Guest guest Posted September 13, 2001 Report Share Posted September 13, 2001 Cher, Not only does the Peg/ribavirin combo increase your chance of a sustained response, it also seems to work much better in those with cirrhosis than the old combo did. Also, the side effects seem to be more managable with the peg vs. the 3 X a week interferon. If you had to wait for a year or something like that, I would not say to wait. But since it will only be a few weeks, waiting really is your best option. And yes, since the new Peg has only been approved for those who have never been on treatment your insurance could use the fact that you are already on the old combo to deny treatment, so again, waiting for the best is the right thing to do. The reaction of the person you spoke with from Hepatitis Neighborhood about your doctor ought to tell you something! Claudine __________________________________________________ Terrorist Attacks on U.S. - How can you help? Donate cash, emergency relief information http://dailynews./fc/US/Emergency_Information/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 13, 2001 Report Share Posted September 13, 2001 Cher, Not only does the Peg/ribavirin combo increase your chance of a sustained response, it also seems to work much better in those with cirrhosis than the old combo did. Also, the side effects seem to be more managable with the peg vs. the 3 X a week interferon. If you had to wait for a year or something like that, I would not say to wait. But since it will only be a few weeks, waiting really is your best option. And yes, since the new Peg has only been approved for those who have never been on treatment your insurance could use the fact that you are already on the old combo to deny treatment, so again, waiting for the best is the right thing to do. The reaction of the person you spoke with from Hepatitis Neighborhood about your doctor ought to tell you something! Claudine __________________________________________________ Terrorist Attacks on U.S. - How can you help? Donate cash, emergency relief information http://dailynews./fc/US/Emergency_Information/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 14, 2001 Report Share Posted September 14, 2001 Yes, i am going to wait. hep neighborhood ws suppose to call me back yesterdy evening but they didn't but i hv left a message for the girl i spoke with the dy b4 to please call me today. We were suppose to get insurance info and hv all that worked out while waiting for the release of mfg. I wonder now that if my ins hs approved the " old " version if I can still change it. Nothing hs been used or written out so I don't see y not. More waiting and worrying. I ws suppose to go back and see the dr couple of dys ago to get the vaccinations for the hep A and B and if my ins hd replied back (they hd 72 hrs to respond to whether they were going to pay or not) then I ws suppose to start my first shot today!! But I am going to tell the dr I will go ahead and take the vaccinations but am going to hold off for a few weeks to see if the ribavarian will be released. I just can't see what the hold up is now that it hs been approved! Once it is released and if hepatitis neighborhood does help me to get the medicinne I hope to get away from this dr but where I live all gastros are booked months ahead. What is up with that??? I am going to get a referral to UVA if @ all possible. I am just afraid if i start the shots now my insurance will hv all the more reason to buck up on me. My dr. acts like it wd just be an easy thing to " switch " but so far he hs not told me the first thing to help me so y trust anything now. Right now, my faith is going into hep neighborhood and I hope they can help. cher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 14, 2001 Report Share Posted September 14, 2001 Yes, i am going to wait. hep neighborhood ws suppose to call me back yesterdy evening but they didn't but i hv left a message for the girl i spoke with the dy b4 to please call me today. We were suppose to get insurance info and hv all that worked out while waiting for the release of mfg. I wonder now that if my ins hs approved the " old " version if I can still change it. Nothing hs been used or written out so I don't see y not. More waiting and worrying. I ws suppose to go back and see the dr couple of dys ago to get the vaccinations for the hep A and B and if my ins hd replied back (they hd 72 hrs to respond to whether they were going to pay or not) then I ws suppose to start my first shot today!! But I am going to tell the dr I will go ahead and take the vaccinations but am going to hold off for a few weeks to see if the ribavarian will be released. I just can't see what the hold up is now that it hs been approved! Once it is released and if hepatitis neighborhood does help me to get the medicinne I hope to get away from this dr but where I live all gastros are booked months ahead. What is up with that??? I am going to get a referral to UVA if @ all possible. I am just afraid if i start the shots now my insurance will hv all the more reason to buck up on me. My dr. acts like it wd just be an easy thing to " switch " but so far he hs not told me the first thing to help me so y trust anything now. Right now, my faith is going into hep neighborhood and I hope they can help. cher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 15, 2001 Report Share Posted September 15, 2001 Cher, at least he isn't sugar coating it for you. <<He also says things like--if this treatment doesn't work (the interferon /treatment) that nothing else is likely to work either. >> He's prolly right there, as the Scherring combo is about the best going so far. If you're liver is that bad, then you got some hard decisions to make. Do the best you can with what you got, it's all any of us can do. Big hugs to you! alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 15, 2001 Report Share Posted September 15, 2001 Cher, at least he isn't sugar coating it for you. <<He also says things like--if this treatment doesn't work (the interferon /treatment) that nothing else is likely to work either. >> He's prolly right there, as the Scherring combo is about the best going so far. If you're liver is that bad, then you got some hard decisions to make. Do the best you can with what you got, it's all any of us can do. Big hugs to you! alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 15, 2001 Report Share Posted September 15, 2001 Cher, at least he isn't sugar coating it for you. <<He also says things like--if this treatment doesn't work (the interferon /treatment) that nothing else is likely to work either. >> He's prolly right there, as the Scherring