Last day of 24 weeks. One pill to go

[TexasC+]

24 weeks of Riba 1200mg and sovaldi 400mg a day. The last week was a bit much with side effects, being just plain tired and trying to fight off a sore throat, so I took off work and just stayed home to rest and digest the journey.
My company sent me flowers and told me to keep my butt at home till Monday. I was able to do my ordering from home for work and take care of any hiccups by phone.
Not sleeping well for so long now, a few hours at a time. I can not wait for the meds to clear my system and sleep past 5 am. I turned my alarm off today, as I had it set for 5am and 5 pm for meds. It is just past 6:30 and I am doing the daily push water to avoid as much side effects as I can.
Post treatment labs are tomorrow. I LOVE the sound of that " post treatment".
It has been a journey to find out I was positive, get meds and get through 24 weeks of what felt like medicine running my life.
I will do 3 month and 6 month lab follow ups. Hopefully I can get back on track with exercise and healthier eating. I found ice pops and Italian ices to be something that I tolerated and helped the hot flashes. I have eaten what ever sounded good on the days I was hungry. I had just hit to the pound the weight for the highest dose of riba. I gained 12 lbs to hit the weight of 166 on my Dr visit for med preauthorization.  I could not be down even a pound at Dr visits, as the insurance company called me every 2-3 weeks to check on me and get labs, weights and as about side effects. In the first month I must admit i did chug bottles of water on the drive and wore my heaviest cowboy boots and heavy clothes to hit the 165 mark on the scale. I live in Texas boots jeans and a belt are the norm lol.
For some reason I felt dose reduction would effect my outcome and starting with liver enzymes so high and a 6 million viral load. Perhaps it was just wanting control of something in a situation that felt so out of control.
I felt cranky some days and had to stuff it down at work. Being a smiling/happy/bubbly director, was in itself exhausting. I pushed long hours at work sometimes 16-20 a day. I was diagnosed a few months after taking this job. My previous job for years,  in a 12 hour shift  you were lucky to get to use the bathroom. Many times you did not get to eat or drink for the 12 hours.   I had symptoms for years but did not know what it was. I was tired, foggy, felt sick all the time. The dark urine at the end of my shift was "dehydration" funny how chugging water before going to sleep did not change it much. But nurses don't get "sick".  I thought it was 12 hour night shifts and doing 3-5 or even more in a row was just "getting to me".
I loved my new job and getting used to working in the day time,was  my new excuse for feeling so run down and tired. I was diagnosed and started treatment a few months after starting my new job. My doc made me get the labs done. I have thanked him a million times for making me get them. I inhereted a bit of a mess at the new job and had a time line to get thing on track.  I would get off in time to get my 5:15 pm  dose ( sometimes a little later ) then hit the computer to work from home. I worked  till I felt like I could sleep. When sleep did not happen, I got up  went to work or got on the computer. If it  was after 4 am, I took my meds early and went in. Work seemed to make the time productive on my days when I felt bad, which in turn made me happy even if my body was not so happy that day.
I look back and I don't know how I made it , I just know I did.
One more blue pill .................
On days when I felt that I  just could not stand the medications or the fight anymore I read the forum. I talked to others who had made the journey and come out the other side. It helps. I don't think anyone understands as well as another Hep C+ warrior.
The killing of a virus is NOT easy but with todays medications it is possible.

[Madelief]

Thank you for your story. I am so glad for you that the end of your treatment had finally come  : :
Congratulaions!!! Only one day to go, to great to believe maybe maybe. Enjoy!!
Madelief

[BillT]

Congratulations Texas on getting to the other side.Now it's time for you to heal and relax a bit.One thing I've been noticing in the posts is that the beginning VL don't seems to be a problem for a successful Tx.I'm eating everything in sight right now and not going a ounce.I think I'm going to find some self control and drop some of the weight I need to. Anyway congrats on getting through it and killing another dragon.
                               

[MaryC]

Congrats TexasC...yours is an amazing story of tenacity and perseverance.  Be good to yourself and take the time to heal and recover. 
Mary

[Philadelphia]

Congrats on reaching the end! I did 24 weeks. It was a long time but I'm actually glad I did that long. I wanted to make absolutely sure that I did everything in my power to kill the virus.