Aa
Time for treatment
My AST is double; my ALT is triple, and my viral load is 6 million. I'll have to take a year off to get treatment and I feel like S--.
I agree with Trish and the others. you do not have to take a year off. Some people work the entire time they are on treatment. I plan on working all the way through (God willing). Some people get sides so bad they do not finish treatment some only moderate, some mild. There is no way to know how it will effect you until you try. I also agree with everyone else that you should get a biopsy and see where you are as far as damage to your liver. Even if you feel like Poop it does not necessarily indicate severity of liver damage. Some people go all the way to cirrhosis without any symptoms.
As far as new therapies go the only approved ones are pegylated interferon and ribavarin. The others are in all in trials. There are many new drugs in trials the ones you hear a lot about about are protease inhibitors (like telaprevir) and polymerase inhibitors (like R7128). They are just 2 examples of those types of drugs but are not the only 2 by any means. If you go to clinical trials you can look through and see what is out there.
As Gator said telaprevir is the farthest along and it is 2-3 years from FDA approval. It is given in addition to the current therapy so you will be getting a triple therapy. I am in the R7128 trial but it is only a phase 1 trial and is a long way off from becoming a reality, if it even makes it out of trials. Many drugs come along and look like the next great drug only to be canceled due to side effects or toxicity's that come up.
As far as new therapies go the only approved ones are pegylated interferon and ribavarin. The others are in all in trials. There are many new drugs in trials the ones you hear a lot about about are protease inhibitors (like telaprevir) and polymerase inhibitors (like R7128). They are just 2 examples of those types of drugs but are not the only 2 by any means. If you go to clinical trials you can look through and see what is out there.
As Gator said telaprevir is the farthest along and it is 2-3 years from FDA approval. It is given in addition to the current therapy so you will be getting a triple therapy. I am in the R7128 trial but it is only a phase 1 trial and is a long way off from becoming a reality, if it even makes it out of trials. Many drugs come along and look like the next great drug only to be canceled due to side effects or toxicity's that come up.
I'm at Week 15 and working fulltime. My job is more analytical, less physical so it's more mentally demanding, less physically demanding. I take a couple of night courses during the week that have been a bit of a challenge to find quite enough time for admittedly but mentally stimulating, gets me out of the house and keeps my mental and positive energy up. I have some activities I engage in as well that require some time out of me and also keep that good energy flowing. I rest up alot on weekends, that's absolutely essential. When I'm tired on a weeknight, I push everything aside and hit the pillow early. My main priority IS to work, so my MAIN energy gets applied to work and everything else in priority order after that. If I want to do something on a weekend, I make sure I get rested up all around it. I live on my own and while there is the occasional day when I wish I had someone else here, on the whole I'm managing pretty good.
I'm not saying it will be like that for you. I'm saying if you think everybody has to take a year off to go through treatment, there are a number of us who worked through it, either fulltime or modified ... and then others who were not able to work or chose not to. It's very individual for everyone.
What's important is to fully understand what treatment involves and what it will cost you physically, emotionally, mentally, financially and socially .. and if you have the personal resources and are prepared to make the commitment. It's normal to be scared .. this ain't no small potatoes. However, with some knowledge of what supports are available to you, good doctors taking care of you and some attitude, can be done. Sense of humour helps. :)
Good luck.
Trish
I'm not saying it will be like that for you. I'm saying if you think everybody has to take a year off to go through treatment, there are a number of us who worked through it, either fulltime or modified ... and then others who were not able to work or chose not to. It's very individual for everyone.
What's important is to fully understand what treatment involves and what it will cost you physically, emotionally, mentally, financially and socially .. and if you have the personal resources and are prepared to make the commitment. It's normal to be scared .. this ain't no small potatoes. However, with some knowledge of what supports are available to you, good doctors taking care of you and some attitude, can be done. Sense of humour helps. :)
Good luck.
Trish
I dunno about you - but I managed to work.
