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Author Topic: Going To start treatment  (Read 9395 times)

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Offline HCV_FIGHTER

  • Member
  • Posts: 9
  • This Too Shall Pass
Going To start treatment
« on: January 30, 2016, 03:32:55 pm »
Hello everyone,
My name is Merai from Middle East, my doctor recommended me to start treatment soon with Harvoni 12 weeks.
Genotype 1a viral load around 3 million and I'm not willing to do liver biopsy because last time I did one (2012) stage 1 , 0 and I suffered from the pain during the biopsy operation.The fibroscan is not applicable to me since my BMI is 39, doctor recommend a fibrotest ! Any one has info about this test ?! Is it enough?! Any advice prior to start the treatment?
Thanks and wish you all the best
Merai
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This Too Shall Pass

Offline KimInTheForest

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,972
  • Believe in yourself
Re: Going To start treatment
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2016, 03:41:15 pm »
Welcome to the forums, Merai. And congrats on your soon-to-start treatment. Your doctor was perhaps referring to the Fibrosure blood test, which is yet another way these days to stage liver damage and measure the extent of fibrosis. No pain involved as it is simply a blood test. It is about as accurate as the fibroscan, as I understand it.

As for advice, just remember to drink plenty of water during treatment. It does seem to lessen side effects, if you happen to have any side effects. Many people on Harvoni don't have side effects.

Good luck to you!
kim
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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/

Offline HCV_FIGHTER

  • Member
  • Posts: 9
  • This Too Shall Pass
Re: Going To start treatment
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2016, 03:50:25 pm »
Thanks a lot Kim , and I appreciate your advice.

Best wishes
Merai
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This Too Shall Pass

Offline gnatcatcher

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,372
Re: Going To start treatment
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2016, 04:56:33 pm »
Merai, Fibrosure is one of several brands of blood test that assess how much fibrosis you have, so your doctor's suggestion is good. My hepatologist thinks the Fibrosure isn't as accurate as the FibroScan, but you are correct that the FibroScan is likely to be inaccurate with your BMI of 39, so in your case, using a blood test to measure fibrosis is the best choice. Not even a biopsy is 100% accurate.

If you look below at my signature file, you'll see that I had the same genotype as you, and a similar viral load. I had an easy time on Harvoni and reached SVR12, so I am considered cured with, at this point, a 99% chance of staying HCV-free. Besides drinking plenty of fluids while on treatment, exercising also seems to help treatment go smoothly.

Best wishes to you!

Gnatty
Logged
9/29/71 transfusions
HCV genotype 1a
7/09/15-9/30/15 Harvoni

Before treatment:
Viral Load 9,490,582
FibroScan 19.5 kPa [F4]
ALT 262
AST 217
ALP 183

Most recent:
VL still UNDETECTED (SVR 102)
FibroScan 7.6 kPa [F1-2]
ALT 15
AST 20
ALP 85

Offline FutureThinker

  • Member
  • Posts: 711
  • Onward and upward!
Re: Going To start treatment
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2016, 05:15:14 pm »
Hi Merai, I had a FibroSure blood test last year that showed F2 after a biopsy several years ago showing F1.  It's is commonly used today as it's less invasive, safer and cheaper than a biopsy, but I think the "gold standard" continues to be biopsy. I think we'll be seeing the FibroScan more as a good option in place of biopsy in applicable populations, again due to being cheaper, safer and having good prognostic value. Good luck with treatment! FT
Logged
Treatment naive
Likely contracted mid-70s
Diagnosed 1a, 2011
F1-2
Harvoni X 12 weeks, completed 5/17/16
Pre-treatment: VL 3 mil, AST 64, ALT 84
4 week labs: VL 30, AST 21, ALT 14
8 week labs: VL UD!!!, AST 22, ALT 16
12 week labs: VL UD, AST 23, ALT 14
2 wk EOT: VL UD
12 wk EOT: VL UD, AST 22, ALT 13 =  SVR 12! Yay! 
Last hep appointment: VL UD, AST 19, ALT 12 = SVR 39! I AM DONE!

Offline HCV_FIGHTER

  • Member
  • Posts: 9
  • This Too Shall Pass
Re: Going To start treatment
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2016, 07:32:39 am »
Quote from: gnatcatcher on January 30, 2016, 04:56:33 pm
Merai, Fibrosure is one of several brands of blood test that assess how much fibrosis you have, so your doctor's suggestion is good. My hepatologist thinks the Fibrosure isn't as accurate as the FibroScan, but you are correct that the FibroScan is likely to be inaccurate with your BMI of 39, so in your case, using a blood test to measure fibrosis is the best choice. Not even a biopsy is 100% accurate.

If you look below at my signature file, you'll see that I had the same genotype as you, and a similar viral load. I had an easy time on Harvoni and reached SVR12, so I am considered cured with, at this point, a 99% chance of staying HCV-free. Besides drinking plenty of fluids while on treatment, exercising also seems to help treatment go smoothly.

Best wishes to you!

Gnatty

Hi Gnatty,

I’m glad that you are free from it  :) , and thanks for the useful info sure I will start exercising besides drinking plenty of fluids. I’m really appreciated and I wish you all the best.


Merai

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This Too Shall Pass

Offline HCV_FIGHTER

  • Member
  • Posts: 9
  • This Too Shall Pass
Re: Going To start treatment
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2016, 07:38:49 am »
Quote from: FutureThinker on January 30, 2016, 05:15:14 pm
Hi Merai, I had a FibroSure blood test last year that showed F2 after a biopsy several years ago showing F1.  It's is commonly used today as it's less invasive, safer and cheaper than a biopsy, but I think the "gold standard" continues to be biopsy. I think we'll be seeing the FibroScan more as a good option in place of biopsy in applicable populations, again due to being cheaper, safer and having good prognostic value. Good luck with treatment! FT

Hi FutureThinker, Thanks for pushing me forward. you guys are so positive  :D

Best wishes
Merai
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This Too Shall Pass

Offline FutureThinker

  • Member
  • Posts: 711
  • Onward and upward!
Re: Going To start treatment
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2016, 01:13:49 pm »
Merai, love your signature phrase!!! You are right, "this too shall pass" and I believe this will be the year for a lot of us...... myself included.  I'm waiting for a decision by the state to make my insurance co. pay for Harvoni, should know next month, so keep your fingers crossed.  FT
Logged
Treatment naive
Likely contracted mid-70s
Diagnosed 1a, 2011
F1-2
Harvoni X 12 weeks, completed 5/17/16
Pre-treatment: VL 3 mil, AST 64, ALT 84
4 week labs: VL 30, AST 21, ALT 14
8 week labs: VL UD!!!, AST 22, ALT 16
12 week labs: VL UD, AST 23, ALT 14
2 wk EOT: VL UD
12 wk EOT: VL UD, AST 22, ALT 13 =  SVR 12! Yay! 
Last hep appointment: VL UD, AST 19, ALT 12 = SVR 39! I AM DONE!
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