Failed triple tx with Incivek

[Advocate1955]

My husband failed triple tx with Incivek and is stopping treatment today (4/11/12).

He is:
age 59, Hispanic, G1a, has probably had Hep C for 30+ years
diagnosed in 2007
f1/f2 per liver biopsy in 2007
partial responder to first therapy (SOC in 2007) - had < 2 log drop
f4 per liver biopsy in 2010
partial responder to Consensus Interferon-daily Infergen injections/1400 mg Riba) in 2010, had < 2 log drop
started triple tx with Inc on 9/30/12:  VL's were: week 4 = 78, week 8 = UND, week 12 = UND, week 16-ish = DET<12, week 20-ish = DET<12, week 24-ish = DET 22
All VL tests were done with the Abbott Real Time PCR Assay (Limit of Detection (LOD) 12 IU/mL, Limit of Quantitation (LOQ) 12 IU/mL

Advocate1955

[marivirginia]

Bummer..so very sorry...

[Jillybean65]

I am so sorry to read this. I will keep you two in my prayers.

It is also another testament to how quickly the disease can progress and makes me grateful that I chose to treat at 1/1.  

Thank you for sharing.

[FaithforHealing]

I agree with your optimism. I have been saying that I've been sensing "something" very different about my trial tx team lately, lots of smiling when talking about options....I've been thinking they know something we don't know yet. I sure hope so!

[Ironpony]

(I think these results were for niave's so far...but a 100% UND so far on them is 1 step closer for everyone else.)

[Ironpony]

I just read In the news today that in one of gileads non interferon trial groups for 1's have had 100% UND so far! I instantly thought of your husband . I think there is about to be a major medical breakthrough. I really feel within the next 5-7 years the hep c virus will have a chance of a 100% SVR .  I have been thinking of you since the failure daily ...sending good energy your way.

[Advocate1955]

Thanks 3xlucky, screaming 48, and everyone. My husband's NP spoke to his hepatologist yesterday and called us yesterday. We'll be talking to her again on Friday, May 4th, at our next appointment.  She'll be checking blood work to make sure his counts are coming back up now that he's stopped treatment, and we'll talk about options then.  I think they feel that as a poor responder to Interferon, he will be a good candidate for the polymerase inhibitors and non-interferon based treatments when they get approved.  In the meantime, they'll be checking the benign cyst on the liver and watching to make sure his liver stays compensated.  I will keep you all posted.  Again, we so much appreciate everybody's words of support and kindness to us.
Advocate1955

[screaming48]

I am so sorry, you guys have tried so hard. Hopefully something new will come along soon. Keeping you both in my prayers..

[3xlucky]

What terrible news to endure.  To think you are clear and then have it come back.  I know three weeks ago I discussed future options with my trial team as after 5 months I am still not undetected
On the Gilead clinical trial and wanted to know what my options might be if I failed.  They were very excited about the new oral trials and that they thought a lot of drug companies were in competition to work with drugs like the new phamasset one that Gilead bought and people that failed a protese inhibitor would be sought out to prove their treatment would work for them. They were very optimistic that it would not be long for better treatments to come up.  I am still in the running but not that optimistic this trial will work for me.

[Advocate1955]

To all, thanks again for your kind words of support.  I checked clinicaltrials.gov again last night to see if there are any trials recruiting in our area that my husband might be eligible for after the wash out period, but I didn't see any.  Let me know if you hear of any specific ones that you think I should research for G1a, Cirrhotic, and previously treated.
I truly appreciate everyone reaching out to us.
Advocate1955

[jsf52]

I am so sorry to hear that this did not work for your husband.  I have treated twice in the last year and both times tx failed me (the first was SOC and did not have a 2 log drop at 12 week mark and the other was a clinical trial and my VL went up at the 8 and 10 week marks so they stopped me after shot 12).  I am now in a resistance study to try and figure out why us Geno 1a's have such a struggle with resistance.  The trial doctor firmly believes that there will be a non interferon cure for us within the next 2 to 4 years.  Keep faith - will keep you and your husband in prayers.

[bbj2856]

When I red this it is like we all know each other he has faught so hard so long endured so much. I am going continue to pray for him and u  becase u are a support anchor for him. I pray there is new meds or something to help him and he can continue on with his life . You are such a support here so very knowalage to us all. God Bless and  never give up . God bless you and hold him close in his healing hands
bbj2856

[Bovary73]

Often when I read your posts I was so touched by the fact that you engage in this tx so much on behalf of your husband. It really touched my heart and I really think you husband is a very fortunate man to have a wife as you, being so supportive and educating yourself so much in this.
I'm so really sorry to hear that it didn't work for your husband this time, but I pray, like many others here, that in the near future, there will be other types of treatment with less sx's and more SVR's.
I hope your husband's liver had some benefits from this treatment, even if the virus isn't gone.

