RVR and Rescue Drugs

[Rockerforlife]

If i cleared at week 2,with the boceprevir "lead in"...and my REDS start to hot below 10....what would you do?....cut back on the RIBA....or do the PROCIT...shot # 18 /36 or 48

[alagirl]

You aren't at transfusion level until you go below 8 (even though you may feel horrible at 10 - especially when you're male, since men have a higher resting hemaglobin).  I chose to keep my riba more or less steady and I both went on procrit (40,000 units 2x per week), and used transfusions when the procrit wasn't enough.  I did this even though I had the advantage of treating acutely and I might have been able to get by with less riba.  But if I had been chronic when I began tx, then I would almost certainly do everything in my power not to drop my riba, up to and including procrit and transfusions.

Somebody can correct me on this, but I think it takes about seven days for a red blood cell to form.  So its important to start the rescue drugs early enough in the tx process to help you to stay on top of your blood count.

[Rockerforlife]

Never knew that...funny how ya learn "something else" when i ask a question...cool...the procit is free...so ill do it anyway...kind of a dumb question

[epiphiny]

IF I had the choice I would go the Procrit before I took a dose reduction.

[GreatBird]

Are they giving you a choice? I had the sense that I was required to take the rescue drugs since they are provided.

[jdwithhcv]

I would do the procrit.  I was RVR but by the time that 4 week PCR came back I had been hammered by the anemia.  I took the procrit to avoid riba reduction and transfusion.  I'm glad I did.  Got through tx that way and I'm SVR today.  If I had reduced riba, well who knows.

jd