viral load

[lisa108]

My VL before tx was 5.500.000. At week 4 it droped to 49 and now at week 8 it is 15. I'm not UND. Do yout think I still has a chance to become UND at week 12? I'm very worried, don't know what to think.

[lisa108]

Thanks Diana, this is great news !!! How are you doing today?
My doc told me my changes of becoming UND would be lower than others (40%)  because of my antecedents (carcinoma, failed 2 tx, cirrhose compensated) but it's working. Keep going, it's worth it !!! Tell yourself that you are going to do it and you will do it. Have a nice day  :)

[lisa108]

Thanks a lot pooh55811. I had many facts against me, reducing the possibilities of becoming UND but this is to proof that even the hardest cases have a solution. I wish you lots of courage to carry on with tx and think that you have your possibilities of getting rid of the virus.  Have a nice day :)

[Diana66]

Congratulations Lisa, this is really great news !!!!

[pooh55811]

Congratulations of being UND at week 12. That is great news. Hoping for SVR for you.   : )

[lisa108]

Received the 12 weeks result yesterday, I became UND. I have another 35 weeks to go with pegasys and ribavirine. I am just crossing fingers that I stay UND until the end.
This is the third time I am doing the tx. My case is difficult to treat. I have cirhoses, also had a hepathic carcinome which was treated with pure ethanol. I have been positive about this treatment and mentally have been helping to kill the little monsters ahahahaa :)

[pooh55811]

"I would have a loooog talk with my doctor about you Riba dose as that is way to low for somebody thats not UND, Why has he not gave you procrit? "

Just to add my 2 cents, I agree with Can-do.

Just curious, did you start out at 1200 mg of Ribavirin? If you did start with 1200 mg of Ribavirin, when did you drop to 600 mg?

[desrt]

I agree with can-do that epotein and higher riba is the way to go. Just my opinion that you need to be ready to advocate strongly for yourself. Your history of relapse and slow response should be brought to the table to justify its use in your case.

[desrt]

I think getting a European doc to prescribe epotein alpha may be an uphill fight. Even though the European Medicines Agency has approved its use since 2007, cost still makes transfusion and dose reduction SOC in most places.

[lisa108]

yes, I'll have a talk with him

[can-do-man]

I would have a loooog talk with my doctor about you Riba dose as that is way to low for somebody thats not UND, Why has he not gave you procrit?

[lisa108]

am happy you also think I have my chances to go UND. am taking alpha-A

[desrt]

I think you have a very good chance of being UND at week 12 as well.
Interesting that you would go UND on a non-PEG IFN but not on pegylated. The only other variables I can think of in the three txs would be whether they were IFN alpha 2a or IFN alpha 2b and what your riba doses were.

[lisa108]

i've been taking half dose of riba 600mg but the doctos told me to start taking 400 as from yesterday. I've just come out of hospital. I was anaemic and the potassium was very low. I was transfused with 2 bags of blood and now am feeling better.

[lisa108]

thanks a lot for giving me hope  :))))) In secod tx I was takig 800mg riba+interferon. At month 9 the viral started increasing again. I was also anaemic.

[can-do-man]

Hi, you had a good response at the begining of treatment, and since an 8 week PCR is not called for in the Incivek guidelines alot of people never know until week 12 just when they really did clear. My guess would be you will be UND at week 12 and if you had not had the 8 week test most would think you would have been UND alot sooner since your viral load at week 4 was 49.

I'm curious on your second treatment how long you treated and just what was your response since you say you nevered cleared but was a prior relapser......... Are you now on full dose of Riba and Interferon?

Just keep in mind not everybody has a 4 week UND but by week 12 they are UND, treat for 48 weeks and become SVR. Hang in there and keep your fingers crossed for 12 weeks... I think you have a very good chance at being UND then

[lisa108]

i don't know the IL28B type, the geno 1A

[lisa108]

yes, geno 1A

[desrt]

Oops, just read the rest of your profile. Do you know your IL28B type? I'm assuming you're geno1.

[desrt]

On your profile it shows your first tx, where you became UND but relapsed, was interferon+riba in 1995. So I'm assuming Intron A or Roferon. What were you taking for your second tx and what are you taking now ?