Aa
FutureTreatment information
I was recently told that I had the hep c type 3 virus, many years ago I had the hep b, and c, after losing my spleen from this I was told that my body had beaten the virus and that I now had antibodies and that I could never get it again, hmmm , that was 15 years ago. anyways, I was informed that I was approved for 24 weeks worth of the treatment, (the pill ), not Harvoni but another that was as equal (I hope ) I would very much appreciate hearing from anyone who is or has gone thru the treatment so that I can familiarize myself with what to expect and any other information I need or should know about this journey and it's bumpy road.
I was told that I could never get it again 15 years ago, back then they didn't know about the virus as they do now. The VA is providing the med for me, not sure if their up with the new and improved treatment , what can I expect as far as side effects from the ongoing treatment ? and thank you for your information and reply
not sure bout hep b, but treatment for C "cured me of it. After finishing tmt
you may experience a period of time that may make you think you still have
problems. This should go away in 1 to 3 months(my estimates).I was given
Sovaldi and ribavirin. Riba can be a bit troubling, but well worth it. My under-
standing is there are new and improved tmts that are easier on your system
than what I took. I'm very curious about the claim of never getting hep again.
I believe you will be tested prior to starting trt, and may find you still have HVC. If not, I can't tell you anything about the B.By all means good luck, and
24 wks will zoom by.
you may experience a period of time that may make you think you still have
problems. This should go away in 1 to 3 months(my estimates).I was given
Sovaldi and ribavirin. Riba can be a bit troubling, but well worth it. My under-
standing is there are new and improved tmts that are easier on your system
than what I took. I'm very curious about the claim of never getting hep again.
I believe you will be tested prior to starting trt, and may find you still have HVC. If not, I can't tell you anything about the B.By all means good luck, and
24 wks will zoom by.
Thank you for all the information, it is very helpful and answered a lot of my questions, I will follow your suggestion's on eating and water, I am 61 and simi retired (because of chronic fatigue due to the effects of the virus) I do not drink, I stoped smoking about 4 months ago, however I am smoking the Vapor cigarettes, it is not the nicotine I crave but the habit, I have recently heard bad things about the vapor so will have to stop that also, to be rid of this virus all sacrifices in diet, smoking, exercise, ect. are well worth it .
Again thank you so much patra for all the info you provided . take care
Again thank you so much patra for all the info you provided . take care
If you are on Sovaldi and Ribavirin for 24 weeks, then you are on the correct protocol for Genotype 3. Harvoni has not yet been approved for Gt3s.
We are/were hard nuts to crack! I totally agree with the advice on the other thread, concerning the chest weight and the meds. Call him or her and see if you can't get something to help.
It is important that you take these pills as prescribed, 12 hours apart, and not miss any. Some things I was advised to do, helped.
1. Drink water! About 1 ounce per day, up to 1/2 you body weight! This is really important. Dehydration comes with the territory and alleviating it with enough water lessens the effect, and also lessens or keeps away some of the side effects.
2. Take the pills with a little 'good' fat, as the Rib will bind to the fat and be more easily used by your body. Doesn't have to be much, but some. The Sol says can be taken with ir without food, but the Riba says to take with food, so do that and make sure the food includes the 'good' fat. =. Plain, unsweetened (i prefer the Greek Style) yogurt, cottage cheese, avocado, beanut butter, nuts, which also is one of the recommended proteins, too, olive oil,, etc. Just look on line for liver friendly diets. Check out several of the sites, because they don't all list the same foods. One of the side effects of eating at least a small meal with each dose, is, if you are like me, you won't have any of the nausea that some have mentioned, but if you do, ginger is good for this.
3. Eat a liver friendly diet. See above. This also includes, cutting out, or stopping eating red meat, salt (what you add yourself), sugar (ditto), processed foods full of salt and/or sugar. Eat the things above, as well as liver friendly friendly protein (poultry, white pork, eggs, cheese, nuts (almonds and walnuts are mentioned especially, but all nuts are good), legumes, etc), fresh veggies and fruits. Some of the 'super foods' recommended especially include broccoli, kale, any dark green veggie (especially like collard greens, but that is the southern in me), brussels sprouts, and, in the fruits, blueberries, strawberries any dark colored berries, cherries, etc, but all veggies and fruits are good.
