Hepatitis Forums
Hepatitis C Main Forums => On Hepatitis C Treatment => Topic started by: Sanderscorner on July 12, 2016, 01:36:44 pm
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I was diagnosed with hep c back in 2002 and I'm sure I had it for a few years before my diagnosis. I was lucky enough to have my insurance approve 12 weeks of Harvoni for me last week. I just took my first dose yesterday and I feel fine today. I can't believe this is finally happening for me, fingers crossed I get cured. So far I have no side effects from the Harvoni. I just wanted to chime in and say hi to everyone and send positive thoughts everyone's way. I'm having fun reading everyone's results seems the success rate for patients on Harvoni is very very high.
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Welcome, Sanderscorner! And congrats on starting your treatment journey! :) Yes, nearly everyone who takes Harvoni does get cured. Enjoy the voyage. :)
kim
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hi sanderscorner
welcome...
and as kimln the forest expressed, "congrats on starting your treatment"
I started 4 days ago today (vp + riba} and my head is every which way but they keep you in the now and to deal with things WHEN and if they happen..
I wish you the easiest 12 weeks as possible...
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Hi Sanderscorner - I was diagnosed in 2003 and have been waiting for these treatments - newer medicines and shorter duration/fewer minimal side effects and they're here!! - started Harvoni on 7/3. I have a gigantic calendar hanging on the fridge with an equally gigantic permanent marker to count down 84 days.
Drink lots of H2O - it's all good. You're not alone.
Beth
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Hi, Sanderscorner, ItsTime and Hummingbird. Welcome to the forum, and best of luck with your treatment. You'll be amazed at how quickly the time will pass. Then you'll be hep c free!
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Sanderscorner, welcome aboard the Harvoni Train! I completed my 12 weeks in May and it was very, very uneventful. Wishing you the same ride. This drug has a very dehydrating effect, so be sure to drink water to the level that your urine is pale yellow. It will save you from headaches, constipation/gas and help your overall well being. Best of luck to you! Keep us posted, and the future is bright -- FT
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Welcome Sanderscorner! You are on the right path feeling grateful & positive.So glad you are feeling good.I actually got a high feeling from Harvoni after awhile!Be sure to carry glass carefully.Some of us had the dropsies! I had HepC for many years ...the cure seems surreal.Its coming up on my one year anniversary of treatment
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Okay so I'm back. After 12 weeks of Harvoni 7/11/2016-10/5/2106 I just had blood work done about 3 weeks ago and the results are in.I am Hepatitis C free!! I can't believe it. That treatment was smooth as a baby's bottom. The only side effect I had was not being able to sleep but who really cares about that, in the grand scheme of things that's such a little thing. Compared to what we use to have to go through to get rid of this disease if that's all it takes is a little lack of sleep I'd call that a cake walk if there ever was one. This drug is amazing! I hope that everyone suffering from this disease is lucky enough to get on this amazing drug. My family and I are so relieved that this is now behind us. What a godsend! So to everyone considering getting on Harvoni I say if you have the option, DO IT!! You won't regret it one bit. Hope everyone is having a great Saturday!
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Congrats Sanderscorner! I know how incredible you feel...it is just the most out of body type experience to have such a horrible disease & it gets reversed in such a short time. We are going to sleep good now right? sweet sweet dreams!
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Congrats Sanderscorner! I know how incredible you feel...it is just the most out of body type experience to have such a horrible disease & it gets reversed in such a short time. We are going to sleep good now right? sweet sweet dreams!
Thanks Rosie!! Yes sleep has definitely returned back to normal, I sleep like a baby almost every night now. I'm looking forward to getting my bloodwork done now instead of dreading it like I would back when I was still positive, knock on wood!
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Sleep! Oh yes we love that! When do you get your 6 month labs done? Can't wait to celebrate with you then!
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Congrats Sanderscorner!!! Best news ever!!!
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7 days into 8week Harvoni treatment. Feeling very run down and have a permanent headache. Also waking lots in the night and finding it hard to get back to sleep. But saying all this so glad and lucky to be on this treatment that should work!! Only seven weeks to go I hope I do not drive my wife mad!! :D
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Hey there Chris,
I just completed my 8 weeks a few days ago. I had manageable side effects, mostly aching and leg fatigue, and the headaches. I explained the headaches more like "compression". Ears would ring and head felt like someone was tightening headphones on my head (without padding)
I found if I consumed water heavily during the 6 hours following my dose, it helped a lot!! I was also told to drink OJ or other products with critic acid. I would faithfully drink 65 ounces of h2o before 3 pm.
Your body is working hard with the drug to win the war and the virus is going nuts trying to fight back. You will win this one!! When I saw my bloodwork after just 4 weeks, it was so worth it.
Keep us posted and drink up!!
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Hi Thanks for your positive response. Although I have a very supportive partner I kind of feel a bit on my own when it comes to my hep c. I have a feeling I might be taking my pill at the wrong time of day, at the moment 5.30 in the afternoon. I chose this time kind of randomly in a bit of a panic !! Maybe it's better in the morning? As far as sleeping is concerned. My doctor has prescribed sleeping tablets which as yet I am not using as I think long term they don't help. The headaches are as described like having my head compressed. I am a positive person generally so getting through this i am treating like an adventure. I contracted hep C in the 80s and have been unwilling until now to take treatment. Mainly out of fear .
