When did you finish Mike ? I finished 12 wks of Sov / Dak on the 5th of January, and EOT blood work indicate that the predicted rosey ‘surrogate outcome’ has been achieved – LFT’s still in the normal range & no detectable virus, as was the case after 4 wks of treatment – but the extreme fatigue & insomnia have NOT gone away ….. yet. Quite disappointed that I don’t feel better by now, and hoping that it’s just a matter of more time & more patience, but I desperately need to get back in the workforce and make some money before I go under. Still can’t walk more than
100 yrds without stopping to rest

Just read your profile Mike and can now answer my own question, looks like you finished about 9 days after me. Although your cocktail was different to mine, I’m guessing that the salient point that could explain my ongoing fatigue & insomnia is that I’ve been oscillating between F3 and F4 for over a decade, so hopefully I just need to give it more time. Your upbeat reflections are encouraging though Mike

I can completely agree with Mike’s comments, although my starting point was much less severe than his. Knowing there is a treatment available, but that the cost to national health services makes it still out of reach was an incredible source of anger and frustration to me. Even though I knew I was not a severe case as far as fibrosis tests are concerned, I also knew that the virus was having a serious effect on my health in lots of small ways. Before treatment, it seemed like I had been driving around in 2nd gear for years. And I kind of got used to it. I didn’t know any more what it was like to be normal and healthy. A few weeks ago, I posted some improvements that I noticed after just 4 weeks of treatment.

http://fixhepc.com/forum/questions-and-answers/527-improvements-during-and-after-hcv-treatment.html?start=6#6824

Lots of little things just got better. After just 4 weeks, it was like my body had suddenly re-discovered 3rd gear, and I could drive all day on that. It was also like I could give an explanation to the fatigue, the skin problems, the nose-bleeds, the bruises, because all that has now long gone.

Today, I am 3 days away from the end of 84 days of Sof+Dac. About 10 days ago, it seemed like I changed gear again. and I can now speed along in 4th gear all day. I can now work a 12-hour day, and still have energy and still be in a good mood in the evening…

Probably there is a psychological aspect to some of that. Some people might even try to put the previous fatigue and skin problems down to psychology. But I had those problems before I knew I had Hep-C! And the rest? I don’t think so! On the other hand, there is a lot of positive psychology going on through just feeling better. For example, it also seems like everyone at work looks at me differently because I feel better and I look better.

Am I “officially cured”? I don’t know yet. Still awaiting the famous Week-12 blood tests. Still looking forward to the “SVR24” test. But I certainly feel like I am cured. And even if I am not, I now know what it feels like at my age to live at least for a few weeks without that bastard virus.

This all rings bells too loudly (lol) yep loving this
Ty to those who took the time out to write up these pooey things we have been putting up with and how hopeful the outcome and future is
Yep I want to run my business again and also play professionally again too
Yep need an income stream again too
Thanks so much for starting this thread Chejai x

Hi Lynne, I have been discussing this recently and even brought it up with my consultant.

I am only just starting week 4 of tx and have already had niggling worries about coming off the meds!

I was reading the progress of another patient, a lovely lady who has really been through it over the years, (on another forum)
She got Harvoni through NHS and is now post treatment – She made a post re post-tx depression here : http://www.hepcukforum.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13726

My consultant likened it to what she’s seen with cured cancer patients when they’ve finished treatment and have been told it has gone.
She said the ‘loss of the safety net of the treatment’ can cause depression and anxiety in many and they are not totally convinced that the cancer has gone. In other words, she thinks it’s mostly psychological. She also said that feeling better brings a high of it’s own along with the reduction of inflammation (so a physical thing too). She’s a very smart and open consultant, so she is probably right !

Now, my non-medical thoughts
I have wondered, if these new ‘smart’ drugs have a chemical component of a feeling of well-being too, along with the reduction of inflammation and feeling better in oneself.

She said it’s really important to take good care Of yourself at EOT – with diet, rest and gentle exercise etc and trying to do things which help to keep your spirits uplifted.

This is quite a new thing, EOT with these meds, so there isn’t much ‘data’ – but as she says, she has clearly seen this with cancer patients .

So, plan some nice things to distract yourself, try not to dwell, eat healthily (she also told me to keep eating carbs on tx as I am craving them, but to reduce at EOT) and try to take care of yourself as best you can is her advise.

LG

Well I finished today, about 12 hours before I posted this.
So to answer the question…

no, i don’t feel much different than i felt 2 weeks after meds or 4 weeks or 8 weeks or now 12 weeks..

by 4 weeks i was und, maybe i was even before but only was tested at 4 (more like 5) so coulda all been gone at 1 or two, who knows?….will get the 12 week test next week.

I guess the only thing is i of course am concerned if its gone…for good…once and for all..
but the other thing is, this place has been FUN,
going to Australia was FUN,
getting better is FUN…so best wishes to all who come after me to follow the path to getting better.

and THANK YOU Dr. Freeman and GREG…I wouldn’t be at this point if not for you two. If I could nominate you both for the Nobel I would
(I looked into it, I dont have the credentials, damn).