If you have strept throat and Dr prescribes meds...

[jules2551]

Say you have strept throat.  And Dr prescibes Penicillin (or whatever) for 10 days and told you not to stop until you have taken all the medication.  So why in the world would you stop taking treament for Hep C because of sx unless your DR told you otherwise.  Just because you were UND during a certain period and stopped tx doesn't mean it can't come back.  Maybe I am really confused here but I just don't get it.  Why in the world would you stop?  I know tx is ridiculous and tough but why would you stop now?

[Jillybean65]

Because life isn't black and white and we never know the full story. Try not to judge or condemn others. I continually wanted to stop for many reason, but dug deep and completed. I can, however, understand why some would stop.

[Dee1956]

Great analogy, thank you

[suezeeque]

Asking the broad question of why would anyone stop treatment is kind of like asking the broad question...  WHY AREN'T YOU TREATING???  And making the assumption that one must be a moron to not treat.  ;)

[Dee1956]

Hello, I don't know of many people who have been forced to stop tx except those who have been hospitalized.
The point of tx is to kill the virus without killing the body
Some people have to be hospitalized and are pulled from tx even though kicking and screaming to stay on it
I am not sure who you are asking.  Have you treated?  The sx can kill so there is no point in continuing tx if it is going to kill you.  Only the doctor can decide.
I did the full tx twice
Thanks for the question though I do agree with OH, the bear is much closer to tx as far as my doctor said

[orphanedhawk]

This post isn't on the other side because of some nasty comments which medhelp has since deleted.

I'm guessing they put it over here to cool things down.

[Kristina538]

Nobody stops tx without great pain in making that decision or without Doctors instructions due to the side effects becoming life threatening.   No Doctor tells a patient to complete the course of IFN; they encourage them to complete if at all possible... and sometimes it's just not.

Comparing a course of antibiotics to Interferon, is like comparing sleeping pills with insulin - absolutely not related; neither the reason for having them prescribed, the doctors instructions, nor the effects and outcomes..... just not comparable.  

I'm sorry you have issues that prevent you from starting IFN and hope you will, sometime in the future be able to take newer, less invasive drugs.    

[desrt]

Pooh55811 makes a good point that the protease inhibitors have added a whole new level of tx complexity/diffuculty to the process. Because of the risk of creating resistant strains of virus goes along with these new drugs, it also adds a whole new level of risk for all of us. With IFN/riba, if you decide to quit early, you make your decision and live with the results, one way or the other. Stopping Peg/riba/PI may have more far reaching consequences.
And, yeah this discussion belongs on the 'medical' side as much as any posting about butt rash.

[jules2551]

This shoud be back on on the HeP C forum where i originallly thougth it starrted.  Why are we here.  Hep C was my point and yes i have Hep C

[Meilena_MHModerator]

Please keep comments focused on the original poster's question.

[jules2551]

I was just asking for upcoming thoughts....and response.  I see that it was not well accepted.  All I can say is that there is correlation between INC and their final finaish date.;  I hope I am wrong but these is what i am seeingl

[lapis]

I'm just another person who HAD Hep C, did the full course of tx (24 wks in an Incivek clinical trial) and SVR'ed.  Do you mean you haven't seen me around?  

[flcyclist]

Good move MH.  Thank you.

[suezeeque]

I stopped half way.  Didn't ask for or need any permission.  I had reasons and don't feel the need to justify.  Not everyone will have the same reasons for stopping...

Meh.

[jules2551]

and who are you?

[lapis]

+1

[jules2551]

Pooh...i get all of that. I wish everyone SVR but I am still concerned with thte drop out rate before the set date.  Doesn't make sense

[pooh55811]

Jules, I understand what you are saying. Personally, unless someone has some major side effect that bumps them off treatment, I also think it is very unwise to stop treatment early. Take me for example. I was <43 but dteected at 4 weeks. I never gave it a second thought. I knew I was stuck with 48 weeks. I am not the type of person to bet on beating the odds, especially when the odds are stacked against one, not with this virus anyway.  

But we are all different. We don't really know what another is going through. We can encourage them to continue on, but in the end it is their decision based on their circumstances.

[jules2551]

Really?  you think?  I doubt it that is why people don't get the answers they are looking for.  Maybe  you should read more

[rivll]

Give it a rest...

[jules2551]

I am not here judging.  I am just on here asking why and why not contiung tx....that is all.  Which is what my question was"  Why would you stop tx during tx just because you were UND"?  

[rivll]

" Why in the world would you stop?  I know tx is ridiculous and tough but why would you stop now? "
A few of us said why some would stop...not to approve or disapprove.
Just giving our thoughts and opinions, however there is no one acceptable answer to your question.

[jules2551]

Pooh...I never said otherwise.  I wish you the utmost best but there are others who are not continuing tx.  Those are the one I wish to address.  They are not finishing their prescribed meds............plain and simple.  That was my point

[pooh55811]

"People are never compliant which we have seen from several posters recently. "
---------------------------------------------

I don't really agree with that statement.

A few people have forgotten to take a med dose or were not instructed properly. But those are few. From what I have read on this forum most people are doing everything they can and practically standing on their heads to be compliant. It is not easy, not just because one does not feel well, but also the dosing schedule is complicated and it seems one is taking meds, eating, drinking water, or peeing every time one turns around. I had major sleep deprivation when I was on the three drugs because I could never get a decent stretch of sleep. (Eating 5:30 , pills 6, back to bed, up for awhile, eating 1:30, pills 2, eating 5:30, pills 6, eating 9:30, pills 10. Drink a gallon of water and spend your free time (when you are not taking pills) on the toilet peeing (or worse. Bed at 10:30 only to start the ritual all over at 5:30 am). In addition, after drinking a gallon of water all day you really are not going to get a lot of uninterrupted sleep. I was up almost every 30-45 minutes all night peeing. I was exhausted. Plus one is thirsty all the time so after getting up at night to pee I had to quench my parched throat and mouth which added to the frequent need to get up. That is just the Hep C meds. Then one has all the side effect meds and ointments and lotions and butt creams and suppositories and eye drops not to mention the misery from those side effect.

I am a pretty strong willed and determined person and I really want to get rid of this virus, but even I sometimes feel like I am not sure how I will continue for a total of 48 weeks. I have to poke myself and remember the prize. I definitely will finish treatment, but that does not keep me from sometimes feeling I just cannot do this any more. And no one except the people on this forum understand. Thank God for thios forum and the people on it.

Anyway, just my thoughts.

[jules2551]

I am not turning this into anything else.  Was just asking a question compared to an analogy.