SOVALDI SPECIFICALLY warns agains Grapefruit and Seville Oranges - I know those are used in marmalades, but not sure whar else) so don't eat those or drink the juice, but other oranges, lemons and limes are good on the liver friendly diet.
3. If you drink alcohol, then stop! Now! Very hard on the liver and it sounds like yours doesn't need any additional stress. Of course, you may not drink, but, since I don't know, I have to mention it.
4. The same goes for illegal drugs. Also, talk to your Hep Specialist, about any of the other medications you are on, not just the prescribed ones, but over the counter, supplements, natural treatments. Some of them can block the meds, or mess with them in other ways. Not a good thing. Don't get all panicky because I said that, there are many that do not affect your treatment, and, in fact, are used to help treat some of the side effect, sa well as continue to treat any other conditions you may have - you just need to make sure you have run everything past your Dr.
5. If you smoke, stop, or start to stop, working at cutting down as quickly as you can and stay on the program. Cigerette smoke and the chemicals it brings, also go through the liver, and are not good for it. I have heard some say that they use/used marijuana as a help for side effects, anxiety, etc., BUT that is not something I know anything about, and you would need to be in a state where medical use was legal, and CHECK WITH YOUR DR (have I said that before? : -). )
You will probably get a very dry mouth. My dentist suggested keeping a sugar free lemon drop (lemon is good for the liver, as is lime) but with my Fibrosis, when 8 cut out sugar, I also made the choice not to use sugar free, as, personally, I believe that chemical (s) is worse for the liver than even sugar. Biotene, and several other companies, make a mouth wash, a spray, tooth paste, and even a gel to use to get rid of the dry mouth. You want to keep your mouth moist, as dry mouth can lead to caries (need fillings), gum disease, and even tooth loss. I did not have any problems with that, as I listened to the folks on here and made sure I used the mouth wash, tooth paste, and spray, when I was not where I could use the mouth wash. I DID chew some sugar free gum, once in a while, if I were where drinking water was not possible, or convenient (I knew the locations of ALL the restrooms in the places I visited while on treatment because, water in, water out, and, at my age, sometimes without a lot of lead time!).
Will those things 'cure HepC'. No, but the will allow you liver not to work so hard on everyday things, so the meds can do their job most effectively.
Finally, Riba can cause anemia. It does not do so always, especially, the younger and healthier you are, the less problem, but it can, so be prepared, know about it, rest, BEFORE you get to the crash point - that is no fun. Sleep when you can, some have a problem with insomnia. I slept well at night, but couldn't nap like I did before treatment. If you can't sleep, anytime, try simple things, first, like a cup of warm milk right before you lay down to sleep, or taking a 4 mg Chlortrimitin, or. 25 mg Benadryl. Of those don't help there are some acceptable things your Dr can prescribe.
Eat healthy, drink lots of water, exercise everyday if you can, but only in your own range, don't overdo and those things will help. Some people work full time, do exercise regularly and have few, if any side effects, others have more problems, but, none the less, It is not anything like wiat INf and other forms of that were like.
Sorry, didn't mean to wrie a book, but you asked. Hang in there, and, soon, you will be joining the group of us who are all, now, Hep C Free!
Feel free to ask questions, this is a very informed, knowledgeable, experience, caring, helping community and someone will be there to help you along. We received that help and are trying to share that blessing.
Hang in there. 24 weeks sounds like a long time but, I found, it passes quickly!
Blessings, and SVR!
Pat
We are/were hard nuts to crack! I totally agree with the advice on the other thread, concerning the chest weight and the meds. Call him or her and see if you can't get something to help.
It is important that you take these pills as prescribed, 12 hours apart, and not miss any. Some things I was advised to do, helped.
1. Drink water! About 1 ounce per day, up to 1/2 you body weight! This is really important. Dehydration comes with the territory and alleviating it with enough water lessens the effect, and also lessens or keeps away some of the side effects.
2. Take the pills with a little 'good' fat, as the Rib will bind to the fat and be more easily used by your body. Doesn't have to be much, but some. The Sol says can be taken with ir without food, but the Riba says to take with food, so do that and make sure the food includes the 'good' fat. =. Plain, unsweetened (i prefer the Greek Style) yogurt, cottage cheese, avocado, beanut butter, nuts, which also is one of the recommended proteins, too, olive oil,, etc. Just look on line for liver friendly diets. Check out several of the sites, because they don't all list the same foods. One of the side effects of eating at least a small meal with each dose, is, if you are like me, you won't have any of the nausea that some have mentioned, but if you do, ginger is good for this.
