Double Dose

[TeeTom]

I've been reading some of the posts here and there are a few people recommending Double Doses of medication to try and curb late stages of hep c. I have a few questions...

#1 - Do you think it will increase the percentage of annihilating the virus, taking the nip-it-in-the-bud approach?

#2 - What are the sides, are they doubled also?

#3 - Why wouldn't the Dr's recommend it if it does a better job?

#4 - Has anyone experienced double dosing on this forum and willing to share the effects?

The reason I'm asking is the obvious, I have never been treated and am considering it, so I want to give it my best shot in round one so I wont have to deal with it but once. Anything that may increase my success I am willing to try.

Thanks

[Rockerforlife]

I was referring to the real DD

[DoubleDose]

TeeTom , welcome to the forum and do feel free to ask questions, make comments, and join in at any time.  You will get lots of feedback, and I am certain your learning curve will be rapid and helpful.  My only other comment on therapy is that getting an early response, that is becoming undetected while on treatment is the best possible sign of success.  Becoming undetected before 12 weeks into tx will allow you to have tremendous odds of achieving SVR as long as you complete a FULL course of tx, as prescribed by your doctor, and keep the medications at optimal levels.  The Ribavirin is very important to getting the long-lasting SVR, and not relapsing after stopping, so be sure to have a strategy with your doctor to keep the Ribavirin at full dosage.  If you choose to try therapy now, you still have excellent odds.  The situation will only improve as newer drugs come onto the market after testing and approval.  

Rocker:  I do have a good many side effects from all the tx time, and many of my old threads will bear that out.  Much of the after-effects have continued to develop well after ending tx six years ago, and at this point I have figured out that most of the sx are related to my developing a 'lupus-like' autoimmunity which causes randomly: joint and back pain, costochondritis (ribcage pain), periodic numbness in limbs or back, lots of reactions to the sun which I never had before, like rashes, feeling feverish, fatigue, and almost flu-like symptoms from too much exposure...I also have periodic bouts of mouth, tongue, and nasal sores, dry eye and irritation, fatigue, muscle weakness, and difficulty rebounding from lots of exercise or exertion. Developed high BP after tx, some thyroid deficiency (hypo), and on-and-off ED. But I still manage to live a full life, run a business, travel, and workout.  Its hard to sleep well many nights, due to rib, shoulder, or neck pains, but other times I feel sort of fine.  It all comes and goes....but never goes AWAY.  

That's my story...and I'm sticking to it.  Have a great weekend all.

DoubleDose

[WriteItDown]

Oh, that is scary.... but thanks for posting anyway.

[Bill1954]

Have you been to Janis and Friends yet?

http://janis7hepc.com/have_you_been_just_diagnosed.htm

Here are some other reference sites to bookmark:

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hep_c.html

http://www.clinicaloptions.com/Hepatitis.aspx  (free registration required)

http://www.labtestsonline.org/

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/search

There are a few more to get you started. Take your time, and develop a sound plan to follow—

Bill

[newleaf09]

Please reread my posts.  I did not say that HCV develops resistance to interferon.  I'm sorry to say that I did find what my doctor was talking about.  In some patients, antibodies develop to interferon.  I believe that you start with a clean slate but if you develop antibodies, the next go is going to be less effective.  Antibodies to the main therapy drug, interferon, explain what they call 'breakthrough' - everything going fine then virus returns during TX.  Patients were assayed for anti-interferon antibodies at beginning.  It showed up in the 'breakthrough' patients at the same time the virus broke through and became detectable again.  Here is the reference for the first paper I found:
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=2200453&blobtype=pdf  

The first attempt is the best attempt.  Apparently there is no way to know if you will be one of the unfortunates who develops antibodies and starts to fight the therapy drug until you try the drug.

[TeeTom]

Rocker are you refering to me or DoubleDose?