Your AST/ALT looks equally wonderful!! Damn 18??!!! 

FireChic: Just look at them as tasty "depth charges".

I'm so happy I don't know whether to laugh or cry lol! I expected a drop in the Vl but wow! I never imagined this after just 4 wks. I literally jumped into my dr's lap hugging her to death. Sending all of u big hugs as well for being so caring and supportive! I woulda had a rough start at this if it hadnt been for u guys!

7 weeks to go... Totally motivated now! 

One tough Gal!   I admire your determination to just do it. Congrats!!!  It's all routine now.

Terrific news!! This is better than Christmas  

Hey Lori,

WOOHOO!!! Congrats to the 'enth' degree! Absolutely everything on that report is perfect. You couldn't ask for better results than that. You go girl, that Dragon has turned and ran. I'm sending up a Drone to make sure it's never heard from again! Missle away....

Best news all week! Stoked for you. 

YAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Wonderful to hear, Congrats Lori ... meds are working great!

What a great feeling that is, very happy for ya.

Happy, Happy,

Dave

Just left my Dr's office from getting my 4wk lab results......

UNDETECTED!!!!!!!!  That's right baby! Undetected!!!! Ha! 

I am completely over the moon!!!!!!!!!

Hi - good one re the results Lori, always inspiring to see evidence of the meds working.

Regarding thrush in the mouth, I have problems with that in conjunction with Oral Lichen Planus, neither of which are any fun. I put about a teaspoon of cider vinegar in warm water and rinse it around my mouth before drinking it. Helps to reduce the thrush, soothes my mouth plus it aids digestion to drink some vinegar before a meal. My naturopath suggested it years ago and I really recommend trying it out. He actually said a tablespoon of vinegar but I find that too much.

I use a good quality, organic, naturally fermented cider vinegar. It tastes way nicer than the cheap ones and doesn't have a mean bite to it.

All the best with your adventure

Aroha

Ari

PS I got all sorts of skin problems and looked twice my age by the end of treatment - they have all settled down now thank goodness, wasn't great for the moral!

Hi Lori,

Yes, that sounds like the "Rash"... It usually starts on the body with most people, but the arms, legs and face can be affected too. You have to avoid the sun, hot water, harsh soaps and above all, don't scratch it! I found the best treatments were antihistamines, like Benadryl or Zyrtec, Calamine or Caladryl lotion and an OTC hydrocortisone cream. Check with your octor before taking any oral medications though. Antihistamines are commonly used, but always check first.

DON'T SCRATCH!!!

Great news on your rapid response.

These are the best posts to read from the members. Keep going!

Hi Amex,

Congrats on the 4 wk lab results!

That's Excellent News ... the meds are doing thier job ... always wonderful to hear.

Dave

Thanks!! Just refilled my water bottle! 

I actually felt the fog lifting about two weeks ago and my focus and concentration is much better...amazing stuff. 

WOOHOO! Congratulations on your rapid response to these new drugs. It only gets better from here. Keep hydrating, stay compliant and you'll be completing treatment before you know it.

Just got my four weeks blood test results....

Hep C virus by PCR   <1.18 NOT detected, <15 not detected IU/Ml

AST 18

ALT  25 

Needless to say my family and I are thrilled and thankful for the new medications. 

GT 1b
VL 1,237,287
Diagnosed November 2015
alt 66 ast 35
F2 fibrosure
2/3/16 Started 12 weeks Viekira

I record how much water I drink on a little app on my Ipad. It is probably a good idea keep a record of it because it can seem so much more than it is... especially after 5 or 10 trips to the little boys/girls room

I am on Harvoni, but it's the same rules.

Mary,

You should be drinking AT LEAST 3-4 liters of quality filtered water daily. If you aren't, the side effects are far more pronounced. 

Firechic19 wrote:

---

I get headaches, quiet often. But I use them as a reminder to drink more water. Hydrating really good helps mine.

---

 What she said. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Drink more water Mary!

