randalls:
Aloha from Maui... I’m staring Mavyret for 8 weeeks and I’m grateful to have found this forum and everyone that has shared experiences here. So thank you to all of you, I don’t imagine this is a walk in the park...
I have some questions if anyone cares to comment - I don’t have all the stats but my viral load was 2. Million, is that high? I’m not sure the genotype and the other stats, bit I will get them from my doc...
I’m 67 long time surfer and windsurfer, but I’ve been losing my stamina over the years, seems like my get up and go, got up and left....I’m hoping that post treatment I will get some of that back... I’ll try to update as I go through this and report my experience hoping for smooth sailing - cheers
Lynn K:
Hi, welcome and aloha to you Randalls
Congrats on starting treatment. Viral load a 2 mill is basically moderate range but that really doesn’t matter with these newer treatments like it did with the old much harsher interferon treatments that were the only medicines available up until 2014.
Viral load doesn’t indicate severity of illness and will fluctuate over time. What you will want to know is how is your liver doing. If you were infected for many years (decades) about 20% of people who have hep c for 20 years will develop liver damage so hopefully your doc has ordered a Fibroscan test which uses a machine that is sort of like an ultrasound except it produces a sort of thump to measure liver stiffness or a fibrosure blood test which can also estimate liver scarring. Hopefully your liver has hung in there however long you have carried the virus and that is not a problem for you.
Most people tolerate these new treatments very well the most common complaint being mild headache which seems to pe prevented by staying properly hydrated the old 8 each 8 ounce glasses of fluids daily. For me in comparison with my previous interferon based treatments my 24 weeks of Harvoni was a walk in the park.
Good luck on treatment may you have an easy ride
randalls:
Thank you Lynn (my sisters name) for the info...
Doc did say I had some damage based on bloodwork 3 of 4 on Fibro and 4 of 4 cirrohis... I do feel tired and anxious a lot...
Lynn K:
Ok so it does seem you do have liver cirrhosis.
How are your platelet counts? Do you have any symptoms of liver disease like lower leg swelling (edema) or abdominal fluid retention called ascities?
I was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis back in January 2008 and I’m still here. With proper care a person with cirrhosis can live a normal life span. You should stop all alcohol intake if you haven’t already And try to minimize your salt intake. Also, avoid NSAID’s like Aleve and only take Tylenol for pain and only as directed.
Are you seeing a hepatologist or at least a gastroenterologist familiar with treating patients with advanced liver disease? Have you had an upper endoscopy to check for the presence of esophageal varicies? In advanced liver disease the blood flowing through the main vein in the liver called the portal vein may develop higher than normal blood pressure in the portal vein. This is called portal hypertension. This in turn can cause the spleen to become enlarged which will cause the spleen to hold onto blood platelets lowering platelet count tests. This is why people with liver cirrhosis bruise more easily. Portal hypertension can also cause the blood vessels in the esophagus (the swallowing tube) to become enlarged.
Let me know if you have any questions
randalls:
So 1st day taking Mavyret, totally uneventful for any of you with apprehension. In an odd way I felt like a fog had lifted, like the medicine was working immediately, for the first time in days I had more energy and less fatigue than I’d been feeling regularly. -hope it lasts. Maybe it’s just my imagination.
If anything, I’m excited and motivated to get through the next 29 days...