Viekira Pak

[pat12]

Hey guys, thought I'd ask you knowledgeable folks here your thoughts...I'm treatment naive, gt 1b, low viral load, fibroscan 4.5, had hep c for 40 years, yet "not sick enough" for my plan to pay for Harvoni for 8 weeks.  My Dr. suggested Abbvie's Viekira Pak.  He said very high success rate for 1b's...12 weeks, no riba, more pill burden than the one pill Harvoni, but I'm tired of waiting, nor do I have the energy to battle the insurance company...I'm tired of waiting and waiting..  What do you think of this protocol?  Thanks and Happy New Year!

[flyinlynn]

Hi Pat

Here is a link to clinical trial results from the Universiry of Washington

Check out page 5 for Genotype 1b looks to me like 99.0%

http://depts.washington.edu/hepstudy/presentations/uploads/133/pearl__3d__u.pdf

Good luck on treatment
Lynn

[pat12]

Thank you!!  I'll check it out now!

[Sarah1949]

If it was me, I'd want Harvoni but we often cannot get everything we want and the push right now is for the Viekera Pak because it costs less money. If you have cirrhosis you have to do Ribavirin along with the Viekera Pak and I don't ever want to have to do Ribavirin. Also, I've heard enough people talk about their experience with Harvoni and most are having a very easy time of it. Perhaps Viekera will turn out to be just as easy. Who knows. This is just my thinking.

[flyinlynn]

I believe if have GT 1a you have to do Ribavirin regardless of cirrhosis and also GT 1b with cirrhosis. GT 1b without cirrhosis has no Ribavirin. AbbVie is not recommended in advanced cirrhosis if Child B or Child C.

http://www.rxabbvie.com/pdf/viekirapak_pi.pdf

[Sarah1949]

It's kind of like the difference in Uggs and Bear Paws.

[keepingOnkeepingOn]

99% success rate is a no-brainer given all the factors. You sound strong enough to take the viekirapak. I'd call the doc and tell him -OKAY.... You'll take what you can get because you are tired of waiting and you need the virus gone now-no more waiting. viekirapak was tested in trials and is just now being made available to the public. It's probably too new to tell about the sides.