Just started browsing forum just completed treatment
warrenb said
Jun 4, 2014
Hi Taz Kat
I appreciate your response previously and I am now 6 weeks post treatment of Sov, Riba and Inteferon 12 week therapy. My last blood work was done on the 29th of May 5 wks post tx. I have to admit that each time I view them for the first time there is a lot of anxiety, but the last results are all good. My liver enzymes are good, AST 22, ALT 15 my platelets are at 170,000 up from the 80's and my hemoglobin is 12.7 and most important my viral load is UND since my third or 4th week. Over the course of treatment my interferon shots and ribavirin were reduced significantly. The fatigue was horrific and shortness of breath was very uncomfortable. I still managed to walk on a treadmill almost daily, and fished on an open center console boat weekly. Within 10 or so days of EOT my strength started to come back and now I breathe normally. I can't express my gratitude enough at this point. I feel better than I did before treatment and can only hope that this continues into the future. Wishing all best of success
TazKat said
May 5, 2014
hi warrenb.. i am on same treatment.. i hve been on for 11 days & hve noticde shortness of breath.. sides are just this damn interferon.. lol slay the dragon!!!!!! yahoo to u!! after shot fri. i will have 9 left. i am counting down like houston.. lol
Tig said
May 5, 2014
Hi Warren,
Welcome to the forum! Glad you're here and wish you had found us while you were going through Tx. It helps to have people to talk to during those weeks.
It's not unusual at all to be on the Tx protocol you were on. As a matter of fact, for GT 1a, it's the standard of care. The people on Sov/Oly are taking it off label. Some doctors and insurance companies approve it's use and some don't. Also, some people can't take Interferon, which gives them special consideration for the treatment combo. It's not approved by the FDA, but is authorized in certain instances. It's extremely effective, but so is yours. The benefit of Sov/Oly is rates of success and few, if any side effects. It's also extremely expensive, much more than yours was, but what's the price of success worth? Regardless, it sounds like your Tx was successful and now it's a matter of waiting that 12 weeks to make it official! Since you achieved UND at week 3, your chances of SVR are quite high (likely). Keep in touch and good luck!
Tig
patiently_waiting said
May 5, 2014
Hi Warrenb. The treatment you went on is the current standard for treatment-naive genotype 1 patients (which also includes relapsers who did respond). For people who are intolerant to interferon or were non-responders to it, the standard treatment is now Solvadi/Olysio with or without Ribavarin (seems to be a judgement call on the riba). Most of the people reporting to be on the all oral regime I assume were intolerant to interferon or were otherwise able to convince their doctors to do it. :) I'm hoping I will soon fall into that latter category come Thursday of this week. This is all based on the recently posted AASLD treatment guidelines.
warrenb said
May 5, 2014
Hi there
Just completed a week ago 12 week triple therapy with interferon, ribavirin, and Sovaldi. First time treatment Gen type 1a, had HCV for 32 years. early cirrhosis. Started treatment 1/31/14 with first interferon shot. Undetectable within 21 days of start. Side effects were anemia and dr. reduced doses of interferon by half and also reduced ribavirin from 1200 to 600 by end of treatment. The anemia caused chronic fatigue and shortness of breath. I am amazed that upon reviewing many of the posts that I see mostly Solvaldi-Olysio, and ribavirin without interferon treatment. I originally tried to get in some trials, but were full and went to a major University facility to seek treatment. I am 10 days off treatment and my shortness of breath has diminished somewhat, so I'm grateful for that but still tired. I will have to say that I expected more side effects, but to my surprise am grateful for minimal discomfort. I was curious as to why now so many of the posts show the Solvaldi-Olysio treatment as opposed to the therapy I was on with interferon. Is it because the interferon is eliminated or just the advancements in treatment
Hi Taz Kat
I appreciate your response previously and I am now 6 weeks post treatment of Sov, Riba and Inteferon 12 week therapy. My last blood work was done on the 29th of May 5 wks post tx. I have to admit that each time I view them for the first time there is a lot of anxiety, but the last results are all good. My liver enzymes are good, AST 22, ALT 15 my platelets are at 170,000 up from the 80's and my hemoglobin is 12.7 and most important my viral load is UND since my third or 4th week. Over the course of treatment my interferon shots and ribavirin were reduced significantly. The fatigue was horrific and shortness of breath was very uncomfortable. I still managed to walk on a treadmill almost daily, and fished on an open center console boat weekly. Within 10 or so days of EOT my strength started to come back and now I breathe normally. I can't express my gratitude enough at this point. I feel better than I did before treatment and can only hope that this continues into the future. Wishing all best of success
hi warrenb.. i am on same treatment.. i hve been on for 11 days & hve noticde shortness of breath.. sides are just this damn interferon.. lol slay the dragon!!!!!! yahoo to u!! after shot fri. i will have 9 left. i am counting down like houston.. lol
Hi Warren,
Welcome to the forum! Glad you're here and wish you had found us while you were going through Tx. It helps to have people to talk to during those weeks.
It's not unusual at all to be on the Tx protocol you were on. As a matter of fact, for GT 1a, it's the standard of care. The people on Sov/Oly are taking it off label. Some doctors and insurance companies approve it's use and some don't. Also, some people can't take Interferon, which gives them special consideration for the treatment combo. It's not approved by the FDA, but is authorized in certain instances. It's extremely effective, but so is yours. The benefit of Sov/Oly is rates of success and few, if any side effects. It's also extremely expensive, much more than yours was, but what's the price of success worth? Regardless, it sounds like your Tx was successful and now it's a matter of waiting that 12 weeks to make it official! Since you achieved UND at week 3, your chances of SVR are quite high (likely). Keep in touch and good luck!
Tig
Hi there
Just completed a week ago 12 week triple therapy with interferon, ribavirin, and Sovaldi. First time treatment Gen type 1a, had HCV for 32 years. early cirrhosis. Started treatment 1/31/14 with first interferon shot. Undetectable within 21 days of start. Side effects were anemia and dr. reduced doses of interferon by half and also reduced ribavirin from 1200 to 600 by end of treatment. The anemia caused chronic fatigue and shortness of breath. I am amazed that upon reviewing many of the posts that I see mostly Solvaldi-Olysio, and ribavirin without interferon treatment. I originally tried to get in some trials, but were full and went to a major University facility to seek treatment. I am 10 days off treatment and my shortness of breath has diminished somewhat, so I'm grateful for that but still tired. I will have to say that I expected more side effects, but to my surprise am grateful for minimal discomfort. I was curious as to why now so many of the posts show the Solvaldi-Olysio treatment as opposed to the therapy I was on with interferon. Is it because the interferon is eliminated or just the advancements in treatment