I would consider recommencing the Ribavirin. There is quite a lot of evidence it improves the already excellent cure rates.

It represents a 3rd kill method.

If you were taking 800 a day without problem dosing at what you know was ok or the recommended 1000 mg a day as 2 tabs / 3 tabs would be what I might personally do when faced with the desire to optimise cure rate.

Ok thanks.

Hepatitis C is a virus, one of the most simple forms of "life".

The sole purpose of the virus is to reproduce itself. Here is an animated video of it's lifecycle:



Because it is so simple the virus alone does not have all the tools required to do this so it infects a cell and hijacks some of the machinery it finds there to make more mini me copies.

Hep C is quite badly named because it give the impression the virus only infects liver cells. It also infects many other cell types:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3142522/

The virus itself consists of only 4 key parts:

1. A single strand of RNA (this is the blueprint genetic code)
2. The protein NS5B which is an RNA polymerase (it can make more viral RNA)
3. Helper proteins like NS3, NS4 and NS5A
4. Structural proteins that form the capsule to hold it all together (like the shell of an M&M chocolate)

To reproduce the virus needs to make some more of each of these 4 key parts that are then assembled into new viruses.

The DAA (Direct Acting Antiviral) treatments we use target parts 1-3

1. Sofosbuvir is a pan genotypic RNA polymerase inhibitor
2. Daclatasvir is a pan genotypic NS5A inhibitor
3. Ledipasvir is an NS5A inhibitor
4. Simeprevir is an NS3/4A inhibitor
5. Ribavirin is a guanosine analog (fake DNA/RNA component)

Sofosbuvir is like turning the RNA photocopier off for all genotypes (pan genotypic)

Daclatasvir inhibits the NS5A in all genotypes, and Ledipasvir inhibits it well in GT1, GT4, GT6, ok in GT3 and not well in GT2 and GT5. Think of it like ripping out the electronics in that photocopier.

Simeprevir is similar to Daclatasvir/Ledipasvir but rips out a different bit of the controller.

All these treatments are targeted specifically at viral proteins so their impact on your body is minimal. They are like military snipers.

Ribavirin has many more side effects in that it is like using a machine gun to kill a mouse. It works but there is a lot of collateral damage. Ribavirin inserts a fake letter R into the viral RNA where their should be a G and renders it illegible (like a child scribbling on the blueprints or writing words with the wrong letters in them). Unfortunately it also does the same to you cells so any cell that needs to divide and multiply (like blood cells for example) is slowed down by the Ribavirin. So now you probably know why anaemia can be a problem - the Ribavirin slowed down you blood factory.

Don't know if you've seen Greg's 3 October entry Alsdad.

hepatitisctreatment.homestead.com/generic-daclatasvir.html

First email....very disturbing.

Second email.....somebody did it. Sprung it on them!

Step 1 Wait until test results come in
Step 2 Drop bombshell on two doctors
Step 3 Profit!!!

Just read it thanks Chester.

I put up a letter on this thread that I had obtained that was from my NHS consultant to my GP. I'd approached my GP about a script for 24 weeks Sof/Riba (which was my plan before the Mesochem Dac became available), and she asked the consultant for this and to monitor my viral load. The consultant was dismissive of generics, and said that viral load was the least of my problems with me wanting to take Riba. The same consultant had previously advised me (in a letter that I've also put up here) that, should a Sof based treatment eventually become available to me, I would have to take it with Interferon. This treatment option also requires (yes, you guessed it) Riba! This clown was just making it up as he went along.

Funniest story ever Vicki - on Greg's blog. Friend and I think, when they make a movie of all this, that scene is a must. "We'd like to offer you interferon and riba."

Hi, I am Parvez Hasan from Bangladesh. As you are looking for Twinvir of Incepta, I can help you in regarding this blockbuster product of Hepatitis C treatment. I have direct link with Incepta which will help to get Twinvir as per your requirement.

Hi, Parvez,
How much will it cost for 12 week treatment course?

hello everyone, it's great to find this place & am most grateful to Dr Freeman & team for setting this up.

I've been reading for a while the posts here but am still a bit confused as to the details concerning what do I need to buy those medicines via the Club. I have my latest blood test, including geno & Viral load, but I have no luck getting a private prescription in the UK.
Anyone can help me with this? do I need one? or can I have a script from Dr Freeman consulting via Skype?

This is where I'm getting confused as I read some UK people are getting their private prescription in the UK & some apparently don't & still get the meds somehow ?
Hope this is clear enough as am suffering from an intense brain fog today so I find it difficult to be more articulate.
I'm based near Cambridge UK, does anyone know any open minded doctor near here or London?

Any help will be greatly appreciated,
You're all the most courageous & amazing bunch, love to read your stories & wish everyone success with your treatments.

Jolie

Here is video where Prof Foster explains in details who should use Riba.
Vicki if you have already started to take Riba, stick with it. You will have less chance second time around because of Riba resistance.

Hi Nadia,
I saw that video earlier today & was wondering about this a lot.
As you probably know in the UK the standard tx for Geno 3 is Peg/Rib/Sof 12 weeks even for people who are tx experienced & who either failed or relapsed on the Peg/Rib tx before .
Not that this was offered to me as am apparently not ill enough to treat …I'd strongly disagree...
I have Geno 3 as well,

Hi Jolie,
It's all down to your fibrosis with this new Meds. Sof/Dac for 12 weeks for the naives with no cirrhosis should do the trick.
I was thinking to extend my treatment to 24 weeks because of my fatty liver and purchased enough Dac for that, but that may not be necessary and I probably will do 12 weeks only with no Riba.

Thanks Nadia and Jolie,
The video link was very informative. I'm in a real quandry about what I should do.
The only sure way I can find out if I have cirohsis is to have a Biopsy I'm told by the Liver Clinic. As mentioned my fibroscan last year showed no scarring but I have a small amount of fatty liver that has appeared recently.

Dr. Freeman has recommended that I take 1000 mg a day just to make sure. This makes sense.

Greg Jefferys recommended 'not' to take Ribavirin unless I'm absolutely sure I have cirrhosis, because of the nasty side effects. This makes sense.

The Liver clinic won't give me a Biopsy because I have started the Generic treatment which they the do no approve of.

I'm a performer and go on tour in 4 weeks and need to be really fit and well.

As they say in Showbiz "It's all about timing" and I think I've got my timing wrong.

When I first heard about the treatment via Greg jeffery on the 7.30 report. I was like a 'Bull at the gate'. I was learning that HepC 3 was hard to treat more aggressive and my age was putting me into the 'danger zone'. I was typing frantically to Greg while the closing credits for the show ran. I had the meds in a few weeks started taking them 'then' discovered this fantastic website and the forum.

So.....It's pill popping time and I skipped the Ribavirin.
Fingers crossed and may the force be with all of us x

He's now got members of the local Pakistani community turning up at his NHS clinic and pulling bottles of generic Sof out of their pockets that they bought over in Pakistan, asking him to monitor their treatment. He and his colleagues went to meet their local NHS Trust managers for legal clarification, who in turn went down to London to meet national NHS Trust managers to seek the same.

If UK Pakistani communities have anything like the rates of HCV infection as the population as a whole, there must be 2-3000 sufferers. UK Pakistani communities tend to be very 'close knit', and it will be common knowledge that cheap, effective medicine is available in Pakistan. The whole HCV generics issue could turn into a monster for those trying to keep a lid on it.

Hi Vicki,
If your fibroscan has showed no fibrosis then you you are a long way away from the cirrhosis. I also have mild fibrosis and slightly fatty liver and my consultant recons than 12 weeks Sof/Dac should do the trick with no need for Riba.