Congratulations Gabbie! Empowering and magical!

Counting down the days......... 4. Will be 3 pills left after 8pm tonight 

Hi Gabbie,

Yaaay! Re: your bloodwork (drawn on Sep 12) - congrats on another (your 2nd) lovely UND that we all wanted to see! And your Sep 12 ALT 7 and AST 15 are beauties! Funny this date for this last draw, that is techinically a "ten week draw", as opposed to a 12 week EOT draw - but close enough I guess. UND is UND (x2) and thats good enough for the gals I go with! 

This Sept 12 ALT/AST is almost identical to the lovely ALT/AST crash you had with the blood draw on July 17! (Your 2 week draw).

What we don't know is what your ALT/AST was with your first UND drawn on Aug 2. (Your 4 week draw). But we can bet your ALT/AST on Aug 2 was about the same as the prior, nice and low.

You should post these results you have (and when they were drawn) on your sig line if you can, as well as the EOT date of Sep 25 on your sig line.

Something like ... 

12 weeks Harvoni. SOT Jul 3, 2017, EOT Sep 25, 2017.

Pre-treatment VL 6,811,894, ALT 36, AST 45. Week 2 VL 41, ALT 7 AST 13. Week 4 VL UND, ALT ___, AST ___. Week 10 VL UND, ALT 7, AST 15. 

So, have a look through all the labs you have been able to receive copies of (pre-treatment OR during treatment) and just convey any OTHER things that showed up as "abnormal", such as the 3 blood sugars you mentioned. You don't have to convey all of the labs, but the "abnormals" would be of interest.

Bloods sugars sometimes do or can be seen to "fluctuate" some during treatment, they will likely do further FBS's (fasting blood sugars) and/or likely another called HbA1c, that is further telling about your blood sugars over a longer time period. They will follow you and this. Could very well be just a transitory thing. 

Yes, we will all hope your BP stays nice and low, one way or another, and that the sugar thing just vapourizes, and that you will never have to eat another horse-sized pill that big again, for any reason (even tho we know now, you CAN)!

So glad you are 1-less.  C.

Canuck wrote:

---

Hey Gabbie,

Ah, the finish line in sight, and you still got some oomph left for the final push. Yaaaaaaaaaaay!

Good going girl. What a monumental life-changing feat you have accomplished. You will never have to go through this again. Defeated that viral foe, but good!  8 days to go, aaallllmost done!!!!!!

And what else have you derived from this journey? - now you know you can do anything? Stronger than you thought? AND YOU CAN swallow really BIG pills! You have garnered yourself not only a whole new lease on health but a wealth of knowledge you can share with others. There are parts of this journey that are very, very good.

So, we know you had a wonderful UND at your 4 week bloods, but we don't know whether this last set of bloods included a VL as well - just that they DID "say" all was normal.  Do post your VL, ALT's and AST's when you are in recepit of them.

Usually most folk get a 12 week EOT VL (for you that would be Sept 25), perhaps they have done one on you a bit early? (aside from your other 4 week VL). Then, they usually do another VL at EOT + 12 weeks (would be around early/mid-Dec?), that UND at EOT +12 week VL would be your most "official" 12 week SVR party. Then, the next VL after that should be  EOT+24 weeks (around late Feb?), that UND VL would just be re-confirming your UND SVR at 24 week.

Your blood draw dates sound a bit dif than these. But not to fret over it - there are likely just "in-house"/logictical reasons for blood dates to vary some. 

No doubt, you will be UND and SVR every time! (3 months after treatment and then 6 months after treatment, and on!)  I suggested earlier you should have started celebrating with your very first 4 week UND!

I am SO glad you felt improved for the later part of your therapy, you did suffer in the beginning, but muscled through, and good that you found the nighttime dosing helped.

I just wanted to add (for others wanting to shift dose times), that some docs will have specific advice for people wishing to shift their dose times, some docs do it more slowly, and, other meds may play a part in what times you can take HCV pills, so if one needs to try to switch dosing time, always consult the doc first for his advice. Same time, every day, is the gloden rule.

I think I might have done a little better with night dosing (perhaps) - I will never know if it would have made any dif to me now, but my natural inclination would have been for me to want to take the dose in the evening, but I could not, it had to be (due to imperative logistics, and I was in a trial) a lunch dosing, and I had to stick with that time throughout treatment. Some folk do just "turn a corner" and start getting used to meds in the later part of therapy (if they felt the drugs in a neg way when they first start). Often, we have seen folk, if they have troubles feeling the effects of the pills waging war against the virus, it is in the beginning (mostly).

How much water did you average drinking every day - do you think that helped too?

So, let us know how the BP thing is going - still fluctating?, are you still taking the other BP med, or are you back on an even keel and on the regular BP med?

So, so glad your appetite is back, that you got your weight back, and are feeling better - you have won this war! I am sure you feel it in your heart and body, even if it is not "on paper" yet!

8 more sleeps! C.

---

 Canuck, my daughter printed out my reports for me so if you tell me what to look for I can share. I already did post my AST and ALT. I didn't understand what I was reading regarding the VL so I texted my P.A. and she said, "yes your VL is zero"

Already my BP seems to be on an even keel now and no I'm not having to take the extra pill to keep levels steady. I hope once all is said and done that I'll go back to having low BP all the time. The less pills,after this journey, the better!!!! I was drinking about 3 quarts of water a day, plus a few large bottles of Grape GatorAide and sometimes a soft drink.

