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Hep C Discussion Forum -> General Discussion -> Pegasys interferon ****tail DROPOUT
Post Info TOPIC: Pegasys interferon ****tail DROPOUT
Tig


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RE: Pegasys interferon ****tail DROPOUT
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Hey Cayo,

I wanted to answer a couple of your questions, so here goes. A Fibroscan is a specialized form of ultrasound. It uses a special probe and equipment to non invasively test your liver density. Essentially, it uses sound waves to determine your level (stage) of liver fibrosis. It's not new, but the medical community has taken their time to use it widely. Up until now and some still say, biopsy is the most accurate way to determine liver fibrosis. But I believe that will change as the Fibroscan improves and is more widely used around the world.

You asked about Abbvie and Viekira Pak as well. Those are easy to answer. First Abbvie is one of the Big Pharm giants. A huge pharmaceutical manufacturer and researcher. They are the makers of the new Hep C drug combination called Viekira Pak. We have several people here that have either taken it or are currently in treatment with it. It is in the class of drugs known as DAA's or "Direct Acting Antivirals". Search all of these terms, using our search function above and you can read many of the discussions we've had here on the forum. Google will also provide you with a lot of insight into their past and current history. Hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions! Good luck.... smile



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Tig

67yo GT1A - 5 Mil - A2/F3 - (1996) Intron A - Non Responder, (2013) Peg/Riba/Vic SOT:05/23/13 EOT:12/04/13 SVR 9+ years!

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MzmiffY


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Hi there cayo!

Nice to meet you and awesome job on getting clean!

Things are looking up and I hope you will stay around so we can cheer you on to SVR!

x

 



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42yrs/ f3-f4, gen 1a, 48 wks of Interferon,Ribaviran and Boceprevir. 

VL pre tx-384303, VL @ 4 wks 11095, 8wks- UND.

UND@ EOT, SVR 24!

 
cayohueso1


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Hi and thankyou for your posts, it means a lot, I just posted for Amanda and Im sitting here in tears its heartbreaking.    What is a fibrascan and what is DDA?  Sounds kinda bad, but I feel better knowing that some of you are in yer 60s and good ta go, after living decades with it. I got the email with the co-pay coupon for Harvoni tonight and Im going back to the doc next week,  oh yeah what ar Abbvies and Viekera  ?  Thankyou my friend I appreciate you so much. Lori-Cayohueso1



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57 yrs old Genotype 1A. Failed treatment after 5 mos peg and victrelli cocktail. Needed 48 weeks.. Recovering addict and alcoholic. Active addiction for 40 years. Became infected in the late 70s or early 80s. Waiting for approval for 24 wks of Harvoni.
Cinnamon Girl


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Hi again Lori, thanks for your reply.

Ok, well I think the first thing you need to do is make an appointment with your regular GI or Hepatologist who will run some lab tests and have your viral load and lft counts reassessed.  It`s probably a good idea to have a fibroscan test done as well.  There are other new DAA options apart from Harvoni for Gen 1`s which you might want to discuss as well, for example Abbvie`s Viekira Pak, as well as more in the pipeline if you can wait a while.  I would take it one step at a time at the moment. 

I`m glad you remember me, it was my pleasure to be able to help and I`ll certainly be here for you again as you go through your next stage of treatment.  And please don`t worry about your age at only 56, you won`t grow old with Hep C, you`re on your way to saying goodbye to that virus for good!  A good number of us here were in our 60`s when we finally achieved our SVR after living with the disease for decades!

I do understand about the social isolation that we can feel because of the stigma and lack of understand which surrounds Hep C, and that`s why it`s so good to have a community like this where we know we`re safe in talking honestly and openly about it, and about our past.  

Sorry your had such a nasty accident, it must have really shaken you up and those injuries must still be very painful for you. Ouch!

Keep talking to us and take care!   smile

 

 

 

 



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Jill 

(71 yo, lives in UK)

Was Gen 3a, 

24wks Peg Ifn/Riba, Sep 2010 - Mch 2011

UND @ Wk.4, UND @ EOT, 

SVR Nov 2011 --> Still UND @ EOT + 4 yrs.

 

 
cayohueso1


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O my gosh thankyou two for the replies.  No, I haven't asked my regular doctor yet and I know I have to get the viral load done again.  Im sure  he wont have any trouble directing me to the next step, so he can write the prescription. I forgot to submit financial information for my Obama care in April, and so now Im without insurance until sometime in the fall. Had so much goin on this past spring, I just spaced it.. I know its a long shot but is there a program that gives Harvoni for FREE??!!  Cant blame me for askn. Im ready to get the ball rolling again. To my Modrator, I remember you also and I have submitted the little initial application to Support Path and should know more this week, next week going back to the doc, had a freak accident on my carving bike and broke a rib,with upper body contusions and severely bruised breast bone! marvelous, Im working right thru it and so Ill address the treatment issue then. And Cinnamon Girl, I definitely remember you, you were invaluable in helping me get started. All these years have rolled by again, 56  in December, and still trying to live. 35 years using, and now Im freaking afraid of growing old with hepc.. or maybe not getting to grow old BECAUSE of hepc.  The shame and the sigma that goes with relapse and having Hepc, has been kinda tough, and I still live by myself, so my one friend I have in Kwest, and the forum are really the only places Im comfortable talking about this. Made me very very happy and feel so much better when I saw my 2 replies tonite.. Thankyou so much once again.  tired now goin down for the count. Will check in tomorrow nite after work, Lori-Cayohueso1



