How soon start second round of Harvoni?

[soldieradvocate]

EOT 17 after 8 weeks of treatment on Harvoni. SVR test scheduled for June 17th. I just had a blood test done at another doctor and am awaiting results. If it shows virus has come back and is growing, how long before I can effectively take a second round of Harvoni treatment?

[48weeks]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I am following you.  You are one of the first 8 weekers on here aren't you?  Best of luck to ya, and we're all hoping you don't need to find out the answer to that question!!  I will be getting my 12 week SVR test in June after finishing my 12 week Harvoni treatment on March 3rd.

[AWorriedMom]

There is no wait time. But lets hope you don't have to retreat. I bet you won't!!! Keeping fingers and toes crossed for you.

[cakes8267]

You need to ask your doctor this question.

[AWorriedMom]

Cakes is correct...ask your doctor, for sure. Some are retreating right away. Some are adding ribavirin to the mix and going a full 24 weeks. There is no protocol yet. The problem is that we have no real scientific data. The good thing is that these treatments are so short, the data will not be long in coming. And it depends on why one would relapse. Is it resistance or something else? There will be more data coming out from EASL and DDW (Digestive Disease Week) in May. Sorry I didn't explain more fully in my earlier post.

[AWorriedMom]

I just spoke to the pharmacist at Gilead and she said that there is no firm data yet, but she confirmed that some doctors are doing what I mentioned in my last post. She said there is no washout period. She expects to have more data in the near future. There is one paper written about the subject but I was not able to find it for you.

[Sarah1949]

I hope you're undetected. I know what it's like to wait on that test. I would go for weeks after eot and feel sure I was undetected but then come time to check on viral load and I would be so scared. While waiting on my last test I started checking out the clinical trials just in case. :)
Turns out I'm safe and the odds say you will be also. Take care. You've got this!

[flyinlynn]

Hi

When you are talking about people retreating have there been relapses? What treatment regimen 8 weeks Harvoni or some other?

Thanks
Lynn

[AWorriedMom]

I can't remember if it was 8 week arm of trial Lynn.  I believe it was some info that came out of the Ion trials. I will continue to look tomorrow. Way too tired tonight.

[flyinlynn]

ok thanks for the direction to look.

:-)

[AWorriedMom]

It was relapse...perhaps it was the co-infected ION trial. I really can't remember. But, we don't have results of what happened when these people were retreated. Hopefully that info will be available after EASL which is in April or DDW which is in May.  The original question was  whether there had to be a washout period before retreating and the answer so far is no, according to Gilead's pharmacist.

[soldieradvocate]

Good news! The second test at another doctor reported the virus "undetected". Now here's hoping for the 3 month test for SVR. By the way, will I always test positive for the Hep C antibodies and if so, will people assume I have Hep C or just be considered a carrier? And if so, that doesn't mean I am contagious, right?

[Livelife777]

Hi there Soldier.   First of all Congrats for being UND.  You are on a wonderful life saving drug and the odds are incredibly in your favor that retreating will not become a necessity.  Wow!
As far as carrying the Hep C antibodies, they will be with you for life.  It's kinda like if you had Chicken Pox.  Once you have it you will always carry the antibodies but will never be infected again.  The same is true with Hep C, as you will show at one time that you were exposed but will NOT be contagious.

With the Hep C virus you can reinfect IF you come across tainted blood.  So even tho you will be cured, you will never be immune. After going thru all of this it's rather doubtful that any of us will take a risk of reinfecting thru bad behavior or bad luck.
My best
.....Kim

[soldieradvocate]

Thanks so much for the information and encouragement. If I come in contact with dried blood from when I was infected like on a shirt or surface, will that still endanger me with reinfection? Have disinfected the house but nervous about any surface I might have missed.

[AWorriedMom]

Soldier, a couple of things....if people are uneducated about hep C they may believe that you are still infected. There is no carrier state in hepatitis C. You cannot transmit the disease if you are undetected. And the virus can only live outside the body for a little while....4 days is the amount of time I have seen reported but that is in a perfect environment. I would not worry for one second about your clothes. I would get rid of your toothbrush and hygiene articles that might have blood on them like razors, etc. Good luck on getting that SVR.

Livelife, I think you said something that you didn't mean to say....."It's kinda like if you had Chicken Pox.  Once you have it you will always carry the antibodies but will never be infected again." Hepatitis C antibodies are not protective. There is no immunity. You can reinfect if you engage in risky behaviors.

