Length of treatment

[Bliss68]

My husbands viral count went from 8 million to 10 thousand after only 4 weeks of treatment. His doctor told him he would have to  continue treatment for 48 more weeks. He has the 1A type and is in stage two. If his viral level returns to a normal level in the next few months why would he have to continue treatment for so long?

[jmjm530]

The 36 week formula is for geno 1's. Unless I'm missing something, most geno 3's only treat for only 24 weeks. According to my math that leaves you only 11 weeks left.

Are you a prior relapser or do you have significant liver damage (stage 3 or 4)? If not, I'd ask your doctor why you're on a long tx program.

I hear you about that poison. Stay the course but make sure it's the right one. :)

-- Jim

[flavet]

I want to jump on this one.
I was cleared at 8wks (3a)......My team says that they do 36 weeks after being cleared. That leaves me to do 44wks of tx.
I am in #13 and totally saturated with this poison. It is really dragging on me. Holding my head up!!!!!!!

[jmjm530]

Well, welcome to the discussion group and hope things are a little clearer. Please stay around and keep asking questions or just share your feelings.  We all started out confused and somewhat alone about treatment but eventually things do gel and sink in.

-- Jim

[Bliss68]

Thank you. That answers a lot of questions I had.

[jmjm530]

Cuteus,

You're right that you have to read between the lines in these studies.

But as far as "individualized treatments...increasing SVR", I have yet to see a study where extended tx increases SVR in naive geno 1's with minimal or moderate liver damage. The current medical recommendation is 36 weeks of treatment after being non-detectible.

I do believe the high-riba approach can increase SVR in almost any patient group but I don't know any doctor in this country who is either running high-riba studies or administering high-riba treatment with the experience and sophistication of the sweeds. In other words, dont try this at home. :)

-- Jim

[cuteus]

the trials have provided us with some numbers to play with, but ultimately you have to do a lot of guessing and individualization and listen to your gut. Research has given g1s a 50% chance of svr, those numbers included slow responders that did not clear by wk 12. Tx was almost always a total of 48wks.  There is always a chance of relapse no matter how early you become undetectable and even when you remain clear throughout the tx. It could be bevause of virus still remaining in scar or fibrotic tissue.  Some individualized treatments have increased svr odds over the 50% mark, they either used increased Riba or extended tx.  If a person is tolerating tx fairly well, they should aim to the longest possible time, if slow in responding and if damage is present beyond stage 1, interferon has been found to have antifibrotic effect. For some folks is not only svr but damage reversal that should be considered in determining tx length.
gl in the tx.