My last 3 AFP test results were
12/1/15 1.9
1/4/17 2.2
2/22/18 2.6

I will suggest another AFP test rather than an Ultrasound. Cost is an issue. Thank you.

Took my last, 84th pill of generic Harvoni today guys!
Haven't done a viral load yet, as I figured it would just cost me money and not influence my treatment decissions anyway. I just did liver enzymes test: before, a month into and at the end of treatment and those look better than ever since I've started the treatment:

January 2019 AST 48 ALT 64
June 2019 (just before starting the pills) AST 53 ALT 103
July 2019 (32 into treatment) AST 21 ALT 25
September 2019 (after 3 months of treatment) AST 18 ALT 12

I havent had them so low ever!
I will now wait for 12 more weeks to do the viral load test. Hoping and praying that one to bring the desired results...
I have otherwise felt no side effects while on Harvoni, as a matter of fact my whole blood count looks much better now, including my iron defficiency issue being now resolved (without taking suplements).

Wanted to share these good news here. Will be back in 3 months with the next update:)

Good health & all best to all. There is always a hope!

Thank you Dr.James.

Was having sleepless nights. Your reply and guidance helps, thanks again.

Hello beahaven - from your F0-F1 starting point your HCC risk is pretty much the same as the general population (ie very small).

Normal, F0 and F1 are all close together. F3 and F4 are close together. F2 is a middle ground. You are at the lowest possible end for fibrosis and the lowest possible risk for HCC. While there is a push to extend surveillance to F3 patients there is not a push to extend it to F2 or F1 or F0.

Your doctor would seem to be being over cautious. Monitoring your AFP is almost certainly sufficient (if you are of a paranoid disposition), particularly if funds are tight.

If you were my patient I would not be monitoring you for HCC (with either AFP or U/S) and would have declared you cured.

The occasional patient with F0, F1 and F2 will get an HCC. So to will the occasional patient who does not have Hep C (or Hep or any other liver issue.

Hello vikamb,

Your mother's results are as expected.

Her liver enzymes (AST/ALT) are improved

The change in platelets from 74 to 71 is not significant as is the change in bilirubin from 1.9 -> 2.2

The anaemia is from the ribavirin - we can see the haemogobin fall to around 9.5 quite quickly but this has been stable so is unlikely to fall any further.

Good food is good medicine but the seasons do as they please and we can't eat what has not grown.

Things are definitely heading in the right direction.

Hello All,

My mom had got diagnosed with Hep C - 3a and after doctor consultation had started treatment / medication.

Medicines included :
Sovihep - V
RIBAVIRIN
SUPRADYN
CCM

Along with this a healthy diet and also heavy intake of fruits/vegetables which help in maintaining Haemoglobin and platelets like beetroot, carrots, kiwi and dragon fruit.

Attaching below the vital check values.

Before the start of medication :
Haemoglobin: 12.9
Platelet: 79

ALT: 79
AST: 211
Bilirubin total: 1.9
S.Albunim : 2.8

Reports as per 06-Sep

Haemoglobin: 9.8
Platelet: 71 (In between these 3 months, this count has reached 120 and since last month again reducing, note the fruits/vegetables have been reduced to bad season in my region for last month)

ALT: 34
AST: 71
Bilirubin total: 2.22
S.Albunim : 2.65
Creatine : 0.77

Still we have 3 more months to continue with the said medicines. Need your expert advice with the numbers, are they looking or do the same something. Just wanted to check if at least I am right direction with these, the fluctuation in platelet count is giving me bad thoughts.

Please help and advice. Also attaching the last 3 months of vital parameters that have been tested below in attachment.

This is good advice. Thank you. I have had so many dental issues (root canal and dental implants) since treatment. I lost a lot of bone. This has been a great expense. I'm just worried about costs. However, you made a good point about maintenance. The cost of HCC would be a great deal more. I wish you well.

Hi beahaven,

I was F3 from memory in 2012 when my G.P. found high AFP levels and a subsequent ultrasound a HCC.

Post liver re-section I was getting CT and ultra sounds every 6 months - now just ultrasounds. I think I progressed to F4 in the years following until treated successfully with DAAs.

I don't have to pay, but would if I had to. Just like servicing a car and probably cheaper too.

