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To Treat or Not to Treat...have Harvoni...Scared!!!
Hello Everyone. This is my first post, so please bear with me if I've asked too much. I am a 60 year old female. I've had Hep C for 39 years since 1978 from a blood transfusion in 1978. Found out in
2004.
Genotype: 1b
Firbrospect ll Test Result: F0-F1 mild fibrosis (NO cirrhosis)
Viral Load: Not sure exact, but very high.
ALT and AST: Range from 20-80
As far as how I’ve felt throughout the years, I’ve always had fatigue, but lately body and achy bones and brain fog. But I am 60 yrs old and those symptoms can be caused from that, menopause, etc. But then again the earlier years of fatigue could be from Hep C.
With that being said my doctor gave me the choice to treat or not to treat. So I decided to try to see if I'd get approved and I was! Approved for Harvoni, 12-week treatment I received Harvoni and will start treatment next Thursday, October 12, 2017. Now after reading and researching more in depth I am second guessing and having major anxiety and so scared!!! I have concerns and questions due to experiences I've read about from new and past patients who did treatment.
I’ll start with my Major question…..Should I do treatment with Stage 0-1 Mild Fibrosis,
In my research, one reason to wait would be because there are new treatments just approved (Maryvet and others), with shorter treatment time, high % cure rate. So one argument I see on people saying to wait, is because of the long term affects people are feeling with Harvoni, but as far as LONG term we won’t know what the long term effects of the newer drugs will be either! So that is one question and dilemma I’m having.
So I'm hoping I can get some of your experiences and opinions on this. I thank you all in advance from the bottom of my heart for any of you who will take the time to get back to me.
Dear Lord Bless You All!
2004.
Genotype: 1b
Firbrospect ll Test Result: F0-F1 mild fibrosis (NO cirrhosis)
Viral Load: Not sure exact, but very high.
ALT and AST: Range from 20-80
As far as how I’ve felt throughout the years, I’ve always had fatigue, but lately body and achy bones and brain fog. But I am 60 yrs old and those symptoms can be caused from that, menopause, etc. But then again the earlier years of fatigue could be from Hep C.
With that being said my doctor gave me the choice to treat or not to treat. So I decided to try to see if I'd get approved and I was! Approved for Harvoni, 12-week treatment I received Harvoni and will start treatment next Thursday, October 12, 2017. Now after reading and researching more in depth I am second guessing and having major anxiety and so scared!!! I have concerns and questions due to experiences I've read about from new and past patients who did treatment.
I’ll start with my Major question…..Should I do treatment with Stage 0-1 Mild Fibrosis,
In my research, one reason to wait would be because there are new treatments just approved (Maryvet and others), with shorter treatment time, high % cure rate. So one argument I see on people saying to wait, is because of the long term affects people are feeling with Harvoni, but as far as LONG term we won’t know what the long term effects of the newer drugs will be either! So that is one question and dilemma I’m having.
So I'm hoping I can get some of your experiences and opinions on this. I thank you all in advance from the bottom of my heart for any of you who will take the time to get back to me.
Dear Lord Bless You All!
I had hep c for 37 years. I was diagnosed with hep c in 1990 but was probably infected in 1978.
I was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis on my fourth liver biopsy after being infected for 30 years. I was having biopsies every 5 years since my diagnosis with hep c.
I treated 3 times with interferon based treatments between about 1993 and 2005 but had no response to the old treatments. I also treated with Sovaldi and Olysio for 12 weeks when they were less than 6 months after approval. Unfortunately I ended up relapsing after completing treatment. I next treated with Harvoni for 24 weeks due to my prior treatment history and also my doctor and I decided to add ribavirin to my treatment to try to ensure my successful treatment. Fortunately I was finally cured with this my 5th treatment and am now cured for almost 2.5 years.
My treatment with Harvoni was easy. When we added the ribavirin that did cause me to become anemic but otherwise no problems. The majority of people have few problems with treatment and no problems from Harvoni post treatment.
On the web you may read people saying they are having issues but they are the minority and a link between their treatment and any issues they are having later thus far there has not been established.
All I can speak to is my own situation. I only ever felt tired before treatment although I do have some edema from liver cirrhosis.
My treatment was easy. I currently feel fine with no issues which is what the vast majority of people experience. And I took a whole lot of these new meds basically 9 months worth so 4 or 5 times more than you ever will.
Harvoni has a good track record
Personally I would just get it done.
I was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis on my fourth liver biopsy after being infected for 30 years. I was having biopsies every 5 years since my diagnosis with hep c.
I treated 3 times with interferon based treatments between about 1993 and 2005 but had no response to the old treatments. I also treated with Sovaldi and Olysio for 12 weeks when they were less than 6 months after approval. Unfortunately I ended up relapsing after completing treatment. I next treated with Harvoni for 24 weeks due to my prior treatment history and also my doctor and I decided to add ribavirin to my treatment to try to ensure my successful treatment. Fortunately I was finally cured with this my 5th treatment and am now cured for almost 2.5 years.
My treatment with Harvoni was easy. When we added the ribavirin that did cause me to become anemic but otherwise no problems. The majority of people have few problems with treatment and no problems from Harvoni post treatment.
On the web you may read people saying they are having issues but they are the minority and a link between their treatment and any issues they are having later thus far there has not been established.
All I can speak to is my own situation. I only ever felt tired before treatment although I do have some edema from liver cirrhosis.
My treatment was easy. I currently feel fine with no issues which is what the vast majority of people experience. And I took a whole lot of these new meds basically 9 months worth so 4 or 5 times more than you ever will.
Harvoni has a good track record
Personally I would just get it done.
2 Comments
Forgot to add I am 59 will be 60 next spring.
Ok I see that this is actually your second post and I had already described my situation.
Not a lot of people around here any more we formerly had many active posters but most after being cured have moved on with their lives.
When Harvoni was first approved there were many people here discussing their treatments and their success. I don't really recall anyone complaining much about about their treatments almost everyone was saying how surprised about how easy a time they had with treatment. Some even described what we called a Harvoni high where we felt a little extra energy similar to drinking a little extra coffee.
The most common complaint was mild headaches which can be helped by keeping up with proper hydration.
Good luck
Not a lot of people around here any more we formerly had many active posters but most after being cured have moved on with their lives.
When Harvoni was first approved there were many people here discussing their treatments and their success. I don't really recall anyone complaining much about about their treatments almost everyone was saying how surprised about how easy a time they had with treatment. Some even described what we called a Harvoni high where we felt a little extra energy similar to drinking a little extra coffee.
The most common complaint was mild headaches which can be helped by keeping up with proper hydration.
Good luck
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