Aa
Interfergen
Hello to all. I am 1b and will start Pegasus/Copeg very soon. I have seen Interfergen mentioned in my readings. Some people take it every day. Is this a more successful treatment than the interferon? Is it available in Canada? Thanks.
I'll be gone for a day or so and will try and get back with some more thoughts if I can get online where I'm going.
Meanwhile, it doesn't look good with the dramatic rise in enzymes but let's hope that they were related to your rx drugs and not viral load. Do you know the actual numbers of your enzymes? Also, have you cleared all these rx drugs with your doctor?
Assuming you've relapsed, mainteance is one way to go. Another might be to look into trials with some of the newer non-inteferon drugs. You said you were "non-responder and relapser" -- do you mean you relapsed one round and didn't respond another?
Two other quick thoughts -- you might consider another biopsy at this point to see if all this treatment has helped your cirrhosis and also get an additional consult from a heptologist.
-- Jim
Meanwhile, it doesn't look good with the dramatic rise in enzymes but let's hope that they were related to your rx drugs and not viral load. Do you know the actual numbers of your enzymes? Also, have you cleared all these rx drugs with your doctor?
Assuming you've relapsed, mainteance is one way to go. Another might be to look into trials with some of the newer non-inteferon drugs. You said you were "non-responder and relapser" -- do you mean you relapsed one round and didn't respond another?
Two other quick thoughts -- you might consider another biopsy at this point to see if all this treatment has helped your cirrhosis and also get an additional consult from a heptologist.
-- Jim
Jim, I read all of your post & decided to go ahead with the labs yesterday, following it up with my Hepatologist today. VL won't be in for two weeks. My ast & alt didn't double, triple, quad, etc. it came in with a venegance, indicating acute Hep C., after two rounds of interferon. We are going to wait on the VL and then consider maintainence dosing. If we get the bad no's, we expect, along with maintainence, he has virtually said that I could try alternatives, as nothing will hurt.Do you or anyone on this information packed panel know of anyone who has tried maintainence or alternatives? It was a bum feeling after 3 years of therapy-but when I saw the broadcast of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and knowing what it ha already done to us-Life didn' so bleak after all. I will not give up, I just need to formulate another plan. No one can give up!
Thanks for sharing your story and offer of assistance.
Infergen is pretty strong stuff so gotta hope it brought down your virus for good! It's definitely worked for a lot of folks.
I don't think I'd wait 3 months to test -- it would drive me crazy. :) Legitimatly you could test any time. But a one month PCR makes snse because if you're still non-detectible at 30 days, that means you have about a 90 per cent of staying that way.
As far as my sides, if you scroll down to to the thread "riba is more better" and look at my last two posts, you'll see why I'm hedging bets regarding tx length.
Sides have been a problem. First anemia, and then persistent gerd (reflux), sinus symptons (sore throats, ear aches, etc.) and more lately skin eruptions. It sounds like you've had worse, and I really admire the folks that pick themselves up in spite of things and treat again. Not sure I have that strength, but if I get that strength it will be from folks like you.
-- Jim
Infergen is pretty strong stuff so gotta hope it brought down your virus for good! It's definitely worked for a lot of folks.
I don't think I'd wait 3 months to test -- it would drive me crazy. :) Legitimatly you could test any time. But a one month PCR makes snse because if you're still non-detectible at 30 days, that means you have about a 90 per cent of staying that way.
As far as my sides, if you scroll down to to the thread "riba is more better" and look at my last two posts, you'll see why I'm hedging bets regarding tx length.
Sides have been a problem. First anemia, and then persistent gerd (reflux), sinus symptons (sore throats, ear aches, etc.) and more lately skin eruptions. It sounds like you've had worse, and I really admire the folks that pick themselves up in spite of things and treat again. Not sure I have that strength, but if I get that strength it will be from folks like you.
