Tenofovir and Pegasys combo

[whoohoo]

Hello there - If you're on the tenofovir (Viread) and Pegasys combo, what is your experience?

Some of the questions I have are:  

1. Did you clear hbv while on treatment?  
2. Did you relapse after treatment?
3. Did you clear hbv sometime after treatment?  
4. What about side effects?

Anything you have on your personal experience with this treatment combo is wanted.

Myself - I on it right now, hbv dna undetectable at 6 months into treatment.  Do not know what quantitative HbsAG is since this test is not avail. where I'm at.  I'm experiencing severe and nasty side effects - thinking of stopping the Pegasys (got about 1 month left).

[grmr]

@w how olda are you? what's ur genotype?

please tell us more about your "severe" sides and when they popped up during therapy..

what is your eag status?

I was told there is no correlation between sides and SVR/hbs clearing..

You knos i'm pretty fine and it seems i have no sides but blodd count is worsen than the sided people's one...

[whoohoo]

I'm male 5'9" 128lbs.  Some hair loss, but not too bad.

I'm leaning toward reducing dosage due to the bad sides.  Not ideal but really no choice.  I figure it probably will not make a big difference one way or the other for final tx response giving that I don't have that much further to go.

@stef - do you think with my severe side effects (no fever though), I may get a better shot at clearing hbsAg, as compared to with lower or mild side effects?

[stef2011]

i think you should use stuff to boost up wbc:

gcmaf?
melatonin
liposomal vit c or glutathione

i guess the most potent on this is gcmaf, it has been reported to make zero sides from chemio which is much heavier than intf on immune system, but gcmaf is also the most expensive.....
i can tell you that imiquimod is not tollerable for me without probiotic gcmaf but costs are very high, one vial of gcmaf for injections 660€ for 2 months and probiotic gcmaf about 1500€ for 6 months

[grmr]

http://natap.org/2012/HBV/PIIS0168827812001675.pdf

according to this guidelines...

[grmr]

thinking to do that stef but want to inform doctors... i'm pretty well any way, in these weeks the dose is 90mg due to lower WBC count (lower than 1000) so ifn can really be harmful now...

have some hair loss/thinning no noticeable so far but am still fine, I work, I study, I plasy sports etc..

biggest concern is why i do not stop tx as i've not had no seroconversion to eag - nor hbs decline...

[stef2011]

what about adding simvastatin 20mg to see if it boosts peginterferon response for you?
we know that in vitro it boosts both nucs and interferon, in vitro potency is similar to tdf so i think it worths a try
otan had fast response like thought, now i am trying it too to see if it boosts hbsg decline, as to sides it makes some more mucles pains

[stef2011]

are you on vit d3 too?if you can get vit25oh levels to 50ng/ml or higher it may help

[grmr]

@w: are you male/female? are u experience hair loss/thininng?

[April9903]

Hi ..I am on the same combo like you and grmr. I had my 8th shot (180 mcg) last Saturday. Up to now I had severe flu like side effects and itching. Both had calm already but right now I have my asthma back which was gone for quit some time. ( I am not sure asthma is related to the Peg shots )
Since you are already on your 44 weeks , don't give up now...only 4 more weeks to go. I know it's hard but continue to pray and go week by week.

[grmr]

hi W,

tell me more about your status:

- how old are u?
- what is your eag status before and duirng tx?
- what are  main issues related to sides? do you carry out a phisical job?

for sure lower dosage less efficacy.. (for this I may stay on tx for 72wekks).. what's your weigth and height?

[whoohoo]

Hi grmr - great that you're undectable for hbv dna and you're still got the
energy to do physical activity. Let's hope that continues.  

I'm on my 44 weeks of the combo; with the full 180 mcg dosage.  My first 6 months were manageable side effects-wise.  However, last 4 months were tough on me.  Level of side effects is progressively increasing, causing me to be wiped out physically and mentally most of the time now.  Not sure how long I can continue to this stuff.  I had thought about lowering the dosage but have some concerns about efficacy.  I continue to pray.

Regards,
-w

[grmr]

Hi,

I'm on this combo

1. Did you clear hbv while on treatment?  
My HBVDNA was und after 7/8wks on tdF, but hbsag quant increase

2. Did you relapse after treatment?
I had a first course in 2008 but did not work as I still was immunotolerant

3. Did you clear hbv sometime after treatment?  
would hope so

4. What about side effects?
in 2008 I had been on tx for 7months and no noticeable side, this time I'm pretty fine (but I haev135mg pega dose instead of 180mcg due to low wbc count) but i lost some kilos (3/4) and have some hair thihning and fatigue, I do not know if those are to blame on tx as it is a very though period at work and so. Any how I still paly sports, running, have a lot appetite!!!


what about your status? are youat week 48??