40 years wth Hep C type 1b

[Capt Bruce]

Anyone else have this genotype? Had it 40 years from transfusion.
Just started Harvoni 2days ago so far no side effects. Did the interferon ribaveron for almost a year, and almost killed me, severe depression, anger, lost weight and hair.
Haven't seen to many with this geno, if anyone has same would like to hear from you.
Thanks for this forum and good luck to all.
Capt Bruce

[Sven]

Hello Capt Bruce,

I'm also 1b genotype and I've read that  the geno 1b is mostly found in Europe and Asia and 1a in North,South America and Australia.
 
I had the same terrible side effects from the interferon.

Now I'm on Viekira Pack and RBV for 12 weeks and I've read the Harvoni,Olysio/Sovaldi and Viekira Pak are just the same meds with the different generic name and they treat the hepc with 90-100% successes. Good news for all hep c people.

How long your Harvoni treatment will take? 12 or 24 weeks?

I wish you good luck and health!

[Capt Bruce]

Hi Sven
Thanks for your reply, didn't know 1b was more common in Europe. My last blood test
Was 100 million, and i finally got approved for Harvoni. Last chance for me. I am on a 12 week course of just Harvoni and so far no side effects.
Good luck to all.

[rainbowray]

Yeah,
Gen 1B for 44 years. I completed 24 weeks of Sovaldi/Ribavirin in Dec 2014. I am
undected post 24+ week. Havoni should be a breeze if you do not have cirohsis.
I assume this, as you are on 12 weeks only Harvoni.   Gen 1B is probably the best
to have with the new treatments.

[davidsconfused]

Mine is (or hopefully was, I take the 12 week post test Friday) 1B. I've almost for sure had since Sept 24 or 25, 1974. I was mangled in a car wreck and kept alive with LARGE quantities of blood, then open heart and major abdominal surgeries. I may have got Hep C from the blood, but without it I would have been dead 09/24/74, instead of being alive now to worry about it.

I was lucky and didn't find out I had it until Dec 2012 so I didn't worry about it all those years and by then the new treatments were on the horizon with no major liver damage. I was advised to just wait and I did until Harvoni was out in Oct 2014.

[Capt Bruce]

Congrats and hope your treatment was a sucess. I have a correction
On my first post my VL was 10 million still very high, so hoping harvoni is the answer for me. on my seventh day and no side effects. Good luck to all to be free of the Vampire in 2015.

[HepcPbc]

Hi,  I am also 1b.  Recently diagnosed and started treatment, Harvoni, 2 days ago.  Dr says 12-24 weeks of treatment, but insurance company says 8 weeks.  It took a long time to finally get the prescription and I'm just happy to get started, and will address the treatment duration with the insurance company.  Pharmacy said 8 week determination probably due to lower viral load, but a few months passed during the battle to get the prescription and medication, and new Dr suggesting 12 to 24 months also took blood work, but VL not shared with me yet.  Maybe her recommendation is due to a higher VL?  Trying to get all of the facts before approached the insurance company about treatment duration.  Will be interested in following you to hear if you've experienced any side effects.  Wonder if they vary, or if there are any similarities according to genotype.  Happy healing!!!

[rainbowray]

To HepcPbc,
If you do not have cirrhosis, then 12 weeks is to shoot for. Don't know about an 8 week treatment. I would feel better with 12 weeks. 24 if you have cirrhosis. Your chance of cure is pretty good if you do not have cirrhosis.

[HepcPbc]

Thanks rainbow ray.  Recent fibroscan showed some fibrosis, but no cirrhosis.  Yes, I though everything I read about Harvoni is minimum 12 weeks.  Odd (but probably not surprising) that the insurance company would deviate, especially since I guess if I stop too soon, it can result in resistance to further treatment.

[rainbowray]

HepcPbc,
What is good about this, is Gen 1B has more success than Gen 1A. I think in early trials 8 weeks had a good result, but 12 is recommended now (by me, your Doc). Your insurance is trying to squeeze this. It is about the money. You can still succeed, but make the effort somehow for the extra 4 weeks.
No cirrhosis is good for you, it is their justification for 8 weeks.

[dragonslayer]

Generally, it is a viral load count < 6mil combined with no cirrhosis and treatment naive status for which 8 wks treatment is used; SVR results are very close to those achieved in 12 wk treatments for this group.