Starting Treatment with Incivek

[coo19]

This coming Friday I will start taking Pegasys, Copegus and Incivek to treat chronic HCV and I was wondering if anyone has already started treatment using all 3 drugs and what they have experienced as far as side effects? I'm trying to get some idea of just how sick I will be over the next 6 months from this treatment but can not find anyone who has taken all 3 drugs. Incivek was just approved and there isn't much information available except what the pharmacuetical companys list and I would just like to hear it from someone who has taken the medications together and lived through the side effects.

[HDCoop]

Just go the call from the doc today about my 4 week labs.......undetectable.  Wow, what a feeling, I can relax a little now.  This makes the side effects more bearable ;-)   Then I get home and take my incivek 3 hours too early ;-(~

I hope the same news to the rest of you out there!!!

[cursed180]

i didint type that post under my profilre,that was my friend who typed that,he has hep c and he was logged on under me,he forgot he was on my profile lol.
great to see all the good news,all the best to everyone

[Karenp1159]

In my 8th week of triple therapy.  Saturdays are a bust because I inject the interferon on Friday night.  Spend the day blacked-out sleeping or otherwise very low energy.  Each day, the energy picks up.  Mornings are tough.  Lots of side effects but none of the worst.  My personal worst has been severe anemia that wipes me out and makes me breathless.  By adjusting my dose of ribaviron and adding Procrit, that's now under control.  Lots of nausea, itchy rashes, dry cough and headaches.  Another discomfort they really don't mention is the  irritation in unmentionable areas - these are strong drugs and they go through the body and out!  Have tried sitz baths, prep h, Vaseline, medicated pads, cortisone creme - all help in intervals.  

Haven't missed a day of work.  I run my own business and we're at a critical juncture in its development and seasonality.  I'm not always there until 10 or 11, but I don't miss a day.  Frequently, I work late... I think the distraction of the work is a real benefit.

My enzyme levels are down from a one time high of 650 and average of 300-500 to about 65.  My latest viral load is at 140!  I'm a little worried about why it's not "undetectable," but I'm still encouraged.  They say that if it's not at zero by week 12, they might not continue the balance of the treatment..... one step at a time.  I'm mentally prepared for the 48 weeks.

Bring it on!

[Kitaman]

Thanks all for the encouragement.  The cocktail is tough but the results are fantastic: 4 mill down to 4000 in 2 weeks of treatment.

I just started 3 weeks ago and the doc prescribed lexapro to combat my sense of aloofness and detachment.  Doc thinks I will be a 6 month candidate, we will see.  Had the disease well before they knew what to call it, bloodwork back to 1994 detected high enzyeme levels.  Stopped drinking in 86 and stopped smoking in 1991, which I'm sure helped.

Anyway this is a one day, one treatment at a time thing for me as my days are filled with sleep an dmore sleep.

[cursed180]

It is so good to hear that so many people are wipeing this pesky viris out on there 2-3-and4th goes ,I have had 1 try and i will be trying again when telipravir is appruved in Australia next year 2012 and then hopefully i will have some good news to spread on hear as well thanks for your time and all of your great feedback.

[HDCoop]

Sorry to hear you have been feelling good, but good news on the viral drop.  Hope you get to feeling better.  I had to do long term disability my first 2 times, but this one hasn't hit me too bad yet.  

Hum, from the sound of you and coo19, I assume y'all are young.  I thought that it was mostly people my age with this disease.  Good news is for y'all though, is you couldn't have had it long, I pretty much tracked mine back to the stupid days in the 80's, so I'm in my 20+ yrs of it.

Anyway as they say, heads up, grin and bear it and we'll all get through this.