Third Times a Charm with Harvoni....I hope.

The header says it all. Not funny in a haha way though.
For the new guys, this is my third time in treatment. If you follow the thread below, you'll find detailed information of my past struggle with HCV.

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=25&m=3043359

about the Harvoni side effects:
Diarrhea, headache, nausea, trouble sleeping, unusual tiredness or weakness

Stress and a poor diet causes all of the above. If one relaxes the mind, eats well, meditates, and exercises, perhaps one will experience a better nights sleep and alleviate symptoms.

My problem is ringing in the head. I have had several concussions, and burst both ear drums, so I don't know if the ringing is from trauma or hypertension. Probably trauma, but my blood pressure is usually 135/80-90. Sometimes 145/90 if I'm not relaxed before measured. It used to be 100/80, no matter what, three or so years ago. I don't know. What sucks is neither do the doctors.

MamaLama, themiz, ppm guy, music, arneeb, Paulyme, petlover, Zoarie, Mia333 and anyone else I may have missed, I want to say thank you for all the nice comments and support. And to all the new guys, welcome.

I hope all are well and enjoying the nice spring and coming summer. Everything is such a beautiful shade of green. The deer and turkey are showing their faces, and yesterday, the first hummingbirds.

I'm heading out to ride my mountain bike in Pocahontas Park. I got a new seat, so hopefully butt won't be too sore this evening. Lol! I know, TMI.

Post Edited (Dog LeDon) : 5/30/2015 9:02:58 AM (GMT-6)

Rooting for you Dog. Trying not to be fearful of relapse and keeping it in today is tough for me sometimes.

And, I do all that you suggest and still have rough sides from the harvoni. Have eaten well for years, take or teach yoga five days a week, meditate daily. Drink lots of water. Live on a small farmi where outdoor exercise is part of every day. Two teenage girls so life is not stress free, but I live what objectively and even to me looks like a very healthy lifestyle. I am mixing the harvoni with keytruda and it is asking a lot of my body to manage it all...maybe why my sides are present.

Some days worse than others. Two months behind me as of today. Underneath the sides I feel better than I have felt in years.

Wondering if the ringing in your ears is tinnitus? I have a lot of hearing loss and a constant noise like crickets in my ears. With blown eardrums I have no idea if it would exist but your symptom sounds familiar....

Post Edited (imbb) : 6/2/2015 3:58:05 AM (GMT-6)

Welcome to the Hep forum, spareparts. We would love to have you start a new topic and introduce yourself so others can welcome you. Congrats on your transplant and treatment. Really happy to see you are free of the Hep C virus. Mama-Lama's (one of our Mod's) husband Mike, also treated post transplant with Solvaldi/Olysio. He also obtained SVR. Great year in the Hep C world. Again, welcome. Big Hugs

Dog,
I'll bet you are enjoying every second of your visit with your Grand'!

I am holding positive thoughts for your SVR this time. You have really battled the old dragon and sure do deserve to be rid of this virus. What a journey~

I get a kick out of your wife's comment. From her side of the coin, I can relate to her way of thinking :)

Last pill just a month away. Almost done. Have a blast with the kiddo, Dog. Big Hugs

Dog...keep the eye on the prize...life.

Hugs,

Mama Lama

Thank you for the kind remarks. This place is R&R from the HCV battle.

I will take the last Harvoni on 14 July. I am going to ask for an enzyme test along with the HCV RNA test. I pray my ALT/AST is in near to normal range and will report the results.

Check this out. I'm a water dog and wakeboarding was my life for many years. In mid 2002, I developed rosacea. It was bad with acne, red face, etc. At first, I thought I had some kind of nose/skin cancer or something. Afterwards, I couldn't expose my face to the sun very long or I would get super red faced; very noticeable. Now it has lightened up to nothing. I went to Water Country USA with my little FAM the other day. I spent several hours in the sun. I sun blocked up and actually got a little tan on my face. No beet red nose and cheeks. Wow. That's cool. I hope it's a sign that my immune system is settling down with the HCV gone.

Another thing, I have woke up feeling like ###t for many years. Rested but ####ty. My wife has never really complained, but I'm a snoring fool. I recently investigated and asked her about it, again. She's like oh yea; you're still a snoring fool. Against my better judgment, I ordered a mouthpiece that keeps my lower jaw even with my upper jaw and has an air hole between the teeth. After the first night, boom no headache when I woke up. She commented this morning that I didn't get my snore motor revved all night. She said I was trying too, but the result was just a purr. Just thought I'd put that out there, sleep is good medicine and more so is quality sleep.

