Aa
Hep C infected for 10 years and am now Hep c negative (no treatment)
Hi i am a x herion user but i now stii use speed one to twice a week.iam 28 years old and have had Hep c for 10 years, my last test was taken 4 years ago and it came up as hep c posative. i have had a current test for hep c and i do not have it anymore, anti bodys have been detected but i havent had any treatmet for the viris. Is this normal alfter 10 years of haveing the viris?
do you know the sensitivity of the tests used? IF they were all the same sensitivity of at least 50 IU/ML, and once were positive but read negative at present, I would say you have no viral load due to spontaneous viral erradication. But if it is only the antibody test done and nothing else, it could have been a false positive. Were these tests PCRs? Most spontaneous recovery happen during the acute stage, but rarely some have recovered later in time.
LOL! First, I must congratulate you for giving your tx the best shot you could give it with the data, or non data available for your geno. It is extremely frustrating not to find enough to relate to your situation. When I first tried to extend, there was nothing but an Israeli study of 8 geno 1, that extended and got SVR for a 90% rate. Very small study, but enough for me. There was one preliminary study that found no difference bt 48 and 72 wks for g1, and that was very discouraging to read. Another extension study was still ongoing and was getting results. I went with my gut when my wk 12 PCR was positive.
you would think that after 72 wks I would just throw everything out and forget about HCV, but fear, and only fear, kept me going and going...I remembered that monotherapy works on some people, and that Scott(rev) was able to keep a negative PCR for many wks on just interferon, I had about 2 more months of meds left, but knew that was probably too much to do. For mental health issues only, I stopped the riba with the last full dose of IFN and continued the next two wks at half peg. In spite of the continuing fear, I decided to let go at 45-47 wks from official clearing per 24 wk PCR(test was re done at wk 26), I might have cleared earlier, sometime after wk 12, which might mean I was neg for 55-57 wks, if I cleared at wk 16.
This is all because I truly did not want this tx again. I did not get mouth sores, general riba rash, Procrit worked to stabilized anemia, got pain killers, and still you feel like c**p! and exhausted. I did not want to do this again, period.
I have looked for studies on g3 and like you did not find much to use, much like when I was trying to extend, but You cleared early and were able to keep full dose meds? I can't remember if you did 800 or 1000mg, if the former is the dose, I would be worried. But you did a couple more wks.
The one link I gave Kalio on controlled interruption of tx was intriguing, but they only discontinued tx for two wks and restarted if PCR was positive, maybe you can get a 2 wk PCR?
But, then what studies out there support more tx after relapse getting good SVR rates? I can't temember what genotype the controlled interruption study dealt with.
If I find something within the next day, I will send a red flag.
I think you did your best, but fear is always with me when people finish their tx, until they post their 1st neg PCR.
the best to you and family
you would think that after 72 wks I would just throw everything out and forget about HCV, but fear, and only fear, kept me going and going...I remembered that monotherapy works on some people, and that Scott(rev) was able to keep a negative PCR for many wks on just interferon, I had about 2 more months of meds left, but knew that was probably too much to do. For mental health issues only, I stopped the riba with the last full dose of IFN and continued the next two wks at half peg. In spite of the continuing fear, I decided to let go at 45-47 wks from official clearing per 24 wk PCR(test was re done at wk 26), I might have cleared earlier, sometime after wk 12, which might mean I was neg for 55-57 wks, if I cleared at wk 16.
This is all because I truly did not want this tx again. I did not get mouth sores, general riba rash, Procrit worked to stabilized anemia, got pain killers, and still you feel like c**p! and exhausted. I did not want to do this again, period.
I have looked for studies on g3 and like you did not find much to use, much like when I was trying to extend, but You cleared early and were able to keep full dose meds? I can't remember if you did 800 or 1000mg, if the former is the dose, I would be worried. But you did a couple more wks.
The one link I gave Kalio on controlled interruption of tx was intriguing, but they only discontinued tx for two wks and restarted if PCR was positive, maybe you can get a 2 wk PCR?
But, then what studies out there support more tx after relapse getting good SVR rates? I can't temember what genotype the controlled interruption study dealt with.
If I find something within the next day, I will send a red flag.
I think you did your best, but fear is always with me when people finish their tx, until they post their 1st neg PCR.
the best to you and family
Hey...I thought you made up your mind. LOL. But look who is talking.
