Hey James,

The viral load tests are very expensive, but coming down thankfully. When I took mine at a civilian lab 4 years ago they were about $1500.00 each. You can get them now for less than $500.00. The Hep C Antibody test is cheap and your wife would have to test positive for the antibody before any consideration for a RNA viral load test was given, or should have. You can purchase the finger stick antibody tests over the counter now. It takes about 20 minutes for results.

Good luck and congrats!

Hey Canuck and Jaggles, and all!

Yes, I am lucky to have such great insurance. I think if I request a fibroscan, or a VL test, they (Kaiser) will do it. They might not do one a month, but every so often. My wife has been getting VL tests, just to make sure I didn't accidentally give it to her, and they gave them, although they did ask her to stop, I guess those tests are a bit expensive.

The loopiness comes and goes, mostly goes. Still not sure if it had anything to do with Hep C or the Epclusa. As far as how I feel now, I notice I have more energy. I also notice my skin seems to clearing up, I had been having trouble with "razor burn" on my neck and it's now getting better. My skin seems healthier, and somehow younger looking. Life's pretty good. Good luck with your treatment Jaggles, we are really lucky to have this kind of treatment available.

I'll keep y'all up to date on my hep c health in the months to come. Take care and be well!

- James

Congrats James!

THAT'S the way us 3's do it!!

Another lovely UND for your EOT!

I love Gilead.

Interesting you have been on this "every 4 weeks" schedule (I mean, just as far as repeat VL's every 4 weeks). Generally, they usually tend to cheap out on the costs and use of the VL's. Some poor folk don't get offered another VL after their 4 week one, until EOT+12!!

Nice you got VL's at 4. 8 and 12 weeks, then, they plan one at EOT+4 weeks (not many get to have a VL at EOT+4 weeks). The EOT+12 week VL that they they have planned for you is as per usual.

But don't complain, in my book the more feedback, the better, it's nice to receive frequent good news!

I can't recall you saying you had an U/S prior to treatment, just a fibroscan, right? And your fibroscan was pretty good at F1. 

So, I would inquire at your next appointment about whether you can have another repeat fibroscan follow-up in the future, as well, whether you could have an abd. ultrasound, and, if they plan on having you back at the 6 month mark for repeat bloods and VL. Follow-up is a good thing, if one can get it, if they offer it.

I think having imaging of 3's, via abd. ultrasound, is not a bad idea, just on principal, especially for 3's given our tendancy to fatty livers, just to check. 

I'm bettin' yers is just fine! You liver may have never had it so good, for a long time, all due to that you've lost that HCV now!

You mentioned some "loopiness" and "memory lapses" (mostly during your first weeks) on epclusa - if you noticed them other than then, then I would expect this will improve now that you are finished with the drugs - I was definitely loopy with memory loss BEFORE treatment, but I did see an increase while i was on the drugs (mind you I was also on an additonal drug vox, so that might have helped too), it started improving after I was finished and as I went along after cure.

It will be interesting to know how you are feeling and fairing, what differences you notice in your overall health as you go along forward in your new-found cured life!

Happy for you.  C. 

Congratulations James this is wonderful news and extremely positive news....I'm waiting on my phone call for delivery of Epclusa ....any day now I should be able to start....I'm so happy for you and can't wait to be free .....bet you are feeling a huge sense of relief? I'm planning on booking a holiday as soon as I know it's over....best wishes James.....here's to the future 

J x

Thanks Tig, Canuck, and all. The VL came back UND again, I am very happy to be a member of Club Zero! Two more tests scheduled, one end of April, and the final end of June.

Peace,

James

YOU MADE IT, JAMES!! WAY TO GO! 

Savor the moment and check one more box on the list. You made an investment in your future and those around you. Good job, Brother!

OK! It's Zeeero Day! This is kinda like ground hog day, where things magically start recurring/repeating, but, in a reeeeally good way.

Like ... even if you shake that medicine bottle (like you have been doing for the last 84 days) - there will only be silence now! Like ... from now on, numbers never change, you are stuck at "zero", nil, nada, UND, over and over again!

Welcome to Club Zero! 

Groundhog Day Trailer - IMDb

Shake,  rattle and roll,

got one pill to go!

Bottle empty,

blissful silence,

deathblow to your foe.  C.

HI C, one more sleep. Calmness prevails, but excitement is a very close second! Let the celebration begin, with laughter, as your post had me cracking up! Thank you all for the positivity, and laughter, and help. What a great bunch y'all are. Long may we run!

