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1777980 tn?1314465308

incivek failed

I just received bad news.  I finished treatment with incivek in Jan. received 6 mo blood test, relapsed.  I was undetectable at wk 4, 12, and post tx.  I am just totally crushed.  I have no idea what to do next.  This was  much tougher to deal with than previous treatments.  I was so hopeful. I hope the rest of you get a better outcome.    
41 Responses
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Avatar universal
Man Robert....I don't know what to say.  I am just at a loss for words.  I am terribly sorry this happened to you.  This just sux!!!!!!!!!

Jules
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Oh my, I am really sorry for you. And to have such a fast response. For now take time to get over this, then regroup and watch these new drugs that are having such great success. Been there done that, I know how you feel guy.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Sorry to hear this Robert..  Always tough to have  relapse.

For the most part if one fails with one of these "protease" it is manily caused by a certain degree of insensitivity to the Inteferon ,which unfortunately is still needed to keep the virus beaten down so to speak.

You did not mention your degree of liver damage ,hopfully it is mild or moderate and will afford you time to wait  out the INF. free drugs that are currently in the pipeline.


Try to stay as liver healthy as possible(no alcohol ,any medications as sparingly as possible,exercise ,drink cofee and eat a healthy diet with weight control)

Again  sorry to hear this ,however there is much happening for us in the future..

Will
Helpful - 0
163305 tn?1333668571
So sorry to hear this bad news.

You say you don't know what to do next.
What you do is take good care of yourself and your liver and hope the new oral interferon free meds are available soon.

Although you relapsed, being und since week 4, means your liver had a break from being damaged by the virus. It very well may be in better shape than when you began treatment. In fact it could be a lot better.

Best of luck~
OH
Helpful - 0
1833444 tn?1325557062
I'm so sorry to hear that Robert wish there was something I could do...I just hate seeing when people work so hard and endure so much and to turn around and relapse it just ***** my thought are with you. Keep your head up stay strong.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Sorry to hear your disappointing news….it is something I myself think about while waiting for my 6 months post tx date.  My thoughts are with  you.
You did the best you could do.  Try to be positive and take care of yourself.
Helpful - 0
2065676 tn?1331422440
Hi Robert. My deepest heartfelt sorrow is being felt over your relapse. So very sorry this happened to you. Hopefully the next round of new meds will better address some of the issues that some folks are still having. So sorry....
Helpful - 0
1815939 tn?1377991799
I am very sorry to hear this news of your relapse. I know it must be devastating.

As others have said, try to regroup and heal. Soon there will be other medications for us.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Robert.....I failed my tx three weeks ago...I was devastated....like you, most probably......
I have to wait for GS-7977....maybe you do as well.

It gets better, try not to dwell on it & ask the clinic your options......
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am at a loss for words.  You must be devastated.  Especially after being clear since week 4, it looked so hopeful.  I am so sorry.  
Helpful - 0
1747881 tn?1546175878
So sorry to hear this news, you have gotten some great advice above, wishing you all the best moving foward.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i was sorry to read of your relapse and believe that this was your fourth attempt.  i've read where all oral minus the interferon will be available in 3 years. keep the faith brother. you are The Rock.
Helpful - 0
1431734 tn?1421011671
sooo very sorry. this must be a huge blow. stay close to those here who understand your plight and take it just a day at a time. wish u better luck soon.
Helpful - 0
1116669 tn?1269143266
You get a reprieve and then have it reversed. How depressing. I am so sorry. Living with the question mark of HCV is stressful as is the therapy gamble. My absolute best wishes for a more promising outcome in your future......Admittedly selfish (I share your timeline success with triple tx. and finished the meds today) may I ask about your history with prior therapies and degree of liver damage and whether this round was 24 or 48 weeks. Thank you. d
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I found a link to a PDF I received at a support group...I just started to read it...

