Thanks, RC.  Yes, those results were 4 weeks into TX.  I get week 8 results day after tomorrow.  I'm sure all will be well, and I'll be able to let out a huge sigh of relief.  I'll for sure post up when I get back from the doc.  Penny

Your numbers all look good.  Your ast & alt are great !!   I know its tuff geting the news your not UND at 4 weeks, but that is still early in your treatment. If the news was at 8 weeks into treatment you might have cause for concern, but  if I understand your  post  correctly  these results are at 4 weeks??   Your on a good protocol. The riba is a little insurance for 1-a . Think of the riba as a security fence to keep out the virus, at least your fence is still up.That along with the Viekira Pak should do the job. In studys- viekira Pak  cured 95 % of type 1a and 1b.  There were 2,300 people enroled in these studys across 25 countrys. You will beat this. RC

Thanks Jack and Matt - Definitely taking it easy and trying not to worry.  The end is in sight.

Jack - so sorry to hear about the anxiety and nausea.  I haven't had that.  Of course I take at least one Pepcid Complete every night before bed (doc said OK), and there were those few weeks of crying all the time (happy, sad, bored, hungry, whatever).  So maybe I have had some anxiety and nausea.... 

Be well.

Hey Penny 

Hang in there, its almost certain that you are undetected by now, Stay well rested and don't push yourself to hard. All will be well in the end.

matt 

Penelope PePod wrote:

---

Hey DM,

Just plugging along.  Had blood drawn last Monday for 8 week VL, but won't see results until my appointment next Friday.  I just hate this wait, and am very anxious that I'll still be >15 and detected. (I was at 34 at 4 weeks.)  Guess Mr. Riba is just having a bit of fun messing with my head. 

Other than that, I feel pretty good except for the fatigue, even after the riba was cut in half.   But I've got 3 weeks to go and I can do this!

You should have about 2 weeks to go, right?  How are you feeling? 

Thanks for checking up on me. P.

 

I feel ok.  Still feel like jumping out of my skin and having to take xanax to deal with that.  There were a couple of days where I cut my riba down to four...I just couldn't take it and had a lot going on  had to deal with.  It actually helped.  But I don't advise anyone to make that decision on their own....but I sometimes I get quite independent.    Slight nausea everyday.  Running out of breath and panting has gone away (yay!).  Itching has gone away (yay).   Thanks for asking.

  This is my last week!  But I hear it takes 2 weeks to start feeling normal again... that just not right.  But I remember my last tx with interferon... it took at least 4 months to start feeling normal.  It really messed with my head.  So I'll take 2 weeks over 4 months.

keep us posted! 

dm

 

 

 

---

Hey DM,

Just plugging along.  Had blood drawn last Monday for 8 week VL, but won't see results until my appointment next Friday.  I just hate this wait, and am very anxious that I'll still be >15 and detected. (I was at 34 at 4 weeks.)  Guess Mr. Riba is just having a bit of fun messing with my head. 

Other than that, I feel pretty good except for the fatigue, even after the riba was cut in half.   But I've got 3 weeks to go and I can do this!

You should have about 2 weeks to go, right?  How are you feeling? 

Thanks for checking up on me. P.

Penelope PePod wrote:

---

Hi everyone and thanks for the pep talk.  Guess I'll quit being a baby, lift my chin off my chest, and be happy.  I'm just so darn tired.  But I'm looking forward to that changing once I get a little more 'red' in my blood.  I don't know how fast the hemoglobin recovers, but I'm sure I'll feel more like myself once it does. 

Penny  

---

 Whatsup??

Haven't heard from  you in awhile.

dm

Hi Penny

Looking good there. Ast and Alt are great!!!!!! Don't worry about the vl of 34, next draw like Tig said will be undetect. Two years ago we would have been upset over a riba reduction but with the new meds its ok. Keep your chin up the med's are working.

Hi everyone and thanks for the pep talk.  Guess I'll quit being a baby, lift my chin off my chest, and be happy.  I'm just so darn tired.  But I'm looking forward to that changing once I get a little more 'red' in my blood.  I don't know how fast the hemoglobin recovers, but I'm sure I'll feel more like myself once it does. 

Penny  

Hi Penny, everything there looks fine, nothing to worry about!

Your vl has come right down and your liver enzymes, ALT and AST, are fantastic!  As Tig said, it`s standard procedure to lower your riba dose when your Hgb has dropped below 10 and it certainly won`t damage your chances of SVR. 

You`re on course and the treatment is doing its job well, you have every reason to be happy with the way things are going. 

You are right in track, Penelope!! although I remember feeling sad at the lack of ND as well, and no one could talk me out of it. :) in the hope that it will work for you, I really believe the medication has done incredible work. Look at the alt and ast! your liver is happy right now to feel a million times better! :)

Have you noticed a little more energy, perhaps?

Hi 3P,

Your viral load of 34 is still excellent. Many people aren't undetected at week 4, some aren't at week 8, but at 34 I'm going to bet money that you'll be UND on your next test. Don't worry about that, you're doing just fine. 

Reducing your Riba considering your drop in labs is standard procedure and is expected. You're probably feeling a lot of fatigue with a hemoglobin <10. Everything is indicative of treatment with Ribavirin and is known as hemolytic anemia. It really does a whammy on your blood cells and causes the reductions you see in your lab reports. This is also an excellent sign that the medication is doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing. Reducing the Riba should stabilize them or bring them back up some and your doctor will follow them closely to be sure you continue on as planned. The ALT/AST are great! They are exactly where you want them to be. You're looking good girl!!! Nothing to be disappointed with there :>

Saw the doctor today and got VL results from blood drawn 4 weeks into tx.  I updated my sig line with new results.  34 is good, right?  I saw 15 on lots of other folk's results, including my hubby, and I sort of thought that's where I be.  Am I being silly? 

Also, because my HCT, RBC and HGB have all dropped so much, the doc cut my riba dosage in half, from 1200mg daily to 600mg, and ordered weekly blood work.  He assured me the lower dosage should not jeopardize my ability to achieve SVR, but I wonder.  

Has anyone else had their riba lowered and still reached undetectable?   Is 34 OK? 

My next VL draw is in 2 1/2 weeks, plus 1 1/2 weeks to get results.  It's gonna be a long 4 weeks.

Penny

Hmm, can't seem to update sig line, so here's the info. 

         SOT plus 4 wks    Before TX

rbc           3.25          4.72

hgb           9.7           14.3

hct           29.8          41.9

ast            17            28

alt             14            28

VL             34           1.1m

-- Edited by Penelope PePod on Saturday 29th of August 2015 01:40:34 AM