going to start hep c treatment soon.

[geebee270]

All I have been reading is how bad the 3 meds are. the pill you take with 20 grams of fat. Does anyone have anything good to say?

[can-do-man]

"Does anyone have anything good to say?"

Sure, i'm now cured and no longer have to worry about having HCV.

Best to you

[pooh55811]

Welcome to the forum.

This forum is lopsided when it comes to side effects. Many of the people who are posting about side effects want to find out what to do about them. Those with no  side effects or very few minor side effects don't post as much (at least not about side effects).

So, while the side effects are no walk in the park, no one gets all of them and many get only minor side effects or few side effects.  

I took Incivek. That is the pill you take with 20 grams of fat. I got 3 rather crummy side effects that needed intervention with medications (rectal issues, nausea, and rash, although the rash and nausea are also probably from the other drugs as well).

So, while there are definitely some side effects, the good thing is that there is about a 75 % chance or higher of cure with these drugs (triple med treatment). To me, that is the best thing and, for me, cure is worth putting up with the side effects.

To put it in perspective, while probably none of us are going to say the drugs, while we are on treatment, make us feel great, we won't give a hoot about the side effects if we reach SVR (cure). Also, to add perspective, there are people on this forum who have treated 8 or more times (with the old treatments) and are trying again with the triple med treatment.

It helps to get the Undetectable status as the weeks go on, especially at 4 weeks, but even later. An Undetectable status really boosts a person's morale.

If you get side effects, post on the forum and we will respond with our remedies. Best of luck.

[FrontRangeMom]

I'm not sure too many people have anything "good" to say. Some people are severely affected (me) during treatment, others less so. If you really need something good, most people have a good chance for a cure, which is the best thing you can hope for.

Mom

[2mlbb]

Am half way finished on week 11 of the triple therapy.  Had the virus for nearly 50 years before treatment from a surgery that I had when I was 12. After 4 weeks of treatment, the virus was undectected. That message will ride me through the rest of my treatment which is a total of 24 weeks. Then, 20 or 30 more years of freedom from the virus and greater health. Best wishes on your choices :)

[angel216]

im getting close to my 7th week of triple tx.  this week i lost a good friend to liver cancer.  he had hep c for 30 years and never treated.  so even though you hear negative side effects about these drugs it beats the alternative.  perhaps you will be one of the people who have mild side effects.  this forum is very helpful and encouraging with alot of helpful insight.  i wish you the best with tx.  

[1fish2fish]

I seem to be one of a very few who have had no side effects. With that said I will only speak of the positive experience it's been for me. The 3 meds are beating the hep C and not me. I started treatment ready for the worse but hoped for the best. Everyone is different but for a few of us nothing has changed scene treatment started. Don't be scared, get your mind ready to handle what ever these drugs throw at you. Good luck.....    

[marty59]

Most people don't come here and say how good they feel.
Most people looking for help getting through the sides.
Once you are through with tx, and start feeling better, you have a tendency to move on with your life.
You start tx, deal with the sides as best as you can and hopefully defeat the virus.

Do I have anything good to say?

Yes, it sure feels good to be done and und. My 6 month viral load test is in Sept.

Good luck with your tx and hope you start soon and have small sides.

[willbb]

Does anyone have anything good to say?"
-------------------------------------------------
For treatment naives the results seem to speak volumes..

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForPatientAdvocates/ucm256328.htm

A total of 352 (65%) subjects achieved eRVR and of those 322 (60%) were randomized to 24 weeks (T12/PR24, n=162) or 48 weeks (T12/PR48, n=160) of treatment. The SVR rates were similar at 92% (T12/PR24) and 90% (T12/PR48), respectively

Good luck with your tx...
Will

[geebee270]

Hi can-do-man, Thanks for the wake up call. If you got this already I don't know how to post.

[geebee270]

Thanks for all the info. I just went thur so much chemo my body is tired.

[geebee270]

thanks for the support.My hep-c they think gave me lympoma so I have been fighting that for3  years. I did the same thing before chemo and the stem cell transplant. I get all worked up and need something i dont know what. I will get thur it.

[geebee270]

sounds good I think

[geebee270]

I just hope they give me meds to handle my mind with cancer you get just about anything you want.

[geebee270]

Hi, Thanks for your comments.

[geebee270]

My husband died from his liver. I sure could use him now. He didnt even know. it happen so quick. To late for treatment for him he hid it from me.

[pooh55811]

You don't say exactly what type of meds you need to handle your mind.

This is an issue you should discuss with your treating doctor and also see a psychiatrist if you need to.

Many of us are on antidepressants (some of us were already on them and some of us started ADs before starting treatment.) The Hep C drugs can cause depression. Antidepressants take a few weeks to get to full effect so if you are already depressed, then it would be wise to start soon.

