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Author Topic: Starting Harvoni tomorrow, a bit nervous.  (Read 10207 times)

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Offline robeson

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  • Posts: 10
Starting Harvoni tomorrow, a bit nervous.
« on: October 05, 2018, 04:04:19 pm »
I was diagnosed with hep c a few weeks ago. I had been feeling "weird" and "tired" on and off for a year or two now, and had elevated liver enzymes. I suppose the strange and tired feeling has been hep c this entire time. I've just received Harvoni today, and it's weird because upon actually getting it into my hands, the reality of it has hit me like a brick wall. Going to start tomorrow morning, so I can continually take it at the same time everyday. I just thought I'd make this topic to see how other people are doing, and if anyone has any encouraging words for me, I would appreciate it.

Thanks!
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Offline lporterrn

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  • Posts: 1,969
  • LucindaPorterRN
    • LucindaPorterRN
Re: Starting Harvoni tomorrow, a bit nervous.
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2018, 04:32:08 pm »
Congratulations! I think most of us have a bit of anxiety before taking any new medication, especially this one. And then there are the questions, such as, "Will it work? Will I have side effects? and so on.

And for some of us, it feels like a rite of passage. I had hep C for 25 years, and with 2 unsuccessful interferon-based treatments, I had gotten accustomed to living with this virus.

So, here is what I'd like to share: Some people feel better on treatment. I've seen it happen here and there is research to back this up. Some people don't feel better. For them, some may have some other underlying issue that we don't quite understand yet.

For me, living without an infectious virus is very liberating. Gone too are my increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and all the other hep-C related co-morbidities.

As for the treatment, it was short. I was in a clinical trial using ribavirin, so I did have side effects. But in the scheme of things, it wasn't hard.

Hope to be celebrating with you. Keep in touch.
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Lucinda Porter, RN
1988 Contracted HCV
1997 Interferon nonresponder
2003 PEG + ribavirin responder-relapser
2013 Cured (Harvoni + ribavirin clinical trial)
https://www.hepmag.com/blogger/lucindakporter

Offline KimInTheForest

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  • Posts: 1,972
  • Believe in yourself
Re: Starting Harvoni tomorrow, a bit nervous.
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2018, 08:48:28 pm »
Good luck to you robeson! You will almost certainy be cured. Harvoni has a very high (near total) success rate. I was cured with Harvoni (plus ribavirin in my case) 3 years ago. I had had Hep C for probably 45 years at that time.

I'm sure you'll do fine. Drink plenty of water. Keep us posted.

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 robeson

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  • Posts: 10
Re: Starting Harvoni tomorrow, a bit nervous.
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2018, 10:30:21 pm »
Thank you both for your responses! I’ll be taking it in the morning tomorrow and will post with what my experience is like. Thank you!
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Offline chino1969

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  • Posts: 117
Re: Starting Harvoni tomorrow, a bit nervous.
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2018, 08:43:02 am »
I'm glad to hear you are starting treatment as it will be successful. I went through two prior treatments that were unsuccessful. One was very disappointing as I cleared the virus (Olysio & Solvadi) only to have the virus come back. I then began a 24 week treatment of Harvoni and have been Hep C clear since 2014. Drink plenty of water. I had zero side effects. Hope this helps and good luck.
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Offline robeson

  • Member
  • Posts: 10
Re: Starting Harvoni tomorrow, a bit nervous.
« Reply #5 on: October 06, 2018, 11:56:25 am »
Woke up with a headache today, and took the Harvoni upon waking up. My head feels a bit weird but that could just be from having a headache... other than that I haven’t really noticed anything. So far so good... I will post more as I continue with my treatment. Thanks for all the responses and kind words, I really appreciate it. The only people I’ve even told about this are one close friend and my dad, so I don’t have anyone to talk with about it really.
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Offline Lynn K

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 4,546
  • Get tested, get treated, get cured, fight Hep c!
Re: Starting Harvoni tomorrow, a bit nervous.
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2018, 12:27:21 pm »
Yeah a headache is the most common side effect. Most say keeping properly hydrated seems to help ward them off somewhat.

Best of luck
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 robeson

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  • Posts: 10
Re: Starting Harvoni tomorrow, a bit nervous.
« Reply #7 on: October 09, 2018, 10:22:43 pm »
Today is my fourth day of Harvoni. And I have to say I feel downright strange. I actually feel totally full of energy.... lots of it. Sort of hard to focus, and I definitely do not feel normal. I was wondering if anyone else had a similar experience? I feel good.. in a way.. but also feel just.. weird. A feeling that is hard to describe.. sort of surreal
in a way.
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Offline KimInTheForest

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  • Posts: 1,972
  • Believe in yourself
Re: Starting Harvoni tomorrow, a bit nervous.
« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2018, 10:49:20 pm »
Quote from: robeson on October 09, 2018, 10:22:43 pm
Today is my fourth day of Harvoni. And I have to say I feel downright strange. I actually feel totally full of energy.... lots of it. Sort of hard to focus, and I definitely do not feel normal. I was wondering if anyone else had a similar experience? I feel good.. in a way.. but also feel just.. weird. A feeling that is hard to describe.. sort of surreal
in a way.

You are not the only one to experience the famous "Harvoni high". Many of us on Harvoni had that. But others did not. So it varies from person to person. I was filled with energy and euphoria. It was a buzz of sorts (even though I was also becoming quite anemic from the ribavirin I had to take in tandem with it).

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 Lynn K

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 4,546
  • Get tested, get treated, get cured, fight Hep c!
Re: Starting Harvoni tomorrow, a bit nervous.
« Reply #9 on: October 09, 2018, 11:03:26 pm »
As Kim said this does sound like the Harvoni high. I had that experience as well. Kind of energized but a little floatie. I got used to it after a few days. It was a kinda weird feeling but at least for me not unpleasant.
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 robeson

  • Member
  • Posts: 10
Re: Starting Harvoni tomorrow, a bit nervous.
« Reply #10 on: October 09, 2018, 11:05:33 pm »
Yeah it’s isnt wholly unpleasant... it does feel sort of good but equal parts weird. I hope I get used to it. Thank you for your replies it really helps to talk to people who have been through this before.
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