Best,

J

James!,

Only 2 more sleeps!

That allllmoooost EOT is going VERY well!! Nice impressive labs.

But just a bit more of that "hurry up and wait" for your UND-iced cake. I hope that VL result doesn't take too long to return to you.

I really should not be pushing you to remain calm, it is NOT at all mandatory to do so until you get your EOT UND result, in fact, there is NO rule that you can not be very excited right now, and, as I recall, you could have been having a couple real good parties already, big ones, at your week 4 and week 8 UNDS, (got-it-in-the bag" parties) - you can start celebrating your EOT party early if you want - and feel great, that all who were on your "do not invite" list were pre-empted long ago and will be no-shows!! 

Now ... not to burst your good news bubble, but really dear ... your "claim" about your VERY excellent (nay, stellar) ALT being ... "I believe these are the lowest EVER"!! Ya, ya, OK ... personal best and all that, beats most folk who have never even had HCV alright, but there ARE a couple of folk 'round here who got your ALT record beat - some 7's and 9's 'round these parts I hear tell. So ... VERY excellent - YES!, best EVER?, geez - what do you want  - Olympic record?!, how normal can normal get? (hee hee, sorry, jes teasin', couldn't resist).

I'm impressed with you, just the way you are!

I am celebrating now!! C.

Tig56 wrote:

---

It's all over now except for the celebration!

---

 Man! Did you ever just make some fat lady feel unimportant.

Excellent numbers, James  It's all over now except for the celebration!

Thank you C. I must remain calm, I must remain calm.. 2 more sleeps now . Today I had the almost EOT lab, and the results are in.

alt - 13 u/l
bili(total) - 0.5 mg/dl
bili (direct) - 0.1 mg/dl
ast - 21 u/l

I believe these are the lowest ever, although some are the same as last month.

Must wait a bit for the VL #, for some reason that takes days...

Peace,

J

 CONGRATS!!!! Only 3 more sleeps!  C.

Hi Tig, thanks again. Only 3 left as of today, it was a relatively quick 84 days.

keep on keepin' on

Hi James,

No problem will arise as a result of the 20 minute time period, you're fine. You can take Epclusa with or without food. That is up to you. Some people have more sensitive stomachs and taking any medication will cause upset. 

Congrats on the coming finish line! That went fast, didn't it? Well done 

Hi Canuck, and all,

Just 4 more pills (days) to EOT . Hoping for the 2nd to last UND result. Lab is scheduled on the 26th, but it takes them some # of days before getting back to my doc with the result. I wonder, if taking the pill 20 minutes later than usual today would have any effect? I had turned my phone off last night for some reason, and did not turn it back on - that is my daily wakeup and medication alarm. When I woke up, it was 20 min past pill time, I immediately swallowed one. And drank some water. I usually eat some meusli before taking the pill, but I have experimented with no food before, it doesn't seem any different to me with or without. But I do enjoy that meusli.

Have a great weekend all!

-J

Hey, thanks for sharing the lovely labs. Nice you got VL's every 4 weeks. I like that - 4 week, 8 week and EOT! Good to know you had the 8 week one, and that it TOO was UND, I may have just misunderstood you before. So, a double-UND congrats is in order for you!! After your EOT VL,  I am sure your next one will indeed be at EOT+12 weeks, that's the standard as Tig well explained. It is also nice to have the EOT+6 month one too (icing reward on the cake). Man, I am loving this epclusa stuff. Oh, epclusa, how do I love thee, let me count the days! We 3's are jes killin' it these days!  C.

Hey Tig, thanks for the great news! I'll echo that Woo Hoo! yeah!

Hey James,

Those are good enzymes, no doubt. Some people don't witness high elevations in them and the only bearing the viral load has is if it's above 6 million, shorter courses of treatment are possible in some cases. The viral count doesn't impact the rates of success at all. 

The other thing I want to mention is, you are considered cured (SVR) at week 12 following the end of treatment. Some docs still do one at 6 months, but it's not required after an undetected EOT +12 week result. I just saved you 3 months!! WooHoo!

