TOPIC:

New member, genotype 1a since 1973, treatment naive, f1-2, diagnosed since last august ...I am very keen to try this new Harvoni of course, and will ask my specialist what she thinks when I see her next on 4th february, but I'm worried that the hep B that I caught at the same time will be a problem. There aren't any tests yet, it seems. Does anyone taking stuff for hepC on this forum also have a co-infection with hepB?
Thank you in advance.

Hi Suzy,

Welcome! If you are considering treatment for your Hep C you are in exactly the right place for meds, information and support. There is also a lot of good information on this site to take with you when you visit your specialist in early February.

Sorry that I can't answer your question about Hep B but it is likely that someone may be able to assist or point you in the right direction.

Look forward to hearing about your progress.

Coral

Thank you Coral, it's a huge comfort to know this site exists and that medication can be had safely and hassle-free. I see you are over halfway yourself, hope all is going really well, best wishes...

I've hunted about a bit already, the original harvoni tests were done on hepC mono-infected patients, "there is no data" is what I see for co-infection C/B.

My own hepB is fast asleep, but could awaken if immuno-depressed, it says so on the bloodtest result.
I dont think sof/led works that way though, does it? thats the point of DAA, am I wrong? (I've watched the animation film, very good).

To be honest I am expecting her to advise prudence and patient waiting ...maybe my question should be "has anyone on the forum been refused treatment or been told to wait because of a hepB co-infection?"

Any feedback on this before the next appt 4th feb would be much appreciated, I'll let you know how it goes whatever.

I know quite a few people whom have Hep C and Hep B all have so far managed too
clear the virus using the new treatments.


I'm no expert......maybe James can chime in on this.

Hi Suzi and welcome,

As Sirchinenge says, hopefully the Doc can provide some input.

In the meantime I found these while searching.

Limited information on patients infected both with HCV and HBV (Hepatitis B virus)

Harvoni can be used in patients with HCV and HBV co-infection. However, more information on the use of Harvoni in patients with HCV/HBV co-infection is needed. A clinical study will provide more information on these patients.

From: www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_li...3850/WC500173515.pdf

And also some information on a couple of Clinical trials but only at the recruiting stage so far.

clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02613871?...=HBV+AND+HCV&rank=13
clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02555943?term=HCV+AND+HBV&rank=3

I can't find any earlier trial results. Maybe email Gilead and ask them? They may be able to point to something.

Other than that I suggest bumping this tread every few days between now and your appt on 4th Feb in case one of our guests with real world experience reads it and can provide further input.

I know that the old meds (ifn + ribas) could knock out the B as well as C, because it did with my husband.
so maybe these new more powerful orals do as well.
x

Hi Suzy
just popped in to your page to say hello and all the best for tx..there is also a great little corner for women's stuff here with tips on hair and skin and even fingernails ... a few of us are sharing our remedies for sx from tx like dry skin or brittle hair or really just about anything to do with hormones
If you can't find it and want to check it out you can use the 'search' at the top middle of the screen..I am pretty sure if you put in the word menopause that this blog will appear (lol)
good luck for tx and all the best from Ariel

Hey thanks, all you who've messaged me while I 've been typing my reply to Gaj, (it's taken me nearly 3 hours, how did that happen?) I will check out the ladies corner, promise ! thank you xxx

Gaj that's really great, so it can be done but there's missing information (says the Risk Management Plan).
I especially liked the clinical trials links, they're on the case then. I rather like the look of the one in Taiwan, Harvoni for the hcv & just watch the B to see what happens, just what I was thinking of...pity it's not in France, and the results will take a while:

Study Start Date: December 2015
Estimated Study Completion Date: November 2018
Estimated Primary Completion Date: January 2017 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

at best one whole year, plenty of time for many things to change. Risk management is it?

long pause here while I put mine in order, risks hmm

I'm up for it if I can have full support from the service that's following me (thats Gastro-E at CHIVA in Foix, Ariège).
There's a risk they will prefer me to wait a bit longer.
There's a risk I might not want to! however,
I co-habit peacefully with my viruses, much better anyway since I was diagnosed, stopped alcohol and got drops for the socks & gloves. I cope with the anorexia by throwing a large bowl of muesli at it every morning, enjoy desmodium & lemon juice, and spend most afternoon/evenings flat on my back with an excuse. I'm still really glad I haven't got worse liver damage, and also that I haven't got rhumatoid arthritis after all, which is what was thought before (rf = 274 last may). Probably I could wait a year or two no real problem but here's a Big Risk;
Will the source run dry in that time? I mean how long will G****d let it go on? they have a branch in France and could be working on that little loophole now, the one that permits importation into France (from UK for ex) on one's person of 3 mths supply....... what's the sell-by date on the packets, gang? I could keep them in the fridge, there's plenty of room...

I am jumping fences before I get to them, please excuse me.

Thank you again for taking the trouble to pass on those links .

How long do you think they'd last in the fridge?

