relapse

I had completed 2 courses of rebivarin/interferon therapy and had undectable levels of hep c for 5 years.
I just went for my check-up and the viral levels are again increasing.
Anyone else who relapsed out there?

[cottoncandy99]

Yes, I have as well as I  am waiting to go through treatments again as there is some many things that they have me doing that I never had to due before, Check eye and get clearance, Neurologist, giving clearance, and then NOW I have to go to a Rheumatologists and get clearance.  I think that this is a way that all the drs can get some money as I have med in fridge but can't take them YET!!!
Wishing you luck
cc

[hepmarge]

good luck to you too,
hepmarge

[frijole]

You were clear by a sensitive PCR test 6 months after your previous treatment?  How awful.  I too am a relapser, but I knew it 3 months after treatment.  I am currently waiting for better meds.
frijole

[troubleshooter1]

The doctors are telling you right. It's not the money. You could lose your eye sight the next time you go on treatment my good man. Those drugs are nothing to play with. Some people lose one eye after they come off of treatment. It happens. Some people come out of treatment with a bad case of eye floaters. Back pain, feet numb and all kinds of things. The doctors must cover themselfs if something happens to you. Hope you understand this. bye!

[comeagain]

Never heard about anyone who have been UNDfor 5 years and relapsed reinfected I´v heard.

ca

[tahoeunicorn]

I am sorry to hear of your relapse after 5 years. I don't recall ever seeing anything like that on here. I am wishing all the best for you..

cottoncandy--- I had to get all the clearances that you are talking about, I was already seeing a Rhumatoidologist before i even started seeing the GI. Although they had to do test and determined that the + rhum.Factor (which was extremely High)  was actually  caused by the HCV. Do The test!! my suggestion

Lynn

[Jacob43]

This is awful.  There is not much talk about any of this.  Even on many of the forums.  This is discouraging, and can actually understand why not too many would want to address this. Relapse would be a nightmare I'm sure, after reading how much people fight when on this treatment.  I'm really sorry.  

[jmjm530]

First I want to say how sorry I am that you appear to have the virus again.

That said, it would be irresponsible to others, especially those new here,  not to question a reported relapse after being undetectible for five years.

In short, this would be a very rare occurence if such a thing occurs at all. More likely would be either a false negative at six months post treatment or a false positive currently.

Are you absolutely certain you were UND six months post treatment. Do you know how sensitive the test used was. Are you sure you are positive for the virus now or perhaps just the antibodies. Most people will test positive for antibodies for life, regardless if they're cured or not.

Lastly, there is always the possiblity of reinfection, especially since so many people can't identify how they got Hep C the first time.

Again, I'm very sorry about the virus and hope you will take my reservations in the context that such a relapse is so rare that it would not be responsible not to question it on a public forum where so often information isn't communicated properly for one reason or another.

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

Just realized that this thread is from August 26th, and was posted in duplicate over in the other side here:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/609289?personal_page_id=119977&post_id=post_3331632

"Hepmarge" states in that thread that these results are preliminary and that they are being run by her original treatment doctor. She has not posted back in around a month so I tend to believe that there was some sort of mixup/miscommunication here and this was not a relapse after five years. This happens here from time to time.

-- Jim

[Jacob43]

Didn't see the other thread.  This makes better sense