Aa
More sides (thrush!) and thinking of shortening treatment for Type 3. Advice?
Week 11/24. The sides are really getting to me: anemia (now on procrit and anemia improved), headaches, hair loss, all the usual stuff. And, now, upper respiratory infection (on antibiotics) and thrush (really disgusting and painful--I can barely swallow water).
Some of you seem like real experts (trihepguy, jmjm, you know the crew) and I really want your advice. Recent research on Type 3 seems to be suggesting that durations shorter than 24 weeks may be sufficient. I'm thinking of quitting at 16 weeks and crossing my fingers. I think it might work. If it doesn't, my liver is in decent shape and I'll wait a few years for something better.
Stats: Type 3a. one doc said stage 1, another said early stage 2 (same slides). VL 16.5 mill. Undetectable at 4 weeks (<10). 48 year old female, weight 112, in good health (or at least, I was before treatment).
Please advice this desperate woman. Thanks.
Some of you seem like real experts (trihepguy, jmjm, you know the crew) and I really want your advice. Recent research on Type 3 seems to be suggesting that durations shorter than 24 weeks may be sufficient. I'm thinking of quitting at 16 weeks and crossing my fingers. I think it might work. If it doesn't, my liver is in decent shape and I'll wait a few years for something better.
Stats: Type 3a. one doc said stage 1, another said early stage 2 (same slides). VL 16.5 mill. Undetectable at 4 weeks (<10). 48 year old female, weight 112, in good health (or at least, I was before treatment).
Please advice this desperate woman. Thanks.
You won't believe this. After posting my note (complete with tears) this morning, I picked up a coffee and was taking my car in for a tune-up. I ran a red light, got blasted by two cars coming from both directions, and rode in an ambulance to the ER (reeking of the full cup of coffee that spilled all over me).
Now have sprained shoulder and MORE drugs to take.
Here's the good news. 1. I'm really hoping my car is totaled so I'll have an excuse to get a new one. 2. realizing that I could've been horribly or permanently injured in that accident--I'm feeling more like I can handle 24 weeks of treatment.
All of your comments are VERY helpful and give me some new things to follow up on. I especially appreciate you guys taking a position on the issue.
Goof, you only have one more shot. You go. dude!
FlGuy--I'm gonna try harder to get in touch with my inner tough mouse. Thanks
P.S. I highly recommend hardened coffee to give that thinning hair a bit of lift.
Now have sprained shoulder and MORE drugs to take.
Here's the good news. 1. I'm really hoping my car is totaled so I'll have an excuse to get a new one. 2. realizing that I could've been horribly or permanently injured in that accident--I'm feeling more like I can handle 24 weeks of treatment.
All of your comments are VERY helpful and give me some new things to follow up on. I especially appreciate you guys taking a position on the issue.
Goof, you only have one more shot. You go. dude!
FlGuy--I'm gonna try harder to get in touch with my inner tough mouse. Thanks
P.S. I highly recommend hardened coffee to give that thinning hair a bit of lift.
wow, just when you think you couldn't have any more fun, geeesh! I hope youre okay...good luck to you on your journey, i'll be taking notes!
The following study suggests that genotype 3's with a pre-tx viral load >800,000 IU/ml do not fare as well with 16 weeks of treatment, as they do with 24 weeks. This is a Pegasys pilot study.
http://www.natap.org/2004/AASLD/aasld_29.htm
As NYGirl states, for many of us side effects are not easy, and part of the treatment package. Upper respiratory infections seem common and the key to these types of infections -- as well as other sides -- seems to be agressive medical/pharmaceutical intervention by either your treating doctor or some other specialist.
That said, you always have to weigh the discomfort/risks of side effects against the rewards of better SVR odds. In your case, you're a stage 1 or 2, so arguably still have time to wait and re-group should the treatment not work.
Personally, I'd try and gut it out for 24 weeks. Certainly, you don't have to make any decisions right now. Hopefully, at week 16 you'll be doing better. also, at that point, you'll only have 8 weeks left which should seem a lot better than what you're looking at now.