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factsheets_pdf/Next%20steps.pdf
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
If you are feeling up to it, can you share some of your tx information?    As yodennis asked, i was also wondering if you treated for 24 wks or 48 wks.  And upon completion of tx, was your viral load tested monthly?   Try to stay strong and be sure to take care of yourself.  all the best...ginger
Helpful - 0
766573 tn?1365166466
I am so sorry to hear this. I can imagine how incredibly disappointed you must be. I know I sure would be. I am a little unclear about your treatment history. I hope you do not find this too nosy but I glossed through your posts and see you have three times but I don't see why you treated for 24 weeks rather than the 48. Were you a relapser?
Helpful - 0
1652596 tn?1342011626
so sorry for the news.  take care.  belle
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm so sorry for your loss.   I am thinking that the new Interferon free Tx will be here soon, so keep up the good work, with your healthy life-style.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Like the others I'm sorry for your bad news. I know it is a shot in the dark but did you re-test? I would immediately draw new blood and test again with a different lab,  using the most sensitive test the lab offers.

Best of luck
Helpful - 0
1777980 tn?1314465308
Thanks for all your comments! I want to get as much information out there as possible.  I did 24 weeks on incivek because I was RVR at 12 and stayed undetectable at 12 weeks. On the Peg / rebitrol treatment I relapsed at the end of treatment.  I was also asked if I got monthly blood test, no only post tx and at 6 mo.  I will try another treatment when I see something that has a good chance of working.  I have moderate liver damage so I have time.  I don't drink, and exercise every day and try to eat well.  Thanks again for your support and hope you all do well.
Helpful - 0
1840891 tn?1431547793
Oh man, I am so sorry to hear this. I keep thinking about how I would feel (and it could happen to me too), and if it was me I think I'd have to spend a few days crying and wallowing in self-pity before I'd even be ready to try to pull myself together. Everyone talks about the happy dance when we SVR, but on the flip side it also has to be okay to just cry and complain a while at first if it doesn't work out. Do whatever your grief requires now and then after you've let some of that out you will be in a better position for considering your next step for healing. I hope the period of grieving passes quickly for you and that your doctors soon help you plan another way to beat this dragon. You have all my sympathy and my best wishes too.
Helpful - 0
223152 tn?1346978371
rock, I am sorry.  Especially when you were UND at weeks 4 & 12.  Do you know the sensitivity of those two test?  If they were the standard <43 tests did the lab report specifically use the words UNDETECTABLE?

What happened on your first treatment (S?) When did you clear, were you compliant, do you have any other issues that decrease your chances of clearing?  

Again I am so sorry .  Dealing with relapse, especially when one has done so well on tx, is devestating.  I hope you take time to regroup and be drug free for awhile.

frijole (bean)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Robert, so sorry to hear that you relapsed.  As others have said, maybe you can re-test right away to be certain that it is a relapse.  Make an appointment to see your treating doc and ask his/her opinion, but as others have said, it is very likely that you have either a more resistant virus and/or you are a poor responder to Interferon.  I'm so glad to hear that you only have moderate liver damage, by that I'm assuming that you mean f2 or so?  And I agree with OH that your liver got a wonderful break for 6 months, which will have helped.  But because of your age, you are at a higher risk for more rapid progression of fibrosis and/or for developing liver cancer.  I would recommend that you ask your doc if he/she would see you more frequently, perhaps every 6 months to once a year, and if he/she would order more frequent labwork, perhaps every 3 months, to monitor your liver function closely.  Not sure if/when your doc might want to do another liver biopsy to check on your fibrosis, my guess would be every 3 years.  You may want to ask your doc if he/she would consider recommending you for any all oral trials that may come up in the next two years or so.  Or you can search clinicaltrials.gov.  Otherwise, hopefully it won't be a long wait for the new all oral meds, and hopefully you won't progress to Cirrhosis.  In the meantime, keep doing what you're doing, give yourself time to process this new piece of information about relapsing, stay alcohol free, drink coffee, eat liver healthy food, exercise, maintain a good BMI, and avoid meds that are non-essential and supplements that your doc hasn't approved.
Take care, and hang in there.
Advocate1955
Helpful - 0
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