Aa
Treatment starts tomorrow!
I'm going to start my HCV treatment tomorrow and I'm nervous. I don't have to take Interferon. I'm taking 1200mg's of Ribavirin and 400mg's of Sovaldi( the 29,000 dollar drug for a 28 day supply) thankfully my insurance is covering everything but 5 dollars. I want to know the side effects of Ribavirin and Sovaldi from someone that's taken it. I think I can handle it for 12 weeks but would appreciate some information. Thanks
Hi Alan, computer on the blitz the other day, I agree with Kim an Patra. Treatment is completely doable. I was on same dose an meds. GT2. Main side was fatigue, irritability. I'm about 3 wks EOT an pretty much feel back to normal except for mouth problems . Dry mucous membranes, use Biotene an Xylimelts for mouth( OTC ) an Restasis for dry eyes, but a small price to pay for possible cure. Like I said, would do over again if need be.
Wanted to wish you luck on this journey monday I will complete my 16thweek - only 8 more to go' on the same meds.
Oh, Ekkiemom, Dkus, and nursehepc all touched on emotionality and some one mentioned using Biotene. I forgot to mention those in my first post above. The dry mouth can be helped with Biotene or one of the other dry mouth products. They have a mouthwash, a gel for bedtime, if it is really severe, and a spritzer you can carry with you; also a tooth paste. I believe it is genteal which makes an eye gel for dry eyes, is which can cause blurring, etc, and can be uncomfortable. You also may need a good heavy duty body lotion. I like the green bottle Gold Bond Medicated Lotion (my cat loves the eucaplytus smell : -) ) . Be sure to brush floss or water pik last thing each night as dry mouth can cause cavities and gum problems. All of the above may not bother you, but it is good to have heard about it so you don't think something is wrong if you experience it.
As for the emotionality, As many many others on here have talked about/done, I do NOT watch sad movies, tear jerkers, as it were; intense tv shows or the news. I watch only happy, cheerful things, and read books I KNOW are going to end 'right' - usually old tried and true books I have read many times before. I also warned my family about this, so my husband goes on Facebook and/or Youtube every day and finds and shows me cheerful. or funny things to cheer me up. when I get moody and it has happened a couple of times, we have a little code: he asks me if I am not ready for a nap, which is our signal for me to back out of whatever. Stress is reduced on everyone.
Again, as I said before, many people do not experience these problems, or to such a small degree that they are not aware of the, but, that said, forewarned is forearmed!
Now, with all this, Gird up and go get that Dragon!! We are right here with you!! Pat
Oh, Ekkiemom, Dkus, and nursehepc all touched on emotionality and some one mentioned using Biotene. I forgot to mention those in my first post above. The dry mouth can be helped with Biotene or one of the other dry mouth products. They have a mouthwash, a gel for bedtime, if it is really severe, and a spritzer you can carry with you; also a tooth paste. I believe it is genteal which makes an eye gel for dry eyes, is which can cause blurring, etc, and can be uncomfortable. You also may need a good heavy duty body lotion. I like the green bottle Gold Bond Medicated Lotion (my cat loves the eucaplytus smell : -) ) . Be sure to brush floss or water pik last thing each night as dry mouth can cause cavities and gum problems. All of the above may not bother you, but it is good to have heard about it so you don't think something is wrong if you experience it.
As for the emotionality, As many many others on here have talked about/done, I do NOT watch sad movies, tear jerkers, as it were; intense tv shows or the news. I watch only happy, cheerful things, and read books I KNOW are going to end 'right' - usually old tried and true books I have read many times before. I also warned my family about this, so my husband goes on Facebook and/or Youtube every day and finds and shows me cheerful. or funny things to cheer me up. when I get moody and it has happened a couple of times, we have a little code: he asks me if I am not ready for a nap, which is our signal for me to back out of whatever. Stress is reduced on everyone.
Again, as I said before, many people do not experience these problems, or to such a small degree that they are not aware of the, but, that said, forewarned is forearmed!
Now, with all this, Gird up and go get that Dragon!! We are right here with you!! Pat
Hi there just wanted to wish you good luck with the treatment. Keep us posted on how you are doing. Best wishes Jules
Hi there ! I'm currently on my 8th wk of the same Tx. It's very doable as you have been told. Yes there will be some side Fx but as they have said they are not so bad. Keep well hydrated, small meals as they have suggested, rest when your body needs it, and as they told me when I first started listen to my body and don't expect to be a superman everyday! :). The only real issue I deal with from time to time is getting winded, little moody which I have to meditate to bring me bk to my center. This is the best grp of people, they are supportive and informative and caring. I'm still kinda new to the site but I want to pay forward what they have given me to you as well. So take care and keep the faith.........
