Good job mcmaklin. It's downhill from here coasting straight to SVR land.

Greetings,

First and foremost, Congratulations!

That said what an interesting thread to read. Could easily be titled "From Fear to Cure". Not meant as a jab either as ALL of us start out with a bit of apprehension.

VICTORY!

Hey Mac, Vikera pac and 1b is/are practically %100 curable. Relax and polish your dancing shoes. You will win that hansome steak knife set! (Don't eat Dragon meat though with them). Get that HCV quantitative count now.

Congratulations McMaklin! Celebrate this great accomplishment, you earned it. I'm glad that you made it through with no side effects, that's an accomplishment all by itself! If you were almost undetected that early into treatment, you should have easily been clear by EOT. Let us know when you get your next set of test results, we'll be polishing the dancing shoes. Good luck!

I finished Viekira Pak and Ribaviron about 3 weeks ago.  The ribavirin is where all the side effects are.  I got the rash, was sun sensitive, moody and angry.  However, I feel way better now and am waiting for my 3 and 6 month viral load tests.  You can do this.

FemA.

Really the priority. Is kick the virus which both will do. I think whatever you decide you you will not lose your art or your ability to create it.

Hello - really it was easier to handle Abbvie than Harvni?

Hi,

I am going to chime in on this because. I understand your concern. I once had to face. A like situation when i had cancer and while i didnt have a choice of chemo or a choice to do it as not to have it. I would have a 100%Death sentence.. the chemo would cause hearing damage. Obviously i had the chemo but it hurt my tone etc it got semi better but it was a while before i trusted what i was hearing.   

A year ago i found out i had hep c. There was some discussion of whst trestment. I would have and my very good dr said without pause Harvoni. He understood. That i had a huge tour coming and i needed to be game on

I read about vpac around and rightfully or not i would have not done it. Thsts just me.. i kept seeing the word rage and rash(i underdtand not all get riba)but it just seemed better the notion of one pill a day.

So let me tell you about my Harvoni. Ecperience and why i liked it.

One pill a day. I at the same time

 had a slight headache. On day one and never had it again. I slept well. .the fog i had before treatment was gone. I had good energy and concentration. I cleared my 25 million vl in 2weeks and stayed that way

 I was worried about  My ability to do the tour and to hear etc. No problem. I feel better than i have in years : i got a little scared a week ago as i was having some fog i thought but it was a bad cold

So i KNOW you will find it easier to work with minimal interuptions so to speak and although. I didnt have the pac there are less moving parts from what i hear from the people i talk to and what i have read here.. Harvoni was like taking a vitamin..   

I just know how important. Sound is in my career so i thought i would give my perspective

PEACE

No symptoms to speak of and I'm on week two. Slight headaches but could have those anyway with the heat we've been having. My biggest stress is making sure I take it. Got about 4 reminder systems in place, and still do a second and third check... Lol. Missed a dose of incevik and it haunts me still. Not missing any this time! 

I was having stomach issues, but haven't had them since I started. And think I'm not as tired but that could be just knowing I'll not have hep c for the next six months, and hopefully never again. 

Easy peasy.... You'll do fine! 

Hello Mack

I have been on both treatment protocols (Abbvie in a 12 week Clinical Trial w/Ribavirin) and just finished (Harvoni w/ Ribavirin).

The treatment side effects for me were a little less on the Abbvie protocol but not a whole lot different.

With your Geno Type being 1b the SVR rate with either is really high (95%-99%) There are advantages and disadvantages with being on a trial, depending on your time and job the trial will take more time from your schedule but won't cost you any money.

Get back to me if your have more questions, either choice you most likely will do well.

matt

But Harvoni which you are At - does it have any side effects? Much less then Abbvie?

Let someone who is on Viekira (so few people????) and no riBa how it is?

The vik Pak has little in the way of symptoms. The older treatments were the ones that were difficult to handle. I did both Peg/RIBA combo, and incevik triple therapy which both had RIBA and never missed a day of work for either one.

You can travel, just take the prescription and original bottle with you.

You should sleep fine. 

RIBA can cause a bit of a rash, but there are things that can help with that, and not everybody gets a rash.

From a very experienced treatment person, the apprehension about treatment was much worse than the actual treatment. And these new treatments (I'm on harvoni), I actually feel more energetic.

Hi:)

thank you- you are telling me very important things.

So You take it without Riba?

What are you saying about brain fog? That you feel better then before treatment now while you are on treatment?

if you had to fly somewhere would you be able to do it on treatment?

do you have any stomach problems and skin Problems?

Do you have something that you have to go to sleep at once because you are not able to work ?

Dear Mack,

I have gone through the protocol you describe (12 weeks VP, no riba). The brain fog question was also very important to me, given my job. I had no brain fog whatsoever. If anything, my thinking got a little clearer, and I got more energy after a few weeks of treatment. It really is a wonderful protocol!

warmly,

zavr

We have some 1b's that were treated without Riba. Here's that train thread I mentioned. Add your own post with questions and read the signature lines for those that went without it. 

http://hepcfriends.activeboard.com/t59659874/all-aboard-for-the-viekira-pak-treatment-train-enjoy-the-rid/

Your best way to find the various forums out there is to Google them. Being busy here, I don't participate on other forums.

Sorry, I meant to include this link. Look at table 1 under Dosage and Administration, it states Genotype 1b without cirrhosis can be prescribed without Ribavirin. This decision is entirely up to your healthcare team. If you are prescribed Riba, it can cause some rash but it's manageable and it can cause some moodiness, that is also manageable. We can offer some tips on all of this.

http://hepatitiscnewdrugresearch.com/viekira-pakombitasvir-paritaprevir-dasabuvir.html

I meant skin problems. I have nowhere found anybody describing his treatment with Abbvie without Riba

Hey Mack,

Relax buddy, if you get the opportunity to start the Viekira Pak protocol, you will do very well. The rates of success for you are 95+%, same as Harvoni. Some people are prescribed Ribavirin, which can increase some negative side effects, but your viral load and low fibrosis, as well as being treatment naive doesn't warrant Riba. You shouldn't have any problems maintaining your work requirements. There can be some fatigue and headaches from these treatments, but proper diet and increased hydration generally help keep them to a minimum. They aren't constant during treatment. The negative side effects do not last forever and usually end fairly quickly after you end treatment on these new protocols.

Driving won't be a problem whatsoever. The brain fog isn't going to prevent you from doing your job either. If you have walked from one room to another and forgot what you went there to do, may affect you more often, but you're not going to lose your ability to function normally by any means. There will just be moments (and not always) that you have to stop, think a moment, remember and move forward.

Don't worry about it, you will be able to handle it. Now I'm not sure what you meant by "rush", so let me know. You'll be fine! If you have any questions, you can go to our thread "Viekira Train" and read past entries, as well as ask your own. Good luck!

I was offered Clinical trials for the treatment with Viekira no Ribavirin

I am genotype 1b, F1, 1,5mln viral load, TT.

PLEASE PLEASE because I do not know if I should wait for Harvoni.

Maybe somebody here is on Abbvie train with no riba

I am music composer, I am especailly interested in:

1. Can I have a brain fog during treatment that I cannot compose music and start forgetting things?

2. Can it remain after treatment forever?

3. Can any side effects remain after treatment?

4. What about rush?

5. Is it possible that I will have a constant headache or constantly feeling unwell for 3 months?

6.Will I be able to drive a car?

Please I need to decide very quickly Thank you