Finished 24 weeks Harvoni

[Steve76]

Hello,

I finished 24 weeks of Harvoni 3 weeks ago, I was detected at 4 weeks (13) and undetected at 12 and EOT. The Fibroscan showed 14 as well prior to treatment. I only had 3 HCV RNA tests so far.  My doctor doesn't want to do another test for 3 months. 

My problem is I am a worrier,  quite frankly I am going crazy thinking about this and losing plenty of sleep.  The stress is making me feel like the virus has come back(or maybe it has,feeling some discomfort on right side and back).  I am not sure how to handle this, hardest thing I have ever dealt with emotionally.

I am going to ask my doctor for a test next week, but I am not sure if he will agree(he will have to provide anti-anxiety meds then).  I am due to take the test a week before our big vacation in late July, which means I would get the results the day I leave. 

I have had this disease a long time,  I can deal with having it and even failing treatment (given time),  but this wait is kind of crazy.  I know the tests are expensive as well. 

I believe I read most people relapse within the 1st 4 weeks. So it is somewhat of a good predictor(not definitive I know).  I would like one at 8 weeks as well(how expensive are these tests?).

I feel like I need some xanax to bring my stress down a bit.

[KimInTheForest]

Hi Steve. Congrats on finishing treatment and being Undetected at 12 weeks and EOT! Chances are very very high that you will still be undetected at 12 weeks post-treatment, as I am sure you know. And so, hard as this is to do, try your best to simply assume you are cured while you wait because you almost certainly are cured.

Not a bad idea to ask your doctor for some anti-anxiety med to help you through this. While I don't think anxiety will affect your treatment outcome at this stage, it certainly affects health in many other ways.

As for feeling discomfort on right side and back, many of us on these forums have reported feeling liver-area pain, tenderness, twinges, soreness - all at EOT or after, while waiting for our SVR12 results. I felt liver twinges and soreness at EOT. And all of us went on to achieve SVR12. So don't read too much into feeling discomfort in your liver area at this stage. It is almost certainly something else - not a return of virus.

Hang in there any way you can,
kim

[Steve76]

Thanks for your reply,  I did message the Doctor about a 4 week test and he said "I think you should wait till 3 months".  I am thinking about anxiety Meds though, to kind of get me through this rough spot. I will see how I hold up.

Yeah, I was/am kind of worried that the added anxiety and lack of sleep is going to cause some kind of viral rebound.  Worry is what I seem to do...Honestly thanks for the bit of encouragement it actually helps...Thank You! 

[Lynn K]

There is nothing you can do to make the virus come back if it is truly gone except be reinfected.

Worry cannot bring a dead virus that is not in you body back to life nor will lack of sleep.

The only way you would have the virus again is if either treatment did not work and you relapse which I believe the odds are around 2% or less depending on your circumstances (genotype, prior treatment, cirrhosis) or if you get reinfected. Other than that there is nothing you can do to bring the virus back if it is gone.

Worry does nothing to prevent the sorrows of tomorrow it only saps today of its joy.

[brie41]

Hi Steve,

  I understand how you feel.  I tend to worry far too much also.  I finished my 8 week harvoni treatment a few weeks ago and I will be tested at 4 weeks eot.  Hoping to be undetected but will not really feel great until the 12 week test anyway.  That is the important one.  Kim and Lynn are beyond wise and I hope you take their words to heart.  Life is short and anything can happen on any given day, so why not choose to be happy instead.  Like you said you can deal with whatever the outcome will be, so in the mean time try to relax and enjoy your life.  I may binge watch a good show on netflix or read a great book.  Try to find ways to take your mind off of your worries.  Find something funny, as laughter really is good medicine. I also am glad to see that lack of sleep and anxiety can't bring the virus back.  I actually wondered that too and I also have pains around my liver at times, my eyes are not as white as when I was on the meds and my energy is not great now.  But that does not seem to mean anything and so I will keep calm and carry on.  Brie