Steadily Elevating enzymes during treatment

[airmaner]

I am in my 14th week, undetectable, but may have to discontinue tx if my enzymes keep rizing. Before treatment they were around 60/100 and are now up to 500/900. Doctor is trying a steroid, and if that doesn't work we will try a reduced dosage. If that is no help, discontinue.

Any info?

Eric

[TomE]

What was your tx? The SOC? I was in a clinicaL trial with HCV796 (plus the SOC) which was recently stopped due to some patients having elevated AST after 8-12 wks of tx. I don't have recent blood results. I go next week for follow-up.

[DougV]

Eric,

What are you taking?  If standard tx that is an unusual rise.  Just as a thought you might want to contact the pharmacutical company directly.  Both pegasys and pegintron have hot line numbers you can call. 

Please let us know what they end up doing.

Doug

[willy]

I was in a clinicaL trial with HCV796 (plus the SOC) which was recently stopped due to some patients having elevated AST after 8-12 wks of tx.

Tom, I posted a thread about this study.  You might find it interesting;

http://www.hcvanonymous.com/SMF/index.php?topic=6274.0

I'll be hoping that everything is well for you.  There were a small percentage that had serious problems but a large group had significant changes in LFT's.  Since the drug trial has been halted I would consider asking the study coordinators if you can be unblinded and that you would also want updates on your LFT's and other critical information.  I don't know the protocols but what would it hurt to ask?

As I may have mentioned in the other thread ........while it may be easy to get alarmed about the trial being halted there still may be many people who had good results with no problems or who may SVR. I'm not saying that has happened or will but it is possible.  That information has not been released yet and probably won't for some time.  Most folks are probably wisely more interested in the here and now of the liver toxicity issues.

I hope that you keep us informed as to what is going on and if I see more articles, press releases etc you can be sure I'll post them.

best wishes,
Willy

[TomE]

Willy, thanks. I have listened to the ViroPharma webcast and also read the study announcement. I will have full acess to my medical records when I go to the MD at the end of the month, and will have another blood workup.  In addition, I had a separate full scan run one month ago with my gastroenterologist. His only comment was my RBC was low (which I knew, and I am taking Procrit once/week), and my iron was high. I do not take supplements with iron.  I would think if my LFT was higher than normal,  he would have let me know. My ALT/AST were 31/31. I'll let you know if my results are significant.

[willy]

Tom, it's good to hear that things seem fine.  I merely mention that if you are not satisfied with what they reveal to you that you are ultimately responsible for getting the information if you see fit.  The webcast was very informative and more revealing than I expected.  Cynic that I am, I expected the company to hedge on information more but I was impressed at their apparent intent to protect those on the trials and reveal as much as they knew.

One thing that I caught from the webcast was that the raises in LFTs were very unexpected.  I'm no expert on trials and have no medical background but I'm just suggesting that you get that information, just as I hope the other trial participants get the information so that they can better care for themselves.  IF one had elevated liver enzymes or other critical lab tests it could impact upon other drugs that they might be taking, either over the counter or prescription drugs, whether they might have an alcoholic drink (yes, some people with HCV do drink alcoholic beverages), or even diet or excercise considerations.

By the way, if your iron is high it is not a difficult thing to correct.  It is actually one thing that we do have some control over.  If you use the "search" engine at the top of our forum you'll find several useful threads on iron (keywords; iron overload, excess iron, hemochromatosis).  In general, excess iron can be detrimental to our bodies organs, may cause fatigue and/or hypertension and I've sometimes read that it may be connected to viral replication.

I don't want to come on too reactive with the warnings about the elevated LFT's. The flip side is that if you are in the clear with good LFT's there is a good chance that the treatment with HCV796 may have helped you clear the virus.  The preliminary data suggested that it effected robust antiviral actiity.  I am still looking forward to hearing future press and scientific releases on both it's positive as well as the negative aspects of it's effects. 

I pray that the negatives will be relatively minor and short lived.  Good luck on your upcoming tests and I'm sure that many people are pulling for you and the other participants.

best,
Willy

[19Dragon52]

(((Eric)))

Well it looks like you did get some good info already, yes?!

Many of us have our eyes on you & prayers in our heart so please keep us alerted to what is going on with your levels and treatment.

Much Care & Love.....

[TomE]

Well, I just got my blood work back from the gastro MD. My ALT/AST was 34/30, although this was two months ago. My RBC has crashed and my energy/motivation level at new lows. I have not been to work all week. Most recent MRI (one month ago) showed no change in liver size/density etc, over previous scans. I'm going to scan the threads because I remember seeing several comments on this (i.e. energy levels). I don't want to take any pharmo-stimulants as I have been sober for almost 20 years..don't want to take the chance. This is another issue..... Natural products to raise RBC level?? Best to all.