I understand that paying and getting the ultrasound done is inconvenient, but so was the HCC for me.

Hope this helps

Jeff

Thanks for your great post Gordon, you're very welcome, but it's Dr James really who deserves any credit. Looking forward to hearing good news from your upcoming treatment journey.

Hi Dr James.

That is music to tired ears! Thank you so much for this opportunity to slay the beast in my body. It means so much to me to be able to have another chance to rid myself of Hep C.
I have the email you mentioned but I didn't know if it was appropriate for me to use it. I have a few questions for you regarding treatment, support and general advice which I will direct to your email address asap.
I just want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone on here that has patiently answered my questions, reassured me and just taken the time out of their days to reply to me. You are all amazing people that deserve the very best that life can give you. When wrote my first entry I was resigned to a short, dark future full of increasingly unpleasant symptoms and was seriously questioning whether I wanted to endure it or simply opt out of it altogether. I now have a little hope in my life thanks to the folk on this site
I have no money and my pride will not allow me to even ask others (who don't have any money either) to contribute to a situation I inflicted upon myself. That HUGE hurdle has been eliminated and I feel humbled.

The system wouldn't fund me but Ive learned in life and from the wise advice of my late Father and the unshakeable hope and support from my elderly Mother there is no point in anger, frustration or blame. Ive learned that if I own a situation created by myself I get to piece of mind quicker and acceptance appears shortly after.

Everyday at my job, I meet people who have survived brutal suicide attempts, individuals that have been "pulled back" from the edge and are in a hell so dark our small team have to convince them to have one last go at life with us walking beside them. We have all lost a few of these people which devastates us every time, but in a couple of years we have had hundreds that leave us after close support, good food, sleep, listening and continued support for as long as they need it. What they go through makes a my Hep C and Cirrhosis look insignificant in comparison. They inspire me every day with the bravery and determination to live

However, I know that there is a reasonable chance that the treatment process may not be effective, and being a pessimist (I call it realism) I have to have that scenario in the back of my mind just in case

I will report my progress to you all along this next journey. Wish me luck. I'm gonna need it!

Respect to you all

Barry (my name is actually Gordon or "G" for short)

g

Hello Apogal,

Itch is very common with Hep C and while there is no 100% guarantee most patients troubled by itch before treatment find it goes away on/after treatment.

Please keep us updated about what you notice.

I went to the doctor today to find out how my ultrasound looked from earlier in the week The doctor said no cancer but there was pressure on my Portal vein (?) and that I need to do something about it soon. Ive attached the ultrasound notes for your info.
I am going to come off the Quetiapine as it was only apparently helping me to sleep but was initially prescribed as I was having alcohol psychosis but they never got round to telling me that I didnt need it anymore. I plan to not be taking it at all by the first day of treatment. Doc will offer me Melatonin if sleep becomes an issue. Im a hard egg and have endured worse than a step down off seroquel. And one less poison to put in my body.
g

Hi Barry, yes please post the name of the alternative medication to get reassurance that it will be OK to take with the new treatment. As far as the timing of the NZ re-treatment trial, Dr James is the one who may be able to give you a time frame.

Sorry, I realise that is probably rude to ask but is there any updated information as to when the re-treatment regime/test trial is likely to start? I ask mainly because of reasons like the change off Seroquel and the possibly delay it might cause me as i carefully step down from it after about ten years. Also to prep mentally, make sure my support network is in place and to advise my employer about the course of meds I will be taking.

Thank you again...endless questions...

g

Hi Apogal,

I have to say, I did 24 weeks treatment- I wasn't undetected until 18 weeks- had failed 2x before so the skin improvements were not my focus, I didn't track when/ how much it improved on treatment. Everything I noticed about feeling better was so marvellous- I emerged realising skin was better too.
Pretty sure it took a while but I had bad cirrhosis so you would expect it to sill be an issue until that was cleared up. I didn't have fatty liver surprisingly, as I am a fatty!

Drinking lots of water is the key, especially for you at the moment, with so much dying virus to be flushed out of your system, it could well be the itching will be worse before it is better while your body adjusts to all that change happening. It is going to be cool hearing how it is going for you, let us know every week or so?