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Author Topic: Very anxious  (Read 8492 times)

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Offline Sarasmile

  • Member
  • Posts: 7
Very anxious
« on: June 19, 2017, 03:04:29 pm »
Hi everyone,
I finally got my Harvoni approved and received my pills for the full 8 weeks. Insurance issues that I'm sure many of you understand delayed my treatment for awhile.

I start my first dose today at 4pm. After all this time of waiting for approval I find myself so anxious. I have a hard time with medications as I seem to get a lot of side effects. I guess I'm just looking for reassurance that I will be able to complete the therapy. I'm worried that I won't...sounds kind of silly when it's something that I prayed for. Thank you for letting me vent and any encouragement much appreciated.

Offline jakas

  • Member
  • Posts: 265
Re: Very anxious
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2017, 03:42:32 pm »
You will do well and get over it. Drink lots of water and its just 8 weeks. We have all done it so will you. :)
M/57 yrs.
Contracted (Unknown) 10-20-30 yrs back ??
Treatment Naive
Geno 1a&1b
VL  17+ million
ALT 200+, AST 170+
Fibroscan F4 ( 26+ kpa ) on 8th Dec. 2105
Started Tx 11th Dec.2015 ( 12 wks. Gilead Harvoni)
7/1/2016 :Viral Load|<25 UND.
23/1/2016: ALT 34 , AST 35, ALP 143
8 week NO labs done
EOT:03.03.2016 ( 84 pills eaten )
ALT 26, ALP 124, BIL .54
V/L <25 UND E.O.T.
4 weeks E.O.T. V/L UND::: SVR 4
SVR 12 and  SVR 24 on 16/8/16
Fibro 24.5kpa 23/05/16
SVR 63 05/17
Fibro 17.03.2020 kpa 6.3

Offline Sarasmile

  • Member
  • Posts: 7
Re: Very anxious
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2017, 07:41:10 pm »
Thank you Jakas. Started my first day on to a cure.☺

Offline gnatcatcher

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,372
Re: Very anxious
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2017, 07:45:22 pm »
Hi again, Sarasmile. Since I already shared my easy experience with Harvoni on your other thread, I'll just say that swallowing a first pill of a new medicine for me often felt like swallowing a hand grenade. Not so with Harvoni, because I had already followed a thread on these forums where people shared their mostly very easy experiences, and the Harvoni prescription information booklet showed that the most common side effects were quite rare and not hard to deal with.

Let's consider the worst-case scenario: you end up being that rare person who has trouble with Harvoni. Either your doctor can offset the trouble or you get put on a different Hep C med instead (there are other excellent choices now). It's much more likely that you will have an easy ride.

Feel free to keep us posted and ask any questions that come up.

Best,

Gnatty
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 Jorah

  • Member
  • Posts: 113
Re: Very anxious
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2017, 10:42:43 pm »
Hi Sarasmile..I like your name it reminds of a great song of Hall and Oates...I was talking to my treatment nurse at the beginning of Treatment about people not being able to handle it, they run a very big liver clinic (thousands) and she said nobody had to stop because of these pills....nobody...you'll see after a few days you'll chill out because there is nothing to it.. nothing like interferon.  Take care
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOFCTFXn6xE

I start my first dose today at 4pm. After all this time of waiting for approval I find myself so anxious. I have a hard time with medications as I seem to get a lot of side effects. I guess I'm just looking for reassurance that I will be able to complete the therapy. I'm worried that I won't...sounds kind of silly when it's something that I prayed for. Thank you for letting me vent and any encouragement much appreciated.

Offline Sarasmile

  • Member
  • Posts: 7
Re: Very anxious
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2017, 12:37:49 am »
Completed my first week of treatment. All in all it has been OK. Very emotional the first couple of days but that seems to have leveled out. Today I'm having pain in my upper back and fatigued and sleepy. Everyday has been different. Have a great day everyone.

Offline andrew j

  • Member
  • Posts: 477
Re: Very anxious
« Reply #6 on: June 26, 2017, 01:22:18 am »
... So pleased it's going reasonably smoothly for you.

Best wishes,
A.

Offline gnatcatcher

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,372
Re: Very anxious
« Reply #7 on: June 26, 2017, 05:28:51 am »
One week down, only seven to go. So many of us had already reached UNDETECTABLE when we were tested after four weeks* that the biggest part of the battle between Harvoni and the bad guys likely occurs very early in treatment, which can explain the fatigue. We've also conjectured that the immune system gets baffled by the arrival of this new, powerful ally. Every day was different for me, too.

Gnatty

*Doctors differ greatly in their testing schedules, so yours might not test then. The official test to see if one is cured occurs twelve weeks after the end of treatment.
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 Jorah

  • Member
  • Posts: 113
Re: Very anxious
« Reply #8 on: June 26, 2017, 09:26:01 am »
One week down, only seven to go. So many of us had already reached UNDETECTABLE when we were tested after four weeks* that the biggest part of the battle between Harvoni and the bad guys likely occurs very early in treatment, which can explain the fatigue. We've also conjectured that the immune system gets baffled by the arrival of this new, powerful ally. Every day was different for me, too.

Hi Gnatty, my TX nurse also said the biggest battle happens in the first month, how do we explain that many become more irritable and emotional the last weeks of TX? (or that is what I'm reading) Thanx

Offline gnatcatcher

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,372
Re: Very anxious
« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2017, 09:49:58 am »
Jorah, how many of those who became more irritable and emotional the last weeks of tx were taking ribavirin, which includes anxiety and rage among its side effects? If someone taking the non-ribavirin meds becomes more emotional, it could be due to anxiety about whether they'll be cured or will end up among the unlucky few. For some people, the closer they come to a highly desired goal, the greater the anxiety that they may fail to reach it.

Just my two cents.

Gnatty
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 Jorah

  • Member
  • Posts: 113
Re: Very anxious
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2017, 10:26:31 am »
No, they were either on Epclusa or Harvoni alone...Yeah who knows?

Offline Sarasmile

  • Member
  • Posts: 7
Re: Very anxious
« Reply #11 on: June 27, 2017, 05:00:08 pm »
Going into week 2. Today is the worst I've felt since starting treatment. Having anxiety, upper and pain, and brain fog. This to shall pass...just venting. Have a great day everyone.

Offline gnatcatcher

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,372
Re: Very anxious
« Reply #12 on: June 27, 2017, 05:57:12 pm »
Sarasmile, vent away -- this is a place where that's okay.
Day by day, you're getting there. May nothing come that you can't bear.
Things will be a whole lot worse if I keep trying to write in verse. ;)

Gnatty
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 andrew j

  • Member
  • Posts: 477
Re: Very anxious
« Reply #13 on: June 27, 2017, 08:26:22 pm »
Yes, Gnat!

Sara,

Are you drinking plenty of water?


Offline Sarasmile

  • Member
  • Posts: 7
Re: Very anxious
« Reply #14 on: June 27, 2017, 09:17:02 pm »
Yes but today I am having a hard time doing that. Can't seem to eat today either. Will keep pushing fluids..I have some bone broth...will have some of that too. Thanks everyone. Gnatty..thank you.

 


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