Aa
Another ??? Since I responded early Do I really need to be on the meds for another three months?
My mom has been looking into this especially because of the crazy side effects. (Like my mood swings and just bein misreable). She read somewhere online that if you repsond quickly that you may not need to continue treatment for the full 24 weeks. Does anyone know if this is the case ? I have bloodwork the last week in aug ,then I see my Dr. right after Labor Day. So I will ask him , But was wondering if anyone here knew ? Also I was contacted by someone from the hepassoc I mean that is what the email said. And she wanted to know if I wanted to participate in a study , has this happened to anyone on here? Thanks again
If you had been on 800 riba from the beginning and had a 4 week undetected viral load test, I'd be the first to tell you that there's little statistical difference between a geno 2 doing 12 weeks or doing 24. Given the tx you're doing, there's not much to base that decision on.
For the lack of one pill / day and one test at week 4.
I'm glad you like your doctor - I'd be somewhat annoyed with him.
For the lack of one pill / day and one test at week 4.
I'm glad you like your doctor - I'd be somewhat annoyed with him.
Hi Lexie,
Hope you have a good visit at the doc's, see what he has to say and get back to us.
Maybe show these studies to your mom and doc:
First, one to give weight to a short course:
"In HCV patients with genotype 2 or 3, 12-week combination therapy is as efficacious as 24-week therapy and several independent covariates were predictive of SVR." http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-230X/10/21
Second, one to qualify the above by stressing the need for more confirmatory studies:
"While these findings suggest that a 12 week course of treatment may be effective in selected patients with genotype 2 or 3 infection, most experts will await confirmatory studies before prescribing a 12 week short course of therapy for these genotype 2 and 3 patients." http://depts.washington.edu/hepstudy/hepC/mgmt/hcvrx/discussion.html
And three, a study posted last week, that makes your low dose of 600 mg riba a serious factor, if not an outright counter-indicator:
"A controversial issue in genotypes 2 and 3 therapy that might explain part of previous inconsistencies across trials is the optimal dose of ribavirin to be used in combination with Peg-IFN: whenever ribavirin was given at higher dosage (800–1400 mg daily, according to body weight) than the one currently recommended (800 mg daily), the benefit of short therapy appeared evident;[1–4] on the contrary, when the administered dosage was the fixed 800 mg daily dosage,[11, 12] the benefit waned off." http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/723032
That last study mentions 15.2 mg/kg ribavirin as the best balance between efficacy and a manageable safety profile but you're 130 pounds (59 kg), taking 600 mg of riba, which is 10.2 mg/kg, far below 15.2. Even 800 mg would have been 13.6 mg/kg.
And you didn't test after four weeks to confirm UND (even though as a geno 2, it so very likely was the case).
My view would be to stick it out for the 24 weeks, unless there are significant issues that you haven't mentioned. That low-dose riba and lack of a four week PCR tip this against the short course but otherwise, I'd be one to gamble on it myself.
How are doing in terms of side effects and is your mom leaning one way or the other?
Susan
Hope you have a good visit at the doc's, see what he has to say and get back to us.
Maybe show these studies to your mom and doc:
First, one to give weight to a short course:
"In HCV patients with genotype 2 or 3, 12-week combination therapy is as efficacious as 24-week therapy and several independent covariates were predictive of SVR." http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-230X/10/21
Second, one to qualify the above by stressing the need for more confirmatory studies:
"While these findings suggest that a 12 week course of treatment may be effective in selected patients with genotype 2 or 3 infection, most experts will await confirmatory studies before prescribing a 12 week short course of therapy for these genotype 2 and 3 patients." http://depts.washington.edu/hepstudy/hepC/mgmt/hcvrx/discussion.html
And three, a study posted last week, that makes your low dose of 600 mg riba a serious factor, if not an outright counter-indicator:
"A controversial issue in genotypes 2 and 3 therapy that might explain part of previous inconsistencies across trials is the optimal dose of ribavirin to be used in combination with Peg-IFN: whenever ribavirin was given at higher dosage (800–1400 mg daily, according to body weight) than the one currently recommended (800 mg daily), the benefit of short therapy appeared evident;[1–4] on the contrary, when the administered dosage was the fixed 800 mg daily dosage,[11, 12] the benefit waned off." http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/723032
That last study mentions 15.2 mg/kg ribavirin as the best balance between efficacy and a manageable safety profile but you're 130 pounds (59 kg), taking 600 mg of riba, which is 10.2 mg/kg, far below 15.2. Even 800 mg would have been 13.6 mg/kg.
