Steve's Sovaldi + Ribavirin Treatment Log, Part 1

In the tradition of @AllenM, @music and @Butterfly422's Sovaldi treatment threads, here is my own. I hope some of this information will be helpful for others in getting this treatment, knowing what to expect, or whatever else it might be useful for.


Treatment Start Date = February 4 2014

Treatment Length = 12 weeks

Hepatitis Type = Genotype 2

Viral Load = 4.15 Million as of January 2014 (5.086 Million in May 2012 when I first found out)

Age = 40-45

Weight= 170-175 lbs

Height = 5' 8"

Insurance = Blue Shield, California. Used the Sovaldi My Support Path coupon and paid $5 through CVS Caremark mail order. Would have been $115 without coupon. In the process, I talked to the My Support Path People and the guy told me that the coupon is good for up to $18k. If you use it up and needed more, they have organizations they can refer you to in order to get additional help.

Prescription for treatment = Sovaldi 400Mg(morning only) + Ribavirin 600Mg(morning) & 400Mg (Dinner)

I've never treated before. At the time of discovery in May of 2012, my doctor said he didn't see a rush to treat (Interferon and Riba would have been the choice), so I went with that :) Shortly after that, I came across Sovaldi news, then followed it through priority review and approval. Emailed him the next day and the ball started rolling to where I am at now.

I'm pretty sure I contracted hcv right around 1990, in my very early 20's, so I feel very fortunate to still be in the condition I am now (although I still have a lot of questions as to my exact condition). At time of discovery in 5/12, AST was 61 and ALT 138 . Just before starting treatment now, AST 34 and ALT 52. Can anyone translate?

Since starting treatment: Day 1-3, felt great. Day 4, somewhat funky, but definitely manageable. Thinking of the goal makes how I have felt today not really matter. I'm sure it will get worse, but I'm not worrying about tomorrow yet :)

//Above was mostly a copy and paste from my introduction on Allen's thread last night. I just took day 5's dose of Sovaldi and Riba. Hope it's not a repeat of yesterday, but if it is, so be it :) I've definitely felt worse than that before. I've gone to work each day as I normally would so far- Amazing...

Post Edited By Moderator (MamaLama) : 3/10/2014 8:26:21 PM (GMT-6)

Thanks, Barry!

Day 5: Just a quick check in- other than being snippy a couple times, today was as good as it gets. Felt pretty much perfectly normal all day and night.

As far as "funky", it was that I just felt really spacey and off mentally. Nothing too physical. Maybe a bit weak, but made it through work. I did get a bit of a headache, also, but it was pretty minor and a couple ibuprofen knocked it out.
Hope these things are not messed up somehow and are actually working...

Post Edited (steve-ca) : 2/9/2014 3:49:14 AM (GMT-7)

Day 6: Nothing really to report. Had the same full Sunday that I've had on other Sunday and felt really good, actually. Need to stop obsessively looking for problems on the internet at night, though :) Win+L and I'm out. See you tomorrow.

music said...
Thank you for sharing with us, Steve-ca. I believe we are very fortunate to have a treatment without the harsh se of interferon. May your days only get better. I will be excited to see you post as I am taking the same meds - starting third week next week. no se so far.

music

Thanks, music- be sure that I've been checking in on you, too!
We definitely are very fortunate. I actually feel guilty saying how little se every day (although that could easily change any day), especially after how much many others have been through. I haven't accomplished anything yet, though, except for week 1 of 12.
Halfway point to first labs- yikes...

Just wanted to check in. Have had some pretty full days lately with work and all, so here are the last few days (very little) news. Day 8 went along great until at some point in the afternoon I kind of just petered out in the energy department and just coasted through the rest of it. Although I did stay up too late the night before... Day 9 was back to normal- felt as good as ever. Day 10, today, more of the same. To be honest, I don't think I've felt as good as these good days I keep talking about in years. The way I feel and things like clarity really make me think it's working. I try to keep positive, and have been for the most part- but because of my nature, it's hard for me to get too, too crazy :)
Patience isn't a strong suit, either, so luckily I won't have to practice it very much longer- labs on Tuesday.
It seems there's always a countdown to something...
Good night/morning all!

Post Edited (steve-ca) : 2/14/2014 2:37:08 AM (GMT-7)

Excited for you that treatment is giving you no major problems. You are setting a positive example as we follow your progress.

music

Great to hear things are going well Steve, I have been very dry lately also and a few times while sleeping I wake up so darn dry I feel like I am having trouble breathing..a couple of gulps of water and swishing around my mouth and then I pass out again.

Glad to hear you're doing well and hope things continue this way until the end of treatment

Well first test came in. RBC and Hematocrit are just below standard range and Hemoglobin is barely still in standard range.
Not sure what this actually means to me at this point...

Will do. Thanks a bunch ML!
My mind is going way too fast at the moment. So many questions :)
Only other number that is out of range is abs monocytes (whatever they are), that went from .5 to 1, which is slightly high.
Did a quick, non satisfying search and I think that might be good. Hard to understand what they're really saying, so it might not be.
They sure know how to build suspense :)
Now I really won't be able to stop looking every time I hear a ding on my phone, hoping it's the VL test notification.

So here's a question that might be good to have the answer to along with this thread. I'm sure it's been answered somewhere before, but for anyone following this treatment now or in the future: Is there anything you can eat or drink to help keep RBC, hematocrit or hemoglobin levels up during treatment? Or do you just eat normally and hope for the best?

Steve, congrats on the great lfts! AST and alt are super and sounds like your Dr is excited about all the results! Excited to keep up with your process. I have added a few foods I didn't normally eat, as raisins and spinach to add a little iron which I normally avoid, to my diet to help avoid anemia...low red blood cells. This is not Dr suggested, so please check with your Dr for your particular circumstances. My hemocrit too was down a bit on first labs, but Dr just stated was not concerned, but will keep an eye on it. Anyway, have a great week!
You are off to a super start!

music