Good idea to let your doc know you are having joint pain. Is your tx 12 wks? The drugs tend to build up & increased side effects would not be uncommon. It will be interesting to know how SVR affects your RA. Peace.

Kathy, What do you take for your RA??? Ankle, hands and wrists sound like RA. Jaw, possibly but not commonly, but if you have RA and are not on tx for it... you could easily be flaring.

Before I started Hep C tx, I was taken off Orencia, which was for RA. I am on nothing for RA currently. So it very well could be a flare. I'll be done in a week, so I just have to hang on until then. My boss has given me the rest of the week off. I'll rest. All my doctors and myself hoped that curing the HepC would eliminate the RA symptoms~ not so lucky.
On the plus side, I believe with all my heart that I will achieve SVR!!

I would bet it's the RA since you are not on your RA meds - NOT side effects as neither Sov or Riba is known for joint pain.

My rheumatologist also is hoping that if I reach SVR I will cure my RA but I remained on Orencia and methatrexate all through two HCV treatments. It will be very interesting to see for both of us what does happen to our RA if we reach SVR. In 4 weeks I will know if I have maintained post tx UD and then my rheumatologist will run some tests.

I hope your pain remains manageable or lessens...... OR, you can take something for it. Mostly, of course, i hope it goes away as your tx continues to work.

Do you only have one week to go???

This has been very helpful, thank you all.
I am having a RA flare - never taken meds for it yet.
At first I was worried because if more joint pain is sides, & I'm supposed to start sol/riba soon, that would double my pain! but no it seems its just the RA Kathy is suffering not the riba.
Kathy I don't mean for it to sound like "just RA pain" you know what I mean.
Useful info, thanks all, and Kathy hope you feel better asap

I don't have RA, and I have had (sometimes intense, sometimes manageable) joint pain from about the end of first week of treatment. I'm one day away from week #6 of 12 on Solvaldi and Ribavirin. The worst are my wrists, ankles, neck/shoulders and hips.I had to get a compression thingy for my right wrist. I am sure it's a side. If I didn't know I was RA free, I'd think that it what it is. They feel "weird" also. Numby-tingly skin, feels almost like they are swollen, but visually not.

I'm so happy to have found you all. There is no one in my life that truly understands what I'm going through.
RA or not- we are on a path to a cure! God bless us all.

I started out with the WORST joint pain that I thought I would go out of my mind. Then it stopped.

Then the next week, the most excruiating right back pain going down to my right elbow started.

I looked at the long list of side effects of the Riba, and severe back pain and joint pain were on the list.

I continue to get pain in ankles, elbows - it just takes turns. I have good days too.
If you are have 12 weeks tx. you are almost there - God Bless.!

I'm not convinced that is just the meds causing joint pains. I have a very low RA factor, & don't believe that is the whole cause. I've been thru SOC, and don't think residual effects is the entirely to blame.
I believe the virus is to blame.
I reflect back & see I've gone through cycles of unexplained bone, joint, muscle pains, cramps before I was dx hcv.
Just my nickel's worth again

Kathy:

RHEUMATOLOGIC and AUTOIMMUNE MANIFESTATIONS
Myalgia (muscle pains), fatigue and arthralgias (joint pains) are common manifestations of HCV infection. HCV-related arthritis commonly presents as symmetrical inflammatory arthritis involving small joints. The joints involved in HCV-related arthritis are similar to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This sometimes makes it difficult to differentiate true RA from HCV patients with positive rheumatoid factor but without RA. HCV-related arthritis is usually non-deforming and there are no bony erosions in the joints. A marker called anti-keratin antibodies has been studied to differentiate true RA from HCV related arthritis. In a recent study, 71 patients who were rheumatoid factor positive were tested for anti-keratin antibodies. Anti-keratin antibodies were detected in 20/33 (60.6%) patients with true RA and only 2/25 (8%) patients with HCV-related arthritis (10). Patients with HCV-related arthritis seldom respond to anti-inflammatory medications, and although there are no controlled trials to address this issue, it has been recommended to treat these patients with combination antiviral therapy of interferon and ribavirin (11).
http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hcsp/articles/Bonkovsky-2.html

My RA doctor has put me on a "Prednisone Burst" to get me through this flare. I respond well to this therapy. It's short term and quick acting.
When I'm done with HCV tx, we'll take a closer look and see what is needed to control my RA. I will have more options once I'm SVR with HCV. There is a silver lining in all that comes my way. Sometimes you just have to take a hard look.
Sending healing blessings to all!