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Update on Incivek Trial - Now Starting Week 18!
Hi All,
A kind note from Jay0914 asking how my BF was prompted me to post an update.
After an extremely trying 6 weeks where he was anemic, he's now a little better after stopping Riba for a few days and then having massive dose reductions (he restarted at 200mg and now at 400mg). He's now stable, with HGB around 10. He was asked to reduced the Interferon for a couple of weeks as well.
Since he is RVR the doctor wasn't worried about intermittent stoppages and dose reductions. He said that in all likelihood after the first 12 weeks of Incivek (which he did in full) have cleared the virus and the last 12 weeks is like "an insurance policy". I would like to beleive him, of course. He's at the top of HCV research in a top hospital so I guess I don't have the choice.
One thing that was really distressing was the mood changes and the anger. My BF is usually mellow. I was scared of what the day would bring. The mood swings and anger have dimished somewhat with the decrease in Riba but for all those of you who are caretakers, I know how discouraging it is to watch your loved one in pain and in a very bad mood. I can understand some relationships don't survive treatment.
We try to hang on. 6 weeks are left. And then we hope a return to normalcy. I'll be watching your posts as to your experience in the latter stages of treatment and after it ends. I'll keep you posted!
A kind note from Jay0914 asking how my BF was prompted me to post an update.
After an extremely trying 6 weeks where he was anemic, he's now a little better after stopping Riba for a few days and then having massive dose reductions (he restarted at 200mg and now at 400mg). He's now stable, with HGB around 10. He was asked to reduced the Interferon for a couple of weeks as well.
Since he is RVR the doctor wasn't worried about intermittent stoppages and dose reductions. He said that in all likelihood after the first 12 weeks of Incivek (which he did in full) have cleared the virus and the last 12 weeks is like "an insurance policy". I would like to beleive him, of course. He's at the top of HCV research in a top hospital so I guess I don't have the choice.
One thing that was really distressing was the mood changes and the anger. My BF is usually mellow. I was scared of what the day would bring. The mood swings and anger have dimished somewhat with the decrease in Riba but for all those of you who are caretakers, I know how discouraging it is to watch your loved one in pain and in a very bad mood. I can understand some relationships don't survive treatment.
We try to hang on. 6 weeks are left. And then we hope a return to normalcy. I'll be watching your posts as to your experience in the latter stages of treatment and after it ends. I'll keep you posted!
Hello I just saw this and wanted to thank you for sharing your BF's experience. I have had a rough time, am in 20th week, though if it works it will be worth it to me
Dee
Dee
Oh wow. Thanks for posting. I just started and have no experienced the "rage" yet. In my training the other night, our loved ones were advised to remind us it's the meds, if we have mood swings. You sound like you are a good support base, so remember to do things for yourself too, so you won't be dragged into depression over this. Glad your BF is stable and I pray the best through the rest of tx.
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