Wanted:: G-1 Rapid Responders

I'm looking for feedback from other G-1s who are / were rapid responders,and who did not complete the full 48 weeks.

1) How many weeks did you go?
2) Are you still SVR?

Many thanks.
*peg*

[Joey_M]

Hi Peg,

I see from your profile that you are around at week 40 and started with a high viral load. This study may be an interesting read for you:
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hep_c/news/2008/070408_a.html
Two findings that are noteworthy:
"• Overall, the 48-week treatment arm had a significantly higher SVR rate compared with the 24-week arm (79% vs 59%; P = 0.002). "
"• For 87 patients (43.5%) who achieved RVR, the 48-week arm also had a higher SVR rate than the 24-week arm (100% vs 88.9%; P = 0.056). "

Seems your chances of SVR are good at week 40 but seems higher if you make it through 48 weeks. Are you thinking to stop now?

[meakea]

Peg, I'm a 1b and I just finished my 48 weeks of tx by taking the last of the riba last night.  I was a rapid responder by being UND at 4 weeks and I had a very low starting VL of 30,100.  Unfortunately, my doc was not on board with me stopping early because he did not feel it was in my best interest to do so.  So, I continued on and finished the 48 weeks.  

I have another net friend who is a 1a, she finished her 48 weeks about 6 weeks ago and she was a rapid responder by being UND at 4 weeks.  Unfortunately, she just learned that she relapsed at her 4 weeks post tx VL test.  

So, in my opinion, there's no guarantee for any of us that 24 weeks will work or 48 weeks will work.  It's kind of a **** shoot and we do what we think is best for us individually.  

[jdwithhcv]

I am a g1a, was RVR and went the full 48 weeks.  I would not have dared to stop before that.  Starting VL was 6 million.

jd

[PegOnPeg]

To fellow fighters:

Thank you SO much for your input.

In my heart, I know that I'll go to at least 47 weeks ; )   The psycological victory to be able to trash the last peg-pen is one of the few things that can put a smile on my face these days.

I'm sure that I don't have to tell you that's its been a rough ride.  I consider myself a tough b****, but this stuff has beat me up pretty badly. It's been humbling. Physically, I've tolerated tx very well, but it's chipped away at my mind...my emotional health, & after 40 weeks, with an end finally in site, it's so tempting to step away from it and begin to walk the path to get my life back.

Joey:  Thanks for the links to those studies.  I've been looking for this type of data, but have not been able to find it.

meakea: There are no guarantees...it's all a **** shoot, isn't it?  We're only working with odds.  I'm so sorry to hear about your friends relapse.  Ultimately, this is what scares me the most. If the virus comes back, I will not do this again.

*regards*

[nygirl7]

I was actually what seemed to be a rapid responder going down to 411 at week 4 but then........I was still at 419 at week 12 and didn't really clear until somewhere before week 24.

it is crucial to use a sensitive test to know for SURE that you are UND before even considering lessening treatment. I wouldn't do it myself even if I had gotten to und at week 2.......just in case some of those buggers are hiding out somewhere aside from your blood stream who knows how long they might really be around waiting to come back?

Good luck - go the distance if you can. I ended up doing 72 but I"ve been cured for over two years. It was worth it.

[meakea]

Peg, I understand exactly what you're saying about how beaten down you are now at week 40.  I was feeling the EXACT same thing you just typed in your post at that exact time in my treatment.  I was sooo tempted to quit based on my RVR at 4 weeks and I mentioned it to my doc a couple of times and he reassured me I could do the 48 and that it was in my best interest to do so.  I also knew that, deep down, I could not quit before taking all the meds so I kept trudging forward.  I reached the end yesterday by taking the last of my riba last night.  Today is my first day of not adding  more meds to my system and I'm so glad I went the distance.  

I feel fried today (mentally and physically), kind of like Humpty Dumpty today -- but I'm gradually going to build up the strength to try to put myself back together again, piece by piece.

Hang in there and best of luck!!

[newleaf09]

This is a special interest of mine, as I was URVR.  These are links to popular publications:

http://www.natap.org/2007/HCV/021207_01.htm
http://www.natap.org/2005/AASLD/aasld_55.htm
http://www.natap.org/2007/AASLD/AASLD_62.htm
http://www.natap.org/2006/HCV/042106_02.htm

I have also collected the actual studies and much, much more on the topic.  The key is low VL to start.  For 1a's the limit is, I believe, <200,000, for 1b's <800,000.

I was 1b with VL 275,000. I was UD on SOC by the 1 week PCR (after 2 peg shots).  I imagine you were too, if you had had a 1 week PCR.  I'll send you a message off line.  Please check your inbox.

Newleaf

[orleans]

I (WAS?) am G1.and was UND at week 2. (I have a $10k deduct. policy and had to pay out of pocket for my labs so got PCRs when ever I wanted them, thus the 2 week result.) I did Alinia + SOC 283k starting vl, infected 37 years, bx stage 3. UND at 12 week post tx. I stopped the Riba at week 25 because I started having DAILY migraines. I continued the IFN and Alinia to week 36 then tapered.  jerry

[alagirl]

i was a geno 1b, also a rapid responder.  I treated for around six months - peg/riba SOC.  HOWEVER, I was a documented acute patient and treated acutely.  My viral load was also very low at the beginning of tx.  I am SVR.

[alagirl]

I also have to say that even though I was treating acutely and had a low viral load and was a rapid responder, I had still planned on treating the entire 48 weeks.  As it happened, my bone marrow shut down and I couldn't sustain a longer tx, but if I had been able to, I might have just to be on the safe side.

[uniqueflower]

I started with a viral load of 880,000.  RVR at 4 weeks.  Stopped Tx at 43 weeks due to extreme symptoms (I was in bed 5 days out of 7 and my eyes were starting to go pre-cataract).  My viral count stayed UND (  < 28 ) during the entire course of Tx

3 Mos after Tx count was still UND and my 6 month is in Oct.
I am not a doctor but I suspect a week or two either way doesn't make a difference - it's not rocket science - it's medicine and everyone is different.

By the way 2 weeks after Tx my weakness and other symptoms started to go away and by 6 weeks after Tx I felt better then ever.  

4 months after Tx now and I feel fantastic!  Better then I have in several years.