second time

[mirceani]

5 years ago I had 8 weeks of treatment with Pegintron and ribavirin. I am 52 y male, gen 1a.
Dr at that time stopped treatmend saying it is not working.

Current dr wants me to do it again, this time with Pegasys and Ribavirin.

Is it worth it, or I am just puting myself through this again, for nothing ?

Are there any pationtw with similar case, who failed Pegintron and succeeded with Pegasys?

Thank you

[frijole]

It kind of amazes me that your viral load did not come down significantly with 8 weeks of treatment.

Mild portal inflammation sounds like grade 1.  That is what I am -- grade 1, stage 1. Portal inflammation indicates that the inflammation has not yet spread to the entire liver.  It is still centered around the portals -- the areas that the blood comes into the liver.  Portal triads are where the veins come into the liver and (I think) where the veins go out.  Janis has a lot of good information on reading biopsy reports and understanding the progression of inflammation to scarring (fibrosis) to cell death (necrosis).

http://janis7hepc.com/biopsy.htm

Perhaps you will do better with the 1200 mg Ribavirin per day - I believe standard is .  You may respond earlier with the Pegasys - I sure don't know.  I hope the doctor is ordering earlier PCRs - especially at 4 weeks to see what is happening.  There isn't much sense in continuing if you don't have a 1 log drop each month.  

Since your damage is not great you could wait.  Personally, I would give it a shot and see.  If you don't respond by 12 weeks, don't continue.  Many here would tell you not to treat with your limited amount of damage.  It really is a personal decision.  I am currently on the fence, myself.  I failed one treatment and haven't decided when or if to start again.  I responded and relapsed so many of the experts say I can clear if I do it long enough.  Just not sure right now I want to devote that much time to it.  

I wish you luck,
frijole

[mirceani]

Not really sure (don't have the exacyt numbers) , but I believe viral load did not significanlty change during those 8 weeks. That's why that doc decided to stop it.
I was taking 5 Ribavirins a day - 200mg each
Current doc wants me to take 6 pills a day, same 200 mg each

Also pegintron in 2002 was 120MC, this new one (Pegasys) will be 180MC

I just had first biopsy, and shows mild portal inflamation - so there is some damage, not catastrophic yet.

[frijole]

It is hard to offer an opinion (and that is all I have) with the information you have provided.  Do you know what your viral loads were on your first treatment - pre treatment and at 8 weeks?  Do you remember how much Ribavirin you were taking?  Some people do respond to Pegasys better than Pegintron.  Some people say the sides are not as bad with the Pegasys.  When you ask, is it worth it, I think you have to relate that to how much liver damage you have.  Can you afford to wait?  If you can't  than you should probably give it a shot.  
frijole