TOPIC:

It's annoying how selective Medicare can be in covering tests and treatment. I had dengue fever in June and had to have a test which cost $95. Surely you'd think the govt would be keen enough to know about dengue cases to cover it.
Fortunately I've had all the HepC tests covered, bloods from GP, and Fibroscan and bloods from St Vincents liver clinic.

Chejai you'll be a $190 less naughty girl now!
I'll be a $1700 less naughty boy too, but at least I'm on Tx now so don't begrudge splashing out on that.

Yes Sonix i've just spent $1739 this past week for consult, Path and Meds - not begrudging it at all! My Health can't have a price tag, just having this opportunity means so much to me. I'm truly grateful.

I was reading the news article on Egypt's deal with Gilead and a 52 yo man, now cured, said,'I felt like I was dying and now I feel like I'm 35 again .....' It brought tears to my eyes because I'm 52 and shouldn't feel as bad as I do. So, I'm looking forward to how I'll feel on my 53rd next April!
Not complaining about $$ at all, just surprised!

I moved my Tx blog over to "My parcel of Magic Pills has arrived."

Hi am new here Rob is my name - live in ireland- have had hep c at least 30 yrs gen 3a did peg intereron and riba 6 month hs back in i994 undectectable at 12 wks then relpsed at end of treatment-- have been seeing a n excellent accupuncturist herbalist in london for many years which has helped alot -i practice qigong - have been well considering - gastrocopy revealed end of last year tht i hsd 4 varice in lower oesophagus 2 were grade a and 2 were grade b-- mild duodenitis- portal gastrocapathy- came as quite a shock ! fibroscan is F0-F1 mild fatty liver- platelets low 60.000 wbc count low 2.4-- alt 60 ast 40 - luckily heath services here ok the new treatment as i wss considered priority on account of swolen spleen/varices etc - just started triple therapy dac / sov/ and the dreaded ribavirin(1200mg daily) for 6 months-- cant say that i really like the idea of riba at all -- question i have is : what increase in per cent would the addition of riba make -- / if i take it which i am -- could i stop it when undetecable and then start it again near the end of the treatment -- alot of people whove done this combo ended up not bothering with the riba and got clear... then i am a relapser and have mild fatty liver-- any feed back appreciated
am taking b complex/betaine/zinc vit d have stopped taking chines herbs and reishi/cordyceps mushrooms also have stopped supplemting with lugols iodine (something i found very useful on many levels ) good to be here -thanks for support in advance Rob

Maybe James can answer your question as I'm not qualified.

I'm also in Ireland, I also did Sob/Dac and four weeks of Harvoni though I paid for mine
through the buyers club am confused how you got treatment in Ireland as the starting point to get in the
pool is F4 fiber score of 12.

I guess due to the other issues you have you're being treated which is great hopefully
someone can answer the Riba question.

Welcome Rob,

I'm on the same treatment as prescribed for you. Like Sir, I'm not qualified to answer your riba question but can share my experiences.

Our cases do differ in that I have compensated cirrhosis and HCC occurrences but no fatty liver or varices. I also had very active HCV creating a lot of inflammation which gave high ALT/AST over an extended period. I did discuss discontinuing riba with my specialist at my 12 week checkup last week. He couldn't guarantee continuing would help but thought that in my case there was probably a couple of percent advantage in my continuing it to end of treatment given my previous relapse and other factors. As I'm looking for any leverage I can get I will continue. So not sure how or even if that translates to you though.

Something else to consider is that I also seem to handle riba quite well, no anaemia or rage with only insomnia, dry skin and itchiness as noticeable sides. I always felt that the Peg was the worst part of my prior treatment and that has proven to be the case with the DAAs.

You should also read this thread which includes links to some of the latest data on Gt3 patients treated with Sof/Dac +/- Riba as presented at AASLD conference 2015 fixhepc.com/forum/gt3/369-gt3-high-svr-r...ith-daclatasvir.html

Best wishes for your successful SVR whichever path you take.

Welcome Rob, this is a great place to get info and support.
Glad Gaj has directed you to some info, the question of adding Riba or not comes up a bit.

At the top of the site's page the 'Search' section if you type in "add ribs" or something similar you will find lots of posts about this topic and the references to the latest studies suggesting no benefit to + Riba.
Look for section Genotype Specific - genotype 3 - lots of discussion more specific to treating each genotype.
I suppose since all this is still pretty new using DAA's, you could print out some of the research papers and show your Specialist and discuss the pros and cons of adding Riba to your Tx. it's your body, your health and wellbeing and you ultimately should be the one making an 'informed' decision.

Wish You all the best with your journey

Hi Bob,

Please read the n=468 trial of Sof/Dac+/-Riba here: fixhepc.com/forum/gt3/369-gt3-high-svr-r...ith-daclatasvir.html

Mostly F3/F4 so your profile.

SVR rate was slightly higher (not statistically significant) in ALL the -Riba arms who did 24 weeks.

On that basis it's hard to argue that Riba really helps so it would not be completely insane to not take it.

If you have it you won't get serious sides starting until about week 4 and it does help rapidly drop viral load so doing a few weeks +Riba and stopping at the first sign of trouble might be one way to look at it.

Welcome and wishing you all the best for tx Rob from Australia
These meds are wonderful they actually work
Regards Ariel

Hello, I am new member to the forum. I've been diagnosed with Hep C since 2004,but believe I had contracted sometime in 1980's. I found this site after reading the other forums on HCV. I tried to get Tx without success, am grateful to all on this site for the posting. I was able to get my Appt with GP2U and order the meds sof/led, which I just received earlier in the week, and could not wait to start. I had been feeling badly for some time, and have not had any bad side effects other than fatigue so far. Thanks to all, and will continue to post....gb

Welcome CbG
Glad you found us.
We all got tired of waiting...
Sick and tired of being sick and tired
GP2U & the meds will fix you up.

M

Thanks M, I appreciate your response, I have been reading many helpful post that have been a

great encouragement. It can be a bit difficult getting thru the treatment and remaining hopeful, but

I have been able to find some great information here. Thanks to all....G

Welcome cbg,

For most of us the treatment will be easier to live with than the disease and it is only 3 to 6 months rather than a lifetime. Personally I feel confident that I will clear the virus and be able to live a full life again, as I'm sure you will too.

Thankfully FixHepC and all the wonderful people behind it have made that possible and affordable for many more of us around the world than previously while providing this open forum to share our experiences and the latest news on continuing developments in HCV treatments.

Hello Gaj, and thank you for your kind response.

i just started the treatment this past week , and hope

I can get thru without the difficult side

effects. I appreciate the support... Thanks .. Cbg

Hi!
I am from Romania,I am 48 years old,17 years with hepatitis C.
I am with compensated cirrhosis f4, splenomegaly (27 cm long), gastropathy portal, portal hypertension with esophageal varices gr.1-2 bandits,gen 1b.
I started treatment with Twinvir on January 11/ 2016 and 31 days after I was undetectable.
Today is the 63rd day of treatment.
I wish to thank Mr. Greg Jefferys who helped me to get in contact with Mr. Alimul Razi from Incepta which was very kind and helped me to get into the possession of drugs without ribavirin for 24 weeks.
Take Twinvir pill at 2 pm and morning and evening Propranolol / 40mg.
I mention that I feel very good.
Good health to all!