Is anyone taking Zepatier HCV treatment for G4?

[Aussie]

I'm 5 weeks into a 12 week course of Zepatier for genotype 4e.

I had some weird aches and pains in the first week. I still feel the fatigue that started with the commencement of treatment, however, it is reducing as the weeks go by.

I guess my questions are:

Does anyone have G4?

Has anyone cleared HCV with Zepatier?

[Aussie]

Blood tests results after 4 weeks on Zepatier show significantly improved and within normal range LFTs.
AST 29 (<35)
ALT 26 (<30)
GGT 24 (<35)

No HCV or VL testing done

[Lynn K]

Hi good luck on treatment I believe we had a few who were GT 4 but they may have walked off into the sunset after they were cured hopefully someone will chime in

[gnatcatcher]

Aussie, while you wait for GT4 forum members to reply, I took a look at the Zepatier prescribing information, a copy of which should have come with your meds, or else see it here: http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/z/zepatier/zepatier_pi.pdf. Section 14.5 gives the clinical trial results for GT4s: 97% reached SVR12 rate (64 of 66 clinical trial patients with GT4 cleared). Since you are female, also note section 8.6 Gender: if your ALT rises later in treatment, you don't need to worry.

Gnatty

[Aussie]

Hi there Natty and Lynn, thanks for your responses.

Thanks Gnatty for your keen spotting on the medication leaflet. I had accessed online but not completely read it. I have read other reports on independent trials, which I sourced from my university data base. In a trial, which had a larger sample pool of GT4 than the Merke one, the results showed a promising 100% clearance for treatment naive patients after 12 weeks treatment.

I have very little doubt about the end result of clearing the virus, however, my fear is that the research about the possible long term effects of taking these drugs is in its infancy, due to the newness of these anti-virals.

[Lynn K]

True but as you realize there could not be long term testing as no one has taking thes drugs until just recently because they did not exist until just a few years ago. Were there any dates those clinical trials were conducted probably less than in the last few years. So those people were the first.

For me I had no option with having liver cirrhosis due to being infected with hep c for at least 37 years by the time I was cured.

I treated with the old interferon when I was first diagnosed and later interferon and ribavirin. I also later still treated with interferon ribavirin and a clinical trial medicine so having the virus scared me way more than the meds and self administered injections every week.

I also try not to worry about the things I cannot control and especially not to worry about problems that don't even exist except only as a possibility.

Best of luck to you with treatment I am sure you will be fine.

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.
Leo Buscaglia

[Aussie]

I have had HCV for possibly 55 years, it is unknown if I was infected by blood transfusion as an infant or as an adult IV drug user in the 80s.

You're perfectly right stating, worrying about possible long term effects is unwarranted, particularly considering the long term damage of HCV. I have been lucky, I escaped cirrhosis and any major health impacts of the virus. My HCV has remained relatively stable since I was diagnosed in 1986 and recent blood tests are showing promising results.

Thanks for your best wishes and extend the same best wishes to you 

[Philadelphia]

Hi and welcome from another Australian. I'm in regional NSW but my treating specialist is Greg Dore. Nice to have another one of us here.

[Aussie]

Thanks for the welcome Philadelphia. I'm in Sydney. Now with the new generation treatments and lack of complications with my HCV, I only need a knowledgeable local GP to prescribe and oversee the whole process.