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We at first felt thrown to the wolves until the specialty team answered a lot of my questions (I researched so much solo)
Feel free to ask any questions, definitely here for you!!! My Dr only wanted us to start in morning. I've read people switch from evening to morning but it takes about a week to transition moving it an hour or two a day. Call your team!! It would have been tough for me at night because of the water intake too. Ask dr if you can take at 3 pm today, 1 pm tomor etc till you are at 9 am or if there is a time you take other morning meds. Hope this helps!!
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Thankyou .its great to have found this forum!!
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We are too!!! In no time you will be like me waiting for your labs to come back! Tick tock, tick tock!!
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Welcome Chrisbudha, everything gmom said was right on & hopefully you have a specialty pharmacy that has told you to call them anytime with concerns.I have finished my treatment last year around Thanksgiving.Everyone is all over the map on when to take their Harvoni. I settled on noon because I had lots of energy in the morning & needed to get busy before taking a break in the afternoon.don't think that you will suffer with sides all thru your treatment.Lot's of us found that after a few weeks things calm down.I had the worst case of dropsies that I only used plastic cups! We are so blessed to have the opportunity of Harvoni.Have a wonderful Christmas!
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Hi Chris,
I took my Harvoni at 9 p.m. with dinner.
That worked pretty well.
I drank a bit of water before I went to bed (at about 12.30), but I didn't really get up much during the night.
I would have liked to enjoy the increase in energy (= 'Harvoni High') during the day - by taking it at, say 9 a.m. - but I was too freaked out by the prospect of changing the time significantly.
You can dial it back as Grateful Gmom says - but they ( the pharma co.s) are not so keen on people doing this in the middle to latter stages of treatment.
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Just got my 8 week lab results back........
NON DETECTED!!!!! Husband still has 4 weeks to go, so grateful I need to pinch myself!
Hang in there Chris, and hydrate!!
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I was working on second shift and would take mine at my first break of my work day at 5 pm which would be equivalent to me of 9 am break for most people
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Whoohoo GMOM! where does the time go...you are already done? Super UNDETECTED news. Have a Blessed Christmas. I remember last holiday season 2015 & I was walking around stunned that the virus was gone. It is just surreal. Now you can cheerlead your husband!
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Thanks for all the positive messages. Slept all night last night!! Yes! I think I will will leave things as they are and continue taking my pill at 5.30. I think half my problem is I am kind of freaking out about the the fact I am finally having treatment for something that has made me ill for such a long time and as gmom said it feels a bit like being thrown to the wolves. Happy day everyone. Keep strong. And love and peace.❤️
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Thanks!! Once I got into week 3 and realized that would be as "bad as it gets", which really was minor, I got in a groove and it was SO MUCH EASIER once I got my 4 week results back, knowing it was working!! Thanks Rosie!
Chris, my specialist told me before I started we were going to fight the virus with all we had and wage war against the Hep C and win. He said my body and emotions may feel the results of the drug blasting every single sleeper cell hiding to regroup and attack, so take every feeling and try to embrace it knowing we were winning. When I would get the sudden ringing in my ears or the compression in my head, I would drink some citric acid products and guzzle water and it would pass. I described it like a "wave" of Harvoni fighting deep in my body getting those sleeper cells. Tylenol was helpful for the leg/joint aches. It really was a breeze. Heck I've had colds worse than that.
Hard to believe the havoc that HepC did on my body, I can eat anything now, so awesome, all my gastro issues and numerous tests and scans missed the one thing causing all the digestiive disruption. Buhbye HCV!!
Rest, relax and win this viral war, you got this!!!
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Three weeks today. Still a permenant headache but kind of got used to it!! Can't wait for my check up and lab tests next week. Have put a little weight on which is good as I am very skinny. Sleeping fine now ,occasionally waking but managing to get back to sleep. Xmas out of the way thank god as it was a bit noisy for me and can put all my mental effort into healing myself as it kind of feels like there is a war going on inside of me . Keep telling myself we are going to win !! Hope everyone had a great xmas .
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Had my four weeks blood tests and virus undetected. I'm a happy man. Headaches are still there but not all the time now. Starting to have more energy which is great. I will be so pleased to finish the treatment!!
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So happy to read this!!! Husband goes for his 12 week bloodwork tomorrow. I actually feel better than I did before treatment, I finished 8weekd a month ago, congrats Chris, happy re-birthday!!!
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Thankyou Gmom. Good luck hubby!!
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Sweet success Chrisbudha! The rest of your tx. should fly by now that the nerves are calmed. Undetected @ 4 wks. is a pretty darn good signal !!!! Have a wonderful day!
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Thank you Rosie.
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It does my heart good to read about the success of HepC newbies.You have no idea!!!!
I struggled in the first month but all that changed after 4 wk. results.Hoping your headaches evaporate as your body gets used to your meds.Chrisbudha is Killin it!