PEACE
DEB
PEACE
DEB
Congratulations on getting started! I am gen 2 on 400mg sovaldi & 1000mg ribavirin and will be completing the 12 week program in 7 days. Had nausea in the first couple weeks and lost weight due to that. Corrected with enriched protein drinks every morning. Eat a healthy, wholesome diet packed with fruits, vegetables, protein and fiber. With his type of diet there will be no constipation. Drink 1/2 your weight in ounces of water. As mentioned in an earlier comment, water will help to flush out the toxins. Take my tx 5am & 5pm daily. Be consistent. Had a little irritability earlier on due to the riba, I suspect. Learned to stay in a quiet place in my head and walk away from emotional situations. Have slept exceptionally well. Fatigue will be noticable and you may find you don't have quite the same energy level you had in pre tx. Respect this. I pushed too hard in yoga and paid for it the next day. Get outside as much as possible. Being outdoors has a very healing effect upon one. Have consistently played golf 3x week, do breathing and stretching exercises daily and absorb myself in my work. The time has passed quickly and am pleased to report with little or no side effects. I believe you will be pleased also. Welcome again!
Sovaldi is a brain freeze....just kind of spacey--take with food and you will not have nausea. I took mine in the morning so as not to mess with sleep.
It is the ribavarin you really need to pay attention to! Drink lots of water and eat healthy. It can make you fatigued and anemic really quick! Your doc will give you some specifics. Don't stop your meds just call and get your coordinator to tell you what to do. Ribavarin dosage for guys is usually tolerated better than women. Under the hep c post treatment forum there are a lot of threads regarding your concerns.
Good luck! Dbz
It is the ribavarin you really need to pay attention to! Drink lots of water and eat healthy. It can make you fatigued and anemic really quick! Your doc will give you some specifics. Don't stop your meds just call and get your coordinator to tell you what to do. Ribavarin dosage for guys is usually tolerated better than women. Under the hep c post treatment forum there are a lot of threads regarding your concerns.
Good luck! Dbz
Hi Alan,
I did 12 weeks of Sovaldi and Ribavirin, the same dosage as you. I pretty much had no side effects at all. My hemoglobin did drop from 15.6 to 13.9 but that is not considered anemia and there was no dose adjustment necessary. The only slight thing I noticed was if I took the ribavirin too close to bedtime it took me a little longer to fall asleep. If I took the ribavirin at 6:30am and 6:30pm I had no trouble.
Best of Luck!
I did 12 weeks of Sovaldi and Ribavirin, the same dosage as you. I pretty much had no side effects at all. My hemoglobin did drop from 15.6 to 13.9 but that is not considered anemia and there was no dose adjustment necessary. The only slight thing I noticed was if I took the ribavirin too close to bedtime it took me a little longer to fall asleep. If I took the ribavirin at 6:30am and 6:30pm I had no trouble.
Best of Luck!
I had manageable side effects that did not get in the way of work and life (for the most part - i.e., went home from work early a couple of times - had to scale back my cardio (a little) - modified my oral care (added biotene to the mix)) . That said, the greatest side effect for me was that I had ribavirin-induced anemia. The anemia corrected itself with a reduction in my ribavirin dose (per my hepatologist). Overall, I had imagined that treatment was going to be more difficult than it ended up being. I was quite relieved once treatment actually started and realized just how manageable treatment was going to be. I would do it again in a heartbeat (but hope I don't have to).
As folks have stated above, we are individuals and effects can vary depending on a host of reasons. The folks that have the most difficult time appear to be those with complicating health issues (e.g., advanced liver disease, other chronic and acute health conditions). Most of us find treatment with Sovaldi and Ribavirin quite manageable.
Good Luck.
Jo
As folks have stated above, we are individuals and effects can vary depending on a host of reasons. The folks that have the most difficult time appear to be those with complicating health issues (e.g., advanced liver disease, other chronic and acute health conditions). Most of us find treatment with Sovaldi and Ribavirin quite manageable.
Good Luck.
Jo
Hi Alan and welcome
I've taken the exact treatment that you are beginning. 1200 Riba and 400 Sovd for 12 weeks. Are you genotype 2?
Everyone experiences side effects differently. Men seem to have an easier time then women, and a few fortunate people have no side effects al all. For
me it was a roller coaster ride of sorts.
Some key points
Eat often ...5-6 meals a day would suffice. Try to include protein in each meal. If you have cirrhosis your Dr may modify that.
