WBC Count Low; Told To Skip 2 Interferon Shots.

[Carlhcv]

I don't have the numbers but the Doc's office help called me the morning after my latest CBC and I was told to skip 2 shots. She said the number had to have been below 2. I don't have insurance and can't afford special drugs or blood transfusions. Any opinions on this? How will this compromise my tx? I'm on week 18 of Peginterferon, Ribaviron & Victrelis. I thought I was doing pretty well, just mainly short of breath.

[Carlhcv]

Thank you. I'll work it out.

[copyman]

Agree with a few of the other posters, I would reduce the INF not completely skip it.

If not UND at 24 weeks stop. No sense treating 36 weeks if not UND at 24. Personally I would have stopped at 12 weeks if still UND.

The biggest concern you should have is if your doctor knows what they are talking about. You treatment plan just don't make sense and is definitely not up to date with protocol.

Best of luck

[Revalation]

My normal neutrophil count is naturally low due to autoimmune neutropenia.I have dropped as low as 02. Since you can't pay for additional meds I would have expected you would be off one and then checked to see how quickly you bounced back.  

Also, I have read that the risk of infection is not as great as it is for a cancer patient.

My interferon was reduced at 12 weeks and I completed treatment at
the lower dose of 135 mg. Unfortunately, I still had to take 3 half doses of Neupogen injections weekly due to my naturally occurring neutropenia.I was extremely sensitive to Neupogen . My would numbers would soar but drop like a stone when I took the Pegasys  I might add nobody in their right mind would want to suffer that nightmare. If it were not for this forum and the prayer of my mother I would have never completed tx.

I agree maybe you should touch bases with another doctor. My blood was checked every week for 48 weeks. I think you should start requesting your numbers and keep some records of your own. Reva

[medic54]

That's with a VL TMA test (10 IU) .. the PCR testing is not near as sensitive (typically > 40 IU).

[medic54]

The theory behind the reduced ANC protocols is base on cancer (radiation therapy) and study after study concludes that HCV patients don't get into trouble (infections) like they do. My doc explained it as "pegilated interferon alpha puts your remaining immune system on hyperdrive.. that's what it's designed to do". But even then his limit was 500 and he let that slide for a bit but when I hit 395 I got Nupogen. Required 1 shot ever 10 days which kept my ANC between 700 and 1050. You might want to investigate the free or reduced Nupogen avenues others have talked about, print them (along with a study or two establishing safety at an ANC 500 level) and take them to your doc. My doc was going to make me wait 6 months for my after treatment SVR test so I printed a study showing only 1% difference between 4wks and 24wks and got my order then (@10 wks).

[Carlhcv]

I bookmarked the neupogen site for future reading and reference, thanks. I see this dr. in one of many offices that he uses. I think that Monday I will drive to his main office and get the paperwork. I will take a reduced shot of Peg-Interferon. Then I will go from there. There have been other red flags that this doctor may not have a lot of experience with hep C. The first Dr. that I saw for it quoted me $170,000 for tx! I'm getting tx for the cost of the bloodwork. $15 for CBC, $500 for VL.