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Author Topic: Beginning Harvoni 12 week treatment in the A:M  (Read 9526 times)

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Offline pete58

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  • Posts: 8
Beginning Harvoni 12 week treatment in the A:M
« on: February 08, 2015, 11:37:13 pm »
After nearly 2 years of tests and waiting, I've finally been approved to start Harvoni beginning tomorrow - Monday.

I was diagnosed in the early 90's and was treated with Ribavarin and Pagasus Interferon for one whole year. It was miserable ! I came out as a non-responder, but the disease has not really progressed thankfully. I have remained a Stage 1 of 4 all of this time.

I contracted this disease back in the late 70's due to stupidity.

I pretty much gave up on anything ever working and came to accept it.

Nearly three years ago though I began seeing my ID Doc. about any newer treatment options. It was suggested that I might try either  Incivek or Victrellis. Fortunately, I was not approved. Some have said that those treatments are worse than the disease itself. I had an idea of what they meant by that already.

I changed doctors in Aug. of last year and was made aware of these newer treatment options - Sovaldi & Olyseo and Harvoni. Fortunately, I'd been religious about getting all of the tests and blood work done to provide to my new doctor and have full-filled every request they have made of me for the same. The doctor I am working with is part of a Hospital Transplant Group that is tremendously staffed. I feel really lucky to have been accepted as a new patient by this group.

What my previous doctor's office lacked was the staff to advocate on my behalf and and to followup with the insurance personnel while working in tandem with the specialty pharmacy staff who also moved the ball downfield for me.

To say that I am excited and thrilled is an understatement. It's amazing the progress pharmaceutical firms have apparently made tackling this disease.

Wish me luck ! I will keep you all informed as to my progress.

I hope everyone gets a first and second chance like I have gotten.
« Last Edit: February 09, 2015, 12:05:28 am by pete58 »
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Offline Lynn K

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 4,546
  • Get tested, get treated, get cured, fight Hep c!
Re: Beginning Harvoni 12 week treatment in the A:M
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2015, 11:52:35 pm »
Hi Pete welcome to the forum

I have known I have hep c since 1990 and likely did get hep c in 1978 due to being a wild and crazy young person just had to try it all once so here we are today but that was a life time ago.

I treated with interferon monotherapy and 2 treks with interferon and Ribe ( once was in a trial). I was a null responder. I wanted to go on incevek or telaprevir but was not allowed to as I had cirrhosis by that point and the odds of success were about 14%. I was diagnosed with F4 cirrhosis in Jan 2008 so 7 years ago.

I tried Sovaldi Olysio for 12 weeks last spring but relapsed at 12 weeks post treatment. I stared Harvoni for 24 weeks on Nov 18th and added Ribavirin at week 10 to get the best chance at treatment working this time. On Tuesday I will be 12 weeks down with12 to go.

Best of luck on treatment!
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Genotype 1a
1978 contracted, 1990 Dx
1995 Intron A failed
2001 Interferon Riba null response
2003 Pegintron Riba trial med null response
2008 F4 Cirrhosis Bx
2014 12 week Sov/Oly relapse
10/14 fibroscan 27 PLT 96
2014 24 weeks Harvoni 15 weeks Riba
5/4/15 EOT not detected, ALT 21, AST 20
4 week post not detected, ALT 26, AST 28
12 week post NOT DETECTED (07/27/15)
ALT 29, AST 27 PLT 92
24 week post NOT DETECTED! (10/19/15)
44 weeks (3/11/16)  fibroscan 33, PLT 111, HCV NOT DETECTED!
I AM FREE!

Offline pete58

  • Member
  • Posts: 8
Re: Beginning Harvoni 12 week treatment in the A:M
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2015, 12:00:45 am »
@ Lynn,

You sound like a real fighter. Those treatments were no cake walk - I'm sure.

Thanks for the encouragement. Like I said in my post, it is truly amazing that there are more options (better hopefully) than existed in the past.

You sound like this isn't your first rodeo.  Just like me, the 70's were a time for experimentation, fortunately were survivors !

If they throw enough against this, somethings bound to stick :)

Hang in there !!!

Pete
« Last Edit: February 09, 2015, 12:09:18 am by pete58 »
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Offline Lynn K

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  • Member
  • Posts: 4,546
  • Get tested, get treated, get cured, fight Hep c!
Re: Beginning Harvoni 12 week treatment in the A:M
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2015, 12:07:27 am »
Yeah Pete

I like to say thank goodness I survived my youth but apparently I didn't get away unscathed.

Yep difinately not my first rodeo lol

Best of luck!
Logged
Genotype 1a
1978 contracted, 1990 Dx
1995 Intron A failed
2001 Interferon Riba null response
2003 Pegintron Riba trial med null response
2008 F4 Cirrhosis Bx
2014 12 week Sov/Oly relapse
10/14 fibroscan 27 PLT 96
2014 24 weeks Harvoni 15 weeks Riba
5/4/15 EOT not detected, ALT 21, AST 20
4 week post not detected, ALT 26, AST 28
12 week post NOT DETECTED (07/27/15)
ALT 29, AST 27 PLT 92
24 week post NOT DETECTED! (10/19/15)
44 weeks (3/11/16)  fibroscan 33, PLT 111, HCV NOT DETECTED!
I AM FREE!

Offline Ruthie

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  • Posts: 105
Re: Beginning Harvoni 12 week treatment in the A:M
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2015, 08:52:45 am »
I just started last night, so we're in the same boat. Yay for us getting closer to cured!
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Offline Amj1951

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  • Posts: 118
Re: Beginning Harvoni 12 week treatment in the A:M
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2015, 09:36:35 am »
Hi Lynn : ) Ruthie and Pete........ good luck on your journeys. I have never gone through another treatment but after hearing about them.. taking the Harvoni is a piece of cake!! I've been lucky enough to spend most days symptoms free... wondering if I was on a sugar pill but I got news Friday.. I am undetected and I hoping the same for both of you! : )

Btw.. I found the first week had the most symptoms but nothing bad, just odd and remember its ALL in the water!! The more you drink.. the less there seem to be, especially getting a headache. Try to drink half your body weight in ounces.

Example: 100 pounds of weight equals 50 ounces of water.

Enjoy your day!
Meredith
« Last Edit: February 09, 2015, 09:42:38 am by Amj1951 »
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Offline lporterrn

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  • LucindaPorterRN
    • LucindaPorterRN
Re: Beginning Harvoni 12 week treatment in the A:M
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2015, 12:59:25 pm »
Ruthie and Pete - hope to see you both at the finish line without hep C.
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Lucinda Porter, RN
1988 Contracted HCV
1997 Interferon nonresponder
2003 PEG + ribavirin responder-relapser
2013 Cured (Harvoni + ribavirin clinical trial)
https://www.hepmag.com/blogger/lucindakporter

Offline Mott the Hoop

  • Member
  • Posts: 12
Re: Beginning Harvoni 12 week treatment in the A:M
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2015, 08:28:57 am »
Good luck Pete & Ruthie , stay positive & remember to drink plenty o' water ! :) Mott the Hoop  8)
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