Drink gallons of water. ...the drugs accumulate in your body and fluid helps
to flush out your system. Others will elaborate on how much water is advised.
Exercise ...That is key for mental well being. With Ribavirin you tend to have some ups and down emotionally and this will help alleviate it.
Become a nature lover....Get outside and take long walks. While on treatment some tend to avoid going out. Interaction with nature brings upon
a somewhat meditation quality
Nap often...Your body's immune system increases while at rest. Fatigue is
the #1 side effect most often reported.
Find a support group...Well you just did, us! We've all taken the drugs, currently on treatment, or as caregivers have a loved on doing these meds.
You will have alot of questions along the way.
What is treatment like? It's very doable Alan, and if I had to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. You may have no sides, or you may have some. Whatever you encounter can be managed. The short duration of
treating goes by quickly. In the end you will look back and be so grateful that
you will now have an amazing new healthy life. It is without a doubt a life changing event.
Take Care
....Kim
I've taken the exact treatment that you are beginning. 1200 Riba and 400 Sovd for 12 weeks. Are you genotype 2?
Everyone experiences side effects differently. Men seem to have an easier time then women, and a few fortunate people have no side effects al all. For
me it was a roller coaster ride of sorts.
Some key points
Eat often ...5-6 meals a day would suffice. Try to include protein in each meal. If you have cirrhosis your Dr may modify that.
Drink gallons of water. ...the drugs accumulate in your body and fluid helps
to flush out your system. Others will elaborate on how much water is advised.
Exercise ...That is key for mental well being. With Ribavirin you tend to have some ups and down emotionally and this will help alleviate it.
Become a nature lover....Get outside and take long walks. While on treatment some tend to avoid going out. Interaction with nature brings upon
a somewhat meditation quality
Nap often...Your body's immune system increases while at rest. Fatigue is
the #1 side effect most often reported.
Find a support group...Well you just did, us! We've all taken the drugs, currently on treatment, or as caregivers have a loved on doing these meds.
You will have alot of questions along the way.
What is treatment like? It's very doable Alan, and if I had to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. You may have no sides, or you may have some. Whatever you encounter can be managed. The short duration of
treating goes by quickly. In the end you will look back and be so grateful that
you will now have an amazing new healthy life. It is without a doubt a life changing event.
Take Care
....Kim
Hi and welcome to the Forum. You should be able to get through this treatment - it is very doable! There are a number of sides BUT, chances are you won't experience all - or even many of them. Fatigue seems to be the one all of us experience, to a great or lesser degree. Headaches, too, but much less often (I personally, have not experienced this one). Most of these seem to br from the Ribavirin. One other from the Riba is that it CAN cause anemia. Again, it doesn't always, but it can cause a lowering if Hmg, even if it doesn't get to anemia -- and that can cause extra fatigue. From the examples and experiences I have read on the Forum, women seem to have more of a problem with this than men - of course, it could be that we tend to articulate how we feel and men tend not to.
Of course, having said that, I must say that many experience no side effects. A good thought!
Some tips: Drink LOTS of water daily - at least 1 oz per pound up to 1/2 your body weight. More is okay, too. If you get too much water drink a couple of oz of an electrolyte drink. Take your pills 12 hrs apart and stick to a schedule - do not vary this from day to day (I take mine at 8 am and 8 pm esch day. sol does not require food wit, but Riba works better w/a meal, and that should contain a little 'good fat' for the Riba to adhere to - I believe it processes better and, usually you do not experience nausea that way. !'Good fat is from yogurt, nuts, avacados, cream cheese, cottage cheese, etc.
Hope I haven't overwhelmed you w/too much info. If you have specific question, or even other general ones. Ask away. Someone on here will answer. This is a great, helpful forum!!
again, welcome to the forum and now, go slay that dragon!! : -). Pat
Of course, having said that, I must say that many experience no side effects. A good thought!
Some tips: Drink LOTS of water daily - at least 1 oz per pound up to 1/2 your body weight. More is okay, too. If you get too much water drink a couple of oz of an electrolyte drink. Take your pills 12 hrs apart and stick to a schedule - do not vary this from day to day (I take mine at 8 am and 8 pm esch day. sol does not require food wit, but Riba works better w/a meal, and that should contain a little 'good fat' for the Riba to adhere to - I believe it processes better and, usually you do not experience nausea that way. !'Good fat is from yogurt, nuts, avacados, cream cheese, cottage cheese, etc.
Hope I haven't overwhelmed you w/too much info. If you have specific question, or even other general ones. Ask away. Someone on here will answer. This is a great, helpful forum!!
again, welcome to the forum and now, go slay that dragon!! : -). Pat
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