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Hepatitis C Treatment - 6 Months Past Treatment and Beyond
What was your treatment drugs? How long since treatment ended? Has Hepatitis C treatment improved your life
and how?
and how?
Best Answer
I just reached SVR 12 two weeks ago from a 12 week Harvoni treatment. Prior to that I treated 3 times including Incivek and Ribiviran. I feel good right now, and the Harvoni was a piece of cake for me. The treatments with interferon and ribiviran really effected my moods, and I think I lost some friends and possibly a promotion opportunity at work. I didn't tell anyone I was on treatment except my wife. People are still uncomfortable with this disease. I am looking forward and not back right now. I don't know what long term effect all of these lethal drugs will have on my system, but nothing will surprise me. So I am ecstatic that I reached SVR 12, and I feel better, but I am concerned about some of these drugs coming back to wreak a little havoc.
Have Hep C presumedly the variety that has a high cure rate..Now down with high iron as well. Doesn't look surprising just do I let them leach or is there another treatment. Haven't started on the Hep C treatment and hope that will eliminate iron problem, but don"t know. Any thoughts?
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This hepatitis C treatment did change my life forever. I don't sweat the little thing anymore either. I appreciate the simple thing and hope only the best for everyone who goes down this path. It's a journey of vast inlightinment.
Best to you
Best to you
Hi Guys,
I did 48 weeks of interferon/ribavirin/procrit/sleep meds/anti-nausea/etc :)
Finished last summer. I found out about a month ago that I reached SVR, hurray for that.
What did I gain? So much. First I want to say though that a few weeks after I started treatment a good friend of mine who refused to treat developed liver cancer and then she died a few days after I finished my treatment. And she was a well-loved nurse of all things. So there ya go. Choice is yours. Live or die.
So I know I wont die an excruciatingly painful death as my friend did, that's one thing I gained. I could still die a painful death but highly likely not from liver disease.
I felt my treatment was a very spiritual experience, and I feel more connected to God than ever before.
I have issues with stiffness and fatigue now, and I may never be the same as I was long before the treatment. But that's life, and aging. So what if I need more sleep and its harder to stand up or sit up. My mother was in a wheelchair and paraplegic for half her life. She couldnt go to the bathroom by herself and had no bladder control. She had MS, and she died in her late 60s of recurring pneumonia. As long as I can take care of myself Im doing pretty good. Life doesn't seem to be all that fair. Maybe we are burning past life karma, who knows.
As someone said, I dont have to worry about infecting anyone anymore. Thank God for that. Fine if I have it, but god forbid I infect someone else.
Now I find that I don't sweat the little things as much as I used to. Things that used to annoy me a lot I just dont pay attention to so much anymore. I don't have the time or energy for that.
As I did before treatment and I do now, I keep involved in serving others and volunteer work as I am able to. Sometimes its jobs that I get paid to do, like teaching and helping in the schools, and sometimes I'm just a volunteer. Keeping my focus on how I can help others (even if its only a very small thing because my energy is low) keeps my mind from focusing on feeling sorry for myself.
You guys were a big help to me when I was on treatment. I didn't post much. Plus the meds made me go slowly crazy and finally not sleeping for 5 days and nights I had to be hospitalized and medically knocked out. And that's just one of many many stories of problems I had. But those of you who have devoted so much time to helping others get through this, hats off to you. You are really angels in human form.
I did 48 weeks of interferon/ribavirin/procrit/sleep meds/anti-nausea/etc :)
Finished last summer. I found out about a month ago that I reached SVR, hurray for that.
What did I gain? So much. First I want to say though that a few weeks after I started treatment a good friend of mine who refused to treat developed liver cancer and then she died a few days after I finished my treatment. And she was a well-loved nurse of all things. So there ya go. Choice is yours. Live or die.
So I know I wont die an excruciatingly painful death as my friend did, that's one thing I gained. I could still die a painful death but highly likely not from liver disease.
I felt my treatment was a very spiritual experience, and I feel more connected to God than ever before.
I have issues with stiffness and fatigue now, and I may never be the same as I was long before the treatment. But that's life, and aging. So what if I need more sleep and its harder to stand up or sit up. My mother was in a wheelchair and paraplegic for half her life. She couldnt go to the bathroom by herself and had no bladder control. She had MS, and she died in her late 60s of recurring pneumonia. As long as I can take care of myself Im doing pretty good. Life doesn't seem to be all that fair. Maybe we are burning past life karma, who knows.
As someone said, I dont have to worry about infecting anyone anymore. Thank God for that. Fine if I have it, but god forbid I infect someone else.
Now I find that I don't sweat the little things as much as I used to. Things that used to annoy me a lot I just dont pay attention to so much anymore. I don't have the time or energy for that.
