Aa
tapering Interferon-end of treatment
My pharmacist just called today because she is concerned about my request for 6 syringes.
I explained first that I was coming off of my pegasus with the tapering off method to avoid relaspe and allow the spleen time to come back on line...she was fine with that...
but then called back saying look, we aren't even allowed to mix this drug under a sterile hood...so I'm concerned you dividing one peg syringe into several other containers will open you up to possible contamination or infection.
Ideas here? I could throw out the extra...but that's going to get spendy when I get down to needing 1/8////
could ask for interfergen...not very familiar with it's use..
chances are either way INS may not approve....she says these are manufacturer standards...
I trust my pharmacist, but is this just the manufacturers way of getting more $$$$
my method for dealing with the 3/4 reduction was to inject 3.4, pull the needle out of my skin, then remove quickly the needle, then and ONLY then, to back the syringe up a smidge, reattach the plug and put back in fridge promptly.
I feel I was very careful in removing the needle, so that no contamination from blood product could have backed up into the syringe....Also I DO NOT try to pull some blood into the syringe like they say to....because I have a very LARGE supply of FAT on my thighs I am not worried at all about hitting a big vein in that mass...
so I think I'm ok so far....but I cannot see how I can get down to 1/4 or 1/8 dose with this method...I need a more accurate sysringe with more delineated meeasurements.
I'm open to any ideas, but hoping to avoid buying 2 more boxes of interferon to complete this process.
mb
I explained first that I was coming off of my pegasus with the tapering off method to avoid relaspe and allow the spleen time to come back on line...she was fine with that...
but then called back saying look, we aren't even allowed to mix this drug under a sterile hood...so I'm concerned you dividing one peg syringe into several other containers will open you up to possible contamination or infection.
Ideas here? I could throw out the extra...but that's going to get spendy when I get down to needing 1/8////
could ask for interfergen...not very familiar with it's use..
chances are either way INS may not approve....she says these are manufacturer standards...
I trust my pharmacist, but is this just the manufacturers way of getting more $$$$
my method for dealing with the 3/4 reduction was to inject 3.4, pull the needle out of my skin, then remove quickly the needle, then and ONLY then, to back the syringe up a smidge, reattach the plug and put back in fridge promptly.
I feel I was very careful in removing the needle, so that no contamination from blood product could have backed up into the syringe....Also I DO NOT try to pull some blood into the syringe like they say to....because I have a very LARGE supply of FAT on my thighs I am not worried at all about hitting a big vein in that mass...
so I think I'm ok so far....but I cannot see how I can get down to 1/4 or 1/8 dose with this method...I need a more accurate sysringe with more delineated meeasurements.
I'm open to any ideas, but hoping to avoid buying 2 more boxes of interferon to complete this process.
mb
"did for a time achieve guru status here and his every utterance enshrined as gospel."
Does seem to happen from time to time to time, regardless of the supporting evidence.
After 80+ weeks of interferon, imo, it makes no sense that the tapering off method will have any bearing on avoidance of relapse. With that amount of time on interferon either the immune system has done what it was supposed to do or it hasn't. At the very best, tapering may make you feel better because the immune system is gradually adjusting.
When starting treatment I couldn't allow my immune system to gradually become accustomed to the interferon so I won't be tapering. I'll go out with a bang just like I came in.
Trinity
Does seem to happen from time to time to time, regardless of the supporting evidence.
After 80+ weeks of interferon, imo, it makes no sense that the tapering off method will have any bearing on avoidance of relapse. With that amount of time on interferon either the immune system has done what it was supposed to do or it hasn't. At the very best, tapering may make you feel better because the immune system is gradually adjusting.
When starting treatment I couldn't allow my immune system to gradually become accustomed to the interferon so I won't be tapering. I'll go out with a bang just like I came in.
Trinity
I asked my doctor about tappering off vs. stopping a while back. He told me straight out there is no need to tapper off.
