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Author Topic: What a difference a year makes.  (Read 17903 times)

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Offline Mike

  • Member
  • Posts: 999
What a difference a year makes.
« on: January 24, 2015, 06:25:38 pm »
A year ago today, I took my first Sovaldi and Ribavirin pill, followed by a Interferon shot 12 hours later.

Having previously experienced the ravishes of a 48 week course of RIBV+INTF, I expected the worst and began my second treatment with apprehension and anxiety.

Upon awakening the following morning, fully expecting to feel every adversity associated with an INTF injection, I was surprised to have relatively minor side-effects (fatigue and a mild headache).

Such was the beginning of my 12 week journey of chugging water, daily pills and weekly injections.

I hit the 4 week mark, and had a undetectable viral load. This was a really big pump and I started believing that I could actually be cured. This gave me the strength to get through the remainder of the treatment.

8 more weeks to go!

And bam: I remember getting on a bent knee and kissing the last yellow Sovaldi pill (#84), followed by 16 ozs of H2O for good measure. Treatment was over. I made it!

The 12 weeks flew by like a bird caught in the wind, and it was time for my end of treatment blood work.

My thoughts were mercurial: Would I still be undetected? Would the treatment work? Did I beat this pernicious bastard of virus that wrought havoc on my life for the past 30 years?

This was the longest week - awaiting the EOT viral load.

With trepidation  and anxiety, I called my doctor's office. The results were in: Undetectable virus!

12 weeks later, the news of an SVR12, followed by an SVR24!

I beat the dragon - several tears ran down the side of my face. The long nightmare was over!

What a difference a year makes. I still have pangs of a 50 year old man and the aches and pains that come with those years. But I don't have the cloud of Hep-C blocking the sunlight, and the fog that comes with this disease has lifted.

In reflection, I've seen my health and welfare significantly improve. I found my old self again - the part of me stolen by Hep some 30 years prior.

But more importantly, I have seen this in others!

Best wishes, Mike
Logged
Genotype 1a
Treated 2001 with PEG and RIBV
Treated in 2014 SOL+PEG+RIBV
Cured July 2014

Offline morning_glory

  • Member
  • Posts: 104
  • This is the first day, of the rest of your life...
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2015, 07:13:41 pm »
Thank you for sharing! So encouraging!
Enjoy the new you!

MG
Logged
Likely infected - mid 70's / Diagnosed - mid 90's
Geno type - 1a
AST - 45
ALT - 51
Viral Load - 435,120
Liver Biopsy 6/2004 - F1-2
Fibrosure 5/2011 - F1-2
Fibrosure 2/2014 - F-0
Treatment Naive, prior to Harvoni
Harvoni started on 5/16/15
8-week Treatment Completed (7/10/15)
4-week bloodwork (6/11/15) Undetected, AST 15, ALT 17
8-week bloodwork (7/13/15) Undetected, AST 14, ALT 16

Offline Red Hen

  • Member
  • Posts: 187
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2015, 07:24:12 pm »
Hooray, Mike! Great post.
Logged
genotype 1a
completed 12 weeks Viekira pak and ribavirin
final results due around the end of April
Undetected 12 weeks post treatment!

Offline Tess1971

  • Member
  • Posts: 198
  • G2b, 12wk Sov/Riba, End 11/15/14 UD, SVR-5,14 & 32-UD
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2015, 11:47:13 pm »
Absolutely super post - wonderful to hear.
Logged

Offline rainbowray

  • Member
  • Posts: 263
  • Gen 1B
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2015, 10:59:41 am »
50 years old is young.
Logged

Offline Amj1951

  • Member
  • Posts: 118
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2015, 09:33:05 pm »
Congratulations Mike!!

50 is young............ its also just a number. You have along way to go : )
Meredith
Logged

Offline Lynn K

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 4,546
  • Get tested, get treated, get cured, fight Hep c!
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2015, 01:45:49 am »
Congrats Mike

You post brought happy tears to my eyes!

And what everybody said 50 is the new 30!
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 Anand

  • Member
  • Posts: 34
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2015, 03:07:52 pm »
Hey  Mike,

I have been a follower since March 2013. good post.  Congratulations.  I am almost there for my EOT.  From where I am <I am 77> 50 for me eons ago. 50 for me is the age that I had heart attack and the dreaded blood transfusion.

