Is shorter treatment possible in geno 1's

[mom4two]

I have a question that I haven't heard anybody comment on.  Has any geno 1's that have gone undetected at week 4 stop tx early and remained undetectable.  I'm considering tx and the thought of 48 weeks of tx just doesn't seem possible.  I read this article

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/2005icr/aasld/docs/111405_h.html

It suggust that if you're a "super-responder" you may only need to tx for 24 weeks.  Now I don't know if I will be a "super-responder" but it appears that 20% of the patients were.  I think I would try it for the 4 weeks to determine weather I was in that catigory,  I don't know what makes somebody a super-responder, but I am female,low vl, and not a heavy drinker so I figure I have as much of a chance as anybody. I do see that the pcr that was used wasn't the most sensitive( which of course I would request)but I would like anybody else's insight on the topic

[Chriskid]

Woh Suzyq...Take a little control of the situation and tell your doc you want to be copied in on all test results.  That is, have a copy mailed or faxed to you directly.

You can do some research to get a better idea of how to interrupt the results and/or post them here.  Many of the folks here are well studied and can give you good feed back.  

[cuteus]

it is best to do the treatment(tx) only if you are ready and willing to go the length. You have to be mentally committed to do this or it might become an exercise in futility. These meds are hard on the body and its effects are different in everyone. Some hardly feel it, some feel it and can manage the discomfort with the assistance of their providers, and some feel it so bad that they have to take time from work. Until you start, you can't tell how it will be for you. There are some women here going through tx with kids at home. It is not easy but it can be done. You have to be ready for this. Going into tx with the thought of shortchanging tx is going to bring dissappointments and frustrations. If your damage is not severe, and you are under 45, you might be able to just monitor your condition in the hopes that easier meds will come in a few years. Bear in mind that those trials are still in the early stages and are done with selected individuals, and that once the meds are released into the vast pool of humans out there, you might see things surfacing that were not present in the early trials.
The tx is no picnic, but it is manageable AND temporary. HCV is forever.

Folks have  had all the positive predictors, have been 100% complaint, gone the 48 wks and still relapse. And then you get the underdosed, under treated and they get SVR. It is a gamble. Once you treat and quit, you will no longer be tx naive, and might find it hard to enter trials or find a dr that will be willing to work with you.
Many factors to consider, for sure.

[jmjm530]

I'd like to hone in on your question a little better after reading my ramblin' post of late last night (or was it early this morning.) :)

I think your're idea of let's call it "testing the waters" for 4-weeks to see if you're one of the 20% Super Responders is quite valid -- that is, if you have little or no liver damage.

Using the risk/reward equation then, in this scenario you're exposing yourself to the treatment drugs for 24-weeks maximum should you respond. If not, the exposure is only 4 weeks and then  you go into a "watch and wait" mode.  And hopefully, some of the newer trial drugs will not have you wait too much longer.

That said, if you're a stage 3 or 4 (significant liver damage) then you might consider the longer course treatment, as the short-course studies are only preliminary and you have less wiggle room should you not SVR.

Mom, I think this is one of your first posts,  so I guess it prudent to tell you that none of here are doctors, these are just layman opionions, and I strongly suggest you don't make any treatment decisions based on anything here until you check and double-check things out with other sources including your treatment doctor.  That said, you will find some good advice from the patient point of view.

-- Jim

[mom4two]

Thanks for your comments.  I was justing hoping somebody actually only went 24 weeks and remained svr.  The thought of taking such intense drugs for sooo long scares the h*** out of me
but there's no time like the present.  I'm not getting any younger (40 years young) and I'm in good health now, who knows what 3 or so years may bring. Thanks again. I'm still on the fence on weather to treat or not.
Lori

[jmjm530]

Just to clarify, I'm not recommending that any genotype 1 necessarily treat -- short course or long course. In fact, many would suggest you take no course other than watch and wait. Where I see the "short course" concept for now is kind of a risk/reward compromise between traditional treatment and "watch and wait" for those with little or no liver damage who decide they want to give treatment a chance now with the current drugs. You should also check out other web sites like Janis, Hepatitis Neighborhood and Projects In Knowledge for different perspectives on treatment.

-- Jim

[vegas777]

Yawn, stretch!!!  Where's my coffee?????

How's my biys doing today?  I see you are both up and at it already...How you feeling?  Goof, you get your labs back for this week yet?  Any improvements? Jim you still doing the B-12"s, any improvements?

*tired dip, husband hogged bed*