Aa
taking Victrellis
Are the side effects from Victrellis worse than the standard tx. interferon and Ribavirin, Has anyone been on this tx before
This is tx # 8 for me and It has been the worse. I had a tooth abcess and had to have a root canal in early treatment. The nausea has been constant and I am on medical MJ only thing that helped. The anemia has been draing. I had my 3rd transfusion last week. Then I got bronchitis and still coughing. On the highest dose of procrit. I only have 9 more weeks and continue to get new sx. Right now I have a mouthful of ulcers Today was a couch day.
Magnum I didn't clear until 21 weeks and was told I had till week 24.
Magnum I didn't clear until 21 weeks and was told I had till week 24.
Actually, I was not told to stop treatment because of ascites (which disappeared shortly after stopping treatment), but was told to stop because I did not reach a viral load under 100 at week 5 (that's one week with lead-in drugs then 4 weeks with Victrelis). Got close, but no cigar. Susan400 and I are very very hard to cure. The new drugs promise a better outcome.
I don't know if a blood test will tell if you have ascites or not. Dr. Robert Gish tapped on my stomach after stopping treatment. He said "If it sounds like you're tapping on a watermelon - hollow sound - then you don't have ascites). Bilirubin was fine, but my platelet count went dangerously low to 24.
Magnum
I don't know if a blood test will tell if you have ascites or not. Dr. Robert Gish tapped on my stomach after stopping treatment. He said "If it sounds like you're tapping on a watermelon - hollow sound - then you don't have ascites). Bilirubin was fine, but my platelet count went dangerously low to 24.
Magnum
Hi,
sorry to hear that you had to be taken off tx because of ascites.
I'm also experiencing some swelling of stomach and hands. But it seems to come and go. The doctor that treats me doesn't seem to be concerned. Can blood work show ascites? Elevated Bilirubin?
How are you doing now?
sorry to hear that you had to be taken off tx because of ascites.
I'm also experiencing some swelling of stomach and hands. But it seems to come and go. The doctor that treats me doesn't seem to be concerned. Can blood work show ascites? Elevated Bilirubin?
How are you doing now?
This last treatment attempt (5th) with Victrelis has brought newer sides than the standard 2-drug treatment. At least in my case, I experienced a swollen stomach (week 16 of Victrelis) and swollen legs. The doctor described the stomach swelling as ascites, and the leg swelling as water retention. About 2 weeks AFTER I stopped treatment, I experienced much more hair loss than previous treatments, as well as a 22 lb. weight drop in one month. I went from 196 pre-treatment to 174 and now 179.
It is something I personally would not attempt again. I'm not trying to dissuade anyone from treating, but I would have the doctor monitor my progress very closely...
Magnum
It is something I personally would not attempt again. I'm not trying to dissuade anyone from treating, but I would have the doctor monitor my progress very closely...
Magnum
I see that this thread is from Dec 2011 but since Ruthie picked it up again I join in this Victrelis-club.
I'm on week 17. Was und weeks 8 et 12. First time treated.
Worst side effects till now is the anemia. No helper drugs, blood transfusions (4 til now). It seems maybe the hgb has stabilized a bit by itself. Last time I was at 9.6 but has been down to 8.1 and in the 8s most of the time. First part of treatment (til week 14) was ok. I fnd it harder now with less energy. Rest a lot. Like Brianmo said in a post here somewhere, I am about to make a dent on the sofa :)
The first weeks went fast. Now I am couting down days, sometimes hours. Mentally I find it harder now aswell. Been more depressed, but no AD's. I find it very helpfull to talk about it, let it out, instead of taking pills to get through it (ADs). Not so many of us on Victrelis so I hope you post to Frijole and update on her chart. Very nice to follow you and see how you respond to tx.
I'm on week 17. Was und weeks 8 et 12. First time treated.
Worst side effects till now is the anemia. No helper drugs, blood transfusions (4 til now). It seems maybe the hgb has stabilized a bit by itself. Last time I was at 9.6 but has been down to 8.1 and in the 8s most of the time. First part of treatment (til week 14) was ok. I fnd it harder now with less energy. Rest a lot. Like Brianmo said in a post here somewhere, I am about to make a dent on the sofa :)
The first weeks went fast. Now I am couting down days, sometimes hours. Mentally I find it harder now aswell. Been more depressed, but no AD's. I find it very helpfull to talk about it, let it out, instead of taking pills to get through it (ADs). Not so many of us on Victrelis so I hope you post to Frijole and update on her chart. Very nice to follow you and see how you respond to tx.
