Harvoni treatment

[flyinlynn]

Hi folks

I am just finishing up week 2 of 24 of Harvoni. So far about the only possible thing I have noticed is been sleeping a lot but I don't think that is a side effect. Just finished a major life project and taking a break to congratulate myself and probably pushing myself too hard for a while now.

Or maybe just to much Turkey lol.

But other than that I don't really feel different while taking Harvoni than not taking anything.

How about the other Harvoni folks out there how is your treatment going?

Best to all
Lynn

[flyinlynn]

Hi Mike from la

You have made a comment to a post by HeallingHearts that she posted on Dec 03, 2015

She finished treatment on Jan22, 2015 and bid the forum farewell on that day after being cured of Hep c so it is very doubtful she will see your post.

If you would like to post a new question to the group go to the top right of the page and select the green post a question link and ask away.

When responding to an existing thread I suggest you may wish to note the date of the last response if it is an older thread you are commenting at the end of an ended conversation.

Good luck to you on treatment
Lynn

[croinLa]

hi HH im starting week 6, going for 1st checkup today, 1st 4 were a breeze, last week or so i started having harvoni dreams, wow, you like science fiction i hope, its a little scary, hope you dont get them early in your treatment. i have 6 plus to go now, dreams are vivid, almost like an alternate reality, sleep is deep, i wake hot and bothered occasionally but for the most part i see and feel it working, lines on my face are leaving, arthritus symptoms are going away, a little high BP. going to post to you when i get home, i think when the dreams start the brain fog from hep c starts going away also, i feel almost human again, im pretty sure this will work, just monitor ur BP and you should be fine, also seems like i have a runny nose today, 1st time. i think its mostly your body reacting to being normal again, yeaaaaa!!!!, good luck, mike from la.

[WalkingEagle]

hi lynn and all
I to am on Harvoni only plan, insomnia and tried is the worst of all
+ (slight headache) , on hour 4, I'm getting tired, hr. 5, I.m beating myself up,  _not good,_
hr. 6, and my wife says "THAT'S IT (poor girl) GO TOO BED!" so I think, the body needs rest, or it wouldn't, even with, say like the flu, or any illness, the body needs rest, so please don't fight a nap, ya need it, and with that being said, good night again, it is 03;30 lol.... best wishes.

P.S. insomnia and fatigue is that a catch 22 ????????????  

[jerryjen]

Week 8 on Harvoni-no trace of the virus showing at all-Dr said today it is gone. The side effects were absolutely brutal but it worked.

[1bucky]

I am praying for you honey! Life is really good on the "cured" side and you will be right there with me very soon.

[patra_]

Won't be long now!  Praying this is THE One.  

Count down begins with the bottle 6.  Soon and very soon, my dear?

Blessings and keep on keeping on.  You are one of the inspirations on this Forum!

Pat

[Dee1956]

Hang in there!  I know it doesn't seem possible but this is a good thing.  At least that is what I have always heard.  It is also kicking the HCV's butt as well.  My best to you, Dee

[flyinlynn]

Oh yeah

I start bottle number SIX on Tuesday!!!!! Just 31 days to go.

But yeah the Riba is kicking my butt.

I went anemic at week 3 of riba so reduced from 1200 mg to 1000 mg. Now holding steady at 10.0 HGB the lowest the doctor wants to see. Finishing week 11 of Riba.

Good luck to all

[flyinlynn]

Not sure who you have commented to as jcfried hasn't posted since Dec 2014 and not to this thread.

But just wanted to comment that people can with care take several different meds for heartburn within the restrictions of the prescribing instructions.

Prilosec  and other PPI's should be taken at the same time as Harvoni on an empty stomach

H2 inhibitors like Zantac should be at the same time and at 12 hours apart.

Or antacids like Tums either no closer than 4 hours before or after harvoni.

Best of luck to you
Lynn

[somuchmore2]

Cleared and so not detected at week 20

[blacksee]

that is a nono , you are not supposed to take anything for your stomach while on harvony treatment; didn't you get the the instructions from the pharmacy as what you may take with harvoni.  Acid reducing agents will decrease the concentration on ledipasvir.  Stay away from Antacids.  

It says here that if you are going to take it, to wait at least 4 hours after you have taken the Harvoni.  

[Ekkiemom]

Hey Lynn, super news!  On your way to SVR and a healthy liver.  Enjoy

Deb

[flyinlynn]

The headaches I had were mild and most who had them say the became less with time. Also key to dirnk the recommend amount of fluids and keep properly hydrated.

