Prove 3 screen

[andiamo]

I just returned from my screening exam for Prove.  They have only 7 openings for a large number of patients.  People on waiting lists, should remain in touch with the medical center, since they might get more openings from other medical centers that do not start enrolling in time (first week in April)

There are 4 arms to this trial as most of you know; two are 48 weeks and two are 24 weeks.  Arm C (24 weeks) which has no Ribaviron, is not blinded

[pln]

Good luck to you! I was in group c 24 weeks, had my 8 week post test 2 weeks ago and still clear. Vertex cleared me by day 4! again good luck.
Pam

[ChrisDDD]

Hey, thanks for this info.  Are you in for sure?  If you don't mind my asking, what are your stats, as in grade/stage, VL, etc.?  This is PROVE 3, right?  I didn't think they'd be doing any placebos in a trial for non-responders.  That seems cruel to me.

[andiamo]

I am not in for sure; I have to wait for the bloodwork to come back.  I don't anticipate anything to prevent me from participating, so I am probably in.

I believe I contracted HepC in 1961.  I am stage 3, although the last Biopsy, two years ago, said stage 3 transitional.  I am not sure whether transitional is a standard description of stage 3 or means I am moving to stage 4.  My last viral load was 1,600,000.  I was grade 4 for many years and then moved to grade 1 after my last tx.

I turned my life upside down in order to participate in this; I retired last January and expected to be living the good life, sailing and relaxing in Florida.  Instead, my wife and I are living in a tenament in Manhattan for the next few months paying a rediculous rent!  Seriously, it is wort it if I can get rid of this after 40+ years.

[ChrisDDD]

Believe me, I hear you about turning your life upside down!  What treatment were you on that took you from a Grade 4 to Grade 1?

I continued to work and raise my three daughters alone the first two times I went through treatment, both of which I failed to respond.  Based on my July '05 biopsy showing Grade 2, Stage 3 with bridging fibrosis, my doctor urged me to treat ASAP.  I wanted to wait until May '06 for my youngest to graduate from high school, and he said I didn't have time to wait.  I agreed to start Infergen/Riba January 9, '06 and this time went on full medical disability from my job, and my husband and I moved our wedding date forward by several months so that I would have my long hair in my wedding pictures, not the bald head I expected to have after treatment.  I also wanted my new husband to be able to make decisions for me if I wound up in the hospital, etc.

I needn't have bothered.  Nine weeks into Infergen/Riba I was pulled from treatment due to non-response and retinal hemorrhaging, and have been on disability ever since.  I'm bored out of my mind, but don't feel honestly I could work right now.  I'm willing to go anywhere in the world to get this over with!!!  My husband and I have so many plans and things we want to do, and all I've been doing for over a year is waiting, and waiting and waiting and waiting.

I didn't buy my usual season's pass for skiing for the '05-'06 season because I thought I'd be in treatment, nor did I pay my fees to launch my boat last summer because I thought I'd be in treatment.  It just goes on and on and on.  I hope for your sake you're in and you clear!  My thoughts are with you and your wife both!  I'd gladly live in a hut if I could just get into this trial!

[andiamo]

I did the standard treatment: Peg and Riba and responded by 12 weeks (2 log       drop) and was undetectable after 14 weeks.  Unfortunately, I relapsed one month post TX.  Ont he good side of things, inflamation subsided and I felt better for a year and a half.  Now I am starting to feel sick again, so this is just in time.

I only hope I don't get a placebo, since I know what that outcome will be.  I hope you succeed in getting in the trial as well.