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Last day on Incivek

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Posted 10/10/2013 11:02 PM (GMT 0)
For the next 3 months it's just the weekly interferon injection and the twice daily Ribavirin. I am hoping the worst of the side effects ( rash, anal BS, etc.) will be going away soon. I can deal with feeling like hell for a few days after the injection, but I am really hoping I will feel better without the Incivek.

Anyway, other than that I am the same. I will keep on trucking and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Hope you are all doing wonderfully. :-)

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 10/10/2013 9:17:07 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/11/2013 12:27 AM (GMT 0)
Congrats, Def! Hope you start feeling better soon!

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 10/11/2013 12:40 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds good. Are you undetectable, and if so, for how long?
Posted 10/11/2013 1:20 AM (GMT 0)
Yes. I don't know exactly how long, but after 4 weeks on tx I went from over 11 million to undetectable and am still undetectable after 12 weeks.

Can anyone confirm that Incivek is the culprit for the anal itch and the rash/itchy arm thing I have going on? I sure hope so.

And thanks Connie.
Posted 10/11/2013 2:39 AM (GMT 0)
That's wonderful!

From what I keep hearing, the itch/rash are from the incivek. Although, I had sores on my body from the ribavirin. I only had the 2 part cocktail.
Posted 10/11/2013 3:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hi def,
My husband and I were on another Hep message group that had a lot of Hep C people in treatment and trials. We waited for the FDA fast track with hopes my husband would be able to get the Incivik. What we saw....and the big complaint on triple combo was the anal itch. It did seem to be the complaint of the Incivik only, along with a sometimes very severe body rash.

Having said that, Interferon and Riba are the two drugs my husband took... twice. Being a geno 3a, he was not approved at that time for the triple combo. Luckily, he obtained SVR the 2nd treatment. He never had anal rash with Ribo/Interferon only. He did have a hive like rash mostly on his upper torso, and face...both times. The 2nd treatment he used a cream topically for the rash. It helped more than any other topical he tried. It is RX ...called Triamcinolone Acetonide Cream USP. 0.025%.

Please do not stop treating, def... It can be brutal and days seemed like weeks....weeks seem like years. My husband was bedridden the last 4 months on the 2nd go around (6 month treatment). When he obtained SVR (6 months post treatment), it was all worth it. You have a very good chance of beating this. Keep strong. I will continue to watch for your posts. It will be worth it!! hugs, themiz

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 10/11/2013 4:39:40 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/11/2013 6:13 PM (GMT 0)
hi def, the sides you are referring to (rash, anal bs, gi problems) are all incivek induced. ribavirin rash is different. incivek also causes anemia that can be quite severe. i believe you will pickup energy, and lose those gi problems post incivek. and hopefully your 24 week course will end before bone marrow suppression causes need for blood cell treatments, or dose reductions. you handled the tough part, the rest is downhill.
i did treatment 3 times at 48 weeks each time. i got so used to the interferon/riba, i started feeling better after my interferon injection. go figure!
barry

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 10/11/2013 4:42:25 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/12/2013 12:39 AM (GMT 0)
That's great news. Thank you very much guys. I definitely will not stop treatment and if the rash, which is really more like a bunch of little sores on my forearms, don't go away I will get the Triamcinolone Acetonide Cream USP. 0.025%.

I felt pretty bad after last week's injection, but so far tonight I feel ok. My band has a pretty high profile gig tomorrow night so even if I feel like death I will appear to be having a great time. lol
Posted 10/15/2013 12:00 PM (GMT 0)
defbass, while my husband was on the 3-drug treatment he used the flushable moist butt wipes after a bowel movement. This really seemed to help with the anal problems.

Keep going with the treatment. My husband is still undetectable after a year but the treatment side effects just about did him in.
Posted 10/15/2013 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
Despite what the pkg. says, those wipes should not be flushed. They can cause your toilet to back up, especially if you have a low-flow toilet. Use toilet paper, then the wipes and dispose of the wipes in a plastic bag
lined trash receptacle.