If you are talking about anti anxiety meds, that would also be an issue to discuss with your doc. and/or psychiatrist.

The main side effects that are a little more common and that can be troublesome are low blood counts, rash, nausea, depression or mood problems, rectal issues (if on Incivek). However, there are prescription medications for these problems. Sometimes the treating docs are slow to recognize these problems and treat them, but if you get them, be sure to ask for a prescription and be assertive if necessary. Don't just suffer. You can always post any side effects and we will tell you what we have done or used.

Hopefully, your side effects will be minimal and treatment will go well.

[Dawn703]

I was undetect at weeks 4 and 12, well probably week 2 when I started noticing some HCV symptoms start to disappear. As bad as i felt sometimes on treatment I felt so much better in other ways once the virus left my body. Totally worth it. BTW not everyone gets horribly sick and actually sides come and go and vary in intensity. Just make sure you know what symptoms you can POTENTIALLY get and be prepared; You got alot of good advice already and there are truly some amazing people on this forum. Any sides you do experience, post them here and you will get a wealth of information. One thing, be you're own advocate with your Dr. They don't all like to, know how to, or care to treat the sides.

[Dawn703]

Just read Poohs post better, I am one who had few sides and most of mine were from the Incivek, anal issues (severe hemorrhoids, no wait brutal), rash, anorexia/nausea. Once the incivek was done the one sx I'm left with is anemia and its symptoms. Almost immediately the other sides left, well the rash hung on for a couple weeks. I took Zofran for nausea 2% hydrocortizone for roids, did the best I could with eating, and eventually when my Dr relented prescribe fluocininide for rash.

[threepaddleCurt]

I didn't do Incivik, but probably otherwise I was the poster boy boy for getting just about every side possibly.  

You know what?  It's worth it.  I've been Und since week eight (Vic protocol) and am heading into week sixteen, with a significant reduction of my personal gifts from HCV....no flooding night sweats, reduction of headaches from incapacitating to merely severe, and there are days I actually can think again.

I personally have hope now that attaining SVR will mean I can have a normal life again.  So the treatment may be the ***** from hell and back again.  I'm probably going to have to do Procriet and some platelet transfusions in the near future, although I keep dodging the bullet week to week right now.  All that doesn't matter, it's just what one has to do.

My goal is to beat this virus into submission and be able to have a real life again. Just because I Drew the "Max side effects" card doesn't mean anyone else will.  Statistically, my experience means you are likely to have an easier go with treatment.

Would I do this again?  absolutely!

[hope4hepc]

I'm on 3x as well, just finished the incivek 3 1/2 wks ago. I think I've gotten almost all the symptoms, it's life altering. The anemia, nausea inflammation. Oxygen deprivation is one of the worst, can't breath,coughing fits, can't think and respiratory distress. Makes trying to function in a normal compacity impossible. I. Have passed out 3 times and the last time I hit my head and had concussion and spent night in ER. I feel fuzzy headed and non social most of the time now. I'm trying to keep my job but harder by the day with the fatigue and " brain fog". When I saw my Dr after my concussion the only he said was you are doing so well, undetected viral load, and said just need to be careful and take it easy. I have to work so I can maintain my insurance to stay on treatment. I know it will be worth it in the long run, but this has been hardest thing in my life. I used to be very active, hiking, riding, working out and can't do any of it now. I get winded and dizzy just climbing stairs and walking. The cough is real bad, and hard to find anything that works. And my hair is also falling out really bad, very depressing. Any suggestions for any of the symptoms would be greatly appreciated

[geebee270]

Hi pooh, I have taken clonazepam the whole time I was fighting lymphma and still on it and pain meds. Im going to ask the liver Doctor for all the things i think i will need. He doesnt speak real good english i hope they had  me off to a nurse. I love my cancer doctor but this liver guy not so much

[orphanedhawk]

Lets see, anything good to say  ?
Although I didn't do the triple tx, hep C almost killed me.
Post transplant, I did the treatment so it wouldn't take out my new liver.
We do the treatment to save our livers.
Hep C is the number one reason for liver transplantation in the US. Hep C now kills more people in the US than AIDs.

And as others have mentioned, those no complaints don't post very often.

[Dee1956]

The good thing that came out for me is that I am UND at 4 months and continue to get better every day.  I was lucky.
I did have severe side effects and I did come here for help and understanding; as no one outside of those treating has a clue as to what we are experiencing.  My doctor told me that the worse the scarring and fibrosis the worse the side effects so it is the reason I had such a hard time.  Saying that, now that I am on the other side, I am so glad that I treated.  It was my last chance before decompensated cirrhosis and as Hector says, that makes HCV look benign in comparison.  
I hope that you treat as soon as you can.