Quick update: After 5 years on 135m Pega, my... - MPN Voice

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Quick update

shiftzz profile image
25 Replies

After 5 years on 135m Pega, my bloods are ok, my JAK2 mutation is down to 1%, they are very pleased and they are reducing my pega to 90.

The consultant was excited that my mutation was so low, she had never seen that before...

So, after 5 years on Pega its showing massive progress..

Not had a venesection in over 2 and a half years, no Hydroxy,

Attached my HCT numbers

Guess who is a happy bunny?

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shiftzz
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25 Replies
mhos61 profile image
mhos61

I suspect you’re the ‘happy bunny’.🤣🤣

That’s an excellent result. Hope everything stays the same on 90. Good luck.

Hopetohelp profile image
Hopetohelp

That’s fantastic news. Gives us all hope for the future. You state your jak2 is down to 1%. Is that what they call the alle burden? How do you get yours tested? I wouldn’t mind asking my haem to test mine. Well done on the peg and thanks for sharing the good news with us

shiftzz profile image
shiftzz in reply toHopetohelp

alle burden?, yes, they do a blood test twice a year..

EPguy profile image
EPguy in reply toHopetohelp

If you're on or starting INF you should get occasional allele tests, esp before starting if possible. Then you can compare your allele burden (AB). If it's working there is usually some progress by the 2nd year, see the plot on my other reply. This is why many of us have switched to INF.

Hopetohelp profile image
Hopetohelp in reply toEPguy

I will certainly be asking for one at next haemo appointment. Do you know if it’s the same blood test that genetically tests for the jak2 gene or is it a different blood test? I know the first one is quite expensive which maybe why the nhs might be cutting down on cost

EPguy profile image
EPguy in reply toHopetohelp

I believe it's the same test to look for Jak2 yes/no and the AB%. Modern tests report the AB if any is detected. But it seems many labs and/or Drs do not fwd this info to the patient.

For the actual blood draw, in my experience they will fill extra vials for each category of test, (one each for CBC, CMP, AB% etc) so there will be at least one extra vial for the Jak2 test.

You're right about these costs, but I think it is getting cheaper with newer tech.

Hopetohelp profile image
Hopetohelp in reply toEPguy

Great thanks. Will mention next appointment and count the vials😂

Lena70 profile image
Lena70

Wow! This is pretty amazing.

Please let us know how you do on the lower dose.

EPguy profile image
EPguy

My goodness that is fabulous. You're actually on schedule with the other INF (Besremi), plot here, and you're in the lucky 20% who got under 1% in this trial.

Let's hope your consultant gets use to it as more of us become long timers on INF.

My 1st Hem said reductions are not possible, we're in a new world with INF finally getting its day in MPN.

What frequency of dosing are you at?

How are you feeling? Hope you're also getting that benefit.

<<Notably, allele burden decreased to <1% in 18/92 patients (19.6%)>>(I've seen this at 21% in other reports)

nature.com/articles/s41375-...

Ropeg 5 year allele
shiftzz profile image
shiftzz in reply toEPguy

Hi my frequency is weekly 135mg , as I have 4 left the plan is to do 135 one week, 90mg the following week until my 135m has all been used. Even though my numbers are low, the symptoms don't go away, I am still tired and with brain fog, but there has been some improvement..

Hope that helps

mhos61 profile image
mhos61 in reply toshiftzz

Did your cough go away?

shiftzz profile image
shiftzz in reply tomhos61

No.... Still there.

EPguy profile image
EPguy in reply toshiftzz

Any improvement is nice. I also have fatigue on Besremi. Not severe but I had only malaise before that, very different. But for me malaise is worse.

Hope you might find less fatigue on the lower dose, many INF troubles are dose related.

Wyebird profile image
Wyebird

And rightly so. Fantastic news.

Solyesh profile image
Solyesh

That is great news! Also gives many of us who have chosen to go the INF route hope that we might experience a molecular response as well! Good luck on the 90 and may things stay great!

Meatloaf9 profile image
Meatloaf9

Looking good. Great to see a post form an actual patient who has been on interferon for at least 5 years and what you have experienced. I would like to hear from a lot of patients who have been on interferon for 5 years or more and what their experiences, both good and bad have been including those who had to discontinue the interferon for whatever reason. I am on HU for one year for PV Thinking of switching to Interferon from HU, blood counts very good on HU. Thanks for sharing, best to you.

hunter5582 profile image
hunter5582

Molecular remission! YEAH!!! 🐰🐰😃😃

I would not be at all surpised to see the PEG dose/frequency reduced even further.

Please keep us up-to-dateon how things go.

Cja1956 profile image
Cja1956

That’s great news! Your patience paid off. Hopefully you continue to do well.

Planti profile image
Planti

That is wonderful news, sure to put smiles on all the people with MPNs on Interferons.

I am hoping that testing for allele burden will sometime be available to those of us who live in British Columbia, Canada.

Hope your fatigue gets better and the fog lifts when the dose is lower.

Please do keep us posted.

Island-Lady profile image
Island-Lady

Congratulations happy bunny! So very very happy for you. That definitely does give the rest of us hope. I am currently waiting to be approved for interferon and it is so wonderful to receive hopeful news. Wishing you the very best.🐇

Mazcd profile image
MazcdPartnerMPNVoice

great news, so pleased for you. Maz

shiftzz profile image
shiftzz

Just had my 5th covid jab

Emmyroos profile image
Emmyroos in reply toshiftzz

Good!! I hesitated too long to get my 5th and wound up with Covid!!

caroline_284 profile image
caroline_284

That's great news !

Emmyroos profile image
Emmyroos

Congratulations on the molecular milestone! 🎉

Can I ask what your allele burden started out as? I'm starting year two of PEG.

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