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 10/21/2013 1:16 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I never flushed the wipes. Haven't even had to use them lately though, thank God. It is MUCH better without the Incivek. Sores are healing up, ass feels much better and now it's just a couple days of flu like symptoms after the injections. Still I managed to work both Saturday and today ( Sunday) even though I took the Interferon Friday night. Heading for the light at the end of the tunnel.
Posted 10/21/2013 3:32 AM (GMT 0)
Once you're totally done with the treatment, it takes a few months for all of the side effects to flush out of your body. If you don't feel 100% right away, that's normal. The first time when I finished the 2 part treatment, I wondered why my energy was still low a month later. A month later things were better and a month after that I was close to normal.
Posted 11/9/2013 1:27 AM (GMT 0)
Today starts the 5th month. As if Fridays aren't stressful enough because I spend all day feeling pretty good, but knowing when I get home I have to do the interferon, the company that delivers my drugs screwed up and didn't send my Ribavarin. They say they can't get it to me until Monday. Their pharmacist told me it wouldn't hurt me to miss a few days. Idiot. I called my doctor freaking out this morning and he assured me I didn't want to miss a few days. He had me come in and he gave me a month supply to keep in case this happens again. I missed this morning's dose, but I am back on track this evening. I just had my shot 2 hours ago and I feel a little sick to my stomach and I have a headache. Nothing new. Most of the other symptoms have disappeared and I pretty much feel fine from Tuesday through Friday night.

My drummer quit the band, so that sucks. Some boo hoo'ing about shoulder surgery. lol I told him to ice up his female parts and get back behind the kit. lol Seriously though, it's a drag. I have a little hellbilly side jam going too, but I need to get my main band back on track quick. I am having withdrawals.

Got a promotion at my work. Job got easier and I got a $13,000 raise.


Pretty much all the news for this month. 4 down, 2 to go. Hope all are well here.
Posted 11/9/2013 1:47 AM (GMT 0)
13 grand would make me forget about side effects too. thats great, seems like everything is working out fine.
barry
Posted 11/9/2013 2:50 AM (GMT 0)

ppm guy said...
13 grand would make me forget about side effects too. thats great, seems like everything is working out fine.
barry

Well, the side effects and the 13k aren't really related, but at least now my wife can finish her masters and I don't gotta sweat 40 years of dodging student loan people. :-)
Posted 11/9/2013 5:36 AM (GMT 0)
Def, that's great! Congrats!

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 11/16/2013 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
Start of week 17. Everything is still cool. Feel crappy from the shot, but opening morning of rifle season is tomorrow and I will sleep it off in a tree in southern Missouri.

Life ain't so bad. lol
Posted 1/7/2014 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
It's been over a week since my last injection and 4 days since my last dose of Ribavarin. I am feeling better every day. As of 2 weeks ago I was still undetectable. Next appointment is on the 14th.

I just want to thank all you guys for this forum. You calmed a lot of my fears going in and helped give me a positive attitude, which I think was instrumental in my experience with the tx. :-)
Posted 1/7/2014 12:34 AM (GMT 0)
By the way, I just this past Friday got another bid and another $5000 raise. So far this year is looking awesome. A much brighter outlook than I had last year.
Posted 1/7/2014 12:50 AM (GMT 0)
Way to go defbass!! This is the happy news of the day. I remember when themister completed the last shot. Such a relief to get it over with. Here is to staying undetectable and reaching SVR. Looks really good! Big hugs, def, big ones....themiz
Posted 1/7/2014 12:58 AM (GMT 0)
Oh, and Happy New Year! Just so you know...sides take some time to go away, so don't go nuts if you are still a bit punk or itchy for awhile. Seems like the 4 month mark themister was feeling normal. We took a vacation a month after. So happy to hear you financial and health are on the upswing for 2014 ;)
Posted 1/7/2014 1:24 AM (GMT 0)
Congrats db...glad you are feeling better and remain clear of the virus. Fingers and toes crossed. With Mike hoping to start tomorrow on treatment, this is perfect news for him tonight.

Best,
Posted 1/7/2014 2:13 AM (GMT 0)
Where do you work? I need a job like that. Congratulations!
Posted 1/7/2014 2:36 AM (GMT 0)
great!! you crossed the finish line. really fantastic news on the job. everything is coming together
Posted 1/7/2014 2:50 AM (GMT 0)
Splendid, my dear, Splendid!
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