Interferon freeeee just might be the bomb...

[Donnie54]

I called Dr Bacons office and they told me the interferon free drug has been approved and they are just waitn to be released and should be after first of year, I am goin to present that to my GI dr today because she said may be a reason for him to want to start the interferon now and the new drug may not be for everyone, I told the nurse that lots of iron was detected in my liver and she said dr Bacon normally has his patholigist look at it first but she could really not tell me what I should do without seeing me but she said my dr should have no issuses with me seeing Dr. Bacon so we will see what my dr says when I see him today :}

[orphanedhawk]

It's important to have a good doctor and support team. You've learned that you need to be your own advocate.

Good luck with your treatment !

[ceanothus]

I'm so glad you've gotten such great advice here! I'm one who was recently cured after 48 weeks of triple tx, after having previously treated for 12 weeks in the early 1990's and for 72 weeks in 2004-2006, both unsuccessful. I've been cirrhotic since 2004, and I still managed to handle the triple tx without any life-threatening complications - though I was awfully sick the whole 48 weeks and it took longer than a year to really make progress on recovering from it. Current triple tx was definitely worth it for me, but this new tx would have been an awfully big improvement. I'm so glad its getting easier for people!

[Willy50]

Here is one of Dr Bacon's colleagues.  He also sees patients at SLU and is involved in running some of the new HCV drugs trials at SLU.

He is also soon to be the 2014 president elect of AASLD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9KPOpG7Aes&feature=youtube_gdata

I also spoke w/ a HCV nurse friend of mine, it also turns out that she said that they (in a different hospital and clinic) are also warehousing patients for the new treatments wherever possible.

I think you are very wise to wait to be seen in the larger and well respected clinic.  You will get good guidance on your best treatment options.  The amount of wait to be seen is not a significant factor.

willy

[Donnie54]

Right on! I have copies of all the records and need to get over to the hospital and pick up biopsy slides, I may see if the hospital will send it all down because purdy sure the should be sent before my appointment so the Pathologist can look them over before seeing Dr Bacon, Even though I am depressed and already having my moments just think'n I feel real good about going to see him, I just get cold chills think'n I could be already on the triple tx that this local dr wanted to rush me on but I owe it all to everyone on this group for telling me to wait and see Dr. Bacon, I sit and think about hoping this local dr is wrong about my condition and Dr Bacon gives me better news and the new meds will be ready to go..BTW the Pharmacy called me and was wundering when I wanted the triple tx to be sent and when I told her I was going to wait and see Dr Bacon she said no problem because he uses them also and she put it on hold till I see him...

[Advocate1955]

Donnie, there's nothing else you need to prepare or look over before your appointment with Dr. Bacon in February.  Just make sure you have copies of all of your labs, imaging results, biopsy report, etc. sent to Dr. Bacon.  He may also like to have the actual slides from the biopsy to have his own pathologist review them.  Forget about your local gastro guy.  He is not current on the new treatments coming out.  Dr. Bacon is current.  Regardless, you need to be treated by Dr. Bacon because you are stage 3-4, which means you are on the edge of or have beginning Cirrhosis.  It is not a death sentence.  If you did the current triple tx with your local gastro guy, you would be taking interferon, ribavirin, and incivek, and you would be very sick for 12 weeks and moderately sick for another 36 weeks.  Not a good plan.  When you see Dr. Bacon, he will probably recommend the new treatment that will be available shortly, which will probably be interferon, ribavirin, and sofosbuvir, and you will be mildly to moderately sick for 12 weeks and you will be done.  Waiting 3 months will not change the progression of your liver disease, but it will give you a shorter and easier treatment with less side effects and less likelihood of quitting early due to length of treatment and terrible side effects.  Take it from me, the wife of a 3 time treater for whom treatment has not worked.  Get everything transferred to Dr. Bacon and then relax and wait to see him.  In the meantime, no alcohol, no ibuprofen or other NSAIDS, eat fresh organic fruits and veggies, and don't worry.
Advocate1955

[hepcat1954]

I used to travel from Alabama to St Louis to see Bacon.  He is a great doctor & very kind man.  You can't go wrong listening to him...