I remembered your story, kind of (from before), so looked up your last thread, posted about Jul 2017, to remind myself of all the details. Quite a journey you have had, since your HCV cure in 2016. Well, actually quite a journey, all of it! - from your youth, right through to having to go through riba and viekira while being kept "in the dark".
Tig is always "right on" in his advice, about how relapse at this late date would be as rare as hens teeth.
But I do still fret for you on 2 counts:
(1) on the status of your liver function (without a doubt you are better off now - without the HCV), but we never did determine what kind of fibrosis/cirrhosis level you were at (your Fscore) before, during or after HCV treatment. Do you have any of that kind of lab info to share - you mentioned once you did have some kinds of HCV treatment blood test results? Maybe your Fscore would be found there, via a "Fibrotest" or similar fibrosis blood test.
As well, I am sure during HCV treatment they would have been drawing periodic blood tests for "liver function panel" (LFP's) Maybe your neurologist has also been routinely testing your "liver function panels" all along - LFP's would include ALT/AST and perhaps things like ALP/GGT/Billirubin, or more. Being on Depakote (valproic acid) long term has to be followed as I am sure you and your neuro guy must do.
How much Depakote are you on, normally? Obviously, the neuro guy did not wish to switch you to something else less hard on the liver, even throughout your HCV treatment, or after. Was a different drug ever considered for you in the 30 some years you been on it?
(2) this legal trouble you are having - have you been forced into a court battle, so that you can protect yourself from something? You mentioned being charged with driving under influence of a "controlled" substance - do they mean the Depakote? It opens piles of questions for me, if that is the main thing you are trying to clear yourself of. Your driving ability/license/the medical conditions you have/the meds that you have to be on - all must have been "cleared" by your neuro guy for the last 30 years, no? Cripes, the sudden jolt of the riba alone for 12 weeks could have had a more a shocking detrimental effect to your driving ability!, than the Depakote (or, I should say, the decreased amount of Depakote in your system due to an interaction between the Viekira and the Dep!) when compared to being nicely maintained on the steady maintenance dose of Depakote for the last 30 years. I am not understanding the "driving under the influence" thing, IF this is what is your biggest legal problem has been, as a result of the accident.
Here is a thing on Depakote, for those of us who are not up on it: https://www.rxlist.com/depakote-drug.htm#description
Interesting to read the old contraindications/adverse effects (you posted back in 2017) of isolated cases of reductions in "valproic acid" being attributed to the "ombi" and the ritonavir" components of the Veikira.
How long did it take for you to finally feel like you had shed the negative effects of the riba (in retrospect you had discovered you had riba sides -you just hadn't been made aware ahead of time that they might happen)! Double insult, rude riba arrival and Viekira ruining your Depakote control! Glad your Depakote control is good now. Has your neuro guy always periodlically taken blood level of the Dep in your system to follow how you are metabolizing it?
Glad you posted again. Enlighten us some more if you care to. C.
Tig said
May 8, 2018
Hi Carl,
Wow, that was quite a story. I’m very sorry to hear about the accident and recurrence of your epilepsy. I hope you’ll return to the old control as soon as possible. I can only guess that the Hep C meds inhibited the absorption of your Depakote and resulted in the inadequate blood levels. What an awful event that must be for all involved. What did your doctor have to say about this? Not much I’m sure. I imagine the lawyers have told everyone to stay quiet. Good luck with all of that.
Big congratulations on your successful treatment and confirmed SVR! Don’t worry about relapse, the chance of that are less than 1/2 of 1%. Thought is that drops as time goes on. It’s rare as hens teeth! Your Depakote will have zero impact on that.
cbr45 said
May 8, 2018
Greetings all
I am cured I did my 12 week out patient treatment program but not at a severe cost. The nurse practitioner that prescribed Viekira Pak did not check my medical history. In High school I played football was tackled hard and resulted in Epilepsy. For 15 years I had grand mal seizures. Then I got the right doctor, correct medication and learned how to care for my mind and body, I then was seizure free for 31 years. Even though I was 99% cured of epilepsy I still continued to take my epilepsy medication for peace of mind.
From the start of my out patient treatment taking Viekira Pak, my therapeutic epilepsy blood levels started to drop. The N.P. placed no safe guards in my treatment program, blood tests, drug interaction etc. On the 11th week of treatment program I was driving my therapeutic epilepsy blood levels had dropped dangerously low and I had a seizure blacked out at the wheel causing a huge accident with multiple cars and injuries. The N.P. has fled the country and I am left with a huge law suit that I have to prove that the quality of care was inappropriate, although the proof is in the pudding it just takes time to prove
Between taking drugs at a young age and passing the straw around and taking the epilepsy medication Depakote which is hard on the liver I developed Hep-C. I get monthly tests now to monitor my blood levels and liver, Now that I am cured am I more susceptible to a relapse with Hep-c ?? I am still taking the med Depakote for seizure control
Hi Carl,
I remembered your story, kind of (from before), so looked up your last thread, posted about Jul 2017, to remind myself of all the details. Quite a journey you have had, since your HCV cure in 2016. Well, actually quite a journey, all of it! - from your youth, right through to having to go through riba and viekira while being kept "in the dark".