Infected 1987. 
started Harvoni: Nov 12,2014.  1a, treatment naïve, stage 3

 November 11: Viral population density 1.33E6 <1.33 million>
   7 day post:  20
   20 day:        UND
   34 day:        UND
   48 day:        UND

9 more pills to go.  Anand
Logged

Offline Anand

  • Member
  • Posts: 34
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2015, 03:09:48 pm »
Correction.  I started posting in March 2014 and not 2013.   Anand
Logged

Offline Mike

  • Member
  • Posts: 999
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2015, 06:02:51 pm »
Hi Anand,

Those are great numbers! And it looks like you're going to beat this dragon!

Regarding being 50 (I'm actually 51-1/2), I know I'm not over the hill - but I'm to old to mutter the words: "Hey guys! Watch this!" The body doesn't bounce back as quick!

In any event congrats on the numbers.

Young at heart - young in mind, Mike  8)
Logged
Genotype 1a
Treated 2001 with PEG and RIBV
Treated in 2014 SOL+PEG+RIBV
Cured July 2014

Offline Lynn K

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 4,546
  • Get tested, get treated, get cured, fight Hep c!
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2015, 07:19:44 pm »
Mike

Did I mention I have been known to jump out of airplanes?

57 years young in March
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 BubbaT

  • Member
  • Posts: 267
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #11 on: March 12, 2015, 11:41:25 pm »
Great story mike,

Great outcome too!    I read the brother from India's story, wow, what a Triumph!

To God be Glory!
Logged
Age 57 male
Infected late 70's
Diagnosed 95
1a, 2 prev biopsy 95, 2004
Ct 2007, 2015
Treatment Naive
F4 A3. Fibrosure/ CT 2-5-15. Ammonia 222
VL 2.2 mil.
Started Harvoni  3-3-15. 12weeks, finished 5-26-15
4 week VL undetected
12 week EOT undetected

Offline Billy

  • Member
  • Posts: 27
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2015, 02:40:50 pm »
That was great. Already at 10 weeks I wake up with less brain fog or my mind racing frantically. Insomnia is still a problem and I'm looking at every possibility for that and making adjustments....maybe I depended on caffeine for too many years to help overcome my lack of energy.
Logged

Offline Picnic

  • Member
  • Posts: 110
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #13 on: March 19, 2015, 09:16:39 am »
Mike,
I am sure many of us are dreaming to being able to tell the same story. You are an inspiration for all of us. Thanks Larry
Logged
Larry

Offline Debula

  • Member
  • Posts: 257
  • "Your body hears everything your mind says"
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #14 on: March 19, 2015, 09:55:22 am »
Mike
Thank you for sharing the wonderful post.  Congratulations!
You have given me hope

Logged
80's DX: NonA,B
Non responder to Interferon
3/6/2015-GT 1a
VL-1920000 IU/mL
FibroSURE: Fibrosis stage F4 (0.79)
                  Necroinflammat activity A3 Severe (0.75)
AST 88,  ALT 120, Platelets 73
4/16/2015-Started Harvoni (24 weeks)
5/13/2015-4 weeks AST 26, ALT 36 
5/22/2015-5 weeks  VL UND
6/17/2015-9 weeks  VL UND AST 28 ALT 40
7/31/2015-15 weeks VL UND AST 27 ALT 39
9/22 Diagnosed with HCC
10/1-EOT
10/29-SVR4
12/23-SVR12
I AM HEPC FREE! :)

Offline Tess1971

  • Member
  • Posts: 198
  • G2b, 12wk Sov/Riba, End 11/15/14 UD, SVR-5,14 & 32-UD
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #15 on: March 19, 2015, 11:59:10 am »
Super numbers Anand, total cure is just around the corner for you.
And as for age, I am 64 and still spry and hope to be more so now that I am hepc free…………
YAY to us all !!!
Logged

Offline Red Hen

  • Member
  • Posts: 187
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #16 on: March 20, 2015, 03:17:08 pm »
Congratulations!
Logged
genotype 1a
completed 12 weeks Viekira pak and ribavirin
final results due around the end of April
Undetected 12 weeks post treatment!

Offline Marysee

  • Member
  • Posts: 48
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #17 on: March 25, 2015, 06:30:26 pm »
What a great post...right there with you. A couple years older though :)
Logged

Offline KimInTheForest

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,972
  • Believe in yourself
Re: What a difference a year makes.
« Reply #18 on: March 25, 2015, 06:41:13 pm »
Fantastic post, Mike. Very inspiring! :)

Kim
Logged
Kim Goldberg (Nanaimo, BC)
1970s: Contracted HCV (genotype 3a)
2015: Cured with Harvoni + ribavirin (12 weeks)
MY STORY: https://pigsquash.wordpress.com/2016/01/28/undetectable-my-hep-c-story/
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