Hepatitis C Support Group
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral disease which can cause liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. Many people with HCV infection have no symptoms and are unaware of the need to seek treatment. Hepatitis C infects an estimated 150-200 million people worldwide.
Since a good number of fine folks on here have recently started HARVONI (and there is at least one that completed it), I thought this would be a repeatable, collective thread title for those with it to document their comments, complaints, and overall condition along the way.
Feel free to state your current day out of how many weeks you have, genotype, and whatever else you feel relevant (i.e. cirrhosis, naive, previous tx's, etc.). While I am not on it and may not be for another 3 months or more, mine would look something like this (at some point):
......I am on day 12 of 8 weeks
......Tx naive, geno 1a, non-cirrhotic
......Living with it for 33 years
......
********Then any problems or good effects that it has had***********
Of course, everyone else will be able to answer questions, cheer all "HARVONIANS" on, and learn from this remarkable breakthrough!
LOVE YOU GUYS!
Feel free to state your current day out of how many weeks you have, genotype, and whatever else you feel relevant (i.e. cirrhosis, naive, previous tx's, etc.). While I am not on it and may not be for another 3 months or more, mine would look something like this (at some point):
......I am on day 12 of 8 weeks
......Tx naive, geno 1a, non-cirrhotic
......Living with it for 33 years
......
********Then any problems or good effects that it has had***********
Of course, everyone else will be able to answer questions, cheer all "HARVONIANS" on, and learn from this remarkable breakthrough!
LOVE YOU GUYS!
All that being said, I can most surely ask her is she can test me before and after treatment to see where I am at and how it healed/regenerated after the meds. I had asked her about the fibroscan seeing how they are a major university and at that time she said they did not have it, but would look into it, so we shall see.
Hey, I'm just glad my numbers are good and that my doc isn't that concerned means I am doing great in her eyes while I wait to be cured.
Harvoni Update on day 6: am starting to feel some of the common side effects now. Stomach issues mostly but also chills & hot flashes after I take the meds. Hopefully these mean it's killing baby dragons.
:)
*sleeping is better
*lowered appetite
*more energy
What else are you noticing? Better eyesight? Less dizzy? Better bathroom functions? Less joint pain?
I am tx naive, so I know that most of my symptoms can only be attributed to the disease.
New week ahead of us and more good news to report ?? keep us posted ...I pray you all "fair sailing" and a quick recovery
thank you thank you thank you
*lowered appetite - that didn't last long enough as far as I am concerned.. I haven't been as starved should I say...
*more energy - for sure more energy..
Better eyesight? nah I sit in front of computer all day and I bet I need glasses now
Less dizzy? I didn't know dizzy was a symptom, but yes I don't get dizzy when I say stand up after tying my show for example
Better bathroom functions? - lol yes how wierd is that ??? I didn't know that was a symptom
Less joint pain? I am not sure yet.
3 weeks down on treatment. called to get the second bottle...oh my..
*sleeping is better
*lowered appetite
*more energy
"What else are you noticing?"
Definitely sleep sounder/deeper, but also some insomnia- that is to say that staying asleep is easier than falling asleep, but once asleep, it's deep... peeps.
I get flushes & chills- about an hour after I take it, and intermittently throughout some days. The last flush reached 99.8 degrees, but quickly dropped back to normal. I had night sweats once. My right side seems to ache more, but that could be unrelated to the meds.
I'm down another 2 lbs. That's -5lbs in 10 days, but I've got chub-o-plenty to spare. I had some tummy issues the first few days-- mostly gas, but that's improved a lot, perhaps because I am eating less. "Better bathroom functions?" I would say for me, also yes.
Joint pain is about the same, however I've been doing a lot more than I would normally do, and am not as sore or crampy as I usually get after a few weeks of busy living.
I have a feeling I am going to hit a wall soon, though.
Overall, the side effects are milder than I was anticipating and, thankfully, tolerable. I'm more worried about my upcoming blood tests.
Anyone know how soon any improvement will show in the blood tests?
Thanks & hope this helps.
Some folks have recently joined the Healing Harvoni Hierarchy and wanted to bump this thread up for them. So very happy for you guys!!!
I've lost 8.5lbs in the first 2 weeks. Last couple nights I've had leg cramps- not just the calf or thigh but the entire leg and foot. Could be from dehydration & weight loss. I'm a little foggy and am very groggy in the morning.
I'm going to drink more water today and see if that helps the leg cramps. All in all, the treatment side effects are still very tolerable.
I'm fairly certain I would have been pulled off of triple TX if this is the mild version of SEs.
I had my blood tests yesterday. They did not do a VL test at 4 weeks, just a regular liver panel. My tests were within normal range except the WBC count was slightly elevated. My 2 week VL looked great, tho. It dropped from >300k to 30.
Santy Claus will deliver my last pill on Dec 25th. He's getting a truckload of cookies this year and a bottle of non-alcoholic Champagne (do they make that? Cuz I want some!).
I'm guessing that maybe your WBC is up because you are fighting off something entirely different that may be related to your other, newer symptoms??? Or some other type of infection??
Otherwise, even with the SE's as they are, it sounds like not only are the meds working, but that the sides are tolerable for 1/3, or in your case, 1/2 of the way through, correct?
Btw, there happens to be non-alcoholic champagne because my mother had to drink it at my wedding reception.
Just remember that your tx will be done soon enough and the SE's will be a thing of the past for you!! :))
I do have a cough right now, and last night my chest was rattling a bit. I'll talk with my team rep on Monday. I'll also ask when my next VL test is scheduled.
"Just remember that your tx will be done soon enough and the SE's will be a thing of the past for you!! :)) "
Thank you, LEO :) I try to keep that in mind everyday- this is temporary and short, thank goodness. The SEs for this TX Naive person are uncomfortable, but tolerable- especially given the short treatment duration. I don't think I- or my husband- could survive this for 48 weeks. Those who did long TXs are super heroes in my book.
I'll check around for the NA champagne!
Thanks again and blessings to all!