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.
Well doctor told me today that he will be starting me on Sofosbuvir + Ribavirin for my treatment of Hep C. I am Geno Type 1A which is the hardest to cure, But he says the rate of curing it is 77 to 80 %. I can't wait on the other new drugs cause my liver is at Fibrosis 3 already and is getting worst. So I can't wait on the new Abbvie drugs that have a better cure rate. I will just have to pray it works for me. Wish me luck and pray for me.
I am sure that others will be following suit so you will have some treatment buddies here. They become special friends.
I too am Geno 1a and late stage 3. My doc. is going to try to get Sovaldi (Sofosbuvir) and Olysio (simeprevir - from another pharma) off-label for me, but the chances of that being paid for by my insurance are next to nothing given the price of EACH of those two drugs and the fact that it's off label. Not sure I can wait another year for Abbvie either. If I could, I sure as heck would. It's a roll of the dice now.
PLEASE keep us informed as to how you're doing. I may have to join you in this treatment regimen, depending on labs I'm having drawn later this week and what they indicate to the doctor. The cure rate your doc gave you isn't too bad - but we know it is so much better with Abbvie - or with the Gilead combo of Sovaldi + Ledipasvir, but that isn't even at the FDA yet.
I will do whatever my doc recommends, just as you are doing. I SO don't want to do 24 weeks of Riba, and I really question whether we Geno 1a's can be "cured" with just Sovaldi and not another DAA to go along with it, but.... we do what we gotta do and pray hard.
When do you start?
Cat - my doc wants to use me as a test case to see if he get that off label combo approved. He never said what plan b is... You also have to keep us posted!
I see my doc. on January 16. I'm sure he will try to get the off-label Sovaldi + Olyvio approved, but as of today, Express Scripts does not carry Sovaldi! They have Olyvio, no Sovaldi - so something's up. I'd say the stance ES took publicly today or yesterday about not being willing to pay that kind of money for Sovaldi is a hard line in the sand. So unless that changes, I may not be able to get the off-label combo regardless of how well my doc. presents it to TriCare (Express Scripts is contracted with them for my pharma needs).
I'll know a lot more after I see the doc. Would be awesome if both of us can get/do that off-label tx!
Sending you good thoughts for a successful tx. Let us know how it goes! hugs, B