Today's meeting -

[Guest guest]

Hi

I think that if I had your doctor, I might be inclined to get really really angry.

She could be a little more supportive of you, I think, like maybe a kind word.

Thats just me though.

I think the reason they dont want you on any other drugs [like pain relief] is so that they have a pure study.

It might be that anything that you take could make your trial results questionable further up the line.

This is the way it works - you have to answer to the doctor, the doctor to the Pharm company, the Pharm company to the FDA.

[The chain itself is problematic, and subject to errors.]

The FDA is who approves weither the investment made by the Pharm company is worth it or not.

Sad, but it does come down to the money in the end......in part.

I dont know what criteria this study demands, but I do believe in normal treatment the doctors will look for a close to 2 LOG drop in viral load at 12 weeks.

This is how they know if one is responding to treatment or not.

They have enough experiance by now to know that if one isnt responding by week 12, a person isnt going to clear, so why put the patient through the suffering and waste the drugs.

Now you come to the hard wait for your lab results.

Not only will you be suffering through treatment, but now you have the added stress of waiting for the results.

What a bummer.

, I hope that you dont mind, but I think its important now to talk about the unmentionable subject of - 'what if I am a non-responder'?

Not everyone responds to treatment.

- This being a clinical trial, you may have been given the placebo.

- The third drug itself might not be working like everyone hopes.

- The HCV may have mutated, and become immune to the drugs.

- Maybe its just your body, everyone is different.

There could be any number of reasons, why, a person doesnt respond.

, you may be a non-responder to this particular combo treatment.

Its a bummer if you are, but its not the end of the story.

- HCV takes a long time to progress in most folks, so its not like your going to drop dead tomarrow.

You do have time to wait for some other protocal, I think.

- There are the new PI's comming out, and Medical Science is working on any number of newer things.

- I was reading last week where some folks are 'late responders', and with a 72 week protocal, they end up clearing. I posted about this.

http://Hepatitis Cnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2010/07/72-wks-geno-1-pegylated-interferonor.html

The possibilitys are unknown and endless.

Please dont think that this is the end of the road for you should the doctor tell you that you are a non-responder.

If the doctor does tell you this, you will be very bummed, and you have every right to be, but dont cave in to the news.

Theres always another day, and another approach.

I dont fully understand why you cannot have anything for all the discomfort that you are suffering.

I can guess, but who knows the real answers?

- Could be that your doctor doesnt like mixing meds.

- It could be like I mentioned, keeping the trial results pure.

- It could be some other reason, like wanting to see what sides you experiance, and how bad they are, how long they last, etc.

This is important info too.

, I do encourage you to see this treatment thru though.

I will tell you why.

By you doing this clinical trial you may be helping to save thousands of lives in the future.

You, my friend, are a hero in my book, no matter what the outcome for you personally may be.

Not only are you a hero in my book, but you are one tough cookie.

To think of all that you have suffered through.....man alive!!!!!!

Hang in there . You can do this.

And dammit, EAT FOOD. Little bites all day long.

You must, or your sides will eat you.

Thank you sooooo much for keeping us all updated on how you are doing.

This is hard, I know, but you are helping everybody here with the knowledge, and of your strength.

We are all still blasting you with love, healing, and good energy.

We are praying for the very best for you , always.

love

don in ks

From: Barrett <barrjohnm@...>Subject: [ ] Today's meeting--Not true I hope!! Date: Thursday, July 22, 2010, 6:45 PM

Hi,I had my 12 week appointment, only a light drop in the viral load:( the doctor says those that are not undetectable at week 12 usually don't respond the the treatment, and there might not be a point to continue if this blood test today does not some back undectable. I will find out in 5 days.the blood test was 22 vials of blood, oh my god why?????she said no pain killers for me either. the pain in the right side hurts so bad, feel like I got hit in the ribs with a baseball bat.I don't get it, this can't be true!! I know the 2 log drop at week 12, but never heard of undetectable.ny