Aa
Week 4.........results
Just got home from the doctor. She went over my test results and said I am doing well on treatment. YAAY! She also said I had a 2 log drop on treatment with the first 2 drugs (Interferon & Ribavirin), and now, with the 3rd drug (VIC), the hope is that I will do even better in 4 more weeks.
In this 4 weeks, my Viral Load went from: 10million 700thousand, to only 329thousand!!
Thanks to my BFF (who recommended I take iron), my Hemoglobin (although it's low) has not had a major drop in 4 weeks! We are still keeping an eye on it to gage for anemia, at which point, I go talk to the doc about possible dose reduction and/or rescue drugs. I go back to the doc for the 8 week test results, on Halloween (I think). Maybe I will go in costume as one of the Angry Birds. Then I can do quite the dance when they give me more good news :) My best to EVERYONE on this journey. Your comments, advice and suggestions really do matter and have helped me greatly. Blessings to you and yours......
In this 4 weeks, my Viral Load went from: 10million 700thousand, to only 329thousand!!
Thanks to my BFF (who recommended I take iron), my Hemoglobin (although it's low) has not had a major drop in 4 weeks! We are still keeping an eye on it to gage for anemia, at which point, I go talk to the doc about possible dose reduction and/or rescue drugs. I go back to the doc for the 8 week test results, on Halloween (I think). Maybe I will go in costume as one of the Angry Birds. Then I can do quite the dance when they give me more good news :) My best to EVERYONE on this journey. Your comments, advice and suggestions really do matter and have helped me greatly. Blessings to you and yours......
Let me add my praise and encouragement to the pile. :>)
Blessings to beeblessed,
Ev
Blessings to beeblessed,
Ev
Hi Zedd. Good question. No idea. You should post this as a separate question to the forum, so more people will see it. Near the top of the Hep C Community page, click on "Post a Question." It will be easier for you to keep track of your replies that way. Good luck.
I have a high iron or feritin count is there some way of reducing this before I start treatment? I know they take blood out of people for hemotomachrosis and am wondering if they would do that in my case. Thought I would ask here and see if anyone has any experiance with this
Congratulations on getting good news and the VL reduction! It's a wonderful feeling to know you're headed towards undetected :)!
I do echo what what others have pointed out about NO iron. The link you provided is a free-lance research group, basing that conclusion on a single case study of ONE 55 year-old female... approach iron with caution.
With all due respect to your bff, unless she's an NP in hepatology and hcv-viral treatment specifically, she may have suggested it to you in general terms, as most women do need more iron, but most women are not treating hcv!
I'd definitely run the extra iron intake by your treatment team, and anything else any of your peeps might suggest to you, here or elsewhere, medical professional or not, as it's you and your treatment team in the end who have to deal with the effects, not the people advising you.
Most important... wishing you SVR! :) ~eureka
I do echo what what others have pointed out about NO iron. The link you provided is a free-lance research group, basing that conclusion on a single case study of ONE 55 year-old female... approach iron with caution.
With all due respect to your bff, unless she's an NP in hepatology and hcv-viral treatment specifically, she may have suggested it to you in general terms, as most women do need more iron, but most women are not treating hcv!
I'd definitely run the extra iron intake by your treatment team, and anything else any of your peeps might suggest to you, here or elsewhere, medical professional or not, as it's you and your treatment team in the end who have to deal with the effects, not the people advising you.
Most important... wishing you SVR! :) ~eureka
HoooRayyy for you, I am so glad to hear that it is working. I started at 330 thousand viral load. I am praying this crap be gone...
Hi. Yep, I'm still thinking on this. Thank you for all of the information. The more recent study in the link I posted above, however, showed that iron did not interfere. Either way, I do want to make sure I do not get "too much", and will make a decision soon once I talk to my doctor again. Thanks for your help.
Thanks everyone again for your best wishes!! I am still processing all of your comments and advice.
Thanks everyone again for your best wishes!! I am still processing all of your comments and advice.
Iron A and K all build up in your liver.........we don't need that at all there is enough stress on the liver already anyways - regardless of replication.
First off Bee you should double check because I am positive all of our doctors said to take a multi without iron - Centrum Men's was suggested, this has been very standard practice over the years and I don't think that it has changed. But I treated years ago and some new study could have been done since then but still I think it was a pretty crucial and always ordered thing.
Annie I dont know for sure if there is really a difference but it's one of the factors that helps the virus to replicate. I hope some one of the smarties knows it's been so long since I treated I cannot remember everything anymore (and was never the scientist in the first place).
We were just always told not to take it, that much I know. Probably a search in here will bring up tons of threads.......