Hey C.,

Yes, I've been very lucky with this whole thing (except for getting HCV in the first place!). I'd be happy to share the lab details, next time I see my doctor I'll ask for them. For some reason the Viral Load counts are not shown in the medical records I have access to.I really don't pay attention to the ALT, AST, and Bilirubin numbers, as long as I'm in the normal range, which has always been the result. I have  VL tests monthly till EOT and to the best of my knowledge, my third and last scheduled VL test will be March 26. The second one was UND also.I'm sure a further one will be scheduled, not sure when, I think they do one 6 months post EOT, and if you're still UND no further testing is planned. I could always request one at any time, whether it will be approved is not certain.

ps - daylight saving time started, and I started my "new" same old schedule - 6:30 am - 16 more times...

latest lab, 2.27.17:

 Bilirubin, total 0.8 mg/dL

AST - 22 U/L

ALT - 13 U/L

Long may you run

James

Hi again James,

Ya, I wondered if you might have been a 3. A lot of us 3's here have been a's, as it just seems somewhat more prevalent, I think a few here never knew if they were an a or a b, and a few have been 3b's just like you, so you have company!

Loopy Lisa, as another 3b, comes to mind, in her country she was treated with sof/dac. 

Very nice you got the newest thing (best in my book) for 3's, and glad to hear you did not experience too much trouble with it as far as sides. You are right epclusa IS very pan and very effective. Thanks for filling us in on how you have been doing on it and some of your history, it's always good to know how each other is making out. We have had quite a few from the US getting epclusa now. Recently started to see some in the UK getting it now, Canada not yet as far as I can tell. One lucky gal, RubyRed, in Ontario comes to mind. 

Really nice you had no trouble getting it in your State.

BTW - I am long treated and cured now - I am just too long-winded, and used up all the room in my signature line, at the bottom i added a line, directing people to my "bio" for the fuller, further details, outcome and ongoing results post-treatment.

About 20 years you've been packing your HCV, so that is good they have deduced no great liver damage via the tests they have done on you!

We would always be interested to know some of your labs, what your VL counts have been at, your liver function test results, if you wanted to share them.

Please do keep us posted as to how you are doing. Your EOT will soon arrive!  How many VL draws have been planned for you (aside from that stellar 4 week one)!

Thanks for posting. C.

hey Canuck,

I have GT 3b, and as I understand E. is good for all genotypes. I had no problem getting the E. prescribed, I have pretty good medical insurance. Also, I was diagnosed in 1997, and have never tried any treatment at all, until this year. I never even had a biopsy, and got a fibroscan before treatment that showed minimal scarring. I had no symptoms, yet a rather high viral load. Blood tests were always in the normal range. Treatments before the newer ones seemed to be almost as bad as the sickness, and I held off. This seems to have been a good plan.

And as to the treatment, virtually no side effects at all, it really has been a breeze. In the first month, I seemed slightly loopy at times, mostly just occasional memory lapses. Minor stuff, and it's not like I had the best memory in the world to begin with, so I'm not sure I can really narrow that down to the E. I'm 59, and one thing I can remember is that I had a good memory when I was young!

Good luck to you Canuck, hope you are getting the treatment you want and that it's successful!

- James

-- Edited by JamesP on Sunday 12th of March 2017 01:21:07 AM

-- Edited by JamesP on Sunday 12th of March 2017 01:22:45 AM

Hi James,

Nice to hear of another lucky person to be getting epclusa!!

Lovely your und response at 4 weeks!

How has it been going for you? 

What GT are you and did you (and/ or your doc) have much trouble getting epclusa approved for you, say over some other regime??

Not long for you to go now! Almost there at EOT!!  C.

Thanks JimmyK and Tig56. What I got from both of your replies, one hour change on one day, no big deal. Stick with the routine! That's what I'll do, and thanks again!

Peace,

James

Change your clock and nothing else. Follow the pattern you have set.

Keep in mind also that you will, for the first pill only be taking a pill one hour early is all. From there remain consistent and by the way Congrats on the UND !

JimmyK

Hello James and welcome to the forum! A one hour change is an acceptable variance in administration time. You'll be okay to do that. You can also adjust your admin time to coincide with the time change and keep it on the current schedule, if you would prefer. It's allowable to move your admin time by one hour per day, if needed, but don't mistake that to mean you can take it routinely one hour plus or minus your originally scheduled time (on a regular basis). Readjust your schedule and stick to the new time going forward. Good luck!

Hello all,

I have about 17 more Epclusa pills to take before my 12 week treatment period is finished. I live in the USA, and tomorrow (3/12/17) Daylight Saving Time begins. If I keep taking  E. at the same time it will be an hour later than usual. I would have to get up at 5:30 am to keep it at the same time. Note, HCV virus has been un-dectable since my first blood test ( 26 days after my first E pill). Will an hour difference on one day affect the treatment? I've been very diligent, and take E. every morning within seconds of 6:30 am (except for one day I spaced out for a bit and took it like 6:34 am...)

Thanks,

- James