Hi Mona, 10 weeks in on Vikera/Riba. I find it very interesting you said you "Feel like your stomach is in your throat"  I had the same. Felt like it was twisting my windpipe. I guess I was not alone. It did stop in a week. Seem to come on in the aft. It's just the Dragon being beaten off LOL!  This weekend cleaning the barbie in 90 degree weather I finally had a reaction to the sun. Although a bad hat and a pair of "Cheap Sunglasses"  did not stop me from looking like a lobster at a New England clambake! It does effect you in the sun so look out. It subsides.

 Oh...Harvoni is really rubbing it in about the use of Riba. I dont think it's usage is going to stop though. Will see what J+J and Echllion produce. In the meantime remember your not alone on this forum. Do check in and crab about anything, it's all important to us all on this train !

Femapple- I apologize, I should have said CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Hi Tig56, Thank you for your response. I think I will give the ginger ale/coke a try. Oldies but goodies I hadn't thought of. I sure don't want to take anything that would interfere with the efficacy of the treatment. If that fails I'll check with doc- I'm very glad to hear the treatment is worth it and best of luck to you. Thanks for your empathy.

I an a 1a non-responder to peginterferon and Riba from back in 2009. Waited for the new treatments and then of course insurance battles. I was fortunate that my doctor had a voucher for a free course of Viekira/ribaviran and selected me to take it.

I just don't remember having any real problems with the previous treatment until I got closer to the 12 week period. That was when the Riba was giving me anemia, and then I was stopped anyway due to non response. This treatment seems to be giving me fits out of the gate. Of course I'm 59 years old now so maybe being a bit older this time around doesn't help.

I really want to take off from work and just hole up. I.m looking into it.

Thanks Femapple, I called off today, just starting second week of treatment. Husband and I are just looking at the possibility that I won't work for the next few weeks. I try not to be a complainer and  I am trying to remain positive. If I could hole up in a  cave and come out when it is over I could  least put up the pretense of positivity, LOL. I too am having the exhaustion and the mood swings, also feel like my stomach is in my throat.

My job requires me to be available 24/7 by phone and possibly have to go in. Constant calls/reports/fires to put out (figuratively). Just can't deal with it. I was hoping that maybe the symptoms would decrease with time- but I know very well as the Ribavirin does its thing it could get worse.

Thank you for your information.

Wow. Nothing like reading pages upon pages of people stressing about profits and joking about the drug that I'm hoping will save my life.

interesting to see how the other half lives..

This certainly explains why I got Viekira Pak for free.

That said, aside from taking 4 pills a day instead of one, I don't think it's in any way medically inferior to Harvoni, if you don't need to take it with Ribavarin.

-- Edited by kickingit on Monday 1st of June 2015 02:17:23 AM

Hi Mona,

Viekira Pak is an excellent protocol. No worries there! If you're having troubles with constant nausea, we can give you some tips. There are dozens of home remedies, ginger ale, flat Coke, etc., but if it gets troublesome there are prescription meds your doctor can prescribe. I had to go that route and feel your pain... Don't suffer, there are things that can be done. Avoid antacids and the like, as they can affect the absorption of some drugs. Always talk to your doctor before trying any OTC medication, especially herbal supplements.

I'm on Viekira Pak and Ribaviron and I was undetected at 4 weeks.  It's a newer drug than Harvoni. The trial results are virtually the same.  I'm having problems with exhaustion and mood swings but if I had to work (which I don't, fortunately), I would require a chair and I could do my job.  As a former teacher, I think I could have done it if I had to.

I read one yesterday that if you want attendance and productivity at work, choose Harvoni.

so are people getting cured on Viekira or am I sitting here nauseated as hell wasting my time

It was a scary read.  They were disparaging Viekira Pak and its cure rates.  The trials say differently, though.

Fem

If you search the entire Abbvie section, you're going to see many more infuriating threads and comments from their employees. I haven't even looked at the Gilead section. I wonder if posting to their boards and giving them a piece of our mind would serve a purpose? Probably not, people like that could care less. I did see some comments by their IT department that warned them about talking smack on company time. I'm not impressed at all... [smh] 

Sleazy is a good description 4L. Its also sad as well Rubye.

john

I read some threads from the Gilead reps as well.  Very unprofessional if you ask me.  Shockingly so.  I am not so sure that their bosses would find it funny!

What a thing to stumble upon.  They should have it locked or something so the general public doesn't know how sleazy they are.

It made me really mad to read this. Oh well, everyone needs a job I guess. Sad.

Glad to know they take us and Hepatitis C seriously-NOT. It's funny in a black comedy, warped humor kind of way.

john

http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/showthread.php?p=5414036

I found this on another forum but found it so funny to read.  Who knew that had a place to yuck it up like this about Harvoni.

-- Edited by fourlocos on Monday 4th of May 2015 12:23:24 AM