Entacavir & labs

[shawzam]

I finished one year of Pegasys Interferron with a VL of 30 million (down from 700 million when I started) at the end of February.  In early April I started Entacavir. The day before I started Entacavir I had a baseline VL drawn. It was 200 million. How often should I have a VL drawn?  My Dr seems reluctant to draw earlier than at threee months.  Any thoughts?

[cajim]

Thank you very much, shawzam, for sharing.

[shawzam]

I did the Pegasys Interferron for one year.  I had one shot once a week.  The shot wasn't bad at all, I gave it to myself in my tummy.  The sx I had were memory lapses/loss, flu like symptoms, fatigue, tingling hands, neck pain/stiffness, sleep problems (especially at first) and loss of appetite during the last six months of tx.  I gave up driving for most of the year.  I'm a stay at home Mom with a 19 year old live at home autistic son so I don't work. Because of other health issues that I have, working during tx would have been very difficult for me.  

Hope my experience is helpful to you.  Thanks for asking.

[cajim]

Would appreciate your sharing your Pegasys Interferron treatment experience.

1. How did you receive it?
2. How did you feel during treatment?
3. Were you able to work?
4. Were you able to drive?

Thank you.

[Ann8]

Understand you had gone through Pegasys Interferron treatment, do you have the sx reported by HVC pts? Pls share...Thank you

[stevenNYer]

I think 3 months is fine.  With a high 200 million VL, you may want to ask your doctor about combo treatment (Entacavir and another antiviral, preferrably TDF, or at a minimum ADV).  The greater the VL, the greater adpative power the virus have.  You want to minimize risk for resistance since you may need life-long treatment.  Combo trreatment will offer a higer genetic barrier against resistance, which is what need to be considered for long term treatment.  Also, with that high VL, you should be on the Entecavir 1mg instead of the 0.5mg.  The goal should be to drop the VL as qucikly as possible.  Good luck.

[Ann8]

3 mths seems appropriate unless you are dealing with antiviral w/ high % of pts develop resistance. Current Entacavir 5-yr data points to ~1.2 % resistance.....