I get leg cramps but not from Harvoni. I get them from either my durietic ir from my cirrhosis. If anything I seem to be having less leg cramps while on treatment than before I started.

Good luck

[flyinlynn]

Hi Diane

Sorry I missed your post of 24 Feb

Congrats on finishing treatment!

Lynn

[Carlhcv]

I haven't had any headaches. The side effects are so much easier to tolerate than interferon that I am not complaining and I posted earlier that I had no side effects but now I do have some fatigue, shortness of breath, overall achyness and a small rise in blood pressure which seems to have stabilized. Make no mistake that Harvoni is a powerful drug combo but I can fully function on it. Also, I went from 8 million vl to und in four weeks! I am now on week six.

[edstaze]

also...everyone must be your own advocate..be on top of your bloodwork,and make sure the place drawing blood takes correct test..i had wrong hcv test drawn 1 time. just ask !
I believe that's all now!
lol summer is coming and svr also!
god speed all!

[edstaze]

oh.1 thing I forgot to mention.. I take my pill in a.m. and I am fine with that. I didn't take before sleep so I cant answer that about side effects.
TO ALL DOING HARVONI...GOD BLESS AND BE RID OF THIS MONKEY!
ANY QUESTIONS please don't hesitate to ask

[edstaze]

hi. today I am 20 weeks into harvoni. every 4 weeks I get blood work,alt ast all normal now.i did the ribavirian,pegintron I did the riabvian and peg and incivc.relapsed both. I only have 4 more weeks to go..i feel great! I haven't had any side effects..nothing compared to rib/peg intron.i am so excited to be free of this monkey on my back! svr 12 weeks here I come!.
you have it sweet,harvoni is the godsent!

[Peacherino1003]

I just received my Harvoni today and haven't begun taking it.  Have been told to call my doctor tomorrow to get his approval to begin taking it. I have been told that fatigue and headaches are ONLY side effects possible.  Pharmacist at Company supplying it said NOTHING about insomnia---quite the opposite in fact.  Fatigue is what I've been told.  My doctor mentioned nothing about leg cramps...???  What's with all the talk about leg cramps?

My viral load is about 5 million and my enzymes are only slightly elevated.  I have no symptoms---just want to rid my body of this virus....since it continues to grow and damage my liver, even though I can't feel it. This will be my first attempt to try to cure my Hep C.

The only thing I'm worried about is the headaches.  I don't function well with headaches---never get them, and worried that I will now start getting them. Can anyone tell me how severe these headaches have been for them??  Please tell me they are mild and a couple Ibuprofens will take them away!! lol

Also---do the side effects start right at the beginning of treatment (12 weeks for me) or after you've been on Harvoni for awhile?  And are the headaches continuous daily, or do they subside after being on Harvoni for awhile?

Any feedback from your experience would be gratefully accepted.  I HATE headaches!

[Carlhcv]

No side effects here.

[tmci_65]

I'm starting Harvoni on the 12th of March this year... next week.  I've had chronic active hep c for a very long time and get very high viral loads, yet liver isn't too bad, stage and grade 2, which it has been for a long time. The lowest I've seen the load is 9million and the highest was 55 million. It was 9 m last Oct. and just two weeks ago up to 25.  I'll be doing a 12 week treatment and hope for the best of course.  I'd read in a private community that they base which of these 3 newer drugs we get on our viral loads, and I have to say they base it on much more than that. One being if your treatment naïve, meaning you've never been treated, another is the strains and there are even more info they use.  I've never been a candidate for treatment due to the harshness of the drugs and other issues I have and they said I could wait until better drugs came out.... well I guess that is now. I am 69 yrs. old and I've had this between 30 and close to 40 yrs. we have no way of knowing.  I'm happy to read the successes and how most have responded to Harvoni and also it being low in side affects. This is the first time I've posted here.  

[Diane1186]

Took my last Harvoni pill on Sunday and had my blood drawn yesterday.  I am hopeful that my viral load is undetecable as it was on week 4.  Feeling good.

[aprildone]

just started my 3rd week. zero side effects so far.  I'm also taking 3 200mg ribavirin, twice daily. no side effects from that either, guess I'm lucky. 60 year birthday in june 2015 will have me free of hcv, viral load was 7 million when started by the v.a on jan 16, 2015

[aprildone]

just started my 3rd week. zero side effects so far.  I'm also taking 3 200mg ribavirin, twice daily. no side effects from that either, guess I'm lucky. 60 year birthday in june 2015 will have me free of hcv, viral load was 7 million when started by the v.a on jan 16, 2015