Finished Harvoni Regimen

[belgianista]

Hey all, I'm new to the board, and simply wanted to say that I just took my final dose of a 12 week regimen of Harvoni this morning. Tested positive for Hep C ten+/- years ago (likely had had it for 35 or so) and went thru the early Pegasys Ribavirin interferon clinical trials unsuccessfully back at that time. Nearly -0- side effects on the Harvoni, but also had to drink lots of water every day and I have been working out 30 minutes a day in the gym for the past year, so that helped. Tested -0- virus load at 4 weeks, and just had the blood drawn this afternoon for the exit testing as a follow up. Hoping that it's gone forever, fingers crossed.There will be one final virus load check at 12 weeks out and if still clear the good news is no one has ever had a recurrence after testing clear at that benchmark.
Also as a side note, when tested via the fibrosure blood test for liver condition it had come back as F4, but upon going for a fibroscan (ultrasound) which is much, much more accurate it came back as F0-F1 If you have only had the fibrosure blood work done in determining the liver condition, I highly recommend that you go for a second opinion via either the fibroscan or a biopsy. Best wishes for positive results to all.

[Lynn K]

Welcome to the forum and good luck

Wishing you SVR forever

[charly8]

if still clear the good news is no one has ever had a recurrence after testing clear at that benchmark.
Also as a side note, when tested via the fibrosure blood test for liver condition it had come back as F4, but upon going for a fibroscan (ultrasound) which is much, much more accurate it came back as F0-F1

Wow those are some major variability of results.  Mine are similar F3 (Fibrosure) to F0-F1 (Fibroscan).  Fibroscan was 4 months after.

When were your tests?

[belgianista]

Both tests were pre-treatment and only 3+/- weeks apart. H0-H1 was my first results via biopsy upon being diagnosed ten years prior. I then went through the ribavarin interferon clinical trials and had an undetectable viral load while under treatment, but it came right back shortly after ending the trial. I will add that I stayed on a religious regimen of 750 to 1000mg of milk thistle per day for the entire duration of those ten years right up until I started my Harvoni. From what I have read and learned from the medical field, the fibrosure is quite inaccurate and while not as definitive as the invasive method of biopsy, the fibroscan has proven to be far more dependable. I was shocked at getting the H4 diagnosis as I am extremely active in biking, hiking, mountain climbing kayaking etc and feel and look in better shape than I did 20 years ago. Therefore I pushed to have the fibroscan done as a second opinion, and it came back H0-H1

[BubbaT]

Hey all, I'm new to the board, and simply wanted to say that I just took my final dose of a 12 week regimen of Harvoni this morning. Tested positive for Hep C ten+/- years ago (likely had had it for 35 or so) and went thru the early Pegasys Ribavirin interferon clinical trials unsuccessfully back at that time. Nearly -0- side effects on the Harvoni, but also had to drink lots of water every day and I have been working out 30 minutes a day in the gym for the past year, so that helped. Tested -0- virus load at 4 weeks, and just had the blood drawn this afternoon for the exit testing as a follow up. Hoping that it's gone forever, fingers crossed.There will be one final virus load check at 12 weeks out and if still clear the good news is no one has ever had a recurrence after testing clear at that benchmark.
Also as a side note, when tested via the fibrosure blood test for liver condition it had come back as F4, but upon going for a fibroscan (ultrasound) which is much, much more accurate it came back as F0-F1 If you have only had the fibrosure blood work done in determining the liver condition, I highly recommend that you go for a second opinion via either the fibroscan or a biopsy. Best wishes for positive results to all.

Thank you belginesta,

I also took milk thistle for 20 yrs prior to treating, and I was also alarmed at the F4,
Diagnosis of the fibrosure I got in February before starting Harvoni in March...


I was hoping that would be TRUE, about the test outcome, you have made my Day!
Cheers, and praise the Lord!

[belgianista]

Great to hear my friend, you appear to mirror my case in many ways. I have great faith in the fact that milk thistle has tremendous beneficial qualities and will continue even after with a lower dose maintenance level as a supplement. Good luck, and will see you on the waiting team soon!