Ribavirin and anemia resolution

[flyinlynn]

Hi all you wise heppers out there!

For those who have taken riba in the past and experienced anemia on treatment do you remember about how long it took for your anemia to resolve and HGB and related blood counts to return to normal levels?

Thanks!

[flyinlynn]

Ran up a flight of stairs as a test a little out of breath but I would not have been able to do 10 days ago.

Just walking up the same stairs I was winded as all get out.

[hepcandme]

Wow, that is Great news Lynn

Glad to hear it. You must be feeling it too? The NoMoRiba thing?

[flyinlynn]

I stopped Riba 100 mg 10 days ago a bit before EOT Harvoni. I just couldn't take it any more fellin like crud.

I hadnt tested for several weeks but was holding steady at 10 for several weeks before we stopped monitoring on Mar17.

Anyway got the answer to my own question.

Ten days after discontinuing Riba my HGB is back uo to 12.2 the only one still a tiny bit low is RBC min normal is 3.77 and I am at 3.73.

So it took me 10 days or less to resolve my Ribavirin induced anemia

:-)

[Dee1956]

Hey there. Mine started at 14.8 dropped to 9.7.  I was miserable.  Within 4 weeks of treating it was back up.  Everyone is different but I know you will be feeling so much better.
My best to you
Dee

[HopeInPA]

Q: "Did you find that there was a time where, even though your HMG was low, that you just got used to it?"

Yes, and, in addition, my coordinator said that people who have high HMG feel the drop much worse than people who did not have it that high to begin with, even though for them it could go to a lower level. In other words, my 12.0 could be felt worse than 11.0 for another person who may be already accustomed to living with lower levels.    

Also, my HMG went even higher after the treatment, temporarily, in a sort of rebound effect, which, I was told, was also normal.

[flyinlynn]

Thanks Kim!

Very informative. My lab must use a different range says 11.1 is low normal and at 10 I am only 1.1 below that.

Cool thanks hope I have the same experience!

Lynn

[nzkiwilife]

It took me many months to get my hmg back to normal.
During tx it went right down to 86 and stayed around there for the whole course.
Hmg and everything else is back to normal now but it took much over a year for my neutrophils to get back to within normal range.

[Livelife777]

Hi there Lynn.  I just took a peek at my lab results from my Riba journey as Mayo has an online overview.
Riba and Sovaldi 12 weeks
Starting Tx 14
Week 4 -12.2
Week 8- 10.4
Week 10-10.9
End of Tx 10.9
3 weeks post Tx 14.2
3 months post Tx 15.4
6 months post Tx 15.6. *High

The normal range for female 12-15.5.  Males is higher
So as you can see mine popped back to the normal range within 3 weeks.
Found it kinda odd that it exceeded the normal range 6 months post, but I feel good with lottsa energy.

Hope your hanging tuff
.....Kim

[hepcandme]

Hi Hope

Did you find that there was a time where, even though your HMG was low, that you just got used to it? I believe I read from someone that they were able to deal with the symptoms better after the first 4 weeks (or I could just be hoping here)

I, like Lynn, am really feeling the blah like rundown thing

I'm so happy to hear that in your experience, your HMG went back to normal and you feel better a fairly short time after ending treatment

[flyinlynn]

Hi Hope

ok I am going to like your answer since it is saying what I want to hear lol!

Thanks :-)

[mac790]

Hey, I was so anemic I was disqualified for an earlier clinical trial @ HUP, before being accepted into this one I completed in October. The head of Hepatology said to take one iron tablet with a meal daily ( 28 mg. of elemental iron I think is the standard(?), there are different concotions available OTC.) Within 2 months my RBC, Hemoglobin and Hematocrit, in fact my enitire Hematology panel, was back to well within normal ranges. My diet was poor, that plus I always scored close to anemic even before the HCV/tx, so I needed the boost. I now take one every 3-4 days as a precaution. It can be a bit rough on some people's GI tract, hence the "take with food" caveat. I can't say I felt any more energy once the levels were WNL.    Good Luck,  mac

[AWorriedMom]

Lynn, my issue with ribavirin took almost 6 months to resolve with procrit. But, I was an unusual case. My bone marrow was so depleted due to years of interferon and ribavirn so I don't think you will have to wait that long. Mine had dropped to 7.1. It never returned to it's high of 15. I hang around 11.5-12.0 now, two years after SVR. I hope yours rebounds quickly.

[flyinlynn]

Thanks

I feel relatively ok just get winded a bit and just kinda feel blah like rundown. Primarily I am wondering how long till the blood test returns to normal range.

I did ask to do a 4 week viral load and my doctor is going to do the whole group at week 4 so liver functions and CBC. Guess I will know by then.

I am hoping my HGB will be back above the min normal of 11.1 from my current 10.0 by week 4

[patra_]

Lynn: I started feeling well enough to go out without the walker At 2 weeks.  By 4 weeks, I felt post tx 'normal'.  By 12 weeks, I had energy galore and my HMG was back up to 13 from the 9.5 it was at end of tx.  It could have returnerd to the 'normal' range sooner, but my Dr only does EOT then EOT12 and 24 Lab tests so I don't know exactly when it was.