Stopping Treatment Early Possibly

[Ajw78757]

Throwing this out there for some opinions/theories from others.
There are some really knowledgeable people on this site.

Background:

I was on Incivek for 12 weeks and missed one single dose only.
I have been on SOC (including the 12 weeks w/incivek) for  a full 18 weeks now and
have maintained full adherence to dosing of SOC.

Geno 1a
Started TX w/ VL >20,000,000 and AST/ALT 150/350 range for last 5 yrs or so
within 10 days (first PCR) my VL dropped to 40 and close to normalized LFT.
4 week and 12 weeks PCR was UND.
LFT have stayed normal after 3 weeks


Stopping Early Rebuttals:

I know it is not recommended because the only time frame tested in trials was 24 weeks-
I know that I 'SHOULD" just do the 24 weeks just to make sure.
I know many had to do 48 or 72+ weeks (I feel your pain).
And yes, maybe I am just being a baby wanting to stop early.

MY theory (not fact) :

The virus is gone. Has been gone for a while now.
INF/RIBA have done for my body all it can in relation to the Hep C Virus.
I am continuing taking it because that's the only data published.

My Drs. input:

He cannot recommend stopping early because the data only supports 24 week TX time.
He also said if I were to stop anything early, stop the INF and to continue with the RIBA.
He also said if I stopped the INF a couple weeks early, it probably wouldn't have much of an impact on SVR-
BUT- he cannot recommend doing so, nor can he recommend how early would be "probably ok"

My POSSIBLE plan:

Continue with RIBA full 24 weeks, but stop INF at week 20 or 22
I feel like the INF in particular is not beneficial to me at this point.

I am not for sure going to stop, I am a very cautious person (mostly).
And I would hate to retreat- but given the new trials without INF at all, and
if I continue the RIBA I don't think stopping the INF early is going to have much of an effect on SVR.

Anyone care to offer discussion?

In particular-

I know no one is a Dr., BUT- If you were going to stop the INF early how early?


Thanks,

Aaron

[flcyclist]

We all go through periods of questioning and indecision during trt. Its good to hear input from this knowledgable base to point you to the right path.  You asked for opinions and got some great input.  Everyone wants to see you succeed to SVR.  Best of luck to you.

[frijole]

grade 4 of inflammation and stage 3 of fibrosis according to your profile.

Why not add -- risk taker

[nygirl7]

+1 Candyman with this 'new' treatment it seems that people can just make up whatever protocols they feel like - darn dont you wish we could have treated that way! But nah we were too busy with our 50% odds trying to get to SVR maybe if we had a 75% chance at success we would have figured it was worth the risk to just make up stuff helter skelter.

I guess nobody remembers the other 25%, sadly they probably will be totally compliant.

[can-do-man]

Wow, people come on here, ask for peoples opinions, don't like what they hear and were the ones with the additude.

[1oftheclub222]

You didn't like my metaphor?  I thought it was brilliant...I'm crushed, ha...

Obviously everyone here has an emotional vested interest in this subject, or we wouldn't be here, hard not to chime in with ones personal opinion...

Best of luck on your decision, keep us posted on how it turns out....

[Ajw78757]

I apologize for my inconsistency.

I did not "state" I was doing the dose reduction on my earlier post, I actually used the word "considering" - and after some reflection that "considering" turned into a decision.