Hey Dog,
July 14...Yippee Ki Yay!
I have no doubt that the 3rd time will be a charm and the beast will finally be slain. Can't wait to hear you cheer!

I was lucky...1st time was a charm for me...had essentially asymptomatic hep c for about 37 years (very mild, chronic elevations of my AST and ALT).
Diagnosed and successfully treated in 2013 for geno 1b with Incivek triple therapy. Treatment was a bear, but still...such a blessing. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Almost 2 years at SVR now...my hepatologist wants to do annual labs for a total of 5 years before he comfortably uses the "cure" word...lol. Yeah, I know he's pretty conservative, but he is a kind and gentle soul and one of the smartest clinicians I've run across.

Anyway, lol at your wife's comment. I received acupuncture for snoring a few years back. After a few sessions my wife said I evolved to a "gentle purr"...hahaha.

Post Edited (woofer5) : 7/12/2015 2:06:29 PM (GMT-6)

Thinking of the DOG....Hugs, ML

Hi dog, just a note to remind you how much you've accomplished completing the treatment and how you encourage everyone else! I don't know, of course. But I think you're feeling down could be needing to hear new tests results. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers and expecting the best outcome! Will be checking in on you! music 👱

Dog,

It has been over a years since Mike finished treatment and his labs took a while to normalize. His red and white bloods are almost normal. But his ALT/AST are in the teens. He is so very thankful to have that all behind him.

I am hoping you join the club for sustained relief.

I think that virus kicks you in the butt.

At this point, Mike has so much with the TP, Hep C returning, multiple OTHER troubles, it is hard to say if he is OKAY at any point as he keeps having to recover from this and than...and he is in his late 60s now....so one slows down!

Thinking positive thoughts,

Hugs,
Mama Lama

HEARING LOSS AND HARVONI
I developed it after 2 weeks and after stopping it has not resolved.
I can no longer perform all of my functions at work.
Is anyone else experiencing this?

I have dropped in a few times and I see it's been almost a month since I have posted.

DJ, I have experienced some hearing loss over the past 15 years. I have to attribute mine to noise exposure. I have a high pitched whine in my head I think is due to stress. I have had concussions, but I think stress is the culprit because sometimes it goes away with rest and relaxation.

My body is telling me the HCV is gone. My urine is not noticeably smelly. My stools are nice and tight every time, never loose. Yea, I know. Gross. I'm a guy. Lol I know my body though. Eating healthy, exercising and praying the compensated cirrhosis is reversing or healing like I have read about.

I sleep better. Six hours straight sometimes. Lay in bed at least eight hours.

Sometimes when alone I have a little depression. Maybe I'm just lazy and want to lay around. I'm not sure yet. What do I have to complain about here in the U.S.? We are blessed.

Otherwise, I'm just chugging along one day at a time and have nothing to complain about.

I plan to visit my GP in October for a three month post treatment enzyme and viral load test. I will let you know what happens.

Keep up the good fight. Good luck. I wish you all well.

Hello everyone. It's been awhile.
I went for labs and emphasized to my GP that I want an HCV RNA plus liver panel.
There were no RNA results, so I guess I'll wait until December to draw blood again for that test. However, all my enzymes were normal except bilirubin (1.7). Bili normal is .1 to 1.3, so it's slightly elevated.

Considering my Fibrosure Test in Dec 14:
Fibrosis Score .86 Cirrhosis
Infl Score: .96 A3 Severe Activity

I guess elevated bili is to be expected considering the damage that has been done to my liver over the years. I am pretty sure the HCV is gone because my body functions indicate so (I knew when the virus returned during prior treatment). I hate waiting until December though. Maybe I will hit the GP up again for that test.
Other folks have experienced normalization of liver functions after clearing HCV, so I hope I will experience the same good fortune and my bili will eventually normalize too.

When I wake up, I've always got a headache. I'm going to see a sleep doctor and figure out if I have some type of sleep disorder. This has been going on for some time and I always attributed it to HCV.
I've been feeling pretty good during the day. Still a little depressed for whatever reason.
That's all I got for now folks.
God bless.