And you didn't test after four weeks to confirm UND (even though as a geno 2, it so very likely was the case).
My view would be to stick it out for the 24 weeks, unless there are significant issues that you haven't mentioned. That low-dose riba and lack of a four week PCR tip this against the short course but otherwise, I'd be one to gamble on it myself.
How are doing in terms of side effects and is your mom leaning one way or the other?
Susan
There was a woman here with genotype 2 who cleared at week 2 and stopped after 14 weeks who is SVR.
There was also a man who had to stop at week 7 and he too cleared.
But its a crap shoot.
Unfortunately we don't have a crystal ball to tell us what will work for you.
There was also a man who had to stop at week 7 and he too cleared.
But its a crap shoot.
Unfortunately we don't have a crystal ball to tell us what will work for you.
I am 5'9" and weigh 130 the reason I think the Riba is lower is because of the viral load being lower in the first place , the test that was done on 8/9 was HCV-RT PCR Quanitation which was >43 HCVRNA not detected. I like my Dr and will continue treatment if I should , like I said earlier I will have the test done again the last week in AUG. Then go and see him and see if he thinks I need additional treatment. Thanks for all ur help.
Lexie,
How many shots had you had when your PCR was taken? RVR is is UND during or by 4 wks or after the 4th shot and not before the 5th.
How many shots had you had when your PCR was taken? RVR is is UND during or by 4 wks or after the 4th shot and not before the 5th.
I'm thinking that a true RVR is someone who is UND by week 2. ???????????? Now that I type it, I'm wondering if it isn't week 4. Oh!!!! How I hate this brain fog!!!!!!!!!
When I started this my viral load was 2,895 it was before my 8th shot that my bloodwork came back saying >43 . hcv not detected and they could not do a log ten because of the numeric value of the HCV Quanitation.
UND status revealed 2 months into tx. At what week was the PCR actually taken?
RVR or not?
RVR or not?
You don't mention WHICH week you went undetectible by and if it was an ultrasensitive test so that you are SURE you are UND for real.
600 can't be enough riba even if you are extremely small is there some reason she is on a reduced dose?
I wouldn't stop early if you don't have all the answers to these questions in fact I would not stop early unless she was UND by week 2 and that test was extremely sensitive. It's only 24 weeks, if she relapses she would have to do it all over again with more meds for a longer time period (or add a PI if and when they come out in the future).
Just because one becomes undetectible does not mean they will STAY that way. There are members in here who have done 72 weeks of treatment and still relapsed. 24 weeks is nothing comparitively to faillure.
Good luck.
600 can't be enough riba even if you are extremely small is there some reason she is on a reduced dose?
I wouldn't stop early if you don't have all the answers to these questions in fact I would not stop early unless she was UND by week 2 and that test was extremely sensitive. It's only 24 weeks, if she relapses she would have to do it all over again with more meds for a longer time period (or add a PI if and when they come out in the future).
Just because one becomes undetectible does not mean they will STAY that way. There are members in here who have done 72 weeks of treatment and still relapsed. 24 weeks is nothing comparitively to faillure.
Good luck.
With that strain, do the full amount - 24 weeks. You're only doing 600 Riba, is that weight based, how much are taking ? give me doses.
If you stop tx early you might relapse.
If you stop tx early you might relapse.
I am geno type 2b, I have been doing 1 injection a week of interfuron ,Ribivirin 200 mg 2 in the am ,1 in the eve. Ferrous Sulfate twice a day and 1 Folic Acid a day. My WBC is 1.8. I have heard that the WBC takes a while to return to normal even after I stop treating. I am dealing with everything ok. I just on't see why I would need three more months of treatment. Thanks
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