Wish you all the best..

[nygirl7]

Ad,

I really don't know what to say, you've worked so hard and diligently and this is just horribly unfair. I'm glad the all oral non-ifn is looking so promising...there is hope...and we are all hoping and praying for your husband.

I hate this disease I just can't say that enough.

You remain in our hearts, Deb

[ziffy1]

hi,i've read your post and i've felt really sad about it.As I'm on my first tx and I'm very poorly,i can't even think about repeat,you two are a real inspiration for this forum and for fighting for life.You deserve to win this war and I wish that became true at soon possible. all the best Ziffy1

[hrsepwrguy]

So sorry to hear this news, wishing you both all the best moving foward.

[willbb]

Sorry about the news. Having failed a previous attempt myself , I have some sense of how this feels ,however him having failed numerous attempts the impact of this would be even harder.

I personally stay very positive that "Pharma" will eventually get it right for those of us that are the so called "hard to treat "and I know you folks are committed to trying again when the opportunity arises ..as it will..

My best wishes to you both..
Will

[JDB1964]

So sorry for this developement. Stay with us! You are a voice that has helped me and others I am sure.

[Gerbils]

I too am sorry about this turn of events. It is just another reminder that we are all a little bit different in some ways that we cannot see. I wish Incivek had been the answer for your husband. You two are fighters and I hope and pray that he is successful in his next battle with the dragon. Hopefully the next treatment effort will be gentler than the last go around (and will work for good!). My heart goes out to you both. You both have an awesome attitude and are such an inspiration to us all. Please keep us posted.
G

[ninezero8]

I read your notes back and forth with Stormy yesterday and had to read them several times to be sure that I was understanding. Unfortunately, I did read it right and my heart goes out to both of you. I will be starting triple next week and have taken so much from this forum in the past couple weeks. Reading this just....is beyond words. I truly wish you both the best and we all hope that something is developed that will work to kill this thing under any circumstances. My families thoughts go out to you both.

[Dee1956]

I just read, I am so very very sorry. You guys have fought so hard to kill this virus, it breaks my heart to see that he is dectable.
I am at a loss for words here, I am in shock. I thought he was doing so well
Hope and a prayer
Dee

[FaithforHealing]

This news is heartbreaking to hear and I am still trying to wrap my head around what you and your husband have endured and I can only say how deeply sorry I am. Please know you and your husband are an inspiring testimony to the perseverance and resilience of the human spirit. Being new and hearing these outcomes helps to prepare us all for what may come, and to know we are not alone (or done) in the possible disappointments. You are teaching everyone how to keep fighting the fight and we get so much strength from you to regroup and keep going.

I just told someone today that my tx trial team seems so extremely"up" and excited lately about tx.....smiling a lot...almost like they know some great new tx info is about to be released. I believe good news is on the horizon and there is every reason to remain hopeful. God bless you both.  

[Advocate1955]

Thanks to everyone for your well wishes and words of support.  It isn't the news we were hoping for, but we were more or less prepared for this news when we saw his VL go from UND to DET < 12 at week 16 (wrong direction).  We were still hopeful and hung in there.  His liver is well compensated, so far as we know, so we're thankful for that.  We check clinicaltrials.gov frequently, but so far we haven't seen a trial that he would be eligible for and that has the potential to have a good outcome for him.  We'll keep checking.  I believe his hepatologist, Dr. Renuka Bhattacharya, at the University of Washington Medical Services and Transplant Center, will continue to monitor him every 6 months as she did in between the previous two treatments.  We're not aware of any other treatment options currently available for him, but we will definitely ask her to notify us of any trials she learns of that she thinks would be a good match for him.  I know that he will keep treating whenever the opportunity arises and she recommends it, because he's a fighter!  We will keep moving forward.
Thank you again for so many positive thoughts!
Advocate1955

[crossroadsec]

Oh hunnyo. So sad to hear this news.  I'm tucking in w both of you in my heart. Please take care of you. I didn't see this earlier when I posted u. I know ur heart is heavy, but I know my dr already discussed other tx options w me. Any hope of that? Xoxoxo Karen :(

[crossroadsec]

Oh hunnyo. So sad to hear this news.  I'm tucking in w both of you in my heart. Please take care of you. I didn't see this earlier when I posted u. I know ur heart is heavy, but I know my dr already discussed other tx options w me. Any hope of that? Xoxoxo Karen :(