SVR ONE YEAR- Please sign in

[willy]

We've needed this thread for a while.  How many of you are out there that have been clear of the virus for ONE YEAR after treatment?  I feel that this would be good encouragement for all of us to know that it can be done and that there are many of us here that have done it.  I would also ask that you include some information to also help us out.  The major thing I'd like is your post with member tagname, genotype, and how long it's beensince TX completion.  Please, if you've hit the one year milestone please post.  You can always come back and add other information to your post.

Things that I think would be helpful for others might also include.........

genotype
starting viral load or other LFT's,
stage of liver damage preceding treatment,
# months of treatment,
at what week you hit zero viral load,
various sidebars on treatment (needed procrit, transusions, antidepressants, or other related extr-hepatic problems)
Various side effects and solutions to them.
.....possibly thing(s) that helped them the most with TX
# of days since treament that you have been clear

Thanks for helping with this thread.  If there are others that want to suggest other things I've overlooked...... please feel free.  If this is too much...... just give us the vitals; geno, and # days post TX, but please post.

Best wishes and thanks,
Willy

[marina]

Good idea Willy !

My viral load was 2 million something. Genotype lB, and stage 3 grade 3 biopsy results. Female 5'2 and was about ll6-120 when I began 52 weeks of treatment.
Did pegasys/ribavirin
Cleared at 4weeks. I am still clear after treatment - about l.3 yr
Oh yeah, almost forgot...did procrit for about one month.
And went on zoloft right before treatment. Doc thought it would be a good idea.
If I left anything out please let me know.  

PS- I took milk thistle throughout treatment and many other vitamins. Just thought I'd throw that in there due to the milk thistle controversy during treatment.  

[OZ]

genotype -- 4a
starting viral load or other LFT's -- 400,000  
stage of liver damage preceding treatment -- stage 1 grade 0 -- treatment decision was made due to extrahepatic symptoms
# months of treatment -- 13  
at what week you hit zero viral load -- week 12  
various sidebars on treatment -- procrit x 9 months, 3 transfusions, eventual decreased dose of ribavirin, stopped treatment for 4 weeks after 1st shot due to severe vertigo.  Restarted on 1/2 dose of pegintron, increasing dose slowly until back to full dose.    
.....thing(s) that helped them the most with TX -- this site and support of people here.  
clear over a year.
Donna  

[Cailin]

Don't have the medical information, but would like to add my name to the 1 year clear. I'm genotype 3, i was 1 year clear on May 25th 2004.

Cailin.

[jmjm530]

Great thread!

Marina,

First, congratulations on your SVR and thx for the stats!

When you said you "cleared" at week four, do you remember the name and/or sensitivity of the test your lab used? Also,  how much pegasys and riba were you taking?

Less important -- but if you hv it handy -- what was your pre-treatment hemoglobin and how much did it drop with treatment.

Thanks.

-- Jim

[marina]

 Hi Jim,
I was one of those few people who never bothered to get a copy of lab work. I only started doing this for my one yr. post treatment test. I wish I had the copies of all the lab work. I don't remember a lot of details.
I can tell you though that I was on the full dose of pegasys and 600 of the riba. I hope this helps. I'm gonna go pull a copy of my one yr. and see what else I can come up with.  

[Susieque]

SVR - what nice words to hear.

I was diagnosed in April, 2003 with HCV, Genotype 2A, state 4 - cirrhosos, about as bad as it gets. I was not even slightly sick when diagnosed, it was found during a routine yearly exam I have had done since I turned 50.  No signs showed in 2001, but 2003 I am given what was the ultimate death sentence.  Gastro was hesitant to begin treatment because of my age (60), but said without treatment I would have two months to five years to live.  Decided it was not time to kick the bucket and opted for treatment.   Was on pegasys & 1000 Riba for 22 weeks.  First clear test was 12 weeks into treatment.  Doc took me off the last two shots since my white count was dangerously low.  Was given nuprogen for the last two months of treatment but did not get good results from it.

Was put on Remoran for depression through treatment and it helped tremendously.  Had some pretty terrible side effects - most of the usual - Riba-rage, body rash, fatigue, but continued to work all through treatment.  

Took my last medication the second week of December 2003, had my one year check up in Dec. 2004 - still undetectable and now will be going to the gastro the 29th of this month.  Doc stated if I was still  undetectable at this appointment, I would be considered cured.  Did the blood work last week and my primary called to tell me my liver function tests were all in the normal range - what does that tell me - I am cured!! (at least with the information they have available to them)

My cirrhosis is stable, ultrasound shows the cirrhosis and a very slight enlargement of the liver, but have been diagnosed to live out a normal life span.  For me, that could be 10 to 20 years, who knows?