Annie I dont know for sure if there is really a difference but it's one of the factors that helps the virus to replicate. I hope some one of the smarties knows it's been so long since I treated I cannot remember everything anymore (and was never the scientist in the first place).
We were just always told not to take it, that much I know. Probably a search in here will bring up tons of threads.......
I was told not to take iron and did have hemolytic anemia. Deb - is there a distinction - the virus NEEDS iron to replicate or it CAUSES it - or are they one in the same???? Just curious.
You do realize that iron is an essential for the virus to replicate = we are specifically told NOT to take iron, (or vitamin A or K) on treatment unless it is called for by the doctor. This could in fact be one of the reasons you did not clear by week 4. Taking iron will not prevent hemolytic anemia.
Great news Bee!! Keep on keepin on!!
I want to mention that with Boc, it is ideal to reach a lower HGB level to achieve SVR. As you will read below, those that reached HGB < 10 had a much higher rate of SVR than those that did not. This is only true of the Boceprevir. Be careful trying to fight what is actually good for you.
Good luck!!!!
"In the case of boceprevir, less than 2% of patients discontinued therapy because of anemia. However, anemia was a significant factor in predicting SVR in Phase III trials of patients taking boceprevir. In the SPRINT-2 (Serine Protease Inhibitor Therapy 2) trial, 72% of patients with hemoglobin below 10 dL/g attained SVR compared with 58% of patients without anemia (Sulkowski MS et al. Presented at the 46th annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver. Abstract 476)."
In patients taking boceprevir, anemia can be managed most often by reducing ribavirin and, at times, with the addition of erythropoietin, said Dr. Pockros. “Successful management of rash and anemia will allow high SVR rates,” he observed.
I want to mention that with Boc, it is ideal to reach a lower HGB level to achieve SVR. As you will read below, those that reached HGB < 10 had a much higher rate of SVR than those that did not. This is only true of the Boceprevir. Be careful trying to fight what is actually good for you.
Good luck!!!!
"In the case of boceprevir, less than 2% of patients discontinued therapy because of anemia. However, anemia was a significant factor in predicting SVR in Phase III trials of patients taking boceprevir. In the SPRINT-2 (Serine Protease Inhibitor Therapy 2) trial, 72% of patients with hemoglobin below 10 dL/g attained SVR compared with 58% of patients without anemia (Sulkowski MS et al. Presented at the 46th annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver. Abstract 476)."
In patients taking boceprevir, anemia can be managed most often by reducing ribavirin and, at times, with the addition of erythropoietin, said Dr. Pockros. “Successful management of rash and anemia will allow high SVR rates,” he observed.
Had just posted this in friljoles thread.
"Nonetheless, the highest SVR rates were found in patients treated with a boceprevir-based regimen who experienced a ≥ 1 log decline in HCV RNA after the lead-in phase,"
This can be found under........
Predictors of Response and Early Viral Kinetics in Patients With HCV
http://www.clinicaloptions.com/Hepatitis/Treatment%20Updates/HCV%20New%20Agents/Module/Practical_Guide/Pages/Page%203.aspx
"Nonetheless, the highest SVR rates were found in patients treated with a boceprevir-based regimen who experienced a ≥ 1 log decline in HCV RNA after the lead-in phase,"
This can be found under........
Predictors of Response and Early Viral Kinetics in Patients With HCV
http://www.clinicaloptions.com/Hepatitis/Treatment%20Updates/HCV%20New%20Agents/Module/Practical_Guide/Pages/Page%203.aspx
Oops! Meant to also say thank you to.....
Livingontheedge
Hrsepwrguy
Puppyluvur
Scoleman
:o)
Livingontheedge
Hrsepwrguy
Puppyluvur
Scoleman
:o)
Congrats, so glad u are doing so well! Keep up the good work. My thoughts and best of wishes are sent your way. Sandi
Can-Do-Man.......I know squat about "logs" so thanks very much for chiming in with this fact! Makes me very happy :)
Ann61
Crossroadsec
Taccs4
Belle19
Thank you all for your kind wishes!! My best to you as well!!
Ann61
Crossroadsec
Taccs4
Belle19
Thank you all for your kind wishes!! My best to you as well!!
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Is that 10700000 to 329000? can-do-man is right on when he says you only need a 1 log drop"Nonetheless, the highest SVR rates were found in patients treated with a boceprevir-based regimen who experienced a ≥ 1 log decline in HCV RNA after the lead-in phase," and according to the Log Drop Calculator you have a 1.5 log which is great, hoping you go on to UND. Take care
Charlie
http://hcvsupport.org/log-drop_calculator.html