I went in the doctor today to check on my progress on recovery from
the drug reaction which made me miss 1 shot and now 3 weeks of riba.
Got my results from the qual test, still undectable at week 19.  That
was a relief.  I am having a mild rash problem with the pegasys.
After talking with a GI doctor today I've decided to get back on the
riba and try to take combo tx to 24 weeks (genotype 2).  I'm going to
take just 1 capsule which would be enough to provoke an allergic
reaction and if all goes well the next day I move up to a full 800 mg
dose and finish up tx and hopefully increase my chances of joining the
SVR club.  I'm on the oral corticosteroid prednisone right now and
hope to start tapering off on that in a couple of weeks.  I guess the
feeling among my doctors was missing 1 shot and 3 weeks of riba this
late in treatment wouldn't require a restart but a resume.
Hopefully, that will do it for me and also that I'll be able to make
it to 24.  Going good so far shot #19 coming up tonight.  

Also got a little scare.  I've been on the Pegasys vials and today
when I asked for a refill my PA says the VA clinic switched across the
board to Pegintron Redipens and that I may have to finish up with alfa
2b instead of alfa 2a.  I say "You've got to be kidding me!".  So I
head over to the pharmacy and they say yes, they have switched to
Redipens across the board.  I say, "C'mon you gotta have a 4 week
supply of Pegasys somewhere.  That's all I need to finish with the
same interferon I started with."  So the pharmacy assistant comes out
of the refrigerator with Pegasys prefilled syringes.  Not the vials
I'm used to but I say "yes, please one four-pack".  So she gives me 4
four-packs. Didn't notice until I got home.  Got me an extra 3 months
supply of Pegasys prefilled syringes.  Not bad, 4 months of Pegasys
for $7.  Haven't tried those prefilled syringes yet but they sure look
nice.  Although, I really have become accustomed to my Becton
Dickinson U-100 29 G 1/2 ultra fine 1cc insulin syringes.  I think it
sure beats switching interferons with 5 shots to go though.  Anybody
do that?  

Don