No RVR on SOC

[foofighter]

Drum roll............HCV RNA iu/mL: 226

Nurse called with week 4 labs and I didn't clear. Kinda bummed, but I will be really bummed if I don't clear at 6 weeks as that will mean I got placebo. It is an official 4 log drop by week 4 though, so I am thankful for that.

And my platelets are a freak show. The are almost normal in the 120s and have been over 100 since I screened!! It is so confusing. My spleen is enlarged, HR had my Fibroscan at 21, I have varicies and my platelets are hanging in on tx. I know they fluctuate, but I am clearly interferon sensitive and yet it is not making my platelets tank. Go figure.

This does make for a weird situation as far as figuring out the placebo thing, though. Stormrider, did you ever get your 4 week labs? Were you clear at 4? If I am clear at 6, I will not know if it was just SOC or I got the Boceprevir.

If I am NOT clear, I feel that it means placebo, right? NYGirl hung at 400 forever on SOC. Even though it would be only two weeks of trial drug, there is only 226 of those suckers to kill. Also, if in placebo arm and you are clear at treatment week 24, I think (I have to look the week up again) you aren't offered the rollover to the real drug.

Another thing is my blood has been drawn about 44 hours after injection on 2 and 4. My week 6 will be next Wednesday, 96 hours post injection. Does that screw things up? Here are my labs to date:

TREATMENT WEEK 0 (Day 1)
HCV RNA iu/mL: 9,920,000
Bilirubin: 0.7
ALT: 44 AST: 41
Creatinine: 0.8
Hemoglobin: 15.75
WBC: 5.36
ANC: 3.7
Neutrophils: 69
Platelets: 137

TREATMENT WEEK 2
HCV RNA iu/mL: 2420
Bilirubin: 1.1
ALT: 21 AST: 30
Creatinine: 0.6
Hemoglobin: 12.2
WBC: 2.95
ANC: 1.67
Neutrophils: 56.7
Platelets: 127

TREATMENT WEEK 4
HCV RNA iu/mL:
Bilirubin: 0.7
ALT: 18 AST: 27
Creatinine: 0.6
Hemoglobin: 10.9
WBC: 1.78
ANC: 1.0
Neutrophils: 56.9
Platelets: 124

Nurse made no comment about anything and didn't ask how I was feeling (which, I realize now, doesn't matter to them after no help through the horror of the first three weeks). I have nurse appointments but do not see the doc until February. I thought a few things seemed a little low but I guess not enough to concern them. Just can't walk for more than 20 paces without having to sit down, but oh well (unless I am having chest pains or am ready to kill myself, there is no reaction). I guess the upside is my body is absorbing the hell out of the riba.

Super smiley sweet and nice nurses though! Plenty of nodding of the heads, "Oh gosh darn it, that's unfortunate, yes, those darn sides, cripes that's too bad, are you drinking enough water, oh, don't drink too much water, hmmm you should be feeling fine by now, because most people don't have many side effects at this center, you know a positive attitude really takes care of many of our patients side effects..." ARRRGGGHHH.

One thing that I don't get is the helper for whites getting pooh-poohed by two doctors I am dealing with. My main doc (big shot transplant guy, hcv expert) said they don't believe it works and don't prescribe it, and the trial doc says it isn't part of the trial. I know that shouldn't be a concern unless ANC would drop quite a bit lower, but I would like to know what the deal is. Wonder if I will have to be near heart attack to get Procrit.

I am due for my 6 month AFP and ultrasound for HCC that is through my main guy, maybe he will go ahead and prescribe whatever I need. I have the damn insurance.

Can you tell I am crabby? Anyone? Anyone? I guess that is enough venting/rambling for now. I will return before the New Year in a better mood.

Foo

[can-do-man]

Sounds like if we are und but not in arm 2 then we will get the placebo for the remaining 12 weeks but stay on SOC for the remainder of tx. Sounds like no matter what 36 weeks of boceprevir will be the max.

BTW, i like your thinking on doing the whole 48 weeks even if the last 12 is SOC only. Had not thought of it that way but me being a geno 1 relapser and a stage 4 i'd gladly do the extra 12 weeks to boost my odds.... Good thinking guy

[Rockerforlife]

Riddle me this?

Placebo replaces boceprevir for the remaining 12 weeks of therapy, and this switch will occur in a blinded fashion

DOES this mean i will the fake drugs only for the remaining 12 weeks,if i am UD by week 8....this is confusing this part...why give us fake drugs for 12 weeks if we are UN...DONT make sense to me

[Rockerforlife]

BUT...ill try to explain why its better for me to be detcable at week 8(really 71/2)....because i will get the chance to an etra 12 weeks,for a total of 48,as oppsoes to the 36....only thing is the last 12 weeks will be BOC/plcebo...id go for the 48 weeks here...wouldnt you?

[can-do-man]

I think your saying because your interferon level would be higher??? But the down side would be less boceprevir and riba in your system???

It looks like IF were in arm 2 and und at week 8 then we only do 36 weeks. Thing is we won't be told what arm were in till we reach that point

[Rockerforlife]

i under stand that...BUT...the big guys who know  what arm im in already want to know when i clear  before or after week 8 as so they can asign me to the 32 week or 48 week remaining time

[Rockerforlife]

actually....now looking at this....by my blood being drawn eary is too my advantage...do you guys see what i mean?..if not ..ill explain