LENGTH OF TREATMENT

[dodger1]

Hi everyone.  I just came back from the doctor in Chicago on Friday and after 7 injections my bloodwork came back undetected less than 5. My viral load was 1.5 million when I started. I was excited then the doctor said I had to be undetected for 15 months straight?  I thought everyone only had to be on the treatment for 48 months not 72 months?  My genotype is 1a which I know is the hardest to treat but I thought the treatment was still 48 months.  My hemoglobin was 9 and she said I was anemic and my white blood count is at 1.8 low. I told her I was tired all the time and my legs were sore and felt like rubber and some days I could not hardly walk.  She said drink more gatorade and when I felt like I could not get up in the morning she would give me a shot of procrit. Why cant she give me the shot now?Do ihave to wait because my hemoglobin is not low enough yet?  Does this doctor know what she is talking about???  I am a mail carrier and some days I can barely make it threw the day in this heat we had. I feel like crying all the time. I come home from work and go straight to bed for at least a 2 hour nap and then I am back in bed at 8:00 pm.  I feel so bad for my family that I am so tired all the time.  Is there any vitamins I can take??  Thank you for all your responses and help.  I appreciate it so much.

[donAlfonso]

You are seriously anemic and should be on Procrit now!  I can't believe you are delivering mail in your condition.  You might consider a different doctor, since this one seems to be ignoring convention (HGB<10 = Procrit) and endangering not only your ability to continue tx, but possibly your life.  Procrit is very expensive, and some docs act as if they are paying for it, no doubt at the urging of insurance companies.  Is your doc a hepatologist or gastroenterologist with experience treating hep C?  It often makes a difference.  Oh, and my doc says Neupogen is needed when WBCs go under 2000.

Congrats on your undetectable status.  For geno 1's, longer tx is proving to be better.  Also higher doses of Ribavirin seem to increase odds of SVR.  Educate your doctor, insist on a higher standard of care, and stay focused on the goal, SVR.  My best to you.

dA

[jmjm530]

Based on your genotype, biopsy, EVR at week 7, age, etc., standard tx is 36 weeks after you clear the virus. So in your case that would be 42 weeks. 15 months plus 7 weeks sems a little on the agressive side, but hopefully it will increase your chances of SVR.

[Forseegood]

Hi Veggie, noticed you asked about sam-e, something I know a little something about. Personally, I go to this site called Vitamin Shoppe, when I'm lazy, because I live 4 miles from a store. There are a few generalized vitamin stores around, and I've sampled a few, because these places usually buy other leading vitamin companies overages and it's a good way to buy economical vitamins and herbs. I personally think Vitamin Shoppe is the best of the lot. I save a lot of money buying their particular brand on most things. For example, I love aloe vera juice, one of the best things I take, I think, and their brand is soooo cheap! Aloe vera isn't usually cheap. They have good whey protein powders too. I just looked on their site and their sam-e is actually a bit more expensive then some of the others they carry though, in that case. But that's another good thing, they carry many other brand names and you can price compare and also read a lot on all the types of things they carry. They are pretty thorough. And they carry many types of vitamins and herbs, much more than most places. I do take sam-e but not all the time, my instinct tells me that I build up on it, because it'll work for me for a time and then it makes me kind of edgy, so I lay off for awhile. I know many people that benefit from it, of course, that caveat about asking your doc applies to it. I only take 200mg a day, which is low, and I know people who take more than that.  Hope this helps.

[v eggie dip]

Thanks for info, it's much appreciated....I found a site online that has a special buy one get two free

PURITAN'S PRIDE SAM-e 400 mg. Tablets (30  Tablets)

[DoubleDose]

Hemoglobin at 9.0 or below is very debilitating.  Granted, you may not be quite in the 'life threatening' range yet (under 8.0 is really dangerous) , but you are getting very close.  I had a difficult time functioning at all when I got into the 9.0 to 8.5 area.  If you have to perform physical work, you are probably increasing your risk of complications, and putting yourself through needless torture.  I did Procrit for the last 15 MONTHS of my therapy, two times per week, and I was able to stay near 10.0 Hemoglobin, (which is still not great!).  

Seek a second expert medical opinion, OR, really push your doctor to get you on Procrit immediately.  You do not need to endure this symptom, nor to endanger your health.  The effect of Procrit makes all the difference in the world!
By the way, it allowed me to achieve my SVR, after 18 months of total tx (Type 1-B, 1.2 million viral load at start of tx, and negative (undetected) on tx after 19 weeks of high dose Peg-Intron/Ribavirin therapy.   Best of Luck!  Wake your doctor up to your difficult anemic situation.  This is beyond standard protocal for Procrit intervention.

DoubleDose

[Lynne5477]

I was a 1A and tx for 48 wks.  SVR at 6-mo post; coming up on 1 year next month.  As to your Hgb, mine dropped to 9.1 once and my dr wanted me to reduce meds immediately.  I refused and got more bloodwork done that day and it was back to 10.2.  I never used the Procrit but it sounds like you need it.  Too low a Hgb can cause some heart problems.  Did you keep a copy of your labwork?

Please read up and get very informed so when you talk to your dr you will have all the ammunition you need to make sure you get the care you deserve.  

Good luck to you.  And CONGRATULATIONS on being Undetectable so early in the game.