__________________

57 yrs old Genotype 1A. Failed treatment after 5 mos peg and victrelli cocktail. Needed 48 weeks.. Recovering addict and alcoholic. Active addiction for 40 years. Became infected in the late 70s or early 80s. Waiting for approval for 24 wks of Harvoni.
Cinnamon Girl


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Hi there Cayohueso1, welcome back!

I remember when you were with us before, and I`m really pleased you`re now in a position to start looking into your next treatment.

The victrelis triple was quite brutal in its side effects for many people, and luckily treatments have progressed a long way since then.  It`s been a long hard road for you and you`ve done well to get clean finally, we hope.

Have you been prescribed Harvoni by your doctor or hepatolist yet?  That will be the first step and then your insurance company will have to approve it.  If you`re having problems with covering the costs after that then there are patient assistance schemes that can help, as Tig has said.

We have many people here who have had experience of Harvoni by now and I`m sure some of them will be only too happy to share their experience and advice with you, either here on the forum or by PM (Private Message).  I see that Gracie has already replied to you on the Harvoni Treatment Train thread. 

Thanks a lot for sharing your story with us, we`ll be looking forward to hearing more from you.

Wishing you all the very best of luck!  smile

 



__________________

Jill 

(71 yo, lives in UK)

Was Gen 3a, 

24wks Peg Ifn/Riba, Sep 2010 - Mch 2011

UND @ Wk.4, UND @ EOT, 

SVR Nov 2011 --> Still UND @ EOT + 4 yrs.

 

 
Tig


Admin

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Posts: 9270
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Hi Cayo,

Welcome back, I'm glad you returned to say hello and share your story. We have some others here that are currently dealing with these issues in one degree or another, so this is a great time for some mutual (and helpful) discussion. The trouble experienced by addiction is so powerfully destructive. I'm glad you've found your path and wish you the very best. 

There are several programs available that provide financial assistance with treatment. We have a list of programs and organizations that provide them and I'm going to include a link to that thread here. Gilead, the company that makes Harvoni, has a program called Support Path. Depending on your financial situation, you may get free or vastly reduced treatment costs, co pay assistance, etc. Another  to check is the PAN Foundation. I would call these two first. If you have personal insurance, there are some qualifying criteria you must meet, but that's fairly universal among them all. If you have any questions please ask. We have members that have both succeeded and failed to get assistance and they will be glad to give you some additional tips if you ask. Stay positive... Good luck!

http://hepcfriends.activeboard.com/t56904226/payment-assistance-programs/



__________________

Tig

67yo GT1A - 5 Mil - A2/F3 - (1996) Intron A - Non Responder, (2013) Peg/Riba/Vic SOT:05/23/13 EOT:12/04/13 SVR 9+ years!

Hep C FAQ   Lab Ref. Ranges  HCV Resistance

Signature Line Set Up/Abbreviations   Payment Assistance

 
cayohueso1


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Hey everybody, its actually been 4 years or more since I posted. Hepc geno1 .  So I was very positive about the treatment and in the spring of 2010 or maybe end of 2010, started peg interferon with Victrillis. First let me say I had almost 9 years as a recovering addict.  3 months in, coming up negative, but felt like I was walking in quicksand constantly, shortness of breath , and was living on saltines and club soda.After 5 months I started having drug dreams like I had when I first got clean.  The dreams were so vivid, people were in them that I hadn't seen or thought of in 25 years! Well , unfortunately instead of stopping the treatment( like I knew I should have, as the old demons were calling me back) one night I flipped a switch and was off to the races. One more time..   Now I have almost 2 years clean again, and my suggestion is that people that are in recovery need to be careful. 9 years is a long time in recovery, for someone like me that had used for more than 35 years even when the other 8 people in my town on the treatment were dropping like flies, I was the last woman standing. Once you get that kind of time you think that's never gonna really happen to you, but never say never. The hep is back( never really was completely gone) and crazily enough I'm looking forward to Harvoni, if I can ever get it! Can I get this for free? And if so, how?  I would love to hear from some of you guys. I look forward to your response. Trying to remember the rules, private emails??  Peace out.  Cayohueso1



__________________

57 yrs old Genotype 1A. Failed treatment after 5 mos peg and victrelli cocktail. Needed 48 weeks.. Recovering addict and alcoholic. Active addiction for 40 years. Became infected in the late 70s or early 80s. Waiting for approval for 24 wks of Harvoni.
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