2nd Day of Treatment

[RiverRandy]

Just to let everyone know I just took my first shot last night and on the 3 dose of Rivibrian ....Doing alright .....The only side effects that I have had was a headache...(like a bad hangover but I don't drink...lol.  2 rounds hope everything goes well this time.  My VL is at 2.5 million.  Last time around I had really bad side effects from the Ribivian they had to stop the Rivivian in the 6 week of treatment.  So far so good no rash yet!...Good luck to everyone that is going through their triple threat therapy.

River Randy

[DougV]

Randy,

Have long forgotten, what was issue with Riba?  If blood related I strongly suggest go see hematologist.  Severe anemia is a big deal and platlets are really being nailed by Incivek.  Hematologist allows me to not use rescue drugs and not reduce Riba.

Doug

[RiverRandy]

Doug

The problem that I had with Riba is that I had a bliistering rash over 60% of my body.  amemia has been a little probelm, but with the procrit my blood count is alright.

[RiverRandy]

Doug

I am taking 600 mg of Riba twice a day 1200 mg per day.  Usually the doze is 2 tabs in the morning and 3 at bedtime..but my doctor has me on 3 in the am due to my weight which is 210 but I am 6 ft .  I am being treated by one of the best hosptial's on the West Coast Loma Linda Medical U.

[DougV]

I also take 1200mg daily and I weigh 188.  Which combo are you on?  Incivek has a lot of rash issues of its own.  Also with that drug I have seen dramatc falls in hemoglobin, for rxample 16 to 10 in 2 weeks.  Lot of dose reductions and lots of procrit.  Boceprevir group although mih smaller have anemia issues, but  do dietary fat requirement and no rash.  But 4 more tx weeks.

A relapser has little choice, Incivek jjust has too high a success rate for that group to ignore.

Stupid thought, as your defining issue is rash, wonder if a dermatologist would have prevention ideaa?

Doug

[RiverRandy]

Doug

Due to my past history of rash and blistering they have placed me on the vertrelis instead of the incivek.  The incivek is only 12 weeks but the the rash they will use the vertrelis .  It seems like most patients are on incivek rather than the vertrelis.

[willy]

I think that taking the victrellis may be the better option, given your past rash issues.

I'm aware of one patient who got a bad rash after 2 weeks with incivek and had to go off TX.  In such a case, if you wish/need to treat one either has to switch immediately mid course with no disruption of the PI. 

In the case of this person their doctor planned to wait a few weeks and then re-start w/ Victrelis.  In that case it seemed very much like stopping and restarting a PI; a practice which both drug providers say is unproven, could possibly cause the patient to face resistant virii population, and a subsequent failure, that failure meaning that one might not be able to re-treat with a PI successfully for a few years. 

willy

[RiverRandy]

Willy

Thanks for the feedback...due to my past reaction to the rash and blistering with the Ribravian it is better to try the other med virtrelis than to the incivik .

Randy

[DougV]

Randy,

Does seem most are taking Incivek, but it seems they did a much better job at marketing, they are picking up copays and deductables, and I have hunch that lot see the 85% cure rate for relapses and think because of these things they pick Incivek.  But both Willy and I both know at least one person hospitalized because rash was so severe and immune response down so she ended up septic.

Wish you luck.

Doug

[Jazzdenova]

Good Luck Randy, enjoy the happy trail.

[willy]

Randy,

Does seem most are taking Incivek, but it seems they did a much better job at marketing, they are picking up copays and deductables, and I have hunch that lot see the 85% cure rate for relapses and think because of these things they pick Incivek.  But both Willy and I both know at least one person hospitalized because rash was so severe and immune response down so she ended up septic.

Wish you luck.

Doug

Yes, the rash can become serious; life threatening.  I read a post where some casual warrior was telling someone w/ the rash; tough it out, you can do it.  Things can go to hell in a hurry if you are anemic, can't fight an infection so well and a large percentage of your skin is blistered.  You need to stay on it, have a doctor that understands how to deal with the rash, and...... know when to hold em, know when to fold em.

For what it's worth, a quaick and early response w/ incivek quite often is not seriously impacted by riba dose lowering, should the doctor order a reduction.  Probably the last 4 of the 12 weeks of treatment will net you only incremental amounts of gain; there was about a 6-7% difference between the 8 week triple therapy results and the 12 week triple therapy results.  Your mileage may vary, but probably not worth getting realllly sick over.

willy

[Jazzdenova]

Haven't heard anything.... how are you doing