Author Topic: What Happens if you Miss a Harvoni Pill or Take 2 in the Same Day? (Read 28770 times)

Roger · « **on:** January 11, 2015, 05:30:48 pm »

HCV brain fog...

Today I took my Harvoni pill out of the bottle and can not remember if I
actually took it or not! I've look everywhere, and can't find it - so I am hopeful
that I swallowed it.

If I miss a day, is it bad?

How about if I take 2 in the same day (like I could do today - just in case)?

Does anybody know about this?

dragonslayer · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2015, 05:35:52 pm »

Hey Roger, that sucks!!

This is from the Harvoni prescribing document:

"If you miss a dose of HARVONI, take the missed dose as soon as you
remember the same day. Do not take more than 1 tablet of HARVONI in a
day. Take your next dose of HARVONI at your regular time the next day"

Roger · « **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2015, 05:58:20 pm »

Thanks Paul. I actually called the Gilead nurse hotline (after I posted that question), and she told me the same thing. She actually went so far and said that 2 pills in a day is considered an overdose, and one should get themselves to a hospital!

Not too bad - 2 bottles of pills with only one potential mishap. Ha!

BattleTheBeast · « **Reply #3 on:** January 11, 2015, 06:15:27 pm »

Roger,

You can count the pills, start with #1 on the day you started and you will know how many should be left in the bottle

Mel

Roger · « **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2015, 07:06:59 pm »

Mel,
You can bet that I already do that!
I even took today's pill out of the bottle... I just can't remember if
it made it into my mouth or not! I keep a daily log, but today there
were things going on that took my attention away - so I can't remember if I took
it or not. So far I have not found it around the house, so I am guessing
that I took it. Bummer!

nicole_1234 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 11, 2015, 07:59:50 pm »

You probably took it. I've been quite paranoid about that a couple times because this drug makes me pretty absent minded. But I count the pills to make sure I at least took it out and if I took it out I probably put it directly in my mouth. I try to say a little prayer of "virus go away" and really meditate on it when I swallow it so that I'm very conscious of what im doing, but a couple of times I've just been on the run and took it quickly.

Yesterday was the first day I didn't take it on time, it was three hours later and I had completely forgot! Even though I have my alarm set to remind me every day I guess I just didn't notice the phone. I do think for me now at 6 weeks the hardest part is to remember to take the darn thing.

kate0b1 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 11, 2015, 08:23:59 pm »

agh, I had to count today as well, this was the first time i had to though but I still have a way to go. Im thinking i just read in a post to turn the bottle upside down, I can't remember who said but they are a smarter than I.

kate

BattleTheBeast · « **Reply #7 on:** January 11, 2015, 09:04:34 pm »

Turn the bottle upside down, what I great idea, now I have to remember to do that!

I was 2 hours late this morning and it was sitting right in front of me!

Mel

Long_Haul · « **Reply #8 on:** January 11, 2015, 09:35:14 pm »

Hi Roger, sorry to hear you are in this quandary.

You are such a great source of support and information on here for us newbies. Thanks you so much for all you give to us.

I am new to the forum, however not so new to treatment. In 2000 I did 48 weeks of daily Interferon and twice daily Ribaviran, I learned early after missing a dose after brain fade and fatigue set in that I needed some way to "tick" my dosing. For my pills, I have to use a twice daily pill box and a bottle of water next to my pills. I used a calendar for my injections.

I am now on day 10 of Harvoni which is round 4 trying to slay the dragon.

Meredith mentioned her fridge magnet with "It is what it is" on it. I like that philosophy a lot as it keeps me sane going through all of these treatments.

I think I read in one of your recent posts that you just finished week 6 and were undetectable at your last test. Let's pray that it will have no impact on your SVR.

AL

Vflowers · « **Reply #9 on:** January 11, 2015, 09:35:30 pm »

Get a pill dispenser and fill every week. Saves a lot of anxiety. I have a few extra I could share

Roger · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2015, 09:41:54 pm »

Great tips - Thanks!

I have a easy system, in that I just take it with breakfast. Today was actually no different, except I was walking around and not in my general eating routine.
The nurse at Gilead told me that missing one day out of 12 weeks is probably mot a big deal, but they could send me the extra pill, FedEx if I want it. I might do that just in case, as the whole indecent is a blur!

That said, I have been feeling great lately, like no side effects!

nicole_1234 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 12, 2015, 02:09:21 am »

Vflowers, im so paranoid for this to work I'm trying to do everything by the book and they say on the package to keep it in the same container it comes in. Maybe a calendar and check it off? Still brain fog will make me forget to do even that. I just have to take it easy and try to not go too fast.

kate0b1 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 12, 2015, 05:58:43 am »

I'm going with the turn the bottle upside sown, I wish i could remember who said they do that, I didn't think I needed to until yesterday when I was so busy cooking (see why I shouldnt be cooking sigh) I had to count. For those who put them in a different container, I have had to do that twice so far because of traveling, I count out how many I will need and put them with my vitimans.

kate

Amj1951 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 12, 2015, 09:04:09 am »

Quote from: Roger on January 11, 2015, 05:30:48 pm

HCV brain fog...

Today I took my Harvoni pill out of the bottle and can not remember if I
actually took it or not! I've look everywhere, and can't find it - so I am hopeful
that I swallowed it.

If I miss a day, is it bad?