JimmyK

Lori,

I guess I should hold off sending this pepperoni and jalepeno pizza to your house huh?? I can hear the screaming from here, lol! Keep the diet bland as possible. Your throat and mouth will be feeling better soon enough, but suffice to say, wait for this pizza til after treatment!

Ribavirin is rage in tablet form. It's a highly effective, necessary evil. Learning(as you are) to control it's hold on your mood is all you can do. Takes a little (lot) of practice and determination, but you'll do it! I got mad at a box of mashed potato flakes on treatment and threw it at the wall in my pantry. That was over 2 years ago. I'm still finding that stuff in the cracks and crevices of the pantry. I was so pissed! Funny today, but the rage is very real and can catch you off guard. Just stay aware of the potential triggers and go the other way!

Hi Lori,

I'm not sure about the bread thing. Thrush is a fungal nfection and I have to wonder if the yeast in it would be problematic. It did not cause me any personal trouble when I went through it. Your question is interesting nonetheless. Perhaps one of the health food aficionados here could add their opinion. Hmmmm?? I love bread, carbs are an important part of my questionable diet! 

Good to hear you're sticking with the full Riba dose. Do your best to stay compliant and ful dose all the way. You do have some wiggle room if you need to reduce it, but I'm of the old school belief that more is better, as long as you can safely tolerate it. You're a trooper Lori and I'm proud of you for sticking to your guns! You'll get through this and we're here to cheer you on!

 Thrush is no fun. I've dealt with it several times as a result of advanced HIV and as a result I keep prevention in mind with a diet low in sugar and breads, yogurt on a regular basis, mouthwash twice a day, and don't smoke. You'll get some relief pretty quick after the antibiotics take hold. Your getting there Lori. Keep the big picture in mind. Tell yourself SVR, SVR, SVR...

Hey Lori,

I had a feeling that's what was going on. You described exactly the same symptoms that I suffered with. Don't forget to add some unsweetened plain yogurt to your diet, it helps. You should be feeling better in short order, but might take a couple days to put that fire out. Damn, I remember it like it was yesterday. It'll be one of those favorite memories from treatment, oh joy!! The Magic Mouthwash will be your best friend for the time being! Avoid acidic, sugary and spicy stuff for the time being. I'm sure I didn't have to tell you that, but I had to be sure you knew!! Gotta stick together.... =>

Dave is correct in his statement regarding unsweetened yogurt. I did that prior to getting the Rx for the Magic Mouthwash, but continued to eat it throughout treatment. I had forgotten that excellent piece of advice. I'll blame it on brain fog or early onset dementia (maybe it's not so early?)

Lori, I used Biotene Toothpaste during treatment. It didn't burn and it really helps with the oral dryness. I recommend the Biotene mouthwash too. It works good at night if you wake up with that old nemesis "Cotton Mouth"... 

Oral Thrush - Mayo Clinic

Unsweetened Yogurt may help restore the natural balance of bacteria (see article above), if indeed it is Thrush.

Dave

Firechic19 wrote:

---

JimmyK: Haha! I hear ya my mouth has that prob too! Pre-treatment and much worse during lol

Tig: yeah this is really bad, swallowing in general is terrible. It burns and is just really raw feeling. I'm gonna go see my dr first thing in the morning. What kind of toothpaste did u use when u had thrush? My current toothpaste (crest 3d) is like pouring gasoline on the fire

Riba is quiet the little gift giver isn't it!

---

 Sis you know that "cousin" that visited once and ONLY once and you were kind of told just be nice they won't be here long?

Remember her name?

I believe it was Reba. Close I know and not quite but. really?

Lori,

I had a terrible time with oral "Thrush". Don't know what was responsible specifically, but was on Ribavirin too. I thought initially that I had developed strep throat. It looked just like it. One of our members at the time had suffered from it during treatment too. It was more common during the Interferon days. I can't say if that's your problem, but it should be considered. These drugs, regardless of what they are can cause all kinds of strange things. I was prescribed an oral swish, better known as "Magic Mouthwash". It's a compounded solution of Benadryl, lidocaine and Nystatin. It relieves the fungal infection, pain and worked quite fast. It's worth investigating.