He is also a leading doctor in the field named Dr. Rajender Reddy. He is the Director of Hepatology at University of Pennsylvania. I did not mention these articles in particular but he knows that I am up on things.
I will ask him again at my next appointment as it will be week 48 and EOT. I would also agree that the argument made is thought provoking. I am assuming that since they tend to determine the treatment outcome by EVR these days it may not be relevant. I have been UND since week 4. My guess is that any little virons in my body that might have been still lingering are long gone.
I will look to see if there is any newer studies thhat argue this point one way or the other.
I am not advocating one method over the other. Just mentioning my doctor said no to tapering.
He is also a leading doctor in the field named Dr. Rajender Reddy. He is the Director of Hepatology at University of Pennsylvania. I did not mention these articles in particular but he knows that I am up on things.
I will ask him again at my next appointment as it will be week 48 and EOT. I would also agree that the argument made is thought provoking. I am assuming that since they tend to determine the treatment outcome by EVR these days it may not be relevant. I have been UND since week 4. My guess is that any little virons in my body that might have been still lingering are long gone.
I will look to see if there is any newer studies thhat argue this point one way or the other.
I am not advocating one method over the other. Just mentioning my doctor said no to tapering.
Bill and HCA, you both make very good points, hard to debate without any medical studies.
Somehow I think HR would be the first to admit this. Although, more than likely he has seen evidence to lead him to his opinion. But none the less it still is an opinion, not backed by medical studies.
Thing is, a little more time on very reduced tapering dose ifn, probably won't hurt, and there is a slim chance it could help. I did not tapper, but did have a dose reduction the last 2 shots, and it did 'feel' quite good to be reduced.
HCA,
Please explain about the fibroscan, (pm me if you don't want it public) as I have had them done and very interested in any problems you might have encountered.
thanks
apache
Somehow I think HR would be the first to admit this. Although, more than likely he has seen evidence to lead him to his opinion. But none the less it still is an opinion, not backed by medical studies.
Thing is, a little more time on very reduced tapering dose ifn, probably won't hurt, and there is a slim chance it could help. I did not tapper, but did have a dose reduction the last 2 shots, and it did 'feel' quite good to be reduced.
HCA,
Please explain about the fibroscan, (pm me if you don't want it public) as I have had them done and very interested in any problems you might have encountered.
thanks
apache
Tapering as a concept was intoduced to me as a concept by Hepatitis Researcher within this forum.
Roughly speaking he postulated that the immune system if gradually returned to normal would better identify any stray virons floating around at the end of treatment.
There is, as far as I am aware, no supporting evidence.
Hepatitis Researcher did for a time achieve guru status here and his every utterance enshrined as gospel.
He was clearly very erudite hoewver my own experience with the Fibroscan which was a HR cause celebre makes me a tad wary.
For all those considering tapering down on interferon I would say 'Have you actually been given any evidence?'
Additionally I am aware that tampering with pre-packed interferon and messing with dose can have dire side affects if the IFN is exposed to air and reused.
Roughly speaking he postulated that the immune system if gradually returned to normal would better identify any stray virons floating around at the end of treatment.
There is, as far as I am aware, no supporting evidence.
Hepatitis Researcher did for a time achieve guru status here and his every utterance enshrined as gospel.
He was clearly very erudite hoewver my own experience with the Fibroscan which was a HR cause celebre makes me a tad wary.
For all those considering tapering down on interferon I would say 'Have you actually been given any evidence?'
Additionally I am aware that tampering with pre-packed interferon and messing with dose can have dire side affects if the IFN is exposed to air and reused.
The tapering is more for the Riba than the interferon. When you get off of the drugs your body will practically scream out for more Riba but not the shots, at least that was my short experience. good luck
I don’t the pharmacy for their concern; there’s no evidence that ‘tapering’ off interferon benefits the patient in any way. This seems to be the flavor of the month for HCV treatment. Show us some published, peer reviewed documents, and then we’re beginning to practice evidence based medicine. Anything less than that is nonsense.
Bill
Bill
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