30 day post treatment results

I just got results from Quest for my 30-day post treatment tests; I’m undetectable for serum HCV RNA by two different assays; a PCR QUANT <50 IU/mL, as well as a TMA QUAL <5 IU/mL.

While far from SVR status, this is clearly a step in the right direction.

Pretty cool, eh :o)?

Caucasian male, 53 years old

Geno 1a, low viral load

Type 2 diabetes

Diagnosed late ’04 with grade 3, stage 3/4 fibrosis

Treated with Pegasys commencing Feb ’05; late responder, I increased riba from 1200 mg/day to 1800 mg/day, and extended treatment to 56 weeks, to allow 36 consecutive weeks UND status. Relapsed within thirty days post Tx.

Re-treatment with PEG-Intron 200 µg/week and ribavirin 2 g/day (≈21 mg/kg) for 96 weeks, commencing Sept 15, ’06 and continuing through July 18, 08. Serum HCV RNA negative between week four and eight this time.

Thanks to everyone here for their guidance, help and friendship; and to those in the midst of treatment, keep it up… this stuff is more than smoke and mirrors; it actually seems to work :o).

I’ll keep everyone posted as I approach the 90 and 180 day benchmarks, and let you know how things are going forward.

Be well—

Bill

[mikesimon]

That is truly wonderful news Bill!
I tend to believe that relapse occurs very rapidly in most people but since they don't test right away they don't see it until later. I relapsed within 2.5 weeks and went from undetectable <5 IU/ml to 8.65 million IU/ml in less than 3 weeks. Of course, my situation is different due to my transplant and immunosupression but I think my experience might be illustrative. I wish you the very vest Bill.
Good luck,
Mike

[ladywhy]

Excellent!
Really glad to hear your good news, Bill.
Keep it comin'.
To your health!
y

[orphanedhawk]

My biggest congratulations on your improved condition.  Keep up the good work!
Fondly,             OH

[FloridaMouse]

AWESOME!

Mouse

[FlGuy]

That's great news.  I have been looking forward to hearing from you on pcr news. How are you feeling?

[Texas714]

I can't hear enough stories like this!
Good For You!

[TeeVee36]

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  You have been through a lot, looking forward to your 3 mos results and continued good health and happiness ;)

TV

[Proactive]

Super news Bill!!!!! Congrats to you, 96 weeks-unreal,well deserved results for sure.
pro

[charm27]

Great News wish you the best.
Celebrate!

[comeagain]

Wonderful news I like it when young lads like you clear at your age ( I`m born1953 ).

May the good God bless and protect you always.

Jan

[Isobella]

Absolutely cool!!!  Congratulations to you. This is a hard earned victory.  I can't wait to hear continued good news from you!!

Isobella

[can-do-man]

Well all right guy!!! Sounds great...... Would you like one dip or two???

Wishing you the best

can

[Xenigma]

Excellent!!
Wish you all the best....
enigma

[NewandConfused]

Amazing and inspiring news!  Congratulations!  I am so happy for you!

[IAmTheWalrus]

Great news, Bill!  Way to "Chuck Norris" the marathon TX.  It is definitely the right direction. Look forward to a well-earned SVR.

Best wishes to you, youngster!  Oldtimers like Jan and I need the encouragement.  ;)

- Brent1952

[kickboxingmom]

That is awesome news.
Tammy

[Andiamo1]

I thought I was tough, but you went through more than I could have.  Great news on the blood test.

Eric

[ladybug52]

I am so very very happy to hear this good news!
You are so awesome!
You rock!
Way to go!
I will write soon and "talk" more.....you are such a wonderful guy, you earned this..
HUGS, and love,
BUG (1953 by the way)
Not really Ladybug52, more like Ladybug 54 +11 months and 9 days.....:)

[pKinCA]

I *knew* it!!!!  Now to hear the same good news at 90 and 180 days -- can't wait!

Thanks for being a great pal to me in my times of tx distress... and post tx too :-)

pK

[orleans]

OH YEAH!

[eureka254]

You know what they say... if do something 30 days in a row... it becomes a habit!
Congratulations on the great news.  All my wishes for continued success!

Thanks for making me smile (again)!
~eureka

[alagirl]

Bill, I am SO excited for you!  You were one of the first people to welcome me when I showed up here a year ago all freaked out and not knowing what in the h I was doing to do.  I am so happy your tx is proving successful.  Fingers crossed and saying a prayer for you!

[Marcia2202]

Wonderful!!! You earned this in such a hard way and it is so so well deserved. I keep you in my prayers for the smooth continuation of this road to SVR!!!! God bless, Marcia

[geterdone]

Great News! I’m sure it has been one hard road to hoe and many miles covered. Congratulations!

jasper

[Trish77]

Now this makes me happy today, Bill.  Looking good going forward.  The best is yet to come, Bill.  Be good to yourself.

Trish

[Bill1954]

Wow, thank you all for your responses. I guess the news hasn’t fully registered yet… it’s going to take some time to get used to this.

FLGuy asked how I was feeling; I’m actually doing OK the last few days. I did begin to experience significant depression about a week after the final interferon injection; however, I’m hesitant to attribute this directly to treatment.

