hepatitis

[tasker78]

im doing the triple therapy and the hep c has been gone for 3 months and the viral load went from 350,000 to negative in 2.5 month from starting the treatment..  i can continue but my blood was bad when i started and worse now- since virus went quick should i risk permanent damage by continuing/

[katperry1]

Try Promacta for raising platelets.  I am on 50 mg per day and it is working to keep platelets up to a tolerable level.   My platelet reading is curently at 40 in the 13th week of treatment.  

[jules2551]

Wow major criss cross here!  

[jules2551]

"The bood boosters were too risky also"

I dont understand what you are referring to.  Neup or Procrit?  Whichever, why do you think its "too risky"?

Which tx are you on Inc or Vic?

Sorry I dont know your history but what was your 4 & 8 wk VL depending on your PI.?  

So you were UND @ wk 10 and you are considering stopping tx @ wk 12?  I hope you are seeing a qualified Hepa because you really need to talk to him.

Good luck!  Jules

[pooh55811]

PS: If you are on triple med treatment and you did not clear at 4 weeks after starting the Protease Inhibitor, then you need to do 48 weeks of treatment for the best chance at SVR. If you are cirrhotic, you need to do 48 weeks regardless for the best chance at SVR.

Also, is this the first time you treated or did you treat in the past?

[pooh55811]

Opps, sorry, just noticed you did say you were on triple therapy so you are Genotype 1. Did you take Incivek or Victrelis?

[pooh55811]

Welcome to the forum.

It would help us to respond better if you would give us more information.

What Genotype are you?

What is your fibrosis stage? Are you Cirrhotic?

Which drug regimen are you on? (Interferon and Ribavirin or were you on triple med. treatment, Interferon, Riba, and a Protease Inhibitor.)

You said you cleared the virus (became Undetectable) at 2.5 months. That is not early clearance.

How long have you treated now, how many weeks have you been on treatment?

Which blood counts are low?  Hemoglobin? Absolute Neutrophils? Platelets? And how low is each one of them?

Have you tried an y of the rescue drugs (Procrit, Neupogen, Promacta)?

If you give us more information we can better help you. Otherwise we are shooting in the dark.

I will say though that you did NOT clear the virus early, and that being Undetectable for only 3 months is not very long. If there is any way to stay on treatment, it would be bnest to stay on treatment. Again, with more information, maybe we can give you more informed responses.

[can-do-man]

Ok

[tasker78]

the blood boosters were too risky also- my count went down to 20 and is hovering about 25- i think the bleeding risks are greater than the viral return risks. liver enzymes are good

[cheflady]

i agree with above my hubby viral load was only 11.000 at start he was UND at wk4 and continued to stay UND throughout his 24wk of tx his blood went very low over here in Britain we dont have procit so he was given folic acid to help and keep him on tx. Please continue it is the best way forward

[can-do-man]

It is quite common for blood levels to get worse while on treatment, a sign the meds are working. If you want to be cured from Hep C then staying on treatment is the best thing to do. You don't mention what blood levels are of a concern. But there are drugs out there to boost levels. From what you said above you were not a eRVR which makes it all more important you continue............. Best to you.