-- Jim
http://www.natap.org/2004/AASLD/aasld_29.htm
As NYGirl states, for many of us side effects are not easy, and part of the treatment package. Upper respiratory infections seem common and the key to these types of infections -- as well as other sides -- seems to be agressive medical/pharmaceutical intervention by either your treating doctor or some other specialist.
That said, you always have to weigh the discomfort/risks of side effects against the rewards of better SVR odds. In your case, you're a stage 1 or 2, so arguably still have time to wait and re-group should the treatment not work.
Personally, I'd try and gut it out for 24 weeks. Certainly, you don't have to make any decisions right now. Hopefully, at week 16 you'll be doing better. also, at that point, you'll only have 8 weeks left which should seem a lot better than what you're looking at now.
-- Jim
My brain has also softened on the meds, but I think this exerpt from the study is most relevant to Algeron's decision. Beyond that, I find most abstract's by their nature to have an incomplete and sometimes contradictory feel, which is almost always resolved if you search out the full-text study. So not having the full-text at hand, I'll take it that their conclusion is supported by the data.
" Patients infected with HCV genotype 2 achieve excellent (early, end of treatment and) sustained viral response rates following therapy for 16 or 24 weeks. Similar response rates are observed in patients infected with genotype 3 and a pre-treatment viremia <800,000 IU/ml who achieve an early viral response at week 4. SVR rates in patients with HCV genotype 3 and a viral load >800,000 IU/ml are generally lower"
I read it as the subset of geno 3's who; (1) achieve EVR; and (2) have pre-tx viremia >800,000 IU/ml -- do not have as high SVR rates as geno 2's who achieve EVR with similar pre-tx viremia. My understanding is that Algernon does not therefore fit the short-course criteria for early termination at week 16, with her high pre-tx viral count as the main factor.
-- Jim
" Patients infected with HCV genotype 2 achieve excellent (early, end of treatment and) sustained viral response rates following therapy for 16 or 24 weeks. Similar response rates are observed in patients infected with genotype 3 and a pre-treatment viremia <800,000 IU/ml who achieve an early viral response at week 4. SVR rates in patients with HCV genotype 3 and a viral load >800,000 IU/ml are generally lower"
I read it as the subset of geno 3's who; (1) achieve EVR; and (2) have pre-tx viremia >800,000 IU/ml -- do not have as high SVR rates as geno 2's who achieve EVR with similar pre-tx viremia. My understanding is that Algernon does not therefore fit the short-course criteria for early termination at week 16, with her high pre-tx viral count as the main factor.
-- Jim
All laid up with my heating pad and muscle relaxants... I want to reiterate what NY girl says about driving. I'd actually been having less fog (or so I thought) but we all need to be EXTRA careful when driving. No phones, no drinking coffee while driving, etc.
Don't worry CanDo--If I get a new car, I'm going to print out the consumer reports list of the 10 safest cars. I figure that whatever I buy better be able to take an impact (this was actually true for me even prior to treatment...)
Friole/Kathy: GREAT TYPO. Here's what you wrote: "you already have so much time INFESTED". THat made me laugh.
deb
Don't worry CanDo--If I get a new car, I'm going to print out the consumer reports list of the 10 safest cars. I figure that whatever I buy better be able to take an impact (this was actually true for me even prior to treatment...)
Friole/Kathy: GREAT TYPO. Here's what you wrote: "you already have so much time INFESTED". THat made me laugh.
deb
Jim, Your thinking on this seems sound to me. Thanks for analyzing the data. I'm really lucky I didn't get hurt even worse today. And I'm really lucky that I can stop at 24 weeks. Gotta keep things in perspective.
Good thing I'm not trying to write a personal ad these days: HepC, Chemo, middle-aged with two young kids, no car, and thrush. Otherwise, a real catch.
Good thing I'm not trying to write a personal ad these days: HepC, Chemo, middle-aged with two young kids, no car, and thrush. Otherwise, a real catch.
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