starting Incivek, third time treating

[cakes8267]

I am starting AGAIN, treating for a 3rd time.  This time, new doctor, new treatment, trying with the triple therapy.  My doctor is not exactly helpful.  I need a list of foods to eat with this drug and helpful hints on how to take it.  I am very familiar with the Peg and Rib.  I relapsed both times within a month after finishing my treatments.  I am going to give it one last try.  Thoughts?

[cakes8267]

I became UND at 4 wks and stayed that way.  I quit the study and all the drug treatment at 24 wks. I was still testing UND until about 2 months after ending treatment.  Now, I am testing AST 43, ALT 58, HCV 655,432, geno type 1, level 2.  My last shot and drugs were Nov 4, 2011.  Do you think I should hold off for a couple more months to start treatment?  Did you relapse after doing 48 wks and being in the TMC 435 study?  

[willbb]

I don"t know  the exact parameters of your study,however in the study I was in I was told I had to do another 26 weeks also(48 weeks total) ,not because it was a certainly I was on the placebo ..it was result oriented.

In other words if a patient didn't become UND. at week 4 and stay that way till week 12 the protocol was to do 48 weeks..no matter whether on the placebo or study drug.

Personally I would be very hesitant to try treatment again unless I was a 100% sure of what my previous treatment entailed as far as what I was taking.

This is what has held me up re-treating as the study was just recently unblinded and I will be told  soon.
I Also have my suspicions on what it was ,however need to be  certain ,because of future resistance issues.

Can you not wait till unbinding?  Do you have advanced damage?

I am surprised a doctor would start you on another protease if there was any chance at all you already did one,however if he/she is very knowledgeable about these new meds and says it is ok....well...


Best to you...
Will

[pooh55811]

I will add this information in case you do go ahead and start treatment with Incivek.

If you do start Incivek here is a thread with a huge list of high fat foods (towards the bottom of the thread, 80mecheng's post). Be sure to eat some solids with your fat (not just liquids). I often ate Greek yogurt and buttered toast, something to give it a little more food intake.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Are-these-fats-okay/show/1694773

I had timers and alarms all over the place so I woul not miss a dose of Incivek or Riba and I was religious about setting them for my next pill time as soon as I took a pill. I had one timer that could be carried from room to room and I brought it with me wherever I went. It ot to be such a habit it was pretty easy to just set the timer for the next 8 hours as soon as it rang.  Some people get watches that can be programmed. It is crucial that you take the Incivek on time so whatever system works for you, use it.

I am sure you already know these things but if not, here goes:
*Get your teeth cleaned and any dental work done before starting
*Get a baseline eye exam done by an opthamologist who is aware of the Hep C med problems
*You may wan to get a Shingles vaccine, and if you do not already have Hep A and B vaccines you will want to get them
*You may also want to get a pneumonia vaccine

Best of luck and let us know how things go.

[cakes8267]

No, I do not know for certain that I was on the placebo, Yes, the results are hidden.  The only reason I know is that, the study told me to stay on the drugs for additional 6 months.  The study people that received the placebo were told to stay on the treatment for 48 wks.   If I would have received the "real" drug, they would have pulled me off of everything at 24 wks.   I could also tell from my AST/ALT counts.  The new doctor is fully aware of my previous two failed attempts and what I used.  I don't seem to have an issue with getting UND after 4 wks, I have a problem with staying UND after 24 wks or 66 wks.  

[willbb]

Sorry to hear about the  study not working for you,however how do you know you were on the placebo?
Was the study blinded to you on what you rec'd as far as the study drug? Have they unblinded the results yet?

TMC 435 is a "protease inhibitor"  the same class of drug as the two that are on the market now (Victrelis & InciveK)

If in fact you possibly were on the protease TMC 435 and failed it would not be protocol to start another protease ,as there could be resistance issues.. ..

Hopefully the new doctor is aware of this.

Will

[cakes8267]

I was in the TMC 345 research.  I am 99% sure I got the placebo.  So, I quit the study.  I knew that I would just relapse and the study (from Belgium) wanted me to continue on the Rib and Peg for another 6 months.  I had already tried that treatment (the first time) for 66 wks and relapsed.  The 2nd I was on the study for 6 months.  Bloodwork was in the toilet and I knew I would relapse, not getting the real drug.  Now, I am thinking on starting the triple therapy.  I don't understand the terminology of "protease".