That is GREAT NEWS!!!

Today I am going for my EOT 6 month test.

I have been UND so far and if this test comes back UND,

I will consider myself HEP C FREE!!!!!!

Wow those age statistics are amazing Mallani. I'm so glad I am being treated at age 49 then.

Hi Malcom... deserving news for both you and your lovely family.

WooHoo..Let the party begin....!

Hi Malcolm,

What fantastic news for you and your family.  I felt so thrilled reading your thread and could literally hear the excitement in your post.  I am SO SO pleased for you.  What an absolute victory.  Thank you also for your support and knowledge to those of us on the forum. 

Go live!

Regards,

Caroline

Hi ios9

i was really pissed off about story of Sofosbuvir. There were several posts how young chemist J.Clark that invented that marvelous molecule was stripped off from his patent by his boss who sold complete company (Pharmasset) to Gilead for 11bil $ just cause of Sofosbuvir. His boss pocketed 400mil from that transaction, and Clark got fired and is out of work for last 2 years. Meanwhile Giled will market Sofosbuvir and will prolly cost up to 100k $ for 3 month treatment.

I am pretty getting sick of big pharma fake morality and it's profit chasing thing above value of human life, espec when it comes to antiviral drugs and getting patents extended with tricks.

FibroSure was patented in 2001, i think thats a lot of time by now to get ROI.

I guess i am an idealist...i would be more than pleased to see big pharma out of market and only under goverment dev, let em compete in beauty/cosmetics products! Leave life or death things out of profit chase. Competition doesn't have to be only in $$$. One of my heroes is Dr.Jonas Salk (reading his books lately), a man who invented first polio vaccine and decided not to pursue patent, cause he thought that was a right moral decision. When asked by interviewer who owns the patent:

Edward R. Murrow: Who owns the patent on this vaccine?
Jonas Salk: Well, the people, I would say. There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?


all the best, and sorry about "french" notion (i got a lot of french friends) ;)

@ios9, sorry for unkind words. I didn't meant to offend french as a nation, but in my view since it's computer automated analysis by inputing just 6 biomarker results, hence patent is only on algo. It should be free as i see it to all hepatologists around the world. Not 50 EUR for really basic software algo which can be calculated on your own. I do respect patents (in medical field to a degree, but lets not start about it) as return of invested time/money of researchers and "some" profit...but this "patent rights" on such a small calculation formula sounds to me a bit unfair.

cheers

Malcolm,
We been on this path what seems a long long time!
I am thrilled You Achieved SVR!

Welcome to being Hep C FREE!
You have helped me cope w treatment.
You are so smart about the medical part 
And gracious enough to share your knowledge
On the forum. I count you as a blessing
in my life and I couldn't be happier for you,
Your wife and family.
I remember what your journey was like and you kept up
The fight and this is a war you WON!!!!!
Oh what a relief that you made SVR! My heart is thrilled!

Hi Zlikster

I understand your way of thought. But, being myself author and  journalist, when I see people using freely some of my photos and/or writing, I got mad

Intellectual Property has to be respected, and patents are the protection.

50 euros seems a lot, I really do agree with you for that, but I suppose the money goes to the researche, so it's not that bad.

Any way, I do respect your point of few, no worries,

Have a nice w.e.

Do

Congrats Malcom.

Hi Malcom,

C  O  N  G  R  A  T  L  A  T  I  O  N  S

@    Zlikster :  "sneaky french patent trolls" ?  

Fibroscan is French, ok, but do we really deserve such unkind words?

Happy w.e. to all !

Do

Congratulations Malcolm,

I know there's a lot of mixed information on the Riba reductions, what is ok and what is not. I questioned my Doctor as soon as he was talking reduction. I know with what it was doing to my kidneys and the anemia and the previous heart problems I had I didn't have much choice and he wasn't willing to risk it if I wanted to complete treatment. All I can do is wait and hope for an SVR. If not I'll just be looking for another tx as soon as I can after.

I did go for an stress test at my cardiologist a week ago and he said my results were better than the one I took before treatment, so I can thank God for small favors.

Best of luck to you in all things.

Congratulations Malcolm. I hope to join The SVR crew but will have to wait until December

to get my 6 mths EOT blood work.

Hi guys,

Thank you for your kind responses. They are much appreciated!

I forgot to thank my Hepatologist. Firstly for accepting a cirrhotic 69 year old as a patient with the limited amount of Victrelis he was allocated, and secondly for keeping me on 1200 mg of Riba/day, despite my constant pleas for a reduction. I know that not everyone agrees, but for a cirrhotic, the best chance of SVR is to maximise your Riba blood levels. To me this means taking the recommended dose with some fatty food as long as you don't become so anaemic that you need a transfusion. Opinions about this are different, particularly in the USA, but here, a Hb of between 9 and 10 is considered desirable. That means you have an adequate amount of Riba in the RBC's to cause the haemolytic anaemia.