-- Jim
On 5/2/02, I was diagnosed with Hep c. The biopsy report showed 1B, grade 3, stage 4, probable cirrhosis. I went to a top Gastro and placed on a wait list.I started Peg-intron (.5 ml.) once a week & 1200 mg. of Rebetol (twice a day.) I had horrible side effects and the dosage was reduced to 2.5 peg & 800 riba for 7 wks. I then decided to raise the dosage back to .5/800, for the remainder. In Dec. of 02, after several months of undetectable, the Doctor felt I had cleared. I did a total of 48 wks. I then was notified that I was a non-responder and ultimately relapser was the term used. I dedided to research info & find a Hep C specialist who knew his stuff. I then started infergen/Riba on 6/04. Same staring dosage, but once again I could not tolerate. I once again had the meds reduced to .9 infergen & 800 Riba, only this therapy was taken daily. After 12 wks. a small amount of virus showed & from then on I was undetectable, except for 1 blood test which showed a trace. I finished this therapy on 7/04. I have had 6 wks., feeling rather well, comparartively speaking and a tough week this week. No energy-aching, dry mouth.As I an sure you know there is no rhyme nor reason, nor same side effects for anyone. I am scared to death to go for my 3 mths., labs. Due to my sides I have tried loads of precscribed drugs. If I can be of any help with any of your sides, or anyone else's, please don't hesitate. At times I felt as if I was going crazy, when the first Gastro told me he had never heard of the sides I was experiencing. It sounds like you are ploughing ahead with minimum sides. That is great. I would definitely stay in it for the long run. God is good & he has been with me every step of the way. I feel that my having gone through this is only to help others. Looking forward to hearing from you.
I forgot which thread (no real search engine here) but the gist was simply some comments as to why they don't treat geno 1's first with infergen since it seems a more potent solution.
I speculated it is because the big boys (Roache and Shearing) fund all the studies. In fact, hard to find a decent study on naive geno 1's treated with daily infergen/riba vs a pegalayed inteferon/riba. Seems quite strange to me.
But don't feel left out because I really know of no one who starts with infergen. In fact, I doubt if he insurance companies would pay for Infergen first. Which again is odd because you think they'd rather pay once than twice.
Yes, I'm a geno 1b in my 26th week of treatment with 1800/peg, 1200 riba/day. It's my first time being treated. Current plan is to treat anywhere between 42 and 72 (I've been clear since week 6) depending on a re-avaluation of my biopsy slides, how well I'm doing with side effects as I approach week 42, and possibly a Fibroscan test.
I was a little unclear about your upcoming 3 month test. Is this three months post-tx? Also, long have you treated total and with what drug doses, and when did you go non-detectible.?
All the best and good luck with the test results.
-- Jim
I speculated it is because the big boys (Roache and Shearing) fund all the studies. In fact, hard to find a decent study on naive geno 1's treated with daily infergen/riba vs a pegalayed inteferon/riba. Seems quite strange to me.
But don't feel left out because I really know of no one who starts with infergen. In fact, I doubt if he insurance companies would pay for Infergen first. Which again is odd because you think they'd rather pay once than twice.
Yes, I'm a geno 1b in my 26th week of treatment with 1800/peg, 1200 riba/day. It's my first time being treated. Current plan is to treat anywhere between 42 and 72 (I've been clear since week 6) depending on a re-avaluation of my biopsy slides, how well I'm doing with side effects as I approach week 42, and possibly a Fibroscan test.
I was a little unclear about your upcoming 3 month test. Is this three months post-tx? Also, long have you treated total and with what drug doses, and when did you go non-detectible.?
All the best and good luck with the test results.
-- Jim
I hate to think that this is true. As a Fund Raiser working for a hospital,I have found it incredibly hard to receive any funding at all from the drug companies. I know that I had to go on a wait-list for Peg-Intron for 6 mths.What you say makes sense, but I would hate to think that this is the reason. I know that dosing Infergen is much more intense and daily. Can you refer me to the location of the past comments? I am shaking in my shoes regarding my 3 mth. check. Most days have been much improved, but I still have those yuck days and a neurological problem. Are you still on treatment?
HAVE A GREAT DAY and I hope to receive your comments. For anyone which I was previously chatting with my pc died and I lost everything. I was Tess Marie, and my Doctor is in Lakeland, FL.
HAVE A GREAT DAY and I hope to receive your comments. For anyone which I was previously chatting with my pc died and I lost everything. I was Tess Marie, and my Doctor is in Lakeland, FL.
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