Tig is always "right on" in his advice, about how relapse at this late date would be as rare as hens teeth.
But I do still fret for you on 2 counts:
(1) on the status of your liver function (without a doubt you are better off now - without the HCV), but we never did determine what kind of fibrosis/cirrhosis level you were at (your Fscore) before, during or after HCV treatment. Do you have any of that kind of lab info to share - you mentioned once you did have some kinds of HCV treatment blood test results? Maybe your Fscore would be found there, via a "Fibrotest" or similar fibrosis blood test.
As well, I am sure during HCV treatment they would have been drawing periodic blood tests for "liver function panel" (LFP's) Maybe your neurologist has also been routinely testing your "liver function panels" all along - LFP's would include ALT/AST and perhaps things like ALP/GGT/Billirubin, or more. Being on Depakote (valproic acid) long term has to be followed as I am sure you and your neuro guy must do.
How much Depakote are you on, normally? Obviously, the neuro guy did not wish to switch you to something else less hard on the liver, even throughout your HCV treatment, or after. Was a different drug ever considered for you in the 30 some years you been on it?
(2) this legal trouble you are having - have you been forced into a court battle, so that you can protect yourself from something? You mentioned being charged with driving under influence of a "controlled" substance - do they mean the Depakote? It opens piles of questions for me, if that is the main thing you are trying to clear yourself of. Your driving ability/license/the medical conditions you have/the meds that you have to be on - all must have been "cleared" by your neuro guy for the last 30 years, no? Cripes, the sudden jolt of the riba alone for 12 weeks could have had a more a shocking detrimental effect to your driving ability!, than the Depakote (or, I should say, the decreased amount of Depakote in your system due to an interaction between the Viekira and the Dep!) when compared to being nicely maintained on the steady maintenance dose of Depakote for the last 30 years. I am not understanding the "driving under the influence" thing, IF this is what is your biggest legal problem has been, as a result of the accident.
Here is a thing on Depakote, for those of us who are not up on it: https://www.rxlist.com/depakote-drug.htm#description
Interesting to read the old contraindications/adverse effects (you posted back in 2017) of isolated cases of reductions in "valproic acid" being attributed to the "ombi" and the ritonavir" components of the Veikira.
How long did it take for you to finally feel like you had shed the negative effects of the riba (in retrospect you had discovered you had riba sides -you just hadn't been made aware ahead of time that they might happen)! Double insult, rude riba arrival and Viekira ruining your Depakote control! Glad your Depakote control is good now. Has your neuro guy always periodlically taken blood level of the Dep in your system to follow how you are metabolizing it?
Glad you posted again. Enlighten us some more if you care to. C.
Hi Carl,
Wow, that was quite a story. I’m very sorry to hear about the accident and recurrence of your epilepsy. I hope you’ll return to the old control as soon as possible. I can only guess that the Hep C meds inhibited the absorption of your Depakote and resulted in the inadequate blood levels. What an awful event that must be for all involved. What did your doctor have to say about this? Not much I’m sure. I imagine the lawyers have told everyone to stay quiet. Good luck with all of that.
Big congratulations on your successful treatment and confirmed SVR! Don’t worry about relapse, the chance of that are less than 1/2 of 1%. Thought is that drops as time goes on. It’s rare as hens teeth! Your Depakote will have zero impact on that.
Greetings all
I am cured I did my 12 week out patient treatment program but not at a severe cost. The nurse practitioner that prescribed Viekira Pak did not check my medical history. In High school I played football was tackled hard and resulted in Epilepsy. For 15 years I had grand mal seizures. Then I got the right doctor, correct medication and learned how to care for my mind and body, I then was seizure free for 31 years. Even though I was 99% cured of epilepsy I still continued to take my epilepsy medication for peace of mind.
From the start of my out patient treatment taking Viekira Pak, my therapeutic epilepsy blood levels started to drop. The N.P. placed no safe guards in my treatment program, blood tests, drug interaction etc. On the 11th week of treatment program I was driving my therapeutic epilepsy blood levels had dropped dangerously low and I had a seizure blacked out at the wheel causing a huge accident with multiple cars and injuries. The N.P. has fled the country and I am left with a huge law suit that I have to prove that the quality of care was inappropriate, although the proof is in the pudding it just takes time to prove
Between taking drugs at a young age and passing the straw around and taking the epilepsy medication Depakote which is hard on the liver I developed Hep-C. I get monthly tests now to monitor my blood levels and liver, Now that I am cured am I more susceptible to a relapse with Hep-c ?? I am still taking the med Depakote for seizure control
Cheers
Thanks for reading