Victrelis Vic-tory

[frijole]

I had my long- awaited appointment with the heppo on Thursday, Oct 20.  I had a PCR (8-week) and CBC done the same day so I knew the doctor would not have those results. Yet I was hoping he would have the results from the PCR done 2 weeks previously.  I was l ready to explain how put out I was that he was not calling me immediately on my labs but, as it turned out, they had input his name wrong and he never got them.  Anyway I left that appointment not knowing where I stood and feeling pretty down.  It is an all day affair to fly to Dallas and get to the hospital and back to the airport, not to mention costly, and I left without any answers.  He did tell me that if my hemoglobin was under 10 on the 10/20 test he would order procrit.

Today - Tuesday - I got the call with all my labs.  For background, my pretreatment vl was over 2,000,000 and my 4-week lead in PCR was 3900.

After 2 weeks on Victrelis ---- QuantaSure (sensitive to 2IU/mL) -- Less than 2 IU/mL
After 4 weeks on Victrelis --- HCV RT-PCR (quantifiable to 25 iu/ML with a limit of detection to 7.1IU/mL) -- HCV Not Detected!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So Victrelis has done it.  It has pushed the virus over the edge.  On my first treatment I had detectable virus of 40 IU/mL at week 12, was UND by week 20, and UND thru 56 week end of treatment but relapsed.  It is because I had such low virus at week 12 the first time that it is important for me to have the most sensitive test possible -- I need to know if I am truly clear, and you can't beat the QuantaSure for that.   It takes over 2 weeks to obtain the results of the Quanta Sure since they have to be sent to California, but there does not seem to be any more flack over the Victrelis by the insurance company so since we are not waiting on approval I have requested the doctor order the Quanta Sure for the rest of treatment.

Today I feel good.  Some days are hard.  I  am always tired.  But at least now I have reason for joy.  We celebrated with my favorite kind of icecream tonight.  My hemoglobin was 10.1 and the doctor is beginning the process to get the procrit approved.

frijole

[screaming48]

great news so happy for you :)

[Gerbils]

I am so happy for you. Those of you that have been through this before and relapsed are amazing!

Congratulations!

[Boobert]

I wanted to congratulate Frijole and hate not being able to! From Nygirl, she's having problems posting.

I also would like to send you a hearty Congrats!!!

[flcyclist]

Yeah Bean!!!  Great to hear this good news for you.  Sounds very promising and all continues on this great path.   It sounds like you're tolerating well and have a great positive attitude.  Best of luck to you.

[pooh55811]

It is great news to hear that so far your doctor is seeing 100% cure/UND rate (except for the 3 dropouts). Do you know how many patients he has on triple treatment? I am just wondering if it is a large number or a small number. My case manager said that so far all of their patients have become UND except one who had a severe dermatological reaction to the Incivek. My doctor only uses Incivek. I asked how many patients they had (that are far enough into treatment for testing the viral load) and she said six that became UND and the one they had to discontinue due to the severe reaction (so total 7), so not a huge number but still encouraging that all who actually were able to do the triple treatment are now UND. They have more patients like me who have not yet been tested for viral load since starting tratment. (I actually had blood drawn Monday for my 4 week test and am anxiously awaiting the results.) I just hope that the good news continues.

[scoleman]

Wooooooohooooooo!  Great news.  I hope the ice cream was Blue Bell.

Sherry