately classifies you as a non-responder. So your and your doctor's decision to stop the treatment seems to be the only reasonable one.

I do hope there will be other drugs in the near future that will help you reach SVR! Best wishes, Zazza

[toughluck]

What geno are you, I am 1A and will be starting treatment tuesday, I'm aware 1A is tough to fight. My doctor said you might have a wild strain and respond anyone know what that is. I was also told if I do not respond they will stop treatment.

[toughluck]

[zazza]

See you are a fellow OCD'er. Finding this forum means you have found a wonderful support group that will help carry you through treatment. You are in the right place.

Wild-type virus is the virus as it is unaffected by treatment, thus the strains you have before treatment. When you start with interferon and ribavirin, the virus tries to mutate into more resistant strains than the wild-type ones. After an unsuccesful treatment the virus will to the largest extent mutate back into wild-type virus.

With geno 1 there are certain mile posts by which you can assess your progress. Viral load tests at week 4, 12 and sometimes 24 is recommended.

At week 4 an UND (undetectable) means you are a rapid responder. This is the best result! But having a 2-log drop or more at this point is also good, and even a drop of somewhere between 1 and 2 log is okay.

By week 12 you want to be UND. But being dectable and having a 2-log drop or more from your baseline viral load is okay, but means you need to discuss extension to 72 weeks with your doctor. You would also need to check at week 24 that you are UND by then.

If you have not dropped 2 log by week 12, or if you are not UND by week 24, you would be a non-responder, and there is no benefit in continuing treatment. That would mean you would have to wait for better drugs to be approved in the future.

So, depending on when you get UND, you are classified as:
UND by week 4 = rapid responder
UND by week 12 = early responder
UND by week 24 = slow responder

Hope to be seeing you more at the forum. Good luck with starting treatment!
Zazza

[toughluck]

Thanks, this forum has been very helpfull and another one for the (evil inside) Ocd. Sometimes I wonder what is worse the hcv or the ocd, having both of these is a challenge, I hope I can kill this virus before it gets me or slow it down.

[toughluck]

Just what I need to read brain damage before I start trearment, well maybe it will reverse the affects of my ocd.

[zazza]

Abbass is a stalker, shun his words. Thought he was banned from the forum.

I see you got the twinkle in your eye though! Yeah, wouldn't that be great if interferon killed the OCD in one's brain!