combo is about the best going so far. If you're liver is that bad, then you got some hard decisions to make. Do the best you can with what you got, it's all any of us can do. Big hugs to you! alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 15, 2001 Report Share Posted September 15, 2001 Cher, at least he isn't sugar coating it for you. <<He also says things like--if this treatment doesn't work (the interferon /treatment) that nothing else is likely to work either. >> He's prolly right there, as the Scherring combo is about the best going so far. If you're liver is that bad, then you got some hard decisions to make. Do the best you can with what you got, it's all any of us can do. Big hugs to you! alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 16, 2001 Report Share Posted September 16, 2001 --- andromedagurl@... wrote: > He's prolly right there, as the Scherring combo is > about the best > going so far. My personal opinion is that Schering's Intron-A interferon is probably the LEAST effective type of interferon, it's just the most readily available and most advertised and promoted! (They have a great sales force - and I actually like the Schering sales rep here. He's very nice, seems very caring and is helpful, but it's his job to get doctor's to prescribe HIS product, not others!) Their Peg-Intron is a little better than the old Intron-A. I think the only reason they have such a monopoly on the HCV market is because they got the monopoly on the ribavirin. Roche's brand of pegylated interferon looks like it might be more effective than Scherings brand, if it ever gets approved, and it especially seems to work better in those with cirrhosis. And possibly it has easier to handle side effects than the Schering peg. Then there is Amgen's Infergen, which gets almost completely forgotten about most of the time. It was designed specifically to fight HCV, and has EXCELLENT results, especially when used daily instead of the 3 times a week. High dose Infergen is the only thing that has been approved for treatment of non-responders to interferon by the FDA, although only the 3 times a week. And when ribavirin is added to it, it is even better. Side effects seem to be rough, at least it seems that way from what I hear from those who have been on it, but if I was in a position of really needing treatment soon, and knowing I am already a 1b non-responder, high daily dosing of Infergen, with ribavirin (since now it will soon be available alone), would be my treatment of choice. I have known more than one non-responder to Schering's combo, even when used daily instead of the 3 times a week, who were able to have a sustained response using Infergen. Failing one treatment does indicate that obtaining a response might be more difficult, you might need a more aggressive treatment, but it is not impossible! You do have options. You already know your doctor is not too up-to-date on HCV, so don't automatically believe what he says. Remember, this is the guy who didn't even know Peg-Intron had been approved since last January! He's probably never even heard of Infergen. And remember, new, more up-to-date research is showing the possibility that cirrhosis can be improved, maybe even reversed. It's a new concept for most doctors who have always been taught it could not be reversed, and, the studies are not complete. But enough positive things have been seen that many believe it's a real possibility. Think POSITIVE! There is always hope. Claudine __________________________________________________ Terrorist Attacks on U.S. - How can you help? Donate cash, emergency relief information http://dailynews./fc/US/Emergency_Information/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 16, 2001 Report Share Posted September 16, 2001 --- andromedagurl@... wrote: > He's prolly right there, as the Scherring combo is > about the best > going so far. My personal opinion is that Schering's Intron-A interferon is probably the LEAST effective type of interferon, it's just the most readily available and most advertised and promoted! (They have a great sales force - and I actually like the Schering sales rep here. He's very nice, seems very caring and is helpful, but it's his job to get doctor's to prescribe HIS product, not others!) Their Peg-Intron is a little better than the old Intron-A. I think the only reason they have such a monopoly on the HCV market is because they got the monopoly on the ribavirin. Roche's brand of pegylated interferon looks like it might be more effective than Scherings brand, if it ever gets approved, and it especially seems to work better in those with cirrhosis. And possibly it has easier to handle side effects than the Schering peg. Then there is Amgen's Infergen, which gets almost completely forgotten about most of the time. It was designed specifically to fight HCV, and has EXCELLENT results, especially when used daily instead of the 3 times a week. High dose Infergen is the only thing that has been approved for treatment of non-responders to interferon by the FDA, although only the 3 times a week. And when ribavirin is added to it, it is even better. Side effects seem to be rough, at least it seems that way from what I hear from those who have been on it, but if I was in a position of really needing treatment soon, and knowing I am already a 1b non-responder, high daily dosing of Infergen, with ribavirin (since now it will soon be available alone), would be my treatment of choice. I have known more than one non-responder to Schering's combo, even when used daily instead of the 3 times a week, who were able to have a sustained response using Infergen. Failing one treatment does indicate that obtaining a response might be more difficult, you might need a more aggressive treatment, but it is not impossible! You do have options. You already know your doctor is not too up-to-date on HCV, so don't automatically believe what he says. Remember, this is the guy who didn't even know Peg-Intron had been approved since last January! He's probably never even heard of Infergen. And remember, new, more up-to-date research is showing the possibility that cirrhosis can be improved, maybe even reversed. It's a new concept for most doctors who have always been taught it could not be reversed, and, the studies are not complete. But enough positive things have been seen that many believe it's a real possibility. Think POSITIVE! There is always hope. Claudine __________________________________________________ Terrorist Attacks on U.S. - How can you help? Donate cash, emergency relief information http://dailynews./fc/US/Emergency_Information/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.