To Treat now or wait

[streamline569]

So one doctor is wants me to treat now SOC and another doctor wants me to wait the 8 months when the new drugs will be most likely be available. The one who want me to wait is also a liver transplant doctor. Oh in know my paranoia, just trying to make a decision here. Maybe a third opinion is in order. Wonder if insurance pays for third opinions......Also wondering if the IL 28b test would hurt us in the long run if it is found out that we may not be a good candidate for treatment

[Bali05]

We all know nothing is 100% with Hep C.
The IL28b is simply another piece of the puzzle and if the question is to treat or to wait for new meds it will add to the equation.

As far as to assess Streamline`s list of problems I would leave that to the
Drs. If a transplant Dr. for example says Streamline should wait for new meds  it appears
to be an option but if Streamline has the CC allele it might make more sense to go for it now.





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[FlGuy]

I don't see how the results of an IL28b test would be a significant determining factor to treat or not (at least with Streamline's list of problems)

(In the following excerpt Muir is the author of the article in Nature)

"...Muir also cautioned, however, that IL-28B is neither the only predictor of response, nor always a predictor of response. Other predictive indicators beyond IL-28 genotype include race, viral load, and degree of fibrosis. "As with many other tests, it could be misused," said Dr Melissa Palmer, medical director of hepatology at New York University Hepatology Associates. Virologic response to treatment is still a stronger indicator than IL-28B, Reau added. IL-28B data could be used to truncate the treatment window of patients with an unfavorable genotype if they do not demonstrate a reduced viral load on therapy, she said. Additional studies are currently being done to verify that the IL-28B genotype is also predictive of a patient's response to therapy with a protease inhibitor, said Muir"

[jt57]

To me, there is no question.  TREAT NOW!!  I was told to wait until fall of 2010 for the new drugs.     Do you see them?  Instead, i went on with soc.  The drugs may never come and your liver damage is not going to get better.  soc will help with that.  If you had early stage liver disease, it would be different.  But you don't   Please.  If it doesn't work for you, you can always go with the pi's when they are released.

Jean

[Trinity4]

At stage 3/4 with compromised platelets what do you have to lose by treating and seeing how you respond within a 12 week period?  If your response to SOC is slow you can stop and wait for the PI's.

  

[spectda]

Ny girl and most everyone else on your other thread have advised you that it is time to treat. You seem to be searching for the answer that tells you not to treat because of your fear. To not treat with your liver in the condition it is in is just asking for trouble.

If you are not successful with interferon/ribaviron treatment you will still be able to treat again and add boceprevir or telaprevir when they are available. if you are not undetectable by week 12 or very close to it you will most likely stop treating at that point and will not have to waste 48 weeks of futile treatment.

The treatment may also slow down the progression of damage being done to your liver which is at a stage where you really don't want it to go any further.

You really need to stop obsessing about treatment and take care of yourself. Everyone is apprehensive about it before they start. We have many people who thought they couldn't deal with treatment and because they did they are free of hcv now.

[Bali05]

run the IL28b , you need all the information you can get to make the decision