Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 12:54:19 pm

Login with username, password and session length


Members
  • Total Members: 6307
  • Latest: golfer
Stats
  • Total Posts: 55125
  • Total Topics: 4851
  • Online Today: 108
  • Online Ever: 1314
  • (June 22, 2016, 05:23:42 am)
Users Online
Users: 0
Guests: 80
Total: 80

Welcome

Welcome to the Hep Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people who have Fatty Liver Disease, Hepatitis B, C or a co-infection, their friends and family and others with questions about hepatitis and liver health. Check in frequently to read what others have to say, post your comments, and hopefully learn more about how you can reach your own health goals.

Privacy Warning: Please realize that these forums are open to all, and are fully searchable via Google and other search engines. If this concerns you, then do not use a username or avatar that are self-identifying in any way. We do not allow the deletion of anything you post in these forums, so think before you post.
  • The information shared in these forums, by moderators and members, is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between an individual and his/her own physician.
  • All members of these forums are, by default, not considered to be licensed medical providers. If otherwise, users must clearly define themselves as such.
  • Product advertisement (including links); banners; and clinical trial, study or survey participation—is strictly prohibited by forums members unless permission has been secured from the Hep Forum Moderators.
Finished Reading This? You can collapse this or any other box on this page by clicking the symbol in each box.

Author Topic: Peginterferon/Ribavirin treatment  (Read 9602 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline EBSCO

  • Member
  • Posts: 4
Peginterferon/Ribavirin treatment
« on: December 18, 2015, 08:13:17 pm »
Hi, so in May I have been diagnosed with Hep C (blood donor), I'm 19 years old and doctors think i got it from a blood transfusion because i had a surgery when i was a baby (1 year old). Now unfortunately im from Europe but my country is not in European Union therefore drugs like Harvoni, Sovaldi etc are not approved/available, and my insurance obviously won't cover a €60k drug (that's the price for Harvoni in Europe). My doctors told me that the only treatment i can get from them is Peginterferon/Ribavirin (48 weeks). So i wanted to know is this treatment really that bad ? I was considering going to India but my parents refused that idea because the doctors told them that there are a lot of fake drugs and it's not worth the risk. I don't have any symptoms and a liver biopsy and I don't have fibrosis or cirrhosis. So anyone who did this treatment, it would be nice to get some feedback. Cheers

Offline Lynn K

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 4,543
  • Get tested, get treated, get cured, fight Hep c!
Re: Peginterferon/Ribavirin treatment
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2015, 11:26:20 pm »
Hi and welcome

I had genotype 1a the hardest to treat successfully with interferon/ribavirin. The odd of it working are less than 30%.

I treated 3 times with interferon based treatment. The first was with interferon monotherapy as there was no ribavirin yet. That was 3 shots a week of interferon for 6 months I felt like I was getting over the flu the whole time I guess I was lucky as others has worse side effects than I did. I worked while I was on treatment full time but it was a long 6 months and in the end it didn't work.

I later treated with interferon and ribavirin another long 6 months and plus I developed anemia from the ribavirin. Again no response to treatment. The third time was interferon, ribavirin and a clinical trial medicine 6 months of feeling bad and still no response.

I would still have treated with those meds as I had no other options but if I knew there were other drugs in the world just not available to me right now I would either find a way to get the new meds or wait until they are available to me through normal channels. Personally, as Harvoni, Viekira Pak and others are out there I would not do the interferon ribavirin for someone like you with out liver damage I would wait until I could get the meds. Is there any possibility you could find a clinical trial?

Just to add most people have little to no symptoms from hep c although many report being tired. So unless you are one of the few who develop extra-hepatic symptoms from hep c you really won't experience any symptoms unless you develop cirrhosis and then the symptoms will be of cirrhosis.

That is why hep c is called a silent killer because it is slowly over many years causing damage but the person is totally unaware if it unless they get tested for some reason. Buy the time you develop symptoms you are very very sick.

I was likely infected in 1978 and was diagnosed in 1990 when I donated blood. I was followed closely over the years and finally in 2008 I was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis which took 30 years to develop.

Hope that answers your questions best of luck to you and I hope Harvoni and the rest of the meds are available to all soon.

Good luck
Lynn
Genotype 1a
1978 contracted, 1990 Dx
1995 Intron A failed
2001 Interferon Riba null response
2003 Pegintron Riba trial med null response
2008 F4 Cirrhosis Bx
2014 12 week Sov/Oly relapse
10/14 fibroscan 27 PLT 96
2014 24 weeks Harvoni 15 weeks Riba
5/4/15 EOT not detected, ALT 21, AST 20
4 week post not detected, ALT 26, AST 28
12 week post NOT DETECTED (07/27/15)
ALT 29, AST 27 PLT 92
24 week post NOT DETECTED! (10/19/15)
44 weeks (3/11/16)  fibroscan 33, PLT 111, HCV NOT DETECTED!
I AM FREE!

Offline Coach Mike

  • Member
  • Posts: 292
    • Affordable Hepatitis C Treatment
Re: Peginterferon/Ribavirin treatment
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2015, 05:32:33 am »
Hi EB,
Go to the website fixhepc, join, look for the topic Redemption Trials. The huge trial is an effort to verify the effectiveness of the affordable generic treatments available now from south Asia and China. The cost, if you are accepted, is $1600.00 for a 12 week treatment delivered to your door. All meds involved in this trial are tested.
This is HOPE for thousands!

