type 3

[mar148]

Has any one here cleared with genotype 3?  How were your test results during treatment?

[Kenglish]

What is the difference between type 1& 2and the medications do they make u real sick

[Dannyboi7]

Hi susan-

  I know of a G3 who had the same results as you at week 4,her GI considered that the equivalent of a RVR.She did 24 weeks and as been SVR for 3 years now.So in her case 24 weeks was sufficient enough.If you want to contact her she is on my friends  list,her name is Kristina.

Best wishes

Dannyboi7

[willbb]

Just to add to my pervious answer,it would be rare for someone to have to treat for 48 weeks with geno type 3 . As you can see in the section"Present treatment for hepatitisc G 3"  included in the link I posted the usualt time to treat G3 is 24 weeks and certainly only that long if you achived an RVR

best ...
Will

[willbb]

Hi susan...
You have posted at the end of an old thread. It would be better when you ask a question to start your own thread by going to the orange""post a question" area in the future so more members will see it  :)

In the meantime I have linked for you some very up to date info on HCV Geno type 3 and the therapies for such(below)

The test that you had only goes to a sensitivity of 43 so it would matter if it said you were Detected <43 or Undetected <43.  try to find out if you can and post the results and someone her willbe able to answer this

Good luck and welcome to the gropu...

Will

follow this link:


http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1478-3231.2011.02715.x/full

[susan1024]

Hi all.  I have genotype 3a, and tested <43 iU/ml after my first 4 weeks of pegasus and ribavirin,  but my GI does not call that result  RVR.  Does anybody have references, or anecdotes,  about being "almost" negative at 4 weeks and the outcomes of 24 versus 48 week tx?

[GoofyDad]

But many are. I treated for six months and I'm cured. I hope one day you will be too, dranurag, and you too Alicia.

[dranurag]

Not all are lucky. I started treatment of type 3 five  years ago and with repeated courses it comes back.

[Junebug812]

Yes, we've all felt that initial devastation. As goofydad says, GT3 has a higher success rate. I am GT3 and just finished 6 months of tx a week ago. I won't lie, it was tough on me, but I got through and am undetected for the virus. It's only been a week off treatment and I'm starting to feel better already. Though it was somewhat tough, I'm very happy I did it. Having the worry of having Hep C for years was harder than going through the treatment.

June

[GoofyDad]

Hey Alicia;

We have all been where you are at one time or another - and so we all appreciate how you feel. It will take some time to adjust to your new reality, but you will and it eventually won't feel so devastating.

You'll learn that GT3 has a high success rate for cure. Expect to be on treatment for probably 6 months. It won't be fun, but you'll get along. Many of us worked throughout treatment. This is a slow progressing disease - many have had it for 20-30 years before doing anything about it. Take time, read, and learn.  

[Alicia360]

i just found out i have type 3 hep c n i was devastated when i found out. if theres anyone out there that can give me some info that can help me get through this it would greatly be apreciated

[nygirl7]

Kalio our great friend was a G3.  She treated, relapsed, retreated again longer period adding ALinia and now is SVR.

It appears that G3s have a much higher rate of relapse than what is commonly reported as being one of the "lucky" genos.  

My advice - hit it hard and fast the first time and don't let anyone convince you that a "lucky" geno exists.  They don't - it all sucks.

[Sunny37]

Good Morning Bobby!!!

I have to say I can't really remember the viral load....2-6 million.....it was one or the other.....I was also on weight based riba....stage 1 ...grade 1....had hep c for over 20 years, had a baby and neither my husband or baby who is now a pre teen got the illness
I as well could not imagine extending this treatment....I have the UTMOST respect for any of my fellow "taxers" who have undergone 36 to 72 weeks and some of them still worked!! I have a great pain tolerance and am no wussy but this medication snuck up on me by week 11 and it's only now that I am feeling better that I realize the full extent of what I went through and my husband and son :) I guess I was a little bitchy and short tempered near the end :)
I wish you well and keep thinking positive....

[zazza]

My ex has had hep C for 35 years. His baseline viral load was 3.8 million IU/ml (log 6.58). His biopsy showed stage 0, grade 1. He was UND by week 12 - no prior PCRs taken. Relapsed at 12 weeks post. He was however not on weight based dosing first tx.

[zazza]

I guess I am influenced by my own personal experience. My ex - geno 3 - relapsed after 24 weeks tx, and is now doing another 48, which makes a total of 72 weeks. He grieves not getting the option to extend tx. So to me doing 48 first round seems like a better option. But yes, in Mar148's case 36 weeks might be a reasonable alternative as well.

A geno 3 being detected at all at week 4, and in this case even at week 5, does suggest to me that he/she should consider what options are available. Of course personal motivation, side effects and extent of liver damage are factors which influence one's decision.