I'm on week 11 with Vic. I have pretty much the same side effects: nausea, anemia, rashes, sore throat, cough, Tired! I'm a responder/relapser. 3 times before on riba and peg. Last time they added Telapravir, which had worse sides for me. So far, undetectable at week 8. I'm 65, and really hope the Vic added in this time works. I'm so tired of all the sides, but it will all be worth it if it works this time.
week 6, feeling tiered and very forgetful,thinning hair and grumpy but I keep reminding myself it is not me to be this way and I let everyone know I might be irritable. I am glad i read alot on sides and others experiences before I started. Wish there was a sub forum in hcv for the two new treatments so we could not be so scattered and so many threads started.
Thanks for the input. How long is your total tx going to be on the Vic? Did you start it on week 4 of the SOC? I really am glad I decided to get on this web site. I am 54 and have been battling this for 4 years. Unfortunately I contracted this disease working as an RN in the ICU for 28 years. Keep me informed of your progress. Shawn
Shawn,
I am just finishing up my tx with Victrelis. I have 10 days left!! Here is some info I put together on my experience.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/End-of-tx-with-Victrelis-wrap-up/show/1644935#post_7487580
Good luck to you!
I am just finishing up my tx with Victrelis. I have 10 days left!! Here is some info I put together on my experience.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/End-of-tx-with-Victrelis-wrap-up/show/1644935#post_7487580
Good luck to you!
Started Vic last week, week 4, I have a few sides , one is the taste of the pills, you don't want them to stay in your mouth for any time and I would hate to get one stuck in my throat. I read someone used hard candy's to fight the taste so I got some before I started. Good advice! Spearmint scotch mints are good to have around before you start because you don't want to have to go looking for them. Two, I have been getting the runs, have been fighting it with bran but it comes and goes, I think there is an all out war going on inside of me so I just keep eating, drinking water and let it pass. Three, as soon as I am a little bit hungry instead of hunger pains I start to feel the beginnings of nausea. As soon as I eat something it goes away so I think always keeping something in the digestive system is important. This is working for me so far, eat lots, drink lots and make sure to drink water BEFORE you take your pills as well as after, makes it quick. This is day 5 of Vic so I guess soon enough I will find out how anemic I will get.
I'm about to do dart 25 in 10 minutes. The anemia and dry mouth are my sx. My Hgb was 9 last week with no helper drugs. Glad I'm on vic. My energy is better now than the second month when I hardly could get out of bed. Had the riba cough for a couple weeks but it went away. No rashes, sickness, headaches. Good luck !
Linda
Linda
I too ill be doing Vic in the new year, still scared but praying I makr it through ok SVR and minimal sx, I really need to work and am alone .
Being anemic has not been fun. This week is shot 14 and I have had no helper drugs. Actually, for the past few weeks, I am feeling really good. Hgb back up. I chose Vic over Incivik because I did not want to deal with eating all the fat.
Mo
Mo
Yes please let's share info and support on Vic
I start in January and am scared but also excited am getting psyched !
I start in January and am scared but also excited am getting psyched !
For me there wasn't much difference except the anemia was worse, from what i've read hear i am glad i chose the VIC over the INC.
Good luck
Good luck
I have done both. I'm on wk 25 of triple with Vic. I was a partial responder about 10 years ago with just Peg intron and ribaviran and a non responder previously. I'm 10 years older, 62, so it is possible that age affects the Sx. I would have to say the Sx of the triple is more severe. But I have been undetectable since wk 8 so I'm in it for 11 more wks. Good luck.
I'm taking Vic, Peg and Riba. Started vic week 4 was UND at week 8. The main side is anemia and nausea for myself. Waiting for my 12 week results....Best of luck ! Debra
Tx naive, now on wk 13 of Vic-it kicks up sx of SOC a notch-for me at any rate. Nausea, anemia (hgb @ 9.1 now from 15.5 baseline) and fatigue, riba rash have been pesky sx. Ginger ale, zofran for nausea, Clobetesol gel, Nivea cream, and unscented Dove body wash, no dryer sheets for clothing and bedding, and rest, rest, rest. I'm not supposed to go to pblic places b/c wbc count @ 2.1-went up a tad, but still impacts immune system. I was und @ wk 8 and waiting for vl #'s for wk 12; hoping to treat for 28 wks.Stage 0, gr 3. Good news is that besides UND, my arthritis has significantly improved w/no arthritis meds.
I am not on it yet but allot of people are so I am interested in their answer too
I know if you write in victrellis in the search this forum it will come up with other discussions on it
Also on the Merck website it lists what symptoms are increased over standard treatment
Good luck
I know if you write in victrellis in the search this forum it will come up with other discussions on it
Also on the Merck website it lists what symptoms are increased over standard treatment
Good luck
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