How about if I take 2 in the same day (like I could do today - just in case)?

Does anybody know about this?

Hi, Go buy one of the 7 day plastic pill containers. You can find them anywhere. I take a pill for my kidney and I was always forgetting did I take it or not?!?! Now I add a week's worth of Harvoni and its easy. Good luck to you!

jayme1017 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 13, 2015, 09:43:27 am »

Roger, I did the same thing!!!!!! It haunts me still

I called them too and they said the same thing. I would opt for the extra pill.. I called towards the beginning of my treatment to ask about the oil stains on the top of the lid and they actually told me to return my bottle to the pharmacy for a new one so I ended up with two weeks of extra pills!! What a blessing because I ended up having to switch insurance a couple weeks ago and they didn't approve the Harvoni right away so I would have been out of meds for a few days if I hadn't had the extra pills!! A "God moment" in my opinion. Anyway..,since I was just approved for 8 weeks due to being treatment naïve and a lower VL I now can do 10 weeks which makes me feel better about possibly missing a pill.

jayme1017 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 13, 2015, 09:44:19 am »

I just want to add that it turns out that the oil stains are normal

Roger · « **Reply #16 on:** January 14, 2015, 04:03:34 pm »

I called Gilead again yesterday and they said they'd get right on it.

Interesting to note... The nurse asked me how many pills I have on hand (not the exact count - just if I had enough to hold me over, as in 'non-emergency'). When I told her I have a new bottle waiting to be opened in a couple days she was relieved and told me that 'they are so swamped with orders (in general) and that they are having a hard time keeping up'!

Wow!

Since I have plenty on hand she said they'll get the one lost pill out to me next week.

Great service and a nice person.

Roger · « **Reply #17 on:** January 14, 2015, 04:11:44 pm »

Quote from: Long_Haul on January 11, 2015, 09:35:14 pm

Hi Roger, sorry to hear you are in this quandary.

You are such a great source of support and information on here for us newbies. Thanks you so much for all you give to us.

I am now on day 10 of Harvoni which is round 4 trying to slay the dragon.

AL

Al, Thanks for your kind words. How are doing with Harvoni so far? A lot easier than your past treatments I'll bet! I think my dragon has just about eaten the dust, as my side effects are minimal to none at this point. I've got 29 days left, then we'll track it and see how Harvoni did.

I will say, that I am feeling W-A-Y better than I have in years. No kidding! The other day I felt 'normal' (I guess it is normal, as I've lived with aches & pains and ill liver feelings for so long I am only guessing that it is normal!) with very few aches - at all!

It's strange how we are like the frog in the kettle of water, as we live with HCV and it creates a life where we take feeling ill as normal. I never thought I'd see the day, where my joints didn't ache!

dragonslayer · « **Reply #18 on:** January 14, 2015, 04:25:39 pm »

Quote from: Roger on January 14, 2015, 04:11:44 pm

Al, Thanks for your kind words. How are doing with Harvoni so far? A lot easier than your past treatments I'll bet! I think my dragon has just about eaten the dust, as my side effects are minimal to none at this point. I've got 29 days left, then we'll track it and see how Harvoni did.

I will say, that I am feeling W-A-Y better than I have in years. No kidding! The other day I felt 'normal' (I guess it is normal, as I've lived with aches & pains and ill liver feelings for so long I am only guessing that it is normal!) with very few aches - at all!

It's strange how we are like the frog in the kettle of water, as we live with HCV and it creates a life where we take feeling ill as normal. I never thought I'd see the day, where my joints didn't ache!

Roger, do you feel like the improvement in the way you feel is the result of very quick liver recovery, or rather the absence of the virus itself? Ive found it very difficult to determine if the general malaise has been due to liver disease, or to the virus. Id think liver disease, but my hepatologist tells me the perceived symptoms Ive had prior to treatment, ie, fatigue, red palms, pain in liver, brain fog, etc, are due to cirrhosis and since I was staged and graded 0-1, I dont have the symptoms that I said I had! So either it was all in my head, or likely due to the virus, but with no significant liver damage, Id have a hard time saying it was liver disease.. But all our cases are different. I know that in my case, whenever anything felt a bit 'off', the first thing I would blame is my hepatitis, whether it was right or wrong; just kind of a natural reaction I guess. For me, having completed my 7th wk of treatment with one to go, I can say that the telltale liver pains in the upper right quadrant under the leading edge of the rib cage have all but disappeared, and aside from insomnia, which Ive had like forever, Im feeling way better as well. Palms are decidedly less red, and brain fog has disappeared.. But, of course, since the doc told me I didnt have the symptoms I reported (since liver cant feel pain. Ha! bs I say!!), it must all be a psychosomatic ruse...

Roger · « **Reply #19 on:** January 14, 2015, 04:41:02 pm »

Paul,
It's probably more on the side of absence of virus (I'm guessing). I remember my internist telling me at age 60 to 'get use to it' when I asked her about my aches and pains. She attributed them to my age, not understanding that HCV can make one creaky.

I can still feel that ill feeling in my liver when I push under my right side rib cage, but frankly it seems to be less than all those years prior to Tx... but it is still noticeable. The biggest thing, for me anyway, is the diminishing aches in my joints.

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Author Topic: What Happens if you Miss a Harvoni Pill or Take 2 in the Same Day? (Read 28770 times)