Anyone who has taken or is currently taking Sovaldi and Galexos (Olisyo) who can help?

Monik,

My partner took the Sofosbuvir (Galexos/Olysio) and Sovaldi treatment March - May of this year.

He is Hep C 1a, infected in late 1960s. He is now post liver transplant and had a very high viral load and Stage 3 fibrosis in the graft liver. Because he had a terrible time with Interferon and Ribavirin in 2003, they had him wait for a new treatment option for his genotype.

We did quite a dance getting the meds approved, but as we have seen in the posts today....this caregiver does not take NO for an answer.

On sides...Mike had almost NO problems with the Olysio and Sovaldi. Olysio is known to have sun sensitivity as a side effect so Mike took that seriously as he already has skin issues. He bought some fishing shirt with UV rating especially as it was summer and we live in Florida, the Sunshine State! He wears a hat all the time and even wears fishing gloves (very light, fingertip less gloves) when driving. He took this very seriously. He likes to golf and he is very very careful.

He had no stomach aches mostly because it was advised he eat something with the pills. And he drank lots of water. Lots. I think that helps with the creatinine also.

Post transplant, post treatment, Mike is not better than he has been in years. YEARS.

He cleared the virus by the 5th week and then any lingering complaints he had...fatigue, headache improved. Without that gosh darn virus he started to become his old self. He is playing golf a few days a week and though he still tires (post TP I think thi sis normal), he is great.

Good luck to your hubby. Let us know how it is going.

Mama Lama

Thank you so much MamaLama and Hep97 for your replies, I was getting worried that I would not get any reply! MamaLama, I am really happy and also hopeful to learn the treatment has worked for your husband...My heart felt wishes for you two that he stays virus free! Did you notice a side effect time frame between the time your partner took the meds and the time the actual side effects kicked in? My husband is thinking about taking the drug in the morning because he works at night and I am wondering whether if he were to do so, the side effects might be at their worst while he is at work at night time (he works until 1 am).
Hep97, (by the way my name is Monik), I read that daily coconut water, no red meats and turmeric in yogurt can help with keeping the bilirubin low. So, I bought a whole box of coconut water to give him as a precaution and plan to give him a tablespoon of turmeric in 5 tablespoons of plain yogurt everyday if it starts going up. I have been trying different recipe substitutions. I find evaporated milk makes a great substitute for heavy cream in sauces, non hydrogenated vegetable margarine instead of butter and I am banning red meat entirely for the 12 weeks of treatment (we don't eat much of it anyways). In the morning try a glass of fresh squeeze juice with a teaspoon of turmeric if you don't like yogurt!...doesn't taste like much and helps with inflammation as well... let me know if you bilirubin goes down or if you experience any other side effects, it'll help me prepare for it and I can find what helps to share it with you as well ;)

PS: I fought tooth and nail with the insurance company to cover this drug, now that is was approved I am scare...any feed back on your experiences is so greatly appreciated!!! I feel that if anything were to happen to my husband under this treatment, I would be largely responsible for making it happen in the first place...Is this silly or what?!

Post Edited (Myhusbandhelp) : 11/8/2014 6:32:26 PM (GMT-7)

I have 16 days left on it. Cleared the virus early on per HCV RNA QUANT and QUAL.

It's no walk in the park: fatigue, nausea - just a general big blah feeling. To my memory, it's not as strong, in the sides department, as the old combination of peglyated interferon and ribavirin but not side effect free (at least for me).

My last attempt at a sustained virologic response was an 88-week run with Pegasys and riba (with Neupogen added to the mix due to WBC dropping). Ughh is all I can manage to say about that. I relapsed within a few weeks. My liver is fine. I would never had treated if the doctor who did my first biopsy had not botched it and came back with Stage 3 rather than where it is now: Grade 2, Stage 1.