Hep C Support Group

I'm 50 and 12 years ago I went through a year (52 weeks) of treatment - injected Inferferon and taking Ribavarin daily. I'm considered a Responder/Replaser - meaning I responded to treatment (virus non-detected) while on treatment, but the virus was detected 6-months after completed the year long treatment.

August 2011 I started the course of 3 medication - Ribavarin, Pegelated-interferon (1 shot a week rather than daily as I had to 12 years ago) and new drug Incivek,. I'm thrilled to report that at my first blood test the virus was non-detected and has remained so. AND tonight will be my last dose of Incivek ( a 12 week course) I will continue with the Ribavarin and Interferon for another 12 weeks and then that should be it. This is because I am a responder/replaser. For those that have never been treated the time frame is one year.

Everyone is different regarding the side-effects. My Hepatologist says I have the least side effect or they are mild compared to his other patients. Attitude and the mind is a big thing in this. And while the side effects are not pleasant, the possibility of clearing the virus is a no-brainer for me. and it looks like I will succeed. To wait until my liver is so damaged to have to be on a liver transplant list and then if I got one before I died, to have to then take all those anti-rejection drugs? No thanks.

hope this has been helpful.

It is true the 3 drug program is bad.I am on my 5th week so far.My 1st bad side affect was anal.Very painful.I kept my anal clean often and used Pramasone cream perscribed by my doctor.The 2nd bad side affect was the itchy skin.I avoided this by shaving the hair in the itchy areas.This kept me from scratching and avoided the hives.The 3rd was internal mouth sores.Keep your mouth clean before bed.the drugs cause dry mouth and the dry mouth spray only lasts under an hour.At first I rubbed candle wax on my teeth to keep my lips from bonding to my teeth over night.This seem to last for 8 hours.I have a back-up plan also.I bought 2 mouth guards for anti-teeth grinding at night.The instructions for incivec is to aet 20 grams of fat before Incivec.This is difficult to digest.I eat high fat ice cream and pudding.Doughnuts are fine also.I read Boost is used by some.Bagels was painful to digest.But the instructions do not say why you have to eat 20 grams of fat.I will ask my doctor about this.Is it BULL?

You will be in a world of hurt if you don't eat those 20 grams. The fat helps lessen the side affects of the drug. I learned the hard way. Sometimes it was just so difficult to eat the 20 grams at 6 or 7 in the morning, having yet digested the 20 grams from 8 hours previously

The anal itching burning can be intense. Thank god for the suppositories Itching can be bad too. Ice packs helPed me

This is still under debate I am having with others.The drug company recommends 20 grams of fat so the drug not only safe on your stomach but also helps in the absorption of the drug into your system.These tests being conducted for Incivek compares taking the drug with fat compared to the same drug during fasting.The absorption rate is different.People are gaining weight because of this and I personally find it hard to digest,especially before bed.The issue I'm having is how much of a rate is needed by the body to consume the drug.If I can cut back just a little fat would this be unfavorable.Incivek is un-coated and should be taken with food.With Victrelis this is not the case.Just taking with food is sufficient.

Interesting. Yes people are gaining weight and it was also difficult to eat the 20 grams at night too!

In researcingh and reading of the side effects I read that getting cancer is a possiblility. Did you read that?

Sometimes I think we are guinea pigs and just being used to make money by pharma and the doctors. I asked my doctor how much this treatment cost and he said $75 thousand. Twelve years ago when I did the Infra/Riba for a year I was told the medicine was $1200. a month.

On a side note from a comment you made from another posting regarding getting HEP C from sex...I totally agree, I think that is where I got it some 34 years ago.

I am 63 and on 2 communities.Log on to Medhelp for some great information.I am on my second treatment.If the 2nd fails,I will stayed monitored and use condoms and gloves when preparing food(cutting).I have been healthy fer 33 yrs. since getting hep c type 1a.,as I will be contagious.If you feel worse than I do,see your dr.As to the side affects,go to the other wedsite for great info.I do not spend much time here because the other site takes a lot of my time.I check my messages here.I got booed on the other site for answering your 48 week treatment.I was just repeating what they wrote.These drugs give people a bad attitude,a side effect.Sure my 1st treatment was for 48 weeks on Pegasis and Ribavirin.Last 8 months test showed no virus.At end of treatment I went to follow-up and I still had it.My dr tells me the new drugs were approved by FDA.Started new treatment 6 months later.X-mas of 2011 started.This new treatment can be 12-24 weeks depending on your tests.The side effects are dry mouth,anal problems and itching were my main side effects.I found ways to deal with that.Well I hope this brief statement will help.MIKE

I spend a lot of time with the community on Medhelp.I post to the hep c community.I called the drug company and no way around the 20 gram.I posted my menu on the other site.I was told by the drug company not to believe everything I see or read on line.Cancer indeed.I would like to read that.It is expensive but my medicare is paying.I kept getting rejected but my dr is great at overturning the decision.

I just saw my dr.I told him I am having difficulty sticking to the 20 gram of fat.He told me not to worry.my 1st blood work on Incivec showed virus undetected.But I'll try to take as much fat as my system can stand but not the 20,especially before bed.He said that is fine.As far as averting the side effects.The reason for the fat is the drug company wants the body to absorb as much of the drug as it can.The body will quickly absorb the fat.What better way to absorb the drug than through food with fat.I can't understand why they can't make a pill that doesn't require 20 grams of fatty food with it.And the food is needed 30 min. before the pills.Another thing is I divide the two drugs consumption 4 hours apart.7:30am I take Incivek,at 11:30am Ribavirin,then at 3:30pm Ivcivek and so on so I can take my last dosage at 11:30 pm.Then 8 hours of sleep then start all over again at 7:30 am.This way my stomach can cope better with the uncoated pills.As for the itching anal,try to eat food to prevent diarrhea.I eat food with fiber.But back off somewhat if the stool is too hard.You will still have some itch which can be controlled with often wiping with baby wipes.I have gone through a few brands to find the right one that didn't irritate me.I use Bld.19 wipes at $.99 a package.They don.t irritate me.

This cancer thing is new news to me.I need to read more on this.Thank you.And yes,I got hep c the same time you did.Was your partner infected like mine.She got it through a transfusion.

it was the 70s...it could have been anybody ; )

I have 2 days left and I will have compelted the 24 weeks. I'm signing off of this site for now. Thanks for your emails and best of luck!