I had extreme dry mouth in particular at night. Sometimes felt like my lips were rocks. I would wake up in the morning and look to the floor to make sure they had not dried up and fell off.

Than and the usual problems unrelated to treatment that my mouth has from time to time.  LOL

JimmyK

Glad to hear you're doing well  I understand the feeling of not wanting to leave the house and medication behind. Considering how much it weighs and it's value, I believe it's more valuable by weight than gold! Don't know for sure but I think it's safe to say, it's close! I'm glad your family is noticing your improvements, that makes it even better. Good luck and keep pushing those fluids!!!

Welcome Hep Manny,

So is it Manny. Are you on V-Pk no RBV? Tell us a bit more about yourself. Do an intro in the new Member area which is in fact New Family Member area and welcome to The Family!

JimmyK

Just wanted to update folks - have been on Veikira for two weeks now - I am happy say that I have had no Sx - I am almost thinking the pills are fake  

Family and friends notice my skin coloring seems to be "pinker" meaning less yellow so it must be working.  

Only concern I have is leaving house for extended period of time - might sound weird but I am afraid that someone could steal the medication.  

GT 1b

VL 1,237,287

Diagnosed November 2015

alt 74 ast 45

F2/f3 fibrosure

2/3/16 Started 12 weeks Viekira

Hi Lori,

The Riba rash is the pits! You have received some good advice thus far and I would ask the doctor about an anti histamine like Benadryl or Zyrtec. They both helped me a lot. I used an OTC lotion called Caladryl (Benadryl and Calamine). Spacing out your showers, mild soap and cooler water will help keep it down to a mild roar.

Use our search function and use the word "rash" or a combination of keywords and you'll get some additional help from days past. Don't scratch!!!!!!

Hi Lori,

Sounds like "Riba Rash", quite common, do not scratch, use very little if any soap during showers (a little baby shampoo works instead

Oatmeal in something like cheesecloth and tie at top and put in luke warm to cool bath water, it will help the itch a lot.

Ice packs sometimes help.

I don't know if you can take Benydril with Viekira Pak, someone who's taken it will chime in.

I've read where people get the Riba Rash then it can go away, just try not to put anything at all harsh on your skin, nothing with fragrance ... preferably only mild natural ingredients.

Sorry to hear about the rash, wishing you the best.

Dave

Edit: This is all I could find about taking Benadryl with Viekira Pak, looks like it's Ok but you should ask your Doctor to be sure.

They need to know if you are taking it anyway. Link Here  (Site is a Gastroenterology site so the information should be valid.

I looked at Viekira Pak website, you might be able to find it there, I couldn't.

I itched all over while on Viekira - not fun at all. I used a lotion with peppermint in it which was cooling, helped a lot.

All the best with your employment issues - my Dad was a fireman, both voluntary and permanent force. It was his passion and I grew up on station.

Eventually my son was a volunteer firefighter for 5 years - I greatly admire all firefighters, not an easy job.

and before I realized what I was doing I had already worked from week 2 all the way through week 5's work

LOL, ya it'll wire ya out too, hopefully not just before bedtime.

Water, and LOTS of it, actually helps to temper all the sides from what I can tell, including the ones you've mentioned here.

... hey, you're rolling with the punches well, keep up the great work!

Dave

As Tig said, "You are protected from any sort of disciplinary action" period, regarding this. (No exceptions, and they know that).

Ya, what he said ... 

Dave

-- Edited by Linuxter on Monday 15th of February 2016 06:30:18 AM

You can't be terminated for that. You need to inform your employer and once notified, you're protected under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). I think it won't be as difficult as you might believe. We had a member recently that is also with the Fire Department and was treated very well by his department. 

I understand the concern regarding what people will think, but I've seen a lot of improvement where the stigma is concerned. The treatment is providing a better outlook in my opinion for those with the illness, as well as those concerned about working with them. Your health and welfare are the most important thing right now. Do what you need to do and get this over with. You're young, still seem very healthy overall and have a great future ahead of you. This will be over before you know it and all will be good with the Universe! Stay positive and good things happen....