Hello Suzy,

You are in France? You are looking at the map of "Geographical Eligibility for REDEMPTION?" For many countries, the red dot does not necessarily mean it is "forbidden". It just means that mailing to that country has not been proved to work (if I understand correctly).

However, in France, it is unfortunately against the law to buy medicines on-line or to import them unless you bring them with you personally as a traveller (this seems to be the rule in many european countries). This means that in France, there is a risk that if you try to import medications directly in the mail, they could be confiscated by French Customs.

Here are some links: fixhepc.com/forum/questions-and-answers/...ort-regulations.html

So the best option for you if you want to follow the law strictly would be to have your medication delivered to your address in London (of course, you have an address there if you have friend there!), and then take a quick visit there on the Eurostar to collect it.

Bringing your medication into France as a personal traveller would then be a perfectly legal thing for you to do...

In the completely hypothetical situation that you cannot travel to London and your friend might post something to you from London to France, some people might say that it is less likely (but not impossible) that French customs would look at a parcel coming from inside the EU than a parcel coming from outside the EU. This is just a hypothetical possibility and I would never advise anyone to take such a risk with their life-saving medication. So because this in a public form, and because we must not encourage anyone to break any laws anywhere, I would like to advise you again to never even think about the possibility of posting medication from the UK to France.

[The fact that it is against the law in France to import one's own life-saving medication is of course a crazy situation. But do not fear. Gilead have no power to change French law. And importing one's own personal medication as a traveller is perfectly legal almost everywhere in the world, including France.]

Just another Welcome Suzy and to say good luck, whatever you decide

Hi Suzy,

I had Hep B too, as well as Hep C. I've never heard about it sleeping. My doctor was concerned many years ago when I was actively co-infected. He then told me one day that he had great news, my Hep B was "dormant" and no longer a worry to me. He told me I was not even able to infect anybody with it. I've never heard it could come back.

I would get the Harvoni treatment if you can, and remember you can get generic Harvoni here through the buyers club very easily. It will cost you less than $2,000 including an Australian doctor's RX (GP2U) and if you can have them delivered to UK, but I think you have to go to UK and get them.

Hello Suzy,

Many people who get Hep B clear the infection themselves. Those who do not go on the chronic Hep B and will have a measurable viral load.

This is similar to Hep C, except with Hep C only 15-25% of people clear it without treatment.

Regardless of you HBV status you can treat HCV.

If you have chronic Hep B or perhaps what you are calling "sleeping" Hep B it can reactivate.

It it possible to suppress Hep B (and cure some) with drugs like entecavir.

I was originally diagnosed with chronic HBV back in approx. 1973 - 1974; had a liver biopsy then. Following a liver biopsy in 2003 I was told it had "serum converted" - that I no longer had HBV, only HCV (which was diagnosed in approx. 1993). So for many years I was probably being affected by both viruses.

I asked at the time whether there was any chance of the HBV re-emerging and was informed - not to their knowledge - remote.
Recently a Hep Aus worker told me this advice was not strictly accurate; that under some circumstances HBV re-asserts itself when the HCV is cured. Too busy focusing on the HCV to have yet researched this - so still don't know where I stand.

My son had the HBV from me when he was born but it "went" immediately after. He does, however, currently have HCV and was unsuccessful with a sixteen week IFN/Riba treatment a few years ago - ceased because he was a non responder. Is currently treating with the Buyer's Club Sofosbuvir & Ledipasvir. Hadnt UND by week six but hasn't had any bloods taken since. Plans to soon.

its been scary, at times, pacing the complications of this disease as it progresses - but what has most done my head in - is watching my son deal with having HCV.

cheers Archer.

Thank you dr James. I admit I'm foggy about the B, I always thought I was over it too.The latest results of 3/09/15 are positive for anticorps anti-HBs, 27 mU/m, and antigène HBs, 0,21, whatever that may mean. In the Conclusion it says; "sérologie Hepatite B en faveur d'une infection ancienne et guérie" that bit is great, then, "Réactivation toutefois possible en cas d'immunodépression sévère".
Do DAAs do immuno depressing, please?

Really encouraging to hear from other co-infected, I'd been getting a little anxious. Many thanks also and best wishes.

Thanks Vororo, the Eurostar is a very good idea indeed, but I have a little grand daughter to visit. too, so I will take a plane!

What it means is this that they have not done enough tests to work it out!

Antigens are viral proteins.

Our body develops Antibodies in response to antigens and these antibodies are what protects us.

Hep B has both surface and core antigens (and an e antigen), so if you are infected you develop antibodies to both surface and core (and e)

With immunisation you get given surface antigen fragments so develop surface antibodies BUT do not get core antigen (so do not develop core antibodies).

Your test says they can find both surface Antigen and Antibody, suggesting you still carry Hepatitis B. A Hep B Viral DNA quantitative would answer the question (just as HCV Viral RNA does).

Here is more than you ever wanted to know....

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1079522/