cirochiss and doing tx a 2nd time?? - Hepatitis Message Board

cjari · 07-18-2003, 05:15 AM

Hi~~I also have another topic that I posted earlier under the topic of Relapse. My biopsy stated cirochiss-complete, (whatever that means) I did tx, 51 weeks of Peg-Intron. If I get another chance @ tx I want it as I cleared early and kept it off for 15 months. What is everyone else's opinion if you had cirochiss, would you do it agian?? Has anyone else been reading where Dr. Cecil says sometimes it take 2 times to do tx to clear?? OR what about maintenance dose indefinetly, what are your all opinions on that?? Any feedback welcome. I am also a genotype 2b. cjari

sean · 07-18-2003, 08:50 PM

Not sure I understand your situation. Your cirrhosis did not improve, the biopsy diagnosis of cirrhosis, came AFTER 51 weeks of Peg Intron? or before?

The usual tx protocols for RE-treatment are either for consensus interferon (also called cifn, or omniferon) which is not yet, as far as I know, available in Pegylated form. Ribavarin is combined with omniferon, as a rule. Pegasys has also been used with some success, in some trials, for RE-treatment after failure of other interferons.

The figures on straight re=treatment with the same drug, even at higher doses, are not encouraging.

As you also probably know, there were at least one or two studies showing some improvement in the liver's status (degree of fibrosis/cirrhosis) using Pegasys. These numbers (of cirrhosis reversal) are low, however--it is not something you can count on happening.

I'd really like to hear what the docs say.

sean

sean · 07-18-2003, 09:03 PM

Oh, and for what it's worth, amantidine was being used in hopes of replacing riba for a while, and it failed in that mode. BUT, it has been added to pegasys plus riba--Triple therapy its called--for re-treatment of non-responders or relapsers.

I'm sure this is new enough to be a hassle for the doc to arrange, but the research is there. Side effects, by the way, reportedly have been slightly milder, believe it or not, than with combo, or double, therapy. No, I can't explain why.

THAT would be an interesting topic to bring up with the docs, I bet.

sean

Wes1212 · 07-18-2003, 09:22 PM

"The usual tx protocols for RE-treatment are either for consensus interferon (also called cifn, or omniferon) which is not yet, as far as I know, available in Pegylated form. Ribavarin is combined with omniferon, as a rule. Pegasys has also been used with some success, in some trials, for RE-treatment after failure of other interferons."

It all sounds like a hit or miss thing that may have serious side effects, but i am more comfortable with (so far) undetectable amount if viri in my blood.

i guess i consider myself a pioneer in stopping the spread of this problem (disease) even though it hurts..

it cant be much worse than what our ancestors went through while fighting for liberty in the cold woods back in the 1700's. books are written about that, but now, we have help more readily available.

mesueminna · 07-21-2003, 01:03 AM

Okay callme stupid. I was transplanted due to chrosis. I was lucky enough to have only beeen misdiagnoised with Hep-C. Found out not to long ago that I did not have it. They were going to put me on Peg combo. Lucky I did not have to take it.
However I have worked with transplant people I have worked for Organ Pacurment agency. Not one time not even with Peg have I heard of chrosis reversing itself. It may stop progressing and your viral loads may go down. But basically chrosis is scar tissue and scar tissue does not reverse itself.
Melinda

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