As I did before treatment and I do now, I keep involved in serving others and volunteer work as I am able to. Sometimes its jobs that I get paid to do, like teaching and helping in the schools, and sometimes I'm just a volunteer. Keeping my focus on how I can help others (even if its only a very small thing because my energy is low) keeps my mind from focusing on feeling sorry for myself.
You guys were a big help to me when I was on treatment. I didn't post much. Plus the meds made me go slowly crazy and finally not sleeping for 5 days and nights I had to be hospitalized and medically knocked out. And that's just one of many many stories of problems I had. But those of you who have devoted so much time to helping others get through this, hats off to you. You are really angels in human form.
"How has Hepatitis C treatment improved your life."
A question that could get a different answer if posed to oneself every 6 mos. or so.
I am about 24 wks out from Sof/Oly - no previous treatment. Very few sides during Tx. .Had virus maybe 40 years. Am SVR!. I have had super days of clearer thinking than in some time and lots of energy. But then other days when I have draining fatigue. Hard to unwrap all that has emerged from the HCV Tx. Diagnosed with slowing growing Non Hodgkins Lymphoma and treated to remission a few months before new anti virals were approved. Lymphoma likely result of chronic inflammation from the virus over so many tears. Have cirrhosis which may have been exacerbated by the cancer of the treatment for it. Not seen in my 2010 biopsy. Near end of HCV treatment began manifesting autoimmune and inflammatory disorders that I never had - or knew I had before - oral lichen planus. granulomas, dry eye. mild neuropathy, Sjogren's. Takes a lot of time to manage the care regimens and see the doctors - working on streamlining this.
But all that said, I enjoy my core interests and a reduced work schedule that is allowing me invaluable time. I feel in my gut that the cirrhosis would have advanced to HCC and transplant without HCV treatment. I may get liver cancer in due course, but the SVR has bought time for however long. And a cure for lymphoma and cirrhosis may be found while I can still benefit. HCV treatment, while costly in some ways, is a moot question for me - it couldn't have been avoided. I would have become sicker, more brain clouded, less functional, less interested in life and doing the most that I can with what I have. Not acceptable options to me. My attention has been riveted by all this, and made me calmer and more forgiving. This personal growth alone is quite valuable, IMO.
A question that could get a different answer if posed to oneself every 6 mos. or so.
I am about 24 wks out from Sof/Oly - no previous treatment. Very few sides during Tx. .Had virus maybe 40 years. Am SVR!. I have had super days of clearer thinking than in some time and lots of energy. But then other days when I have draining fatigue. Hard to unwrap all that has emerged from the HCV Tx. Diagnosed with slowing growing Non Hodgkins Lymphoma and treated to remission a few months before new anti virals were approved. Lymphoma likely result of chronic inflammation from the virus over so many tears. Have cirrhosis which may have been exacerbated by the cancer of the treatment for it. Not seen in my 2010 biopsy. Near end of HCV treatment began manifesting autoimmune and inflammatory disorders that I never had - or knew I had before - oral lichen planus. granulomas, dry eye. mild neuropathy, Sjogren's. Takes a lot of time to manage the care regimens and see the doctors - working on streamlining this.
But all that said, I enjoy my core interests and a reduced work schedule that is allowing me invaluable time. I feel in my gut that the cirrhosis would have advanced to HCC and transplant without HCV treatment. I may get liver cancer in due course, but the SVR has bought time for however long. And a cure for lymphoma and cirrhosis may be found while I can still benefit. HCV treatment, while costly in some ways, is a moot question for me - it couldn't have been avoided. I would have become sicker, more brain clouded, less functional, less interested in life and doing the most that I can with what I have. Not acceptable options to me. My attention has been riveted by all this, and made me calmer and more forgiving. This personal growth alone is quite valuable, IMO.
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Ya know, life is really interesting! I have come to believe that there is a reason for everything. Call it destiny - some can decide to turn their back on it...
I usually grab my destiny with full gusto... that old saying about lemons and lemonade, right! I know so many people who are so lucky going thru life looking for whata, coulda, shoulda!
I was diagnosed while living a great life in San Francisco! The life of an artist! At 40 I was running and single gear cycling the hills of SF! Fit as a horse! The city had no funds to treat and told me what healthy things to do and I did them.
I was called to help my parents in PA. PA had tons of money to play with peoples health. Once disabled, and fighting for years I won disability. With my parents help and destiny have a beautiful home. Lovely things in it. I live a simple life but miss many things!
My big destiny was to save my parents life. I won't go into details but it was the reason I was brought home!
Becoming an advocate for oneself and others is an amazing tool to have. Most doctors really appreciate it and a few fear us. Maybe that is the greatest gain from treatment!