And being in week 64, I can say that in my case the first 24 weeks were the worst. I would not like to have to redo them.

[Bobby1952]

Hi Sunny

I am also a 3a and I am in week 19 of treatment. Good luck on that SVR. By the way could you tell me which stage and grade you were and your VL pre TX. And if you know how long you have been infected.  I have had it about 30 years and I am sat 3 gr 3 with a pre TX VL of 6,000,000. Just wondering what my chances are.

Thanks
Bobby

[Sunny37]

Hi Mar148

I finished 21 weeks of treatment.(shortened due to health issues)...180 of pegasys and 1000 of ribavarin...I am genotype 3a...I was UND at 4 weeks all the way through....clear at the end and post 3 month test...will have the 6 month test in March. So far sooo good took awhile to get back on track but feeling pretty good now!! I wish you all the best!!!!

[mar148]

Well I am in a bit of a lab glitch.  The doctors office was supposed to order a quantitative PCR test that goes to under 50 but did bdna that goes to under 615.  The report that you quote indicates that rapid responders are under 50 by pcr at week 4, which I don't know if I was or wasn't.  It would have been an easier call if the right test was given.  I was detected by qualitative VL test at week 5 which has a lower than 50 threshold.  Eeekkkk

[Bobby1952]

I am GT 3 and I am in week 19 of treatment. I don't know if I reached RVR because my GI didn't test for Viral load until 10 1/2 weeks into TX. I then was UND. I wouldn't go passed 24 weeks either. Some people on this Forum make it sound like its no big deal extending TX to 48 or 72 weeks. But you have to weigh the greater possibility of permanent side effects if you do extend treatment. You can experience vision problems, Thyroid problems and you may never bounce back to the way you felt before treatment.
      
  I would wait a few years for a better and shorter treatment to come along such as "Teleprevar with currect SOC".

[desrt]

Just my personal feelings, but suggesting 48 weeks to someone who may have been UND as early as week 5 and has been proven repeatedly UND since week 8 may be a bit of overkill. 36 might be a reasonable compromise (if still tolerating tx OK), but by that point, my feeling is it's either going to work or it won't. Unless there's severe liver damage involved, I (personally) wouldn't bother going past 24.

[zazza]

You really should consider extending tx to 48 weeks, since being detected at week 4 as a geno 3 lowers your odds to 50%. I myself am a geno 1 who was detected, but under 15 at week 12. I have chosen to extend to 72 weeks because of this (instead of 48 which is regular SOC for geno 1's).

Here is another link that may be of interest to you:
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/2007icr/easl/docs/050107_b.html

Excerpt from the link above:

"WHAT ABOUT SLOW RESPONDERS?

B. Willems and colleagues analyzed patients with genotype 2 or 3 who did not achieve RVR.

As background, they noted that in the recent ACCELERATE study, administration of Pegasys plus ribavirin for 24 weeks was shown to be superior to 16 weeks for genotype 2 or 3 patients overall. The two-thirds who achieved RVR had a greater than 80% probability of achieving SVR using only 16 weeks of therapy. However, those who did not achieve RVR had only a 49% probability of achieving SVR, suggesting that they might benefit from more intensive treatment.

To determine whether an intensified regimen is beneficial, the researchers performed a retrospective analysis of data from 2 large clinical trials, looking at SVR and relapse rates following treatment in genotype 2 or 3 patients without RVR. In study NV15942, subjects were randomly assigned to receive Pegasys plus either 800 mg or 1000-1200 mg ribavirin for either 24 or 48 weeks. In NV15801, patients received Pegasys plus 1000-1200 mg ribavirin for 48 weeks.

A majority of genotype 2 or 3 patients achieved RVR in both studies. However, among patients without RVR, the SVR rate was higher for those receiving 48-week treatment using the higher dose of ribavirin compared with 24-week treatment using the lower dose."

(Table - I was not able to copy it, look at the link)

"The researchers concluded that, 'Genotype 2/3 patients without an RVR could receive added benefit if treated for 48 weeks with a higher dose of ribavirin (1000-1200 mg/day).' However, they added that, 'These results need to be confirmed in a prospective controlled study.'"

[mar148]

Point taken,  but it doesn't stop one from wondering, particularly when you ar 6 weeks more to treatment.  I was UND at 8, 12 and 16.  Detected, but under 615 at week 4.

[desrt]

I was genotype 3. UND at 12 weeks, EOT, and also 5 years later. If anyone knew why some stay clear and others don't, we could probably cure everyone.

[mar148]

Is there any reason you believe it did not work?

[gauf]

I'm a G3 and failed tx twice. UND at 12 weeks and EOT with test sensitivity cutoff at 60.