Interfergen

[virtualsuzyq]

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.

[iceboy]

Hi there. thanks for the response. Don

[scruffy]

Good Rant.

[virtualsuzyq]

Very interesting comment.  I, too, wondered why Interfergen wasn't used first.

[iceboy]

Thanks boys for the reply to my qestions on the older thread re interferon. I have sort of left it out until now to dig into these drugs. Wasn

[jmjm530]

What kind of skin problems have started again?

Inteferon and/or ribavirin can often cause flare ups in pre-existing skin conditions, way beyond the more common "riba rash".

If you haven't already, now might be a good time to find a really good dermatologist to have in your back pocket if things flare on tx.

In my case, I've been doing some topical steroids plus 3X-week UVB Narrow Band light therapy for what appears to be (2nd biopsy pending) either psoriasis, Lichens Planus, cutaneous t-cell lymphoma, or a little bit of each. :)

People haved been pulled off treatment for severe skin reactions so early intervention is important.

-- Jim

[MichaelT]

PegIntron <i>should</i> be dosed at almost 2X a week. Pegasys is good to go at 1X a week. Infergen, and non-pegylated alpha-interferon should never be less than 1X daily. At least one study evaluated 2X dosing of Infergen - which actually makes sense for non-pegylated interferons - and was, if memory serves, quite effective.

-Michael