Treatment path with pegasys

[Quang]

I am about to finishing up my 48 weeks of pegasys and the result is not very positive.  I'll have to continue with the treatment with one of the following antiviral options

mono Tenofovir;
combo Tenofovir + Entecavir;
combo Tenofovir + Lamvudine;

Anyone experienced with above combos?  Thanks

[veteranB]

That is a good point. I am just telling you what I was told by the people that take it. That it is much easier to tolerate the medication taken  in one pill rather then taking multiple pills of these individual compounds  during the day.  

[imdb90]

"Truvada is optimized to be less toxic"

Truvada is 300 mg of tenofovir and 200 mg of emtricitabine. How come Truvada is less toxic than Viread? Because Truvada itself contains 300 mg of tenofovir.

[Quang]

I'll talk with my doctor about "Truvada".  Thank you veteranB

[4est]

"Try Truvada. There are reports that it clears surface antigen at 11% per year.  The benefit of interferon still will be there as it had a long lasting effect." - do you have this reports ?

"Five years ago they were right on the spot with Baraclude saying it is weak drug and resistance issue will be a problem with HBV.." - Baraclude dosn't have a resistance  issue on naive patients (has a resistance issue on LAM resistance patients)

[veteranB]

Docs over at UCLA Aids Center  that treat hep B also.. suggest for people like us to take Truvada till something better comes. Five years ago they were right on the spot with Baraclude saying it is weak drug and resistance issue will be a problem with HBV.. They were suggesting me to take Tenofovir. but I didn't and went with the Baraclude that was recommended by UCSD Hepatologist that now tells me interferon is better :)

But Truvada is optimized to be less toxic. Because NUCS toxicity is a big theme with HIV folks and from what I have read on their forums people say Truvada is very tolerable. that is from people that were on Tenofovir and other drugs.

So talk with your doctor and see what he thinks.. maybe you can do a year of Truvada and see what happens.. that way you will have a sequential treatment anyway that is being emphasized in a research settings.

Adding Zadaxin to an antiviral could be great also. It is proven that it enhances positive effects of post interferon treatment. So in a combo with antiviral it can be a could combo to try for six months.

[Quang]

Thanks for your input VeteranB!
I live in U.S and do see Truvada approved by FDA few months ago.

[Quang]

Hbs quantitative tet was not available in U.S.  
My viral count went down first six months and started increasing since

[andrey19]

I have noted this about US which is very very rediculous. Then how can doctors monitor your Hbsag progress with interferon therapy? If they can not, what is the point to prescribe interferon if you can not see the real result?

[veteranB]

some countries dont have the surface antigen test  available. In the US for example it is not available and fibroscan also.

[veteranB]

Try Truvada. There are reports that it clears surface antigen at 11% per year.  The benefit of interferon still will be there as it had a long lasting effect.

But etv + tdf is also a good combo. It is just truvada is optimised combo to be less toxic.

From taking entecavir for 6 years i can tell you one thing  that just about all drugs enhance etv and sometimes the  associated headaches are tough to cope with. And from what I take tenofovir is  an even more potent drug with a higher dose.  Taking two of them will require very close monitoring of you.

Depending what country you live you may try to tdf + zadaxin - which is an immune enhancer with no sides. Because what we really need is an immune stimulator and antiviral in a combo. That is what the researchers seem to be doing at least.  

[andrey19]

What do you mean by not positive? How did your quantitative Hbs change during the treatment with pegasys?