Not sure what to think? Help?

[Pinksmything]

I'm getting concerned as my husband was told he could increase his dosage by one riba pill each evening because on his 4 week blood draw his VL was not down enough.
(this was done by my recommendation to the doctor due to having you all support us by the way, the doctor never gave us this option)
Greg just had his 12 week VL blood draw yesterday and we are waiting on the results.
The thing that makes me concerned is his doctors office called and said that Greg's white cells are down and to stop the extra riba each evening. Greg agreed he would.  But then they told him to not take his shot tomorrow night?  Greg asked if they got the results from the blood test and they said no.  I'm a little concerned as we still don't have the results from the blood test and they are saying to skip this shot all together?    They also told him that his white cells are low but not very low?????
I'm thinking Greg should take the last shot since he still doesn't have the results... but
isn't there any other options?  I mean if he stops this week, then what?  
Thanks so much!   I appreciate you all!   Janet

[Bigfloyd]

To add to what MYgirl said, low hemoglobin is one primary culprit in making one feel bad. The limit for men is usually 10 before Riba reduction. For WBC, that is only an infection risk and many docs will not be very concerned. If your husband is doing poorly due to Hemo, by all means ask to be put on epoetin (Procrit $$$). As an aside men normally have a higher Hemo, 15-17 vs 12-15 for women. Do not expect any miracles any time soon. Interferon is the only med that has been proven to produce SVR. Everything else out there and in the pipeline only increases the efficacy of interferon. So even when new drugs become available in the next few years, the treatment sides will not get easier. The current goal is to shorten treatment time and increase odds of SVR.

[nygirl7]

I think you meant hemo and not iron.......10 is low but most of us get there.  Increasing riba wouldn't have any affect on his whites at all.....that would be his hemo, at 10.  

It sounds like you really need a sit down with the doctor to seriously understand how things work but good luck - docs aren't much help.

Your husband is in the grey area where he has a decision to make.  If he wants to do the shot and up the riba all they have to do is put him on Procrit (rescue drug to increase the hemo) LOTS of us have been lower than 10 and kept on going.

I was not UND at week 12 and opted to do 72 weeks.  I had two genos 1A and 1B and I am now over 1 year SVR.  It was not easy but it worked and I am now free of it forever.

It sounds like he doesn't have the constitution to go onwards and if he doesn't want to and his heart isn't it in it well there is no sense in it.

What was the biopsy result?

Nobody knows if anything ever will come about that will be less invasive or more reliable.  Lots of meds have looked good in the past and have failed. you have to be realistic about that part.

Good luck.  Make sure he lives a very liver concious life because it can take 20 years to get to stage 1 and then you can get to cirrhosis in just a few years.  Makes no sense but it happens.

[Pinksmything]

Well, Greg talked to the doctors office today and he was told his iron was at a 10.
Mine's been at a 6 before (although dangerous) I survived and worked full time etc.
He asked about the helper drugs and was told that he was too low to take the shot this week and that it was still in his system and should continue only if he's a 2 log drop next friday.
Hummm?  My husband really wants to end tx.  I know this althought he will not say it.
It's been a real struggle for him.  He hasn't been able to work and wants a break.
He feels there will be something later that is less invasive or more relible as a cure.
So, we will see what happens?  Janet  

[cruelworld]

there have been quite a few accounts of possibly uneccessary dose reductions  because of white counts. many of the more experienced doctors let you ride through those low points without a reduction and possibly give you rescue drugs. the good docs will let your absolute neutrophils counts go down to  500 even 350 before taking action. i wouldnt miss a shot unless i was confirmed super dangerously low.  get to the bottom of it.

[Pinksmything]

Oh, sorry about that,
I meant take his shot 13 as it's the last one he has before the decission to continue or stop tx dependant on the VL lab results.
They never told Greg what his white blood count was but he's going to ask tomorrow.  
They did tell him that his white cells weren't bad a few weeks ago but dropped quickly over a 2 week period which was cause for concern.  Man, I wish I had answered the call... I have SO many questions!  The doctor that gave him the information was his HepC blood doctor I guess... he's the GI doc.  

[Lady Lauri]

  Hi there. What do you mean 'take the last shot' ? If he's just getting his 12 week labs?

I had to reduce, and others have, but not skip dose's entirely. Doesn't sound right. Especially as he wasn't UND week 4, etc.The Peg would be more the cause for low whites (right?). Do you know his numbers on that? Many of us had low WBC's on tx, and if she said not 'too low', makes no sense to me.

I would double check this with them. Is it a GI or liver specialist?
Others will be along soon for more advice here.

Good luck!
LL