Another Drop in Hemoglobin

[Wasabi Pea]

I found out yesterday that I've dropped down to 7.6 in my hemoglobin.  Explains the marathon naps I've been conducting.  They're increasing my EPO from 20,000 twice a week to three times a week.  I'm still at only 600 riba daily.  And I'm told to keep taking iron pills 3x a day.

Question:  Is it feasible to continue on therapy (Pegasys injection only) without riba until my Hb comes up to safe levels?  They're giving me only a week to respond to this increase in EPO or they're pulling me off treatment AGAIN, for the second time, for the same reason.  (First time I didn't have EPO.)

I asked nurse practitioner this and her response was, "If you want to."  I could scream.

Also, is it even worth it to consider a third try after recovering from this bout with tx, or am I just butting my head against the wall and increasing my resistance to interferon?  

Very frustrated today.  Chest hurts and feeling cranky.

Thanks to anyone who's reading.

[cuteus]

chest hurts is not good to hear as anemia can cause cardiac problems. I feel for you badly. You should have been afforded a better chance the first time around. I hope the increase works, truly.
I would not try a 3rd time.

[jmjm530]

I also admire your courage keeping the fight at that low hemoglobin level. As far as continuing on, if I remember you're a stage 1, geno 1? If the biopsy is recent, that means you have very little liver damage and could go off treatment for a while without much potential harm.

Remember, the whole idea of treatment is to more good than harm. A stage 3 or 4 might correctly risk the whole bank for a cure. A stage 1 has to consider more what the side effects are doing to them.

That said, there's one drug in trials right now that sounds perfect for you. Especially, if you end up re-treating soon. It's called Viramidine and replaces ribavirin. They think it works about the same but without the anemia.

And then, 3-5 years down the road are the newer drugs all of us are cautiously excited about.

[jaroman]

I am a relative "newbie", but it seems to me that you could be doing more harm than good with this protocol.  A 7.6 gm hgb is pretty dang low.  If you really are just a stage 1, you may be able to wait for something less hard on you.
Take care of yourself.