YO relapsers

[hepcatts]

Is there a common time frame for relapse, or do we have to worry about it the rest of our lives?

[greyrocker]

I hit SVR at 6 months post-tx and never worried about it again. If you are going to relapse after tx, it's usually in the first 3 months. After 6 months, it's about 99% sure it's gone for good, and 100% after, I believe, 2 years. That's why the top hepatologists in the world are now calling SVR a cure.

greyrocker

[banarep]

rocker speaks the truth.   

after treatment:

12 weeks UND  98% chance of SVR
24 weeks UND  99% chance of SVR
96 weeks UND  99.9% chance of SVR

anymore, if you are UND 12 weeks after treatment ends,  you are "cured".

[ScaredyCat]

I had relapsed by 30 day test.  Another person on the same Lambda tx had relapsed at 60 day test. So what br & gr say is true BUT I have heard of people relapsing after a year - they are few and that was on the old meds. Must be that 1%.
I know it's hard not to worry but it takes up too much energy. 
SkeerdyC

[DougV]

Twice for me, both time VL back in millions 3 months post.

Doing one three weeks post just for grins this time.

Doug

[hepcatts]

Once again you people and this site are the best. It sure is easier than researching medical sites, and the answers are in
english rather than Latin doctor speak. week 16 (17) results tomorrow. expecting UND again. think positive, think positive, etc.   Kirk

[Viper]

Is there a common time frame for relapse, or do we have to worry about it the rest of our lives?

Most common relapse point is within the first 90 days post treatment, second is at 6 month post treatment. There has been the very rare cases where relapse occurred near the 12 month post treatment mark. So far there is no reported cases where relapse has occurred beyond 18 months post treatment. This is all base on the old SOC treatment regime of peginterferon alpha and ribavirin and not the new triple therapy regime with the addition of protease inhibitors. I think you'll see relapse/non-response rates drop dramatically with the new treatment regime and be near the 5-10% range vs the old 40-50% range.

As to having to worry about relapse for the rest of your life.....NO! If after 2 years you still show SVR no need worry its gone and not coming back UNLESS you become reinfected. We can always become reinfected if partake in risky behaviors that put us at risk to contract it again.


  Viper

[hepcatts]

absolutely. My doc also qualified her cure statement with the possibility of reinfection. tx is not like a vacccine for prevention. With the global knowledge of bloodborn deseases, it should be a lot more difficult to get Hep "accidently". I get a lot of first aid training with my job, and step one is glove up. Such is the case with every dentist etc. I always worried about my wife as she often has cracks in her fingertips, and I often leave bloody handprints when I come out of my shop to head for the first aid cabinet. Doc says no more worry about that if I achieve SVR.   Kirk

[tex23]

  1/2 way to 12 week post tx blood test. Not worried about it at all because the results will most likely be blinded to me by the study till 24 week post tx test. I am feeling way to awesome to worry....but way back somewhere in my interferon compromised brain cells it does pop into my thoughts occasionally about svr...but then I stomp it out!

[greyrocker]

I had an opportunity to ask this question to a top Canadian hepatologist this evening at a dinner meeting. He tells his patients to have one last PCR at 18 months post-tx. If it's UND, it's gone for life. It's been that long for me, so I'm getting the NP to draw my blood Friday.

greyrocker

[3timerlapser]

All 3 times I relapsed it was in the 1st month post TX my wife has acheived svr she has been und since 2009 almost 3 years since treatment compleeted she still gets tested every 6 months mostly for her own  of mind.

[zena]

I only learned about relapsing on this site, I always thought that there are either responders or non-responders! something new to worry about starting re-treatment in january and afraid of having high hopes!!