I had abruptly and prematurely discontinued the Lexapro I’d been prescribed about a month before completing IFN treatment (been taking it for the last four years), and I also have a history of on-again off-again clinical depression as well.

I restarted the AD two weeks ago, and I seem to be returning to my old grumpy self, finally :o). The depression was a bit of a surprise; I actually felt relatively good throughout Tx, and was surprised to get hit so hard at completion. I suppose the lesson, at least for me, is to respect the AD’s; they probably contributed more to my sense of well-being than I was aware of.

My ALT/AST remain in the normal range, and the rest of my lab values have returned to normal as well. I’ll re-test again at three months and six months, and post the results here.

My best wishes to all that are considering treatment, and congrats to those that already have this #### in their rear-view mirrors. Diagnosis and treatment can be a life-changing experience, but there are some precious and valuable lessons that can be gleaned from it if we take the time to recognize them.

Take care, all; and thanks again for your good words and well wishes.

Be well—

Bill

[medicmommy]

Whoo hooo!!!! I've been wondering how you've been doing! You news is incredible!!!! I can hardly wait to hear more good news soon!                            ~Melinda

[nygirl7]

Awesome news Bill it looks like you've made it - what a lovely lovely piece of news to start the holiday weekend with and it couldn't happen to a nicer man.

You deserve this.  Enjoy your celebration it's truly a Labor Day that you have EARNED!

Debby

[Kristina538]

That's just sooo fantastic and relieving and it was so really really wonderful to see your post.  You've helped so many here and your latest update has also been a huge source of inspiration.  
Congratulations Bill,  I so sincerely feel this huge lift in your life at this point (and love the smoke & mirrors comment, very appropriate).

[smaug48]

Great news, Ironman!!!

smaug

[jmjm530]

This is truly wonderful news! Your journey has been long and hard, but given the sensitivity of your two tests I think we can safely say you are almost definitely SVR.

All the best,

-- Jim

[jdwithhcv]

Great news, congrats.  You're a star!  Now on to SVR.

jd

[virgocharm]

congrats Bill thats awesome. you have helped me so much . you   were my hero.. dont go to far.

[Lady Lauri]

I LOVE seeing this post Bill! You have been thru some rough roads in this, tried a few times and SOOOO have to have killed this nasty virus this time. You are one tough
tx-er! 96 weeks ....I get brain fog thinking of it! We'll be seeing your 12 wk, UND news soon!

Depression in this tx is odd. I didn't get it until post and do have to wonder if I was too whacked, sick, brain fogged to know I was during!? Glad your back to your grumpy ol self :)

Keep up the UND news, you've done enough fighting.

LL

[Lady Lauri]

Look at all these 'oldies' your bringing out to congrat you :)

Your special :)
BTW, You amazed me in never once 'sounding' like a crazed 96 week tx man!

LL

[frijole]

Ah, dear friend, I am happy to see your post.  Like Mikesimon, I feel that if your were to relapse, it would be evident already.  Still, it would be nice to have monthly liver panels to check those liver enzymes.  My first indication of a relapse was a liver panel done in anticipation of a breast biopsy at week 10 post treatment.  I knew my enzymes intimately and was well aware of what was coming since they were higher than I could ever remember them being.  Still the 12 week post PCR that revealed the relapase was cutting.

You had great care, Bill.  Your team pulled you through very well with a regiment of increased Ribavirin and an excruciatingly long treatment plan.  Think I will try to track down fishdoc and give her the great news.
Kathy, your favorite buckeye

[Bill1954]

Thanks again for the good thoughts; as always, this forum comes through for me :o). I wish everyone all the best in their efforts to manage this disease, and I’ll keep the group posted as to further results.

Warm wishes to everyone—

Bill

[meki]

Right Direction????

It is the ONLY direction... LOL!


Congrats - and I am crossing my fingers and toes for you!

Hugs!

Meki

[kimmypoo2]

way to go
wooohoo
your  well on your way

[zazza]

This is such good news! It carries all the way to Sweden! I have not been online so much lately, but Comeagain made sure to fill me in on this important piece of information. Looking good for upcoming PCRs! My heart is happy for you!

Za

[tahoeunicorn]

Congratulations Bill, Bet you thought that you would never be  UND. I am soooo glad to hear that you are a SVR . maybe a little early but I am very very happy for you.

[fishdoc]

Bill, this will be the 3rd time I tried to post, so maybe in all things us old folks need to try more than once!!  I am so glad to hear your news, and I want to assure you- there is life after treatment...I'm going to try and post and if the hepgods let me, I'll post more later!!

consuelo dos gatos

[Tallahassee]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great, great news!!!!!!!

All the best all the way to SVR!!

[hopeful51]

YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have been waiting to hear this great news...

For me to you were the first to answer my question your kindness and knowledge have been a great help.

Now you give me hope.

So happy for you.
Hopeful51 ........ok so that makes me 57 just a kid

[DragonSlayer45]

Congratulations!!!! As I said a while back I am in awe of anyone who can do 96 weeks of this treatment. You are one tough dude Bill and have nothing but my respect. I hope you get the holy grail my friend.

I am not sure what happened but I originally replied to this post when you first posted it. I am not sure why it never made it. Although it is entirely possible that being in this treatment fog I closed it instead of posting or just thought I posted a response LOL. Anyway congrats.