Used a lot of vitamins while on treament, especially milk thistle, ate the right kinds of food, drank (and still do) a lot of water a day and always, always knew I was going to slay this dragon no matter what!!  Was it worth it, you betcha - I am alive and well and I love it when my gastro tells me I am one tough, ole bird!!

Susieque

[Dude]

I stopped my second round of treatment December 2003. After 6 months I was retested (it was actually 8 months, but the Va gets a little slack sometimes and weren't on top of it), and I was "undetectable". So, I guess I fit the one year undetectable thing. It'll be one year since the good test in September of this year, but I figure I was already undetectable before it was discovered.

I'm a genotype 1a (or b, they have told me both at different clinics). When first diagnosed in January 2001, I was told I was stage 3/grade 3 inflammation & fibrosis. It has been a very, very rough road, but just so you know, sometimes it works. When they told me I was still infected (after the first round), it really hit me hard, but it also made me very angry, and that made me even more determined to fight, and never quit fighting, even if it took me to the grave. I figured, I'm heading for the grave anyway, might as well go down fighting. I have mixed emotions about it all now, having ended up with other health issues, but if I had done nothing I wonder where I would be now? Any better off? I can't say.

I go back for retesting soon, so I'm keeping the faith strong and knowing I'm healed. I better be.

God bless.

[LeahS]

I have not been clear for quite a year since ending treatment, but have been clear of the virus since 6 weeks into treatment, so I have been clear for 16 months.

My genotype was 2B; my viral load was 2,250,000; my LTF's were in the low hundreds; my liver biopsy showed Stage 3 Fibrosis and Stage 1 of inflammation.  I was treated for six months and my viral load was nondetectable six weeks into treatment which I started in April, 2004.  Treatment for me was very manageable, but I continued to take an antidepressant (and other medications) I was already taking before treatment.  I always did the shots on Fridays to give myself the weekend to recoup.  I also drank lots and lots of water and rested when I could.  I have also just recently had my gallbladder removed because of a large gallstone and my gallbladder was in pretty bad shape based on what my surgeon told me.  I am told my gallbladder was not functioning properly because of the HCV.

I hope this information is helpful.

[Jacque]

Hi everyone. I feel so honored to be part of the one year club. Yep, what a struggle that was for the 48wks of tx and then the waiting. I am 1b, 850,000. I had most of the sides you read about but I just made up my mind that I would take ayear off from my life as it was and be stronger than the drugs and Hep C. I have a great family and a husbad that is the best. They all stood by me and made me laugh alot. I had really bad brain fog and it got to be a joke about how nuts I was at the time. I took Lexapro and that helped. I lost most of my hair and all my curls,I had reshes, low red blood cells, couldn't stay awake for more than an hour at a time,mouth burned and I could hardley eat ect,ect. But I made it and you know what, I feel like a much stronger person now. I only sweat the small stuff and I take my health very seriously. I am nicer to people and I am very thankful every day. Thank you for this site and all the people that help make life easier for us Hep C people. Jacque

[milkmonkey]

I am bumping this topic with the hope that more will sign in!  I am loving your stories!  Thanks for sharing!  It helps us all who are much earlier in the game.

[MikeBoston]

My viral load was 1.9 million when I was diagnosed as a 1a.  My ALT was 430.  I did the combo treatment for 48 weeks and I'm clear now almost 18 months after treatment.  But best of all, my ALT is around 20 now.  All my enzymes are perfectly normal - in fact, they are  right in the middle of the normal range.  Amazing. The treatment works.

[willy]

 I'm moving this thread to this forum....... because (we hope) that clearing will be the ultimate effect of treatment.......and all those sides.  

I am also "stickying" this thread to it will remain at the top of the forum.  I hope that this will make it easy to find .......and to provide encouragement to those that are on treatment.  To those that have cleared and have remained clear over one year.....I hope that you will sign in.  It will help many others that are considering or are on treatment.

For those of you treating........ I hope this helps you do your weekly shot and pills.  There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Best wishes,
Willy

[Ikiru]

I just got my one year post tx pcr results.  Survey sez...undetectable!  My liver doctor said congratulations, you are cured.  WooHoo!

genotype:  2
starting viral load:  2,900,000 iu/mL
LFT's ALT/AST   was 64/33  now is 30/15  
stage of liver damage preceding treatment:  unknown
# months of treatment:  6
at what week you hit zero viral load:  12 (1st PCR)

Various side effects and solutions to them:
Had a nasty allergic reaction to interferon late in treatment but got through it with prednisone, skin moisturezers, and anti itch stuff.


.....possibly thing(s) that helped them the most with TX:
keeping a positive attitude

-Don

[countrygirl]

Hey Don,

Sooooooo HAPPY to hear your good news!!!!

Your experiences will speak volumes to those that follow in your footsteps.

And what an upbeat note to end your post on...one we can all take to heart about keeping a positive attitude. No matter what challenges we face in life.

Stay healthy, Don and blessings to you and yours.

Pam