3. Eat a liver friendly diet. See above. This also includes, cutting out, or stopping eating red meat, salt (what you add yourself), sugar (ditto), processed foods full of salt and/or sugar. Eat the things above, as well as liver friendly friendly protein (poultry, white pork, eggs, cheese, nuts (almonds and walnuts are mentioned especially, but all nuts are good), legumes, etc), fresh veggies and fruits. Some of the 'super foods' recommended especially include broccoli, kale, any dark green veggie (especially like collard greens, but that is the southern in me), brussels sprouts, and, in the fruits, blueberries, strawberries any dark colored berries, cherries, etc, but all veggies and fruits are good.
SOVALDI SPECIFICALLY warns agains Grapefruit and Seville Oranges - I know those are used in marmalades, but not sure whar else) so don't eat those or drink the juice, but other oranges, lemons and limes are good on the liver friendly diet.
3. If you drink alcohol, then stop! Now! Very hard on the liver and it sounds like yours doesn't need any additional stress. Of course, you may not drink, but, since I don't know, I have to mention it.
4. The same goes for illegal drugs. Also, talk to your Hep Specialist, about any of the other medications you are on, not just the prescribed ones, but over the counter, supplements, natural treatments. Some of them can block the meds, or mess with them in other ways. Not a good thing. Don't get all panicky because I said that, there are many that do not affect your treatment, and, in fact, are used to help treat some of the side effect, sa well as continue to treat any other conditions you may have - you just need to make sure you have run everything past your Dr.
5. If you smoke, stop, or start to stop, working at cutting down as quickly as you can and stay on the program. Cigerette smoke and the chemicals it brings, also go through the liver, and are not good for it. I have heard some say that they use/used marijuana as a help for side effects, anxiety, etc., BUT that is not something I know anything about, and you would need to be in a state where medical use was legal, and CHECK WITH YOUR DR (have I said that before? : -). )
You will probably get a very dry mouth. My dentist suggested keeping a sugar free lemon drop (lemon is good for the liver, as is lime) but with my Fibrosis, when 8 cut out sugar, I also made the choice not to use sugar free, as, personally, I believe that chemical (s) is worse for the liver than even sugar. Biotene, and several other companies, make a mouth wash, a spray, tooth paste, and even a gel to use to get rid of the dry mouth. You want to keep your mouth moist, as dry mouth can lead to caries (need fillings), gum disease, and even tooth loss. I did not have any problems with that, as I listened to the folks on here and made sure I used the mouth wash, tooth paste, and spray, when I was not where I could use the mouth wash. I DID chew some sugar free gum, once in a while, if I were where drinking water was not possible, or convenient (I knew the locations of ALL the restrooms in the places I visited while on treatment because, water in, water out, and, at my age, sometimes without a lot of lead time!).
Will those things 'cure HepC'. No, but the will allow you liver not to work so hard on everyday things, so the meds can do their job most effectively.
Finally, Riba can cause anemia. It does not do so always, especially, the younger and healthier you are, the less problem, but it can, so be prepared, know about it, rest, BEFORE you get to the crash point - that is no fun. Sleep when you can, some have a problem with insomnia. I slept well at night, but couldn't nap like I did before treatment. If you can't sleep, anytime, try simple things, first, like a cup of warm milk right before you lay down to sleep, or taking a 4 mg Chlortrimitin, or. 25 mg Benadryl. Of those don't help there are some acceptable things your Dr can prescribe.
Eat healthy, drink lots of water, exercise everyday if you can, but only in your own range, don't overdo and those things will help. Some people work full time, do exercise regularly and have few, if any side effects, others have more problems, but, none the less, It is not anything like wiat INf and other forms of that were like.
Sorry, didn't mean to wrie a book, but you asked. Hang in there, and, soon, you will be joining the group of us who are all, now, Hep C Free!
Feel free to ask questions, this is a very informed, knowledgeable, experience, caring, helping community and someone will be there to help you along. We received that help and are trying to share that blessing.
Hang in there. 24 weeks sounds like a long time but, I found, it passes quickly!
Blessings, and SVR!
Pat
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