I have looked back over past posts, and there have been only 5 Forum Members 65 years of age and over, who have completed Rx. One was on Sofosbuvir/Riba for 12 weeks, one was on SOC for 48 weeks, one was on Incivek for 12 weeks and continued to 48 weeks with Peg/Riba, and one was on the Victrelis triple for 36 weeks, then did another 12 weeks of Peg/Riba. All were probably cirrhotic, but 2 had not had a biopsy, but were told they were 'pre-cirrhotic'.  Unfortunately they all relapsed, soon after finishing Rx.  That's why I say I was lucky. The average age on this Forum is much less than I expected, so it's not a good sample, but I urge all Members to get Rx before they get too old. Thank you all!!!!

Congratulations, Malcolm, very happy for you, you really deserve SVR, forever!

mallani,

     wow is all i can say! the tears of joy & happiness for you are are bountiful on this forum.

     not only is this treatment powerful but our liver has an amazing ability to heal . also you need to be strong,brave and believe in positivity.

     enjoy this day w/ your loved ones.

sandy,ucbgal

SVR BABY!

Congratulations mate,

It's great to see someone walk out of the ring a winner. So very happy for you and your family.

All the very best,

Greg

mallani wrote:

---

Hi Guys,

Just got my EOT + 28 week results. Still <15 TND (Undet. for my Lab.) so I'm now happy to call that SVR baby.

---

Congratulations Malcolm!       

Congrats to you Big M. You give me hope and I love your sensible, down to earth info and advice. Thank you for being who you are and yay for you. No more treatment.

GREAT GREAT NEWS !!! i also like good news in the morning..

Chalk up another victory for the VICTRELIS team.

Congrats Dr. M!!  It's inspiring to read the happiness and joy in your words. My best to you and your family. I'm certain they are thrilled to share in your success, especially that big steak dinner after your implants are finished!! Continued good health Malcolm!

Congrats Malcolm!!!  

Great job Malcom!!!! I love reading good news first thing in the morning.

A big congratulations to you. I can't imagine failing so many times treatment, it must have been really tough. But I can imagine your utter joy at finally being free of this disease. Have a happy, healthy and long life Hep C free! x

A big CONGRATULATIONS Malcolm!!!!

Hi Guys,

Just got my EOT + 28 week results. Still <15 TND (Undet. for my Lab.) so I'm now happy to call that SVR baby.

My doc was happy to call me SVR after my EOT + 12w. Undet. but I'm a bit old-fashioned. My heartfelt thanks to all my fellow Forum Members and my gorgeous wife who helped me get through Rx and recovery.

For an old codger who had relapsed after 3 previous Rx's, who has cirrhosis and who has harbored this virus for 43 years, this is a dream come true. I hope older patients with advanced liver disease will take heart from my story. This disease CAN BE CURED!.

My ALT remains slightly elevated at 63, but my GGT and AST are now normal. My AST has not been normal since 1985!   My Alkaline Phosphatase is also normal, for the first time since 2005. My blood counts are all normal, apart from platelets, which are still low at 130,000. The platelets and ALT are part of the cirrhosis, and I hope they will gradually improve. I will have a Fibroscan to see how much my reading has dropped (it was 30 kPa in 2008). I will still need imaging to check for HCC, but I'll now go ahead and get my dental implants, as I'll never be taking Interferon again.

Just as an aside, I had the blood parameters done, and worked out my FibroTest (FibroSure) score. This came in at F2 which is blatantly incorrect. I urge caution in using this test to assess liver damage, although it works for some. A big CHEERS from Australia.!!!!

Congrats Malcolm! :)

re FibroSure score, i do not think that algo that is found on the wikipedia

is exactly what sneaky french patent trolls are using...i guess you can sacrifice 50EUR (cost of it online) and check will you get same result as you did?

I got pretty much same result via FibroSure and FibroScan (F0/1 - 5kPa , A1)...i still have doubts that just 6 parameters can tell exact liver condition.

do you plan to do biopsy again?

all the best man, you really earned it with all those interferon journeys...

What fantastic news, Malcolm I couldn`t be more happy for you!!!!  CONGRATULATIONS ON SVR!!!!     

It`s what I was expecting and hoping for, and certainly what your deserve, as does anyone who goes through a 48 week stretch of treatment with such courage and tenacity.  No more treatment...EVER AGAIN!!! 

You`ve been an absolute inspiration to us all, as well as a huge support for so many here, and it`s been a privilege for all of us to have been able to walk by your side during your journey.  Now you can go ahead and enjoy every day of your life with your lovely supportive wife by your side, knowing you`ve finally triumphed over this virus!! 

You deserve a medal...wear it with pride, you truly are a 48 week hero!!! 

-- Edited by Matt Chris on Wednesday 28th of August 2013 05:50:20 AM