Partner just finished treatment - is there a form of withdrawal?

[CureSeeker]

My partner just finished 24 weeks of Sovaldi/Ribavirin treatment.  I have started the same treatment, but much later than him.

The very next day from his last dose, he started getting a lot of diarrhea.  Each day this has decreased but still persists.  He was fine with eating while on treatment and before it, always having a healthy appetite, although experiencing a somewhat metallic taste while on treatment. 

Now his sense of taste is messed up, and he cannot eat a whole lot of anything at one shot.  He calls his eating 'driveby' now - grabbing a couple of bites here an there several times a day.

He sees his doctor on the 27th and will ask about what he can do about it then, but Im very worried about it him now.  Im also wondering if I will have the same experience once I finish treatment.

[CureSeeker]

Meh...I guess I will have to wait till the 27th.  C'est la vie!

[KimInTheForest]

Hi CureSeeker. i know nothing about the withdrawal issue, apart from the fact that I have wondered the same thing myself based on all the reports I am reading on other threads on these forums from people who have developed significant and persistent problems post-treatment that they did not have during treatment or prior to treatment. People here have been talking about post-tx problems like irregular heartbeat and other cardio-vascular issues, joint pain and arthritis, extreme fatigue, headache, etc. - all beginning after they take their last pills. So I too have wondered if some people are experiencing a drug withdrawal effect.

Re: your partner's diarrhea post-tx, I had a week's worth of diarrhea during Week 7 or 8 (of Harvoni+Riba). I found the BRAT diet very effective at stopping it. In fact, it stopped within a day of me going onto that diet and removing all whole grains and fruit and veggie roughage/fiber from my diet.

BRAT=Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast. (Rice and toast must be white, and apples should be peeled). I only needed to stay on it a few days, then could go back to my normal healthy whole grain+fruit+veggie diet with no return of diarrhea.

Good luck!
kim

[CureSeeker]

Thanks so much Kim.  Your advice is helpful and reassuring.