Type 3a treating for a year

[debcreature]

Hello all I have a question...I started the Interferon and Ribavirin back in August and at 8 weeks I still showed a viral load of less than 25.  At the 12 week check, I was negative.  Do I need to keep treating for a yr or would 6 months of tx after my clear date be enough?  It's getting harder and harder to stay on the tx as the longer I go.  For the past 2 months, I had to be on Neupogen 300 mcg @ 3x weekly, procrit @ 1x weekly and then intereron on Sundays.  If there's no reason for me to keep going since I cleared at 12 weeks I'm gonna stop.  HELP!!  I keep hearing conflicting stories...

Thanks,
Deb

[Marcia2202]

I just reread your post.

You were almost there at you 8 weeks PCR. Unfortunately you didn't have one at 10 weeks. If you had been UND then you could have treated for 36 weeks.

It is a tough call!

[Marcia2202]

Sorry to hear that you are going through such a difficult treatment.

Having been a geno 3a and not getting an RVR, I researched this quite thoroughly.

The formula for doing individualized treatment for geno 3 says:  

RVR = 24 weeks treatment

Time of EVR + 24 weeks  

UND at 12 weeks = 48 weeks

Not UND at 12 weeks = stop treatment

So I do believe it would be wise to finish 48 weeks.

[debcreature]

Thanks all, I guess I'll go for the full year since I've come this far cause Lord knows "I don't wanna do this again".

thanks,
deb

[desrt]

This is a decision you and your Dr. will have to make based on a lot more info than you've given in this post. Degree of liver damage, weight/BMI, what dosage of meds you've been on, whether you ever had to dose reduce, the feasibility of re-treating later, and so forth. Another factor to balance against the 'what if' scenario nygirl gave you is, "How would you feel if you did permanent damage to yourself between weeks 36 and 48 and you didn't clear?"
Extremely tough decision and one I don't envy. Good luck with it.

[nygirl7]

I mean to say
Dear Deb
and From Deb - us Deb's our tough you CAN make it!  :)

[nygirl7]

I believe as a geno3 you should have had a faster response to the meds and the 12 weeks you are referring to is more for a geno1.  Geno 3 can be every bit as tough if not more tough than a geno 1 sometimes unfortunately. If you can make it since you weren't undetectible until after week 8 I would really, really try hard to make it to 48 - it's not in vain.  Why go through all this and then relapse? There is a reason for it, you want to succeed more than anything this first time.......next time you definitely would have to do it for 48 (and hey it's 48 that's four weeks shy of a year think positively!)

I'm one of the ones who had to do 72 - but I am cured and never have to do it again. I was on epo x 2 a week 40,000 since week 3. Thyroid died. Tons of autoimmune problems. Was it worth it? Hell yeah I never have to do it again.