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Harvoni Journey started today

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Posted 1/25/2015 3:21 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you God.  Took the first pill 3 hours ago. I've been waiting 26 years for a med I could work a very demanding job on and that will take care of this dragon.  Went into hospital in the 80's to have a baby and came out with HCV.  Had to fight with BCBS  for a few months - they initially wanted me to take Interferon (!) so doc appealed it and it finally happened. I will post on here for others if you desire and will be as honest and as succinct as I can.  VL about 3.5  million, normal AST/ALT and F1 on the scan.  I think meditation, milk thistle, yoga, decent diet and good luck (and maybe finally some good karma :)  has kept me going all this time.  This little white bottle of pills delivered UPS is the most valuable material thing in my home.  I am blessed.  And blessings and peace to all of you on this journey.
Posted 1/25/2015 1:07 PM (GMT 0)
Very happy you are starting with Harvoni ! I had a chance to speak with a hepatologist at Mayo the other day. (My guy is on the transplant list there). Hep-a was praising Harvoni and the successful outcomes in the high 90%. It is amazing stuff! Please keep us in the loop on your journey, livinglife. Big Hugs
Posted 1/27/2015 10:28 PM (GMT 0)
Day 4. No problems till last night, and even with this I am not complaining. Started getting some weird chills last night after pill, and they are still occurring today. Kind of flu-ish feeling chills (no fever), but I am at work, gotta be, and keeping it together. Maybe it is unrelated to the meds. I can deal with this if I have to and am taking some ibuprofen here and there which takes the edge off. I have to remember an evil virus is being eradicated from my body. Will check in again in a few days. Take care, all.
Posted 1/28/2015 1:32 AM (GMT 0)
lovinglife,
Sorry you are feeling sickly. It is cold and flu season, and you are new with Harvoni. Hard to know, isn't it? Hope it passes soon.

Hang in there. You really want to rid yourself of Hep C ...and we are interested in following this new treatment! Big Hugs
Posted 1/30/2015 12:27 AM (GMT 0)
I hope you are feeling better soon! Is harvoni like the V-pak?
Posted 1/30/2015 12:42 AM (GMT 0)
Harvoni is one pill taken once daily. Not sure what V-pak is. Harvoni (hopefully) is the med I waited >25 years for. Had to tussle with insurance for a bit to get it. My doctor was instrumental in running many clinical trials for it over the past few years so I think that helped me get it, since I am not very "ill" compared to many with cirrhosis and such. The chills I had for a few days have dissipated, so maybe it was just a virus trying to get me. On Sat I will be on the med for a week, and will report back.

I take some meds and some supplements and my doc didn't seem to have any issue with any of them. He just said no stomach med like Rolaids and no St Johns Wort. Just make sure they have a complete list if you start any treatment.

Thanks for the good wishes.
Posted 1/30/2015 12:47 AM (GMT 0)
V pak is the newest drug ( i think) its 5 or 6 pills a day. Viekira Pak
Glad u r feeling better!
Posted 2/1/2015 11:55 PM (GMT 0)
ONE WEEK OUT on Harvoni and I am boring!  A few chills here and there, mild fatigue, occasional mild headache from time to time.  I am working full-time and hanging in there just fine. Continue to feel blessed I have this medication in my kitchen cabinet.   I am lucky in that my disease never progressed to cirrhosis and I wonder if this is why I am not having the sides I see on another blog about Harvoni.  I will report in on any changes and love and peace to all of you.

 

Posted 2/2/2015 10:56 PM (GMT 0)
I told my dr about this option and we will try to get auth for this! So glad to see doing well. I may be joining you soon!
Posted 2/3/2015 1:33 PM (GMT 0)
lovinglife, Nice to see you are tolerating Harvoni. I think it is a wonderful breakthrough. So many people will avoid cirrhosis, transplants, and death. One pill per day...minor sides, and a cure!

