At 3 months, UDT, I need to stop, success % ?

[Carygott]

I am at month 3 of triple meds.  I was UDT at 3 weeks and presently at 12 weeks.

I need to stop everything because of vision and fatigue and mental problems.

Is there a know potential success rate for 12 weeks triple therapy UDT?

Thks

Cary

[Idyllic]

I know it doesn't seem like it but you made it past a huge milestone. It is really easy to tell someone to buck up and just hang in there without knowing all the facts as well as their situation but you are UND. After treating four times and striking out I would hope that would go a long way to keep you in the game. Sorry about all the sports analogies but seriously if there is a way to obtain intervention for your fatigue it might go a long way into easing some of the psychological discomfort and anguish. Plus, depending on which PI you are taking week 13 might be a big improvement to how you feel now.

Trust me we all feel horrible so I do not say these words easily. It is just that you have really come so far. I hope this works out and you keep us informed about what you decide and maybe even offer more details.

[belle19]

i agree with stormy.  please , please try to keep going with your tx.  i hope your sx are minimized after incivek.  hang in there.  best of luck to you.  belle

[stormy456]

i would agree with all posters above, if there is ANY way that you can get support to get you through the next 12 weeks, please, please try.  I know it's tough, but you've definitely been through the worst of the ride.  Your chances of kicking this virus are excellent if you can somehow manage to get through the SOC part of tx.  Many of your side effects should ease up now.  Can you contact your doctor again and see if they would be willing to support you the rest of the way?

[pooh55811]

Oops ... I misread your (other) post.  When you asked, "is there a lower rate for Peg and Ri after the end of Incivek? " I thought you meant a lower rate of payment, lower cost for the meds.

Talk about brain fog and inability to even understand a simple question. I think I have a few neurotransmitters taking a nap.

[willbb]

Is there a know potential success rate for 12 weeks triple therapy UDT
-------------------------------------
No... there is no data on success stopping at only 12 weeks,however to give up a 95 % chance(as hrsepwrguy has copied above)  of eradication of HCV from your life for good because of side effects (unless extremely severe and suggested by your doctor ) would be a shame ..

"You say you must stop because of fatigue ,vision problems and mental problems"

Fatigue is experienced by nearly 100% of patients doing HCV therapy and is never life-threatening and often changes in intensity throughout tx.

"Mental problems" as you sate can be anything from " slight anxiety" to severe depression .

Has your doctor diagnosed you with  depression? If so there are a number of medications that could possibly help with this or if already on one than perhaps an increase in dosage or a change of drug altogether. Also there are many medications to help alleviate "anxiety"

Vision problems are also quite common doing Interferon therapy and for the most part are not dangerous ,however if there are symptoms of such then a visit to an opthamologist would be in order( as described below)

Perhaps with the chance of the treatment success you have,you may want to exhaust "all other" options before quitting ..
Good luck..
Will

http://hcvets.com/data/hcv_liver/eyes.htm

Cotton-wool spots were found in 31 patients and retinal hemorrhage in nine patients during treatment (24% of patients). These lesions remained asymptomatic and disappeared in all patients. A previous history of arterial hypertension (RR 4.60, 95% CI 1.95-10.85), age above 45 years (RR 2.80, 95% CI 1.36-5.85), and use of pegylated alpha-interferon (RR 2.75, 95% CI 1.41-5.38) were significantly associated with retinopathy. Neurovisual impairment was present in 31 patients (20%) before treatment and in 74 patients (47%) during treatment.

In studies including a significant number of diabetic patients [5,7] diabetes mellitus has also been associated with retinopathy. Furthermore, improvement of retinopathy is delayed in hypertensive and diabetic patients after ending treatment [7]. This relationship emphasizes that IFN-induced retinopathy can result from physiopathological mechanisms in common with other retinopathies related to microvascular abnormalities.

Conclusions:  In conclusion, this study showed that signs of retinopathy and neurovisual impairment were common in patients receiving alpha-interferon therapy but were rarely symptomatic. It suggests that alpha-interferon may usually be continued in asymptomatic patients as long as there is careful fundoscopic examination.






Is there a know potential success rate for 12 weeks triple therapy UDT

[1oftheclub222]

what kind of vision problems are you having?  Are you having retna problems?  have you had your eyes checked out by an eye doc?  What did they say?

does your treating doc have you on anti depressants?  have you tried different meds or doses?

Is your doc suggesting you stop treatment or are you thinking of doing it yourself?

[hrsepwrguy]

I really don't have much to add to the great responses you have already.

You have had a great response to treatment and as a relapser with an eRVR you should only have to do 24 wks (unless you have cirrhosis, then 48 wks is recommended) also your chance of SVR is as good as it gets.

In an earlier, dose-finding clinical trial, 78% (52/67) of prior relapsers achieved an eRVR and were treated with 24 weeks of peginterferon alfa and ribavirin (T12/PR24); of those 94% (49/52) achieved an SVR.

http://pi.vrtx.com/files/uspi_telaprevir.pdf

Have a great day

[can-do-man]

Just saw where you are a 4 time relapser with just peg and Riba, so I wouldn't think your odds would be very good as they wouldn't even let someone like that in one of the 12 week trials. You have a really great chance with your response so far, see if your doctor can help you through the rest of it.

[bjack59]

I went through what you appear to be going through and I feel so bad for you, it was worse than I ever could imagine.   I never got out of bed except to go the the bathroom.  I was on antidepresents and still wanted to quit the treatment even if it meant i would die.  that changed after the fourth month.  I still had a bad time but I wanted to live.  Try and hang in there.  I am 5 weeks off treatment and feeling better everyday - my mind has actually blocked out alot of the first three months.

[can-do-man]

Not really any data as of yet on 12 weeks, to bad you must stop because being you was an eRVR your odds would be much better to go the full treatment. If you do relapse now its going to be awhile before you can try this again.. Good luck, BTW the worse of treatment should be behind you.

[pooh55811]

I saw your post concerning medication assistance in the other thread.

Often patients without resources (such as income or insurance) will be able to find assistance through the drug manufactures. Try the following numbers to see if they will assisit with the cost.

Vertex: 1-855-546-2483 or 1-855-837-8394
Pegassist: 1-877-734-2797

Merck: 1-866-363-6379


As far as your question in this thread concerning treating for 3 mo. only, I do not know that answer.