Still get the occasional Hep C e-mail ...

I still get the occasional e-mail from someone who is beginning the combo tratement of PEG-Intron and Ribavirin. It's hard to believe it was three years ago that I was in that boat.

When I was first diagnosed, you had to do two Interferon shots a week and the success rate stunk for Genotype 1's, which was the genotype I had. I waited five years for something better to come along, and a year after pegylated interferon hit (PEG-Intron and Pegasys), I decided it wasn't going to get any better for a while. So, I took the plunge. It was a long journey, but I would likely do it again.

So, if you stumble upon this blog looking for Hep C information, let me be an encourager. I know not everyone had the same positive outcome, and I pray often for a cure, but it was worth the journey for me.

You can track my journey, beginning with these posts:

The Pre-Journey Column
The Friday Before Beginning Treatment on Sunday
The Treatment Begins ...

And from there, it goes on.

Grace and peace ...

P.S.

If this one holds true ...

... it's an outstanding development for Hep C patients:

Roche announced that new investigational drug for hepatitis C, R1626, has shown promising antiviral efficacy when given in combination with PEGASYS and COPEGUS. After 4 weeks of treatment with the triple combination, the hepatitis C virus could no longer be detected in up to 81% of the hepatitis C-infected patients. The new data were presented at the American Association for the Study of the Liver (AASLD) meeting held in Boston, November 2-6.

Grace and peace ...

Hepatitis C News

When I arrived at work today, there was a release from Roche in my e-mailbox:

PEGASYS/COPEGUS Treatment Gives Hope to Hepatitis C Patients Failing to Respond to PegIntron
Roche announced that treatment with once-weekly PEGASYS and daily COPEGUS can achieve viral clearance in a number of patients who did not respond to initial treatment with PegIntron, another drug commonly used to treat hepatitis C. The study, called REPEAT, revealed that a patient's response to treatment at 12 weeks is a powerful predictor of the eventual outcome: the majority of patients with undetectable virus levels at 12 weeks went on to achieve a sustained virological response (SVR), indicating treatment success. Few patients with detectable virus at 12 weeks achieved SVR. Data from this international study were presented at the 58th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) held in Boston on Nov. 2-6, 2007.

I went in search of Ron Metcalfe's blog and sent him an e-mail. I wasn't able to find the community group that he helped start. I may have the link at home.

I pray I never have to go through that again, but this could be good news for non-responders.

Grace and peace ...

It's as close to a cure as I can get ... for now

I quit counting post-treatment weeks long ago, but it doesn't mean it wasn't on my mind.

The blood to check my viral load was drawn on Feb. 5 and I received the report about a week later. I checked the numbers and determined it was in the undetectable range. Even though I was certain I was reading it right, I waited until my meeting Monday with Dr. Scott.

I was down with a cold, but determined to make the appointment.

"So, are you cured?" he asked after looking at the report.

"Well, the virus is undetectable," I replied.

He knew me well enough by now to know that I, too, knew the score. The best folks like me can hope for at this point is "virus undetectable."

"Well, your AST and ALT is in the normal range, and that's great," he said.

"I notice my bilirubin is up slightly ..."

"It's like driving 58 in a 55 mph zone," he said.

He wasn't bothered, and neither was I.

My next stop is an ultrasound. Dr. Scott noted that I haven't had one since 2000, when the Hepatitis C virus was found in my blood and this long journey started. So, March is going to be a big month for me: The 50-year-old colon check, an ultrasound and my annual physical, all in one month. It wouldn't have been this way, except that once my treatment was done, I wanted nothing to do with doctors for a while. I normally have a physical done every September, but I just didn't do it in 2006.

What can I say?

I just wanted to be ...

And so, once again I thank God for his immeasurable grace.

'Tis grace that brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home"

Grace and peace ...