Themister, as you know, is now waiting for his transplant from Hep C damage caused to his liver. I am thrilled about the new treatment. Please keep us informed of your progress as you continue. Big Hugs
Posted 2/3/2015 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
To themiz - you were kind to me when I first considered doing treatment and came on this site. Many blessings your way for the work you are doing. I am in healthcare and routinely encourage folks to donate organs. If everyone in this world did a little daily kindness as you do, it would be an easier place to be!
Posted 2/3/2015 6:30 PM (GMT 0)
How are you feeling these days loving? I hope strong! I agree themiz, you are an amazing person. Hugs
Posted 2/3/2015 6:41 PM (GMT 0)
Heya DMC - as I stated, I feel pretty darn good with minimal sides and am able to work every day for up to 10 hours. I'm hoping the chills I get are just the result of it being winter, but I doubt it. I am taking care to be grateful and not complain as so many are fighting a tougher battle. Hope it holds as I got bills to pay and folks depending on me. Thanks for asking! Hope you are well as well :)
Posted 2/3/2015 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
I sure hope so too, maybe as your body adjusts and it kills off more you will feel better. I know all about responsibility, thats why i never treated before, i have a kid and i am a single mom, the bills have to be paid. I waited for better treatment and i hope this is it. I do hope you get stronger and warmer too! :-)
Posted 2/4/2015 3:32 AM (GMT 0)
DMC - that is totally why I waited. I have to work and cannot work on meds that make me ill. I don't think I even realized how crummy I was feeling due to this virus bc I had to just plow through the fatigue, random joint pain and all. Did you have that? We are survivors!! Keep me updated on how you do! Blessings your way.
Posted 2/4/2015 4:46 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you! I have lots of fatigue. Unfortunately in 2011 I was dx with ulcerative colitis on top of everything. I thought what next. Again, no cure! It is actually worse for me because of all the meds that don't work but have many side affects.

But there are stronger meds that might work for me but with HCv I can't take them. Once I clear then I can!

I just keep putting one foot in front of the other daily and working! 7 or so years to retire hopefully!

Blessings to you as well, we got this! We can do this!
Posted 2/9/2015 3:08 PM (GMT 0)
loving, Good Morning! I hope you are feeling better and having very few sides with Harvoni. Would you mind popping onto mitzi's thread and sharing your doctor's guidelines on increased water with Harvoni, if any? I have not heard this is recommended with Harvoni, as it was with ribavirin. Appreciate you. Big Hugs
Posted 2/9/2015 3:24 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Ms Miz - will do. The doc didn't say a word to me about water, but many MD's tend to not be holistic thinking like I am (and like many of us are). I am not criticizing, that is how they are trained. Have a good day.
Posted 2/9/2015 3:56 PM (GMT 0)
Two big things I noticed. No St. John's Wort. And many (most?) antacids are on the list of things not to use. The treatments are different and have different guidelines. Things happen very quickly in the Hep C world the past several years. We are grateful :) Big Hugs
Posted 2/21/2015 12:37 AM (GMT 0)
You are right themiz - No St Johns and they started talking about no antacids, which I didn't listen to cause I do not take them, but I think they cause issues too. Other than that, I can take all my usual supplements and meds. But everyone needs to check with their doc. I am done with week 4 and have not missed any work, and I don't think Im having sides anymore. I wonder if there is a relationship between sides and cirrhosis (which I really did not have). The 2nd white $31,000 bottle has arrived. I think it is the most valuable item in my house lol. Get first major lab results on Wednesday. Thanks to all on this forum. Blessings to you too ma'am. It helps!!
Posted 2/24/2015 12:22 AM (GMT 0)
Glad you are doing well!
Posted 2/24/2015 1:21 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for asking DMC! Are you OK? I cannot recall if you were on meds yet. I wanted to tell you that I came home today from work after working very hard for 10 hours and actually feel good! Crazy, cause for years I have been dra-a-a-a-agging home, esp on Mondays, near tears from fatigue. Seems like I am having more good days like this ( a month out on Harvoni). As I think I said somewhere on this site, I think many of us have felt so crappy for so long that we have started to see it as normal, or as part of aging. NOT! There is hope!!! Fingers crossed for all of us.
Posted 2/25/2015 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
One month of Harvoni down and had labs showing viral load down from 3.5 million to <15 reported to me today. The nurse practitioner stated this is great and next time she expects it to be nil. She and my doc have been fighting HCV together since 1989, leading clinical trials and working with folks like us, and they are so thrilled with Harvoni. Then I will finish up 3 months treatment and hopefully go on with my life without this dragon always lurking in the back of my mind and body. This has been so easy so far that the worrywart in me wonders how can it be so simple?! (I think this disease kinda makes us worriers - lol). As I reported a few days ago, my sides mentioned above appear to be gone. I am SO THANKFUL and hope all of you here take heart from my messages and keep fighting for your cure. I will continue to update for you. Maybe I should buy stock in Harvoni - ha. Blessings.
Posted 2/26/2015 12:12 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds great.
I am at 6 weeks, and have similar results; and sides have been very minimal.
I thought I had placebos at first, since I had no sides at all.

Good health the remainder of your journey.
Posted 3/7/2015 5:28 AM (GMT 0)
i am a transplant hep person about to start harvoni ,what side effects should i get ready for?
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