Status Update 12 weeks and Undetected on Victrelis!

[FaLaLa137]

Just thought I would share my status update with the rest of the group.  For those of you that recall, I am a treatment naive Genotype 1A patient doing Victrelis with a 4 week lead in and had less than a 1 log drop (not good news) in viral count.

I was also detected at week 8 at 102 viral count (which meant I do 48 weeks of treatment if my numbers are good at week 12).  Well I just got my 12 week viral count back and I am "<43 Not Detected" according to the Quest Diagnostic PCR test.  This is good news in the fact that I can continue with my treatment even though it is for another 36 weeks. :(

I just thought other people might be interested in my stats and know that all hope is not lost if you are still detected at week 8 or if you have less than a 1 log drop at 4 weeks. :)  Now if I can just not have a viral breakthrough......I would be very happy!

[rk6]

How are you doing?   i have my second to last shot tonight - I am surprised Im not more excited but actually just exhausted.   Stil UND - what week, etc etc I also forgot your genotype?
Roberta

[rk6]

Sorry for the delayed response - don't check this board as often as another one.   I lost a decent amount of hair right around the mid-point but about 3-4 months left the hair was very thin and looks bad but stopped falling out.   Not falling out now but every day a bad hair day.   After tonight's shot, 3 to go - how are you doing?

[FaLaLa137]

Hello rk6,

That is good to hear!  I am on week 25 (of 48 weeks on triple therapy with Victrelis) and just received my 24 week viral load and I am still undetected. How are you coping?  I just started to lose my hair, to me this is the most depressing part.

I look forward to hearing more about your progress! :)

[rk6]

I had about a 1 log drop after 4 week leadin, then 90 at week 8, still detected at week 12 (but below 25 I think) and went UND between week 14 and 17.   I have been UND on boceprevir since then and just had 36 week viral load (still UND).   I am doing the full 48 weeks, (with 44 of boceprevir).  

[Revalation]

Thanks for sharing the great news.
It gives us all  booooost.

Thanks,

Reva

[Sentinel13]

FaLaLa: Thanks for sharing your status update. It's always nice to read good news! Cheers, GB

[Bovary73]

You seem to be handling the side effects very well! I totally agree with you about the hangover feeling. I also feel that the first part of treatment (weeks 1-15) were manageable, not too many side effects. But the last couple of weeks have been harder. I struggle with anemia (have been down at 8.1 but are now at about 9.6) and my energy level is low. I rest every day while my kids are at school/kindergarder and try to get some help from my mother (she takes care of our kids from time to time in weekends). My hair has started falling out for the last couple of weeks. As I unfortunately don't have a lot, I'm a bit anxious about loosing more.
You really seem to be handling this well and I really hope this won't be too hard for you as treatment progress.

[Advocate1955]

Congrats on being UND.  That is great news!  I'm very happy for you.
Advocate1955

[FaLaLa137]

Thank you for all the encouraging words!  I am ecastatic that the therapy is working for me especially with the lowered odds of 28-38% chance of SVR.

Idyllic: 24 weeks is also a pivotal point with the Victrelis therapy.  At 12 weeks you need to be under 100 Viral Load (I was undetected, so this is even better) and at 24 weeks you HAVE to be undetected or it is considered treatment failure and you quit the therapy (according to what I read).  I willl continue to get labs done to make sure I don't have a breakthrough but I will be praying that I stay undetected. :)

Bovary73: My side effects have been very limited.  I liken it to a hangover not the flu.  I can function, go to work, take care of my 3 and 8 year old kids but I feel that "icky" feeling like one would have with a bad hangover.  Does that make sense?  Of course the day after my shot I stay in bed most of the day as I seem to function better the rest of the week if I don't try and do too much on that day.  The bitter taste from the Victrelis is also a bummer.  I love to cook and the food just doesn't taste the same, so thus I have lost some weight (not a bad thing).  But compared to everyone else, I think I am handling it well.  Atleast that is what my Dr is saying......how are your side effects?  I'm a little concerned that as we progress deeper into the 48 weeks of therapy, the side effects are going to get worse due to the prolonged use of the drugs.  For example, I'm concerned my hair may eventually start falling out but I haven't seen it yet......

[Idyllic]

Yay for being UND. I know full well what waiting for those lab results at the pivotal point of therapy. Oy. It is like walking a tight rope!!

I am at 16/48 on the Incivek and my next major lab is the 24 week point to see if I am eligible to continue on and do the whole 48.  I would have thought Victrelis was the same. (???)

[Bovary73]

Thanks for giving us your latest update. We are both on Victrelis and started about the same time, so I'm "with you".
I was detectable week 4, but UND weeks 8 and 12. It is nervewrecking to wait for those results and I can only imagine how hard it must have been for you waiting for that UND. Now that you are, this is very good news and now you can count down those weeks. How are you doing, are you manageing the sx's?

I really wish you all the best in your continuation - see you in here from time to time. Keep us updated.

[BoceprevirGal]

Good news, UND always feels great : ) It sounds like it was the Victrelis that really made the difference~

[LookingForward12]

Good news indeed! Congratulations!

[pooh55811]

That is great news. Congratulations and keep us posted. We like success stories.

[can-do-man]

Good news indeed, the Vic seems to be the kick you needed. Hang in there, only the best.