I did learn I had more endurance than I thought. I'm more patient now. I now know I can swallow any pill they throw at me   I learned to LISTEN to others who know more than I on a topic. I learned perfect strangers can be an incredible gift and support and I in turn want to now be that person who reaches out to others. I have battled for years fretting and stressing over things of which I had not control. I "think" for the most part I've learned to let go and let my Faith guide the way. Prayers are my de-stressor now.

Many thanks and much love to you ALL here <3

-- Edited by gabbiegal on Monday 18th of September 2017 07:16:15 PM

High Five Gab!!! NICE!

Congrats Gabbie!  That is terrific!!!

unbelievable numbers. Congrats girl. Welcome to the zero club. Many members had high glucose numbers that came down after treatment. I am not a doctor but I would revisit after you are off the meds and see what they are then. 

they just emailed me results of last lab work.

ALT- 7

AST-15

what else should I look for?  States not detected <15 Not Detected

I don't know what exactly I am looking for.....

I would like to add that on my last 3 blood test there has been comments about my glucose levels being high and needing follow-up (which I have not done)

Hi all-

I just had the second visual migraine in two weeks. I've experienced this before but it would happen maybe once every few YEARS. This was mild and brief - only lasted about 15 minutes - but I was wondering if someone might know if there's a Harvoni connection?

Thanks!!

Jenny

Hey Gabbie,

Ah, the finish line in sight, and you still got some oomph left for the final push. Yaaaaaaaaaaay!

Good going girl. What a monumental life-changing feat you have accomplished. You will never have to go through this again. Defeated that viral foe, but good!  8 days to go, aaallllmost done!!!!!!

And what else have you derived from this journey? - now you know you can do anything? Stronger than you thought? AND YOU CAN swallow really BIG pills! You have garnered yourself not only a whole new lease on health but a wealth of knowledge you can share with others. There are parts of this journey that are very, very good.

So, we know you had a wonderful UND at your 4 week bloods, but we don't know whether this last set of bloods included a VL as well - just that they DID "say" all was normal.  Do post your VL, ALT's and AST's when you are in recepit of them.

Usually most folk get a 12 week EOT VL (for you that would be Sept 25), perhaps they have done one on you a bit early? (aside from your other 4 week VL). Then, they usually do another VL at EOT + 12 weeks (would be around early/mid-Dec?), that UND at EOT +12 week VL would be your most "official" 12 week SVR party. Then, the next VL after that should be  EOT+24 weeks (around late Feb?), that UND VL would just be re-confirming your UND SVR at 24 week.

Your blood draw dates sound a bit dif than these. But not to fret over it - there are likely just "in-house"/logictical reasons for blood dates to vary some. 

No doubt, you will be UND and SVR every time! (3 months after treatment and then 6 months after treatment, and on!)  I suggested earlier you should have started celebrating with your very first 4 week UND!

I am SO glad you felt improved for the later part of your therapy, you did suffer in the beginning, but muscled through, and good that you found the nighttime dosing helped.

I just wanted to add (for others wanting to shift dose times), that some docs will have specific advice for people wishing to shift their dose times, some docs do it more slowly, and, other meds may play a part in what times you can take HCV pills, so if one needs to try to switch dosing time, always consult the doc first for his advice. Same time, every day, is the gloden rule.

I think I might have done a little better with night dosing (perhaps) - I will never know if it would have made any dif to me now, but my natural inclination would have been for me to want to take the dose in the evening, but I could not, it had to be (due to imperative logistics, and I was in a trial) a lunch dosing, and I had to stick with that time throughout treatment. Some folk do just "turn a corner" and start getting used to meds in the later part of therapy (if they felt the drugs in a neg way when they first start). Often, we have seen folk, if they have troubles feeling the effects of the pills waging war against the virus, it is in the beginning (mostly).

How much water did you average drinking every day - do you think that helped too?

So, let us know how the BP thing is going - still fluctating?, are you still taking the other BP med, or are you back on an even keel and on the regular BP med?

So, so glad your appetite is back, that you got your weight back, and are feeling better - you have won this war! I am sure you feel it in your heart and body, even if it is not "on paper" yet!

8 more sleeps! C.

WOO HOO Gabbie! A true testament to walking through fear. 

Hi Gabbie,Congratulations on a job well done.I remember your fear of swallowing large pills,you got over that fear and look at you now- just 9 large pills from the beginning of a HepC free life. You started your treatment on July 4th-That was your Independence Day!!Thanks for sharing your journey with us, your a inspiration to all of us.  RC

I am on the countdown now. I have 9 pills left. SEPTEMBER 25 

Once I changed over and am now taking my pill at night I am doing so much better. I had lost some weight but have regained it now that my appetite returned  I really feel great and healthy with loads of energy!!!

Man, those first few weeks were tough And in order to change the time of day/night you take it you have to do so in 4 hour increments. I would now always advise anyone to take it at night.

So I had my last bloodwork done locally last Tuesday. I have not seen the findings but the P.A. called me on Friday to say ALL the levels are perfect and they don't anticipate any further issues. I will email them and ask if they will send me copies for my records. I won't have another blood test done until January and I'll travel to San Antonio for that because they will do a lot of other tests at that point. Then one last trip there in March for the final testing; at which point I will be declared CURED!!!