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One very respected hepatologist suggested to me 48-weeks but "if I really wanted to be sure" an additional 12-weeks at half-dose peg and full-dose riba. However, when I called back a few months ago and asked for any studies or even anecdotals to back this approach up and questioned then why not then go for 60-weeks, he basically said the approach is very speculative and he thinks 48 weeks is the way to go. Further, I have been unable to find any studies supporting the logic of tapering off Peg at the end of treatment, which is different from mainteance where one has the virus. All said, tapering seemed like an intriguing concept but in the end I discounted it if for no other reason than there is no data. To play devil's advocate, what if a lower dose of Peg (without the riba) somehow un-mutates the virus? Just speculation. BTW my treating doctor wants me to stop everything the same day -- Pegasys, Procrit, Riba. That said, I will take riba for a week after my last shot, if for no other reason than to buy another 7-days of indecision. :) Good luck with whatever you decide.
-- Jim
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One very respected hepatologist suggested to me 48-weeks but "if I really wanted to be sure" an additional 12-weeks at half-dose peg and full-dose riba. However, when I called back a few months ago and asked for any studies or even anecdotals to back this approach up and questioned then why not then go for 60-weeks, he basically said the approach is very speculative and he thinks 48 weeks is the way to go. Further, I have been unable to find any studies supporting the logic of tapering off Peg at the end of treatment, which is different from mainteance where one has the virus. All said, tapering seemed like an intriguing concept but in the end I discounted it if for no other reason than there is no data. To play devil's advocate, what if a lower dose of Peg (without the riba) somehow un-mutates the virus? Just speculation. BTW my treating doctor wants me to stop everything the same day -- Pegasys, Procrit, Riba. That said, I will take riba for a week after my last shot, if for no other reason than to buy another 7-days of indecision. :) Good luck with whatever you decide.
-- Jim
Well mentally and physically, I certainly could go longer. I am not miserable. But where to draw the line? 48 seems excessive when conventional wisdom says I was probably good to go at 16 or maybe 24. I'd be putting the relatively small chance of having to repeat the past 26 in a future tx, against the certainty of another 22 in this tx. Sucky odds.
Where to stop if I do continue? Stop at 32? 35? Who knows. What are the odds that 32 will be enough, but 26 was not? Any guesses?
Obviously I'm still trying to convince myself here :)
My riba dose was 1,200 for all but a couple weeks late, when I dropped to 1,000. By standard weight based protocols, I fell right on the cusp, where technically 1,000 was correct for me. Compliance was 100%.
I didn't see the study you gave kalio, I'll go have a look for it. Thanks.
Where to stop if I do continue? Stop at 32? 35? Who knows. What are the odds that 32 will be enough, but 26 was not? Any guesses?
Obviously I'm still trying to convince myself here :)
My riba dose was 1,200 for all but a couple weeks late, when I dropped to 1,000. By standard weight based protocols, I fell right on the cusp, where technically 1,000 was correct for me. Compliance was 100%.
I didn't see the study you gave kalio, I'll go have a look for it. Thanks.
<i>what if a lower dose of Peg (without the riba) somehow un-mutates the virus?</i>
Ahhhh... you've been visiting in my mind I see.....LOL
Ahhhh... you've been visiting in my mind I see.....LOL
Goofy said: Ahhhh... you've been visiting in my mind I see
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I don't recollect telling any hemmoroid jokes lately but then again there's a lot I'm not recollecting these days :)
BTW it still sounds like you have in theory at least two days of agnozing decision making to do since I believe your last shot was Saturday and you're still on riba.
Some of the anecdotal stories in yesterday's thread would have made me (be me a 3a) of extending to 36 or 48 weeks. But then again, like you and your doctor said, no studies support the extension. But do any studies NOT support it? Tough call, glad I only have to make mine. Best -- most honest -- advice was given to me by a visiting hepatologist at my treating doctor's office. "We don't really know a whole lot about this" was what he said. I firmly believe that and with all your research, etc, at this point your decision is a good as anyone's.
The one thing that would push me to go 48 weeks is your stage 3.5 status, but then again, you're willing to re-treat right away -- so that kinda shoots holes in that logic.
Isn't this fun?
-- Jim
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I don't recollect telling any hemmoroid jokes lately but then again there's a lot I'm not recollecting these days :)
BTW it still sounds like you have in theory at least two days of agnozing decision making to do since I believe your last shot was Saturday and you're still on riba.
Some of the anecdotal stories in yesterday's thread would have made me (be me a 3a) of extending to 36 or 48 weeks. But then again, like you and your doctor said, no studies support the extension. But do any studies NOT support it? Tough call, glad I only have to make mine. Best -- most honest -- advice was given to me by a visiting hepatologist at my treating doctor's office. "We don't really know a whole lot about this" was what he said. I firmly believe that and with all your research, etc, at this point your decision is a good as anyone's.
The one thing that would push me to go 48 weeks is your stage 3.5 status, but then again, you're willing to re-treat right away -- so that kinda shoots holes in that logic.
Isn't this fun?
-- Jim
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