Staying negative with Harvoni

[GP7852]

Hi
Got my 4 week bloodwork back yesterday taking Just harvoni and I was undetected which was nice.I refuse to get too excited since after being a lifetime non responder I cleared on sovaldi-olysio only to relapse immediately after finishing.I will be on the harvoni for 24 weeks (geno 1a stage 4) and wanted to ask if it is too early to know if the non responders like myself are staying negative well after finishing up with Harvoni.I can't let myself get too excited this time because the relapse was too devastating and I don't want to set myself up for that type of depression again.
                           Good Luck to Everyone on Here    Glen

[GP7852]

Good luck Carl
I started Harvoni on Jan 16 and it has really been a walk in the park.It actually pisses me off when I think back to all the poisons they have had me on since the 80s and all the hell of the different interferons and the incivek with the ribo and the peg,well the list of torture is endless.I have an occasional little coughing spell with this stuff and that is it.Still working and going to the gym,no problems there.Also really great that the Harvoni got me undetected at 4 weeks,a big surprise for a lifetime nonresponder.Even the sovaldi-olysio took 8 weeks to get negative,unfortunately that lasted about 5 minutes.
                          Good Luck    Glen

[Carlhcv]

Glen, I can't know for sure when I got hep c but I suspect a tattoo from about 35 years ago. My fibroscan was also normal at 4.1. You could be on to something! I was noticing that I'd get really drunk off a couple of beers though, like my liver couldn't process the alcohol well. I'm on week one of 24 weeks of Harvoni. Still no side affects. Good luck.

[flyinlynn]

I hate auto correct lol SVR sustained viral response for all :-)

[Rbeth]

I'll just pass on what a good hepper bud on here told me ~

THINK NEGATIVE......in a positive kinda way----------- :-)

Hey Lynn, good hepper bud , lol, did you just wish us all tachycardia in 2015?

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  ;-)  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[GP7852]

Hey Cakes
Don't be nervous.You've got this thing licked.Its kind of ironic that people always say to stay positive because in our community it's better to say "stay negative"  lol   Anyway all jokes aside good luck tomorrow even though I know you have kicked hep c's *** and it will be a distant memory very soon.
                                        Glen

[GP7852]

Wow,thanks Kim
I appreciate your words and I definitely feel encouraged.I really am feeling good and I could get used to this.Hasn't been any itching,death cramps in the legs or nose bleeds.This Harvoni stuff is a Godsend.I will keep my fingers and toes crossed for all of us.
                               Thank You   Glen

[Livelife777]

Glen.  Must say 24 weeks of Harvoni is going to kick that virus a$$. If I were in your shoes I would be extremely optimistic. Not hopeful, but almost certain that this time will be the last.  You have battled back and fought your way to get going with treatment.  Please don't let this last setback steal your thunder.
Your in the drivers seat and riding high.
Congragulations
.....Kim

[flyinlynn]

Gool Luck on treatment Glen

I just finished week 14 on Harvoni with 10 to go.

I am right there with you I like to think of it as cautiously optomistic especially after 3 null responce with interferon based and relapse last year after 12 weeks Sovaldi/Olysio.

My doctor decided to add riba which I finally got express scripts to approve at week 9 of tx so I am just finishing week 5 of riba.

Anyway good luck to all us hard cases and may we all be SVT in 2015

Lynn

[cakes8267]

Interesting thinking on having the virus since a young age rather than picking up the virus at a much older age.  I too, think I picked up the virus after having my first child,  and the virus has never really slowed me down and it has progressed very slowly.  So maybe there is some justification regarding contacting the virus at a younger age and it working slower.  
Whatever it is, I don't want it anymore, I am down with it!
I am getting my bloodwork in the early morning, needless to say, I am nervous.  I am 5 wks EOT after Harvoni.
Cakes

[GP7852]

