Congratulations on your UND!! Yipeee.

and those are some pretty darn satisfying test results. (Belated happy birthday too) 

Alison

Thanks, Canuck, for the kind words!

Regarding working, only my boss (Library Director) knew I had Hep C and was in treatment (still true). She was extremely supportive and protective of me and constantly told me I should take some time off and rest. I didn't want any of my coworkers or family (except husband) to know what was going on, and thought less about the whole thing when I was busy at work, so I just powered through.

I did end up taking a couple of days off towards the end of treatment, not due to physical problems, though. I was really close to the edge emotionally (internally raging or crying in my office, sometimes at the same time - ha). One day after a long chain of events I'll not go into, I put my hands on my hips and told the Children's Librarian he was full of **** (which I still believe, btw) in front of everyone - staff, patrons, you name it. While my boss thankfully thought this was hilarious (she knows he's full of ****), she also suggested I take a couple of days off. It ended up that we had freezing rain those days and I didn't have to use sick time since the county closed the library. So TECHNICALLY, I didn't take any sick time off!

It seems really funny now, but it felt horrible when it was happening! It was very hard to control myself. I am glad to say that has improved A LOT!

Yes, I am sure they knew my viral load all along. I finally get to meet with the NP in charge of my treatment on August 25 (I've only seen her once, the rest of treatment was with nurse case managers). I am going to see if she'll give me any insight on that.

Hey BetterLate,!!!

So glad to hear from you. YAAAAAAAAy! Finally!, they shared your your EOT+12 week UND with you!!!!!! Wonderful, you just keep revelling in that beauty UND, until you get your head around it - you will soon get used to feeling that pride of knowing you did it!, all that hard work and now you are UND!!

I am still very disappointed in them that they did not keep you updated all the way along your treatment with your VL (I'm kind furious actually), riba added is cruel enough, but to withhold being able to see your VL being decimated along the way is callous and just kinda selfish on their part. I don't believe that they did NOT do loads on you during treatment - they just wouldn't tell you - the big buggers! It was (kinda) kind that they did ramp the riba upward on a graduating basis - and kind (in a tough love way) that they did throw the riba in, as a triplet certainly did it for you!

You had to be satisfied with the other bloods which (indeed) did tell you the same thing, what with those stellar crashes in your ALT/AST at week 2 and week 4, we all knew it was a done deal, right then and there, that you, your epclusa and riba had done the deed! The rest was insurance, mop up and a mere technicality.

Recover, rest, be patient, hopefully leftover neg effects of the riba will be departing your body as we speak. It may take a bit yet to start being able to feel tons better, less tired, skin less upset. I am so glad you posted your every lab, that tells a story in itself (other than you crashed and ensured your cure early). The well-meaning meenies ramped your riba to the max, thus your need now to recover and rebuild your blood, and strength back up a little - it will take a bit more time. Just eat well and healthy, keep getting your rest, keep flushing your system with water, nothing too extreme.

Did you still work all throughout your treatment? Amazing!, how much tough stuff you are made of my dear.

Do not fret, you have beat it. Be patient about your ascites. You will start righting things now, without the offending virus in existence.

I love that your Alk Phos has come down too - also very good.

Wonderful news for me to hear today, your UND!   C.

Thanks, Jaggles, and a big virtual high five in congratulations right back atcha!

So happy for you Better late ...big virtual hugs...fellow dragon slayer xxx

Hey Kris,

WOOT!! Outstanding news, congratulations! Another Dragon dead, man o man, that's fantastic! This has been a good month or two for success stories here and Epclusa is really starting to get noticed. Now they're adding a third drug to it Voxilaprevir and it's new brand name is Vosevi. It's a triple whammy for anyone that has failed these new treatments, but that is such a low number, you shouldn't concern yourself with it. You concentrate on getting your strength back and forget the rest.

You did very well with the Riba and the increases as well. I know how rough that stuff is, but it works and clearly, it worked for you. Superb, indeed!

Take care of business and realize doing so will result in steady improvements. Nothing happens overnight, but they happen nonetheless. Ribavirin takes up to 6 months to clear the system, so you remember to be cautious in the sun and don't forget your birth control!! I'm very happy for you and enjoy hearing these positive reports. Stay in touch, we always look forward to progress reports from our Veteran Warriors!

Yet another

So...I just got the call from the liver clinic saying my 12 week post-treatment labs showed HCV RNA "Not Detected" - hallelujah! I still feel (and worse, look) like a human water balloon, and am feeling a bit of disbelief that the virus is really gone (and fearful that it won't stay that way).

Now to deal with cirrhosis/ascites. Had another ultrasound, no lesions. I've been drinking raw dandelion root and licorice root tea, and trying to deal with the water retention with carrot juice and garlic (and very limited sodium intake). Just taking it one day at a time, but breathing easier today.

Thanks for everyone's ongoing support. I'm not the most social person, but it helped SO MUCH to know you were all there. My full treatment labs are in my bio, but I'm posting them below, too, in case anyone is curious.

PRETREATMENT

2/7/2017 Total Bili: .7 AST: 133 ALT: 162 Alk Phos: 178 Platelets: 108 INR: 1.3

2/10/2017 - TREATMENT BEGAN

Epclusa+Ribaviran 600mg:

2/20/2017 Total Bili: .6 AST: 47 ALT: 64 Alk Phos: 174 Platelets: 109

2/27/2017 Total Bili: 1.1 AST: 52 ALT: 55 Alk Phos: 143 Platelets: 120

Epclusa+Ribaviran 800 mg:

3/6/2017 Total Bili: 1.4 AST: 48 ALT: 52 Alk Phos: 169 Platelets: 103

Epclusa+Ribaviran 1,000mg:

3/13/2017 Total Bili: 1.0 AST: 48 ALT: 48 Alk Phos: 158 Platelets: 108

3/20/2017 Total Bili: 1.4 AST: 45 ALT: 47 Alk Phos: 137 Platelets: 126

3/27/2017 Total Bili: 1.3 AST: 44 ALT: 46 Alk Phos: 136 Platelets: 122

Epclusa+Ribavirin 1,200 mg:

4/3/2017 Total Bili: 1.0 AST: 46 ALT: 48 Alk Phos: 147 Platelets: 112  INR: 1.3

4/20/2017 Total Bili: 1.2 AST: 45 ALT: 43 Alk Phos: 136 Platelets: 126 INR: 1.3

5/5/2017 - TREATMENT ENDED

5/10/2017 Total Bili: 1.2 AST: 50 ALT: 44 Alk Phos: 147 Platelets: 125 INR: 1.3

12 WEEK POSTTREATMENT LABS (ON MY 57th BIRTHDAY)

8/1/2017 Total Bili: .7 AST: 43 ALT: 45 Alk Phos: 132 Platelets: 104 INR: 1.3 HCV RNA: Not Detected