Hepatitis C Support Group

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral disease which can cause liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. Many people with HCV infection have no symptoms and are unaware of the need to seek treatment. Hepatitis C infects an estimated 150-200 million people worldwide.

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Treatment

eyore455
eyore455
I am planing on starting treatment in about 2 months with Incivek. I'm kind of getting the jest that this new drug is pretty bad to deal with. The RN. at the facility that i'm using said I would only be on it for 6 weeks. and will need a blood transfusion because of the anemia it causes. Any positive or negative feedback is welcome....Thanks Larry
betsy88
betsy88
The protocol is 12 weeks for the Incivek so I would check with the doctor. 3x therapy is a total of 24 - 48 weeks. 12 with the 3 drugs and the rest with just the interferon and riba. Most people have some anemia but few need blood transfusions. The doctor can use a drug called procrit if you do become anemic. You can read about it in some of the recent posts. Good luck to you! You can get lots of good information on this site!
deleted_user
deleted_user
Make sure you become familiar with the recommended dosages from the drug companies. And question if your doc strays from the recommended dosing. Incivek has a 12 week standard dosing. That nurse can't possibly predict if you will need a blood transfusion. Most docs will prescribe procrit if you become anemic. I am on my last week of incivek. I'm in my 12 the week. I seriously wouldn't get a blood transfusion unless I absolutely needed it.... who knows what else they will discover in blood in future years. Everyone has different sides... my most serious was the cough and fatigue, skin infections. Take it one day at a time and learn all you can. :-)
joemz20
joemz20
I was on the Incivek competitor, Victrelis, and became anemic and took procrit

A blood transfusion 40 years ago is what gave me hepatitis, and short of a medical disaster I'd do anything to avoid getting blood. Like RN91730 just posted, who knows what they will find in today's blood supply.

In 1969, they didn't know, or didn't have a way to test, or chose not to test, for hepatitis, and later for HIV. Blood comes from people, and people (not us of course) have diseases. The triple therapy comes from labs not peoples innards

And truthfully, in 5 years we may discover that incivek and victrelis cause enlarged nostrils, or one leg longer than the other but there are risks of taking new drugs, and in my opinion, for me, higher risks if i didnt take the drug

Join Team Procrit, an avoid a blood transfusion, unless the hemoglobin numbers get so low you need immediate intervention