Infergen: the Miracle

[Magnum]

I've been away from the scene for a while because this brutal treatment has me in bed an average 20 hours per day, and unable to work. It's been 5 weeks now under Infergen 24mcg injection daily and 1200 Ribavirin daily.

The Good: This is my fourth treatment. Infergen is the miracle so far. We started at 2,750,000 just before treatment and after 4 weeks, I'm down to 66,000. I have never been lower than 380,000 on any of the previous treatments, including six months at one shot per day of Peg-Intron and 1200mg Ribavirin.  The doctor and I are very excited and he feels the treatment is finally working!

The Bad: This treatment is definitely not for everyone at this dosage. I have never suffered so much through any past treatments. The doctor attributes this to the mega-dose daily. I don't want to do anything but stay in bed, but the doctor said I must force myself to get up even if I throw up.

Some of the side effects: Constant nausea (I mean constant), except when I do some Medicinal Marijuana, and even then, it does not completely get rid of the nausea. I've tried three different anti-nausea pills. Joint and back pain, for which I take a low dosage Lortab. Blurry vision. Brain fog. Absolutely no appetite at all except after some Medicinal Marijuana.

So, in conclusion, after only four weeks, Infergen has done what three prior treatments including Peg-Intron, Pagasys, and Peg-Intron with Amantadine have not been able to do. If the drop is down to 66,000 in just four weeks, I'm very excited to know what the 12 week test will show, as that's the next step.

Magnum

[friole]

I'm stunned at what you are enduring.  Please Please may this one work.  Your perseverance is remarkable and I am so glad your PCR was the best ever.  I hope you can check in every week or so, because I will be looking for your posts.

The daily infergen is step two if the Peg-Copeg does not work according to my GI. I hope I don't have to deal with that, but am glad to hear that it works.
Kathy

[NYgirl]

Yeah if you don't respond to the Peg...

But the success rate for the Consensus Interferon for Geno 1s is REMARKABLE.

Magnum - are you doing the Infergen AND Riba or just Infergen? I was thinking to try and get in the BOTH trial myself (Hey the more the merrier ;-)

[GoofyDad]

Nygirl, maybe I can save magnum a post by pointing out that he says he's doing 1,200 riba up at the top of the thread.

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I'm curious. Do docs turn to Infergen for relapsers too, or is it generally reserved for non-responders who couldn't get to ND on peg? Would a relapser normally go back on peg for a longer course, or would they be best to hit the infergen for round two?

[NYgirl]

Great question and thanks for the riba info.  I'd like to do both if I have no luck with this (ah a still week to find out but you know me always obsessing about side plans and what ifs...)

There is somebody on this board (sorry I forget) who said they are treating for the FIRST time and are on the Infergen and that it was prescribed by their doctor and that this was NOT a trial.

I know up here in NY I have to go to one of the premiere docs and get in a trial on it.  I don't know why another STATE would be different though.

I don't know why ANYBODY would want to try it FIRST but...the results are supposed to be so much better maybe they didn't get the difference in sx or something?

[GoofyDad]

I understand. I think maybe you misread my post where I answered NYgirl's question?

[can-do-man]

Hey goof, looks like ice cream is not the only thing this girl likes to double up on.

Double the post, double the ice cream, double the fun, hey girl?