A lot of us worked through this stuff... We weren't at 100% - but if you have a decent job - with folks and FMLA - then you CAN do it.
It's not easy.
You have to keep pushing yourself - and you have to be able to force yourself when you feel like you've reached your total limit.
But you can do it... It's possible.
Whether you ---- personally can do it --- will be up to how you react to your Treatment.
Make sure you have a good doctor who can help you with your side affects.
Much luck to you!
Meki
A lot of us worked through this stuff... We weren't at 100% - but if you have a decent job - with folks and FMLA - then you CAN do it.
It's not easy.
You have to keep pushing yourself - and you have to be able to force yourself when you feel like you've reached your total limit.
But you can do it... It's possible.
Whether you ---- personally can do it --- will be up to how you react to your Treatment.
Make sure you have a good doctor who can help you with your side affects.
Much luck to you!
Meki
Are you sure you have to take a year off to TX? I just started TX last month and have had my 4th shot and was able to work so far. I am going to modify my work schedule to 30 hours so every other day is a shorter day. My sister was a doll and hired a maid for me every other week so I can save my energy for work and family. I expected to feel a lot worse. I have my ups and downs with fatigue, headaches and sun sensitivity but so far it is doable. It sounds like your already feeling bad though. Take good care of yourself and listen to Hector he is very knowledgeable.
Sounds like you are doing all the right things. I have just started in a clinical trial for Telaprevir. I learned that I had hcv gt 1b just under two years ago...then hit the internet. I learned about the new drugs and made it my mission to get ahold of them. My GI said my biopsy looked good and I had time to wait for the treatment...he didn't encourage me to look into the trials...I had to twist his arm...I have had some jerks for Doctors.
there are two new drugs in trials right now...Telaprevir, a protease inhibitor that is showing promise. It looks like patients have a much higher rate of SVR with half the treatment time...it should be on the market in 2 years.
the other is R7128, a polymerase inhibitor also showing promise I don't know how fast this will be on the market.
Google them both...there are people here who are in both studies...keep an eye out and ask questions. I have only been a member here for a couple of weeks and have found the patrons to be knowledgable and very willing to help...this is a great place for help and info...stay tuned.
there are two new drugs in trials right now...Telaprevir, a protease inhibitor that is showing promise. It looks like patients have a much higher rate of SVR with half the treatment time...it should be on the market in 2 years.
the other is R7128, a polymerase inhibitor also showing promise I don't know how fast this will be on the market.
Google them both...there are people here who are in both studies...keep an eye out and ask questions. I have only been a member here for a couple of weeks and have found the patrons to be knowledgable and very willing to help...this is a great place for help and info...stay tuned.
Sounds like you have a lot of inflammation going on. Glad to see you have been taking care of yourself. That will have helped to slow the progression of your liver disease.
Now that you are motivated, get a biopsy. Find out how your liver is doing. The results will help you decide IF and WHEN to start treatment. Remember if your liver damage is very advanced it starts to impact your chances of SVR. So don't wait any longer.
What genotype are you? That will determine your chances of SVR and how long you must treat.
Best of luck to you!
Hector
Now that you are motivated, get a biopsy. Find out how your liver is doing. The results will help you decide IF and WHEN to start treatment. Remember if your liver damage is very advanced it starts to impact your chances of SVR. So don't wait any longer.
What genotype are you? That will determine your chances of SVR and how long you must treat.
Best of luck to you!
Hector
Thank you - what new drugs??? When are they due? I would appreciate any information you may have. I do try and take care of myself. I hike, no liquor, don't smoke, exercise and I don't eat red meat.
...you aren't getting any younger and your health isn't going to improve on it's own. Get a biopsy, see where you stand and if you can wait for the new drugs you may only have to treat for 24 weeks....not to mention the fact that some people don't have a bad enough reaction to need to quit work.
What ever you do, don't pretend it's not there and take good care of yourself.
What ever you do, don't pretend it's not there and take good care of yourself.
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