Started Sovaldi Today!!

Hi All

After a long wait i received my Rx of Sovaldi and Ribavirin. I am Geno 3a. LFTs and CBC normal, Viral load 314862Iu/ml. Age 46

I be taking 800mg Ribavirin as my weight is 65KG. The treatment is 24 Weeks.

I pray to Almighty Allah (God) for helping me and all others like me in this journey to full recovery.

I would need your support.

Regards

Rahel

I think you should do great on this treatment, Rahel! Congrats on getting started. Did you check on your med that you were curious about?

Some things to help with riba side effects would be drinking lots of water, eating something fatty when you take the riba. Watch for riba-rage as the weeks progress. You will notice and no one likes this side, if they get it. More common with 24 weeks due to length of treatment. Some doctors do start people on an anti-depressant for riba-rage if it is troubling. My husband did need one both times he treated his Hep C. It did help and he was much happier with the anti-depressant.

You also may feel out of breath as the time passes. Anemia is something common with riba. Solvaldi seems to have only a bit of a headache for some. Oh, and if you get heartburn stomach stuff, take something like omeprozole, Previcid, or Nexium. Those seem to take care of that.

Other than a lot more water than you would normally drink (1/2 your body weight in oz, per day) and something like nut butter on a cracker, or some avacado with the riba....you should be able to eat your normal diet :) Keep in touch with your blood tests and as you move along with weeks. We care. Big Hugs

HAD A VERY SCARY FIRST NIGHT!!!!

Thanks Themiz for advice. I had a smooth first day (was at work normally) with lot of water, but the night was a different story.

I slept good at night , at around 4 am i woke up feeling hot and uncomfortable. got up to go to washroom but at that time my head started spinning and my heart felt sunk. I made it back to bed. Then i started sweating and feeling cold with vertigo. My wife helped me with some water. It lasted good about 5 min. I immediately checked my blood pressure. It had gone down to 114/60 and heart rate at 53. I am otherwise hypertensive with BP at 140/95 for which i take 25mg (Losartan potassium) which i had taken as usual at 10 am in morning as per doctor advice. I may skip my BP medication today if my BP remains in range without it.

I am scared what had happened. Is it drugs interaction or lot of water with by BP medication or else it is Ribavirin. The end result was very low BP that my body was not used to.

I took around 2.5 litres of water in day ( i am 140 Lbs), Took Ribavirin in morning 8 am with peanut butter sandwich, took Sovaldi in afternoon 12:30 on empty stomach. Took Ribaravrin in night at 8:30 pm with dinner.

Any Help is appreciated

Rahel

Post Edited (Rahel) : 11/19/2014 9:32:16 PM (GMT-7)

Rahel,

My partner, Mike, had a horrible first night last time he had treatment...but it was with Interferon and Ribavirin. The first night he had the worst flu like symptoms ever....chills, shaking like crazy, his teeth were chattering and I was so scared for him. He did not think he could do the treatment.

But after the first day it didn't happen again. We always thought it was the Interferon that caused the chills, etc. Later in teh treatment, he had problems with anemia, also from the Inf, and later still with the Riba Rage and fog. It was hard.

This time in treatment (March - May 2014) he did Sovaldi and Olysio. He had no chills, no anemia, no rage. He sailed through.

I think you have Sovaldi and Riba. You should be fine. But remember, you have a lot of copies of that virus and these drugs are like a cancer chemo in that they are killing those horrible virus things at a rapid rate...most of the folks are clearing the virus in WEEKS and then stay on treatment to make sure it stays gone.

Good luck. Hopefully you will be feeling way better soon. As soon as Mike cleared the virus, he was feeling better than in years.

Hugs,

Mama Lama

Hi all

this is my fourth day on rx.

Except first scary night all is fine till date. Having nice sleep and normal day.

taking lot of water and some fresh juices.

Hope to stay like that.

prayers for all

regards

rahel

Hi rahel, I took the same meds 24 weeks...1a. No real problems until third week, short of breath, anemia. Manageable...but some anxiety continued. On the 9th day, first time tested during treatment was undetected and each test after that..three mo test after end of treatment undetected! Dr states cured...he will do test again end of January per requirements, but the meds are amazingly.
you will do great! keep your eyes on the goal! This is a great forum for info and support. Will follow your post. Looking forward to your success!
music 👱

Hi all

Completing my fourth week tomorrow. All is going well, no serious effects. Some light fatigue and shortness of breadth with some exertion in last few days.

No blood tests till now, Would soon carryout blood CBC.

Thanks all for support

Rahel, glad to hear things are going well. Will be interested to hear how your next blood tests turn out.

Hugs,
Mama Lama

R

I don't know any of the answers but know that you are in good hands with this treatment and statistically will be successful. I see no harm in waiting.

Hugs,

ML

Post Edited By Moderator (themiz) : 12/27/2014 10:48:10 AM (GMT-7)

Hi Themiz

Thanks for advice. I would definitely see my doctor. The Hb levels are still within lowest acceptable for a male adult. But have definitely lowered upto 3.5 units over five weeks.

Thanks for your continued support.

Regards

Rahel

Hi Every one.

I am in week 9 of treatment. (Geno type 3. on 24 weeks Sovaldi/Ribavirin)
Everything is fine. No side effects other than fatigue and difficulty in falling asleep (both manageable).

Had my CBC and LFTs. My HB is at 13.2 (same as at week 5). It was 16 at start of tratment. I am happy it is hanging around at 13 and not going down.

Mt LFTs are also in normal range.

One question. Do i need to do Viral load to see if i am undetected at this stage. Is it mandatory at any stage in between. ?? Does it help doctors understand overall effectiveness?? or is it just good to have??

Thanks

Arif

Hi Rachel,

I did the 12 wk Sovaldi treatment Riba/Interferon. They did a viral load test at 3 months, it was still detected but hard to read. Then I finished my treatment in Dec/24/14 and had to do one at end of treatment Jan/2015. Just got results non-detected. I have 2 more test to do 1st one 3 months after the 12 wk test results, and 2nd at 6 months after treatment which is when I will know for sure if I am okay and non-detected.

Not sure for the 24 wk treatment, hope that helps.

Hang in there!

Hi All

Good news: i am on 24 weeks rx.
At the end of 12 weeks my PCR RNA (Qualitative) tests is in and it is <15 IU/ml NOT DETECTED.

I pray to God for same at end of treatment and SVR later.

Just wanted to share good news. I am doing well only slight fatigue and some bothersome insomnia. but i am thankful to God that it is manageable and i am working full time.

regards