[dontworry_behappy1]

Carrier is an old term used to explain "positive hepatitis C antibodies".  It's sometimes used still but I find the term confusing.   "Carrier" sounds like you are a carrier of the hepatitis C virus.   You see how this can confuse people.
Once you have been confirmed positive for hepatitis C antibodies......you will test positive for the rest of your life.   Hepatitis C antibodies don't protect you from getting reinfected with Hepatitis C.  

You are currently undetected absent SVR.   It's unknown if you are able to
reinfect others in your current status.   So, conduct yourself as if you have Hepatitis C till you obtain SVR.   There is still a rare chance the Hepatitis C virus can return after 3 months and you should test and confirm your SVR
at 6 months.

Wishing you the best outcome.

[soldieradvocate]

Good reminder about safety. Thanks to everyone for your responses. Very helpful. and reassuring.

[hepcandme]

Congrats soldier! Looks like you have an excellent chance of achieving SVR!

This is the part that is puzzling to me:

"I just had a blood test done at another doctor and am awaiting results. If it shows virus has come back and is growing"

to "The second test at another doctor reported the virus "undetected"."

I just don't understand how a fairly standard lab test could have produced such opposing results. Perhaps your doctor misread the labs?

[flyinlynn]

I believe the reference to "If it shows virus has come back and is growing" was a concern about a what if possible senario.

In other words "if the test shows the virus has returned" how long do I need to wait before I can be retreated.

Then the second post showed the second lab showed not detected but I did not see soldier post about the actual result of the first test just being worried about "what if"

At least that is how I understood soldiers comments.

Hi soldier did you get the result back from the original lab test also or was there just  one test you are discussing?

I am a little confused by "EOT 17 after 8 weeks of treatment on Harvoni. SVR test scheduled for June 17th"

Do you mean you were tested for the virus at 17 weeks after end of treatment so your 8 week treatment was completed 17 weeks ago?

And SVR test June 17 so how many weeks after treatment has ended will you be on June 17th is that the SVR 24 test? The six months post treatment result?

If I am understanding correctly your dates you are cured soldier!

Many doctors consider SVR 12 to be cured and definately SVR 24

Congrats you made it soldier!
Lynn

[flyinlynn]

Ok so I reread your second post still kinda confused so your 12 week post will be in June. So was this you just finished treatment test (EOT) you were waiting for or his long after you completed that EOT 17 is really throwing me off.

Congrats on finishing treatment you will make it to SVR in June be confident!

[soldieradvocate]

Viral count was 17 at EOT at 8 weeks. I then had another test done elsewhere and the results read as follows:
HCV RNA QUANITATIVE REAL TIME PCR LESS THAN 15 NOT DETECTED
HCV RNA QUANTITATIVE REAL TIME PCR LESS THAN 1.18 NOT DETECTED.
This test was performed using the COBAS (R) Ampli Prep/COBAS (R) HCV test. v2.0 whatever that means.
I am scheduled to have another test June 17th to make sure it is SVR. Does that make sense?

[hepcandme]

It looks then that you had 2 tests at EOT, one showing 17 and another that showed not detected

Still, I don't understand how one test could show the virus (even just a little, it's still there) and another one not detected - were these done around the same time? How far apart?

Can you ask your 2nd lab to explain this to you?

I think you're there Soldier but I would have a difficult time waiting till June to know if you are truly undetected. Will June be your 12 week EOT labs? You can prob get the answer from talking with the lab but I would want another test if they tell you it's inconclusive

BTW, I love it when Lynn is confused because it makes me feel like I am not so foggy brained!

[flyinlynn]

There have been news about not being not detected at EOT does not mean treatment failure. Maybe they are virus particles maybe virus unable to reproduce. But there have been people who were detected less than 15 but still made SVR 12 so it ain't over yet don't give up!

http://blogs.hepmag.com/lucindakporter/2015/03/new_hepatitis_c_trea_2.html

[flyinlynn]

Durrrrr lol

[soldieradvocate]

I never actually saw the lab report from the first end of 8 week treatment  but the doctor told me the viral count was 17. The next test was about 2 weeks later from a different lab. I will do the 3 month follow up test in June and continue to think positively. thanks to everyone for your help.