Coach Mike
Genotype 1a, Biopsy:11/2014: F-1, Tx Naive
Fibrosure, 7/20/15: F-1-2
Pre tx v/l: 1,600,000, ALT: 75, AST: 48
Started generic sofosbuvir & ledipasvir: 10/23/15
4 wk labs: 11/19/15, ALT: 21, AST: 16, V/L:  UND
Started 8 week Harvoni tx: 11/20/15
8 wk labs, 12/15/15, ALT: 15, AST: 13, V/L: UND
4/11/16 12 week EOT-Undetected
7/5/16 SVR 24

Offline EBSCO

  • Member
  • Posts: 4
Re: Peginterferon/Ribavirin treatment
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2015, 06:30:52 am »
Thank you all for replying, i'l wager all options before i make my decision  :)

Offline jakas

  • Member
  • Posts: 265
Re: Peginterferon/Ribavirin treatment
« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2015, 03:00:57 pm »
The new drugs in India are not fake. They are licenced from Gilead and BMS.
You could import too if your country allows it.
M/57 yrs.
Contracted (Unknown) 10-20-30 yrs back ??
Treatment Naive
Geno 1a&1b
VL  17+ million
ALT 200+, AST 170+
Fibroscan F4 ( 26+ kpa ) on 8th Dec. 2105
Started Tx 11th Dec.2015 ( 12 wks. Gilead Harvoni)
7/1/2016 :Viral Load|<25 UND.
23/1/2016: ALT 34 , AST 35, ALP 143
8 week NO labs done
EOT:03.03.2016 ( 84 pills eaten )
ALT 26, ALP 124, BIL .54
V/L <25 UND E.O.T.
4 weeks E.O.T. V/L UND::: SVR 4
SVR 12 and  SVR 24 on 16/8/16
Fibro 24.5kpa 23/05/16
SVR 63 05/17
Fibro 17.03.2020 kpa 6.3

Offline Coach Mike

  • Member
  • Posts: 292
    • Affordable Hepatitis C Treatment
Re: Peginterferon/Ribavirin treatment
« Reply #5 on: December 21, 2015, 04:54:56 pm »
Hey EB,
check out fixhepc. I post there regularly. My user name is mgalbrai.
CM
Genotype 1a, Biopsy:11/2014: F-1, Tx Naive
Fibrosure, 7/20/15: F-1-2
Pre tx v/l: 1,600,000, ALT: 75, AST: 48
Started generic sofosbuvir & ledipasvir: 10/23/15
4 wk labs: 11/19/15, ALT: 21, AST: 16, V/L:  UND
Started 8 week Harvoni tx: 11/20/15
8 wk labs, 12/15/15, ALT: 15, AST: 13, V/L: UND
4/11/16 12 week EOT-Undetected
7/5/16 SVR 24

Offline EBSCO

  • Member
  • Posts: 4
Re: Peginterferon/Ribavirin treatment
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2015, 04:54:49 pm »
The new drugs in India are not fake. They are licenced from Gilead and BMS.
You could import too if your country allows it.

I know that, but like I said my parents don't believe me, and whats even worse it's that doctors are saying the same thing.

Offline jakas

  • Member
  • Posts: 265
Re: Peginterferon/Ribavirin treatment
« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2015, 05:14:33 pm »
Keep your liver healthy, dont drink alcohol, workout, be strong and wait for the medicines to come. I think soon you will get treated as things are moving ahead with medicines all over the world. Have a nice Christmas  :)
M/57 yrs.
Contracted (Unknown) 10-20-30 yrs back ??
Treatment Naive
Geno 1a&1b
VL  17+ million
ALT 200+, AST 170+
Fibroscan F4 ( 26+ kpa ) on 8th Dec. 2105
Started Tx 11th Dec.2015 ( 12 wks. Gilead Harvoni)
7/1/2016 :Viral Load|<25 UND.
23/1/2016: ALT 34 , AST 35, ALP 143
8 week NO labs done
EOT:03.03.2016 ( 84 pills eaten )
ALT 26, ALP 124, BIL .54
V/L <25 UND E.O.T.
4 weeks E.O.T. V/L UND::: SVR 4
SVR 12 and  SVR 24 on 16/8/16
Fibro 24.5kpa 23/05/16
SVR 63 05/17
Fibro 17.03.2020 kpa 6.3

Offline EBSCO

  • Member
  • Posts: 4
Re: Peginterferon/Ribavirin treatment
« Reply #8 on: December 24, 2015, 01:43:21 pm »
Keep your liver healthy, dont drink alcohol, workout, be strong and wait for the medicines to come. I think soon you will get treated as things are moving ahead with medicines all over the world. Have a nice Christmas  :)

Thanks, Merry Christmas to you too  :D

Offline jakas

  • Member
  • Posts: 265
Re: Peginterferon/Ribavirin treatment
« Reply #9 on: December 24, 2015, 01:55:50 pm »
and keep in touch, keep visiting us :) we are always here
M/57 yrs.
Contracted (Unknown) 10-20-30 yrs back ??
Treatment Naive
Geno 1a&1b
VL  17+ million
ALT 200+, AST 170+
Fibroscan F4 ( 26+ kpa ) on 8th Dec. 2105
Started Tx 11th Dec.2015 ( 12 wks. Gilead Harvoni)
7/1/2016 :Viral Load|<25 UND.
23/1/2016: ALT 34 , AST 35, ALP 143
8 week NO labs done
EOT:03.03.2016 ( 84 pills eaten )
ALT 26, ALP 124, BIL .54
V/L <25 UND E.O.T.
4 weeks E.O.T. V/L UND::: SVR 4
SVR 12 and  SVR 24 on 16/8/16
Fibro 24.5kpa 23/05/16
SVR 63 05/17
Fibro 17.03.2020 kpa 6.3

 


© 2024 Smart + Strong. All Rights Reserved.   terms of use and your privacy
Smart + Strong® is a registered trademark of CDM Publishing, LLC.