Hey there Randinator
I did see a couple of years ago this large group of firemen all tested positive for hep c at the same time.I do not know how they all got it but these guys were all older men and the article was telling about how much trouble all these fellas were having before they were even tested for the hep c virus.Their joint problems became so severe these guys were not able to work.I thought how odd this is,all these middle aged guys just being diagnosed with this and almost immediately being attacked in such a gruesome way.Anyway good luck to you Ran.
                                              Glen

[GP7852]

Hey His
Viral load of 16 is nothing-next bloodwork you will be undetected.Congradulations! Just don't celebrate with a Martini,those things will kill us.Besides,a vanilla blizzard at dairy queen tastes much better.
                        Good Luck   Glen

[His way]

That’s great news Glen, no detectable bugs running around your body. I am 2 wks. behind you. Week 2 blood test showed my VL at 16, down from <9mil. Good luck to SVR 12.

[Rbeth]

Hi Glen,
You peaked my interest.... Now thinking much quicker action for senior infected is needed.
As mom said, there is tons of documentation (guess still not enough) but here are two of interest, though still a bit vague.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.../PMC2950699/
Hep C in the elderly -age at infection

End of pub see references and choose ref #9
http://m.bloodjournal.org/content/99/12/4588.long
This even more informative

Two interesting abstracts on persons age at time of infection vs prognosis (progression of hep c virus)

You may want to really jump around on these, really interesting publications

Loads of blessings to SVR Glen! I got virus at age 24, ( late 70's) so I'm hoping most all of us infected younger have stronger good odds, if that was your question.... Hope ALL have best odds!!!

Best,
Randy

[GP7852]

Thank you all for your replies.Since I am dealing with this on my own it is nice to have all of you here for your wisdom.All of my knowledge that I have picked up on hepc I learned right here so these forums are very important,especially the info about helping people find treatments.That means you are helping to save lifes.
                                  Good Luck    Glen
                                  

[AWorriedMom]

Glen, I got this when I was 21. There is lots of documentation that getting the disease younger it takes longer to progress. So,what you are saying is true. I don't know the reason although I do know that the disease moves more rapidly as one grows older and the immune system is not as strong.

[patra_]

M:  Wonderful to hear that you are doing so well!  Keep on keeping on!

G:  This med seems to be dealing well, no matter gender or age!  I understand your attitude, BUT, keep a positive attitude.  It truly does contribute to your outcome.

Both of you, Get that Dragon!! On to SVR!!

Pat

[Momof286]

I have to say I have had this disease since a transfusion at birth 29 years ago. I had a fibroscan score of 2.5 so basically normal liver. Liver functions have always been normal, slightly elevated on occasion. I have no symptoms except I have always been fatigued so I never wake up feeling energized or rested. I am pretty sure my body has just adjusted to always feeling like that as I really don't know any different. I am also on Harvoni and I am doing great! Best of luck to you on treatment!

[GP7852]

I have had this lousy disease since 1970 and call me dillusional but I think if you are unlucky enough to get it you are better off getting it when your young rather than when you are older.I have seen a lot of older people who have just gotten the disease have immediate and severe problems with it.Maybe when you are younger your body adjusts better and the disease works at a much slower pace.Just a theory.I would like to hear an opinion if this makes sense or not.
                                                      Glen

[GP7852]

Thanks Mom
That was nice to hear.It increased my confidence.
                                        Glen

[AWorriedMom]

Congratulations Glen. I can't answer your question about staying clear with Harvoni from personal experience. But, I do know all to well how you feel. I was in the Viekira Pak (Turquoise) trial. I was also 1a, cirrhotic, and a multiple time null-responder. It was so hard to believe I was undetected. And then it was equally hard to believe I would stay that way. But I did, and so did the vast majority of everyone in my trial. Your chances for SVR with Harvoni, I believe, are much better than with Sovaldi/Olysio, especially since you are a 1a. My bet is on you! The majority of geno 1's who cleared on harvoni do have an SVR. So hang in there and try to believe no matter how surreal you feel.