Day 32 of Harvoni first blood check

This topic has 10 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 4 months ago by KarenB.

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22 July 2019 at 1:27 pm #29327
KarenB
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- Acolyte
@karenb
Hi there,
Wanted to just share a short update a month into the Harvoni treatment.
I have been taking it regularly for 32 days, 9am each day No side effects whatsoever.
Did a blood test today (no viral load test, just LFTs)
Liver functions within normal & improved versus what I started with:
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

I am scheduled to do a viral load just after finishing the treatment, but thinking to perhaps check it out earlier, after week 8, as my curiosity is starting to take its toll…….

I hope that the improved LFTs are a good sign that the Harvoni is doing its job and praying, end of treatment, to fall in the big % of people who can call themselves CURED.

Keeping fingers crossed & sticking to Harvoni for 2 more months ….. Have a lovely summer guys!
22 July 2019 at 1:56 pm #29329
Dr James
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@fixhepc
Hi Karen,

The ALT and AST are enzymes that leak out of dead and dying liver cells. The fact that they have fallen (as expected) proves that the damage to your liver that was happening has stopped happening.

You are definitely on track.

I understand the curiosity thing but if it’s a big expense your AST/ALT results virtually guarantee you will be undetected. It’s always marvelous to see those two words….”Not Detected” has a nice ring to it!

YMMV
22 July 2019 at 6:39 pm #29330
Mar
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@mar
Hi Karen, congratulations on these excellent LFTs results at the 1 month mark, as Dr James mentioned, they pretty much guarantee that you’re undetected now. As you said, you need to continue treatment until the very last pill to finish off the virus, but you’re definitely on the right track of falling in the big % of people who can call themselves CURED

Making the world a better place – one patient at a time.
22 July 2019 at 10:02 pm #29331
KarenB
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@karenb
Thank you for the words of encouragement guys! <3

I religiously continue the pills to the last one, hoping for the best

All best!
24 July 2019 at 6:55 am #29332
coral
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@coral
Hi Karen,

Well done on those results one month into treatment. It’s good to hear that you haven’t had any side effects. From personal experience I do know the temptation of the viral load check but as Dr James and Mar said your LFTs are telling you that things are going well.

8 weeks to go Karen!!!

Cheers

Coral
25 July 2019 at 11:48 am #29333
KarenB
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@karenb
Dear Coral,
thank you so much for your nice words, it means so much, specially from people who have been through so much themselves… I’m often appreciating the possibility of the net and hearing other people’s stories with this, and the possibility to try to cure this… it’s what has kept me, for years,while there was still a lot of fog, stigma and not even an option for treatment.

It’ s been going smooth so far, day 35 today counting the days to end and see the result, of course, hoping for the best…

Wishing you all the best.
Hug!
28 July 2019 at 9:22 am #29338
Hazel
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@hazel
So pleased it is going smoothly for you Karen. I love thinking- there is another person getting free, more virus gone, the world a better place for it.

Genotype 3 30 years, 2x treatment interferon/ribavirin non responder. Cirrhosis 17 years. Fibroscan, decompensating, 40 down to 22 by 29/3/16- now down to 6.5, normal, no cirrhosis. Started Buyers Club Sof/Dac 14 Nov 15. SVR 12 29/0716
28 July 2019 at 12:23 pm #29339
KarenB
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@karenb
Thanks Hazel,
I truly hope Harvoni helps me reach SVR too, as it has, many others, but than, no matter how it ends up for me personally, I am also, like you said, thankful on daily level and I admire what scientists and medicine have done so far, not only for hep c, with inventing this drug, but also in general, turning the impossible into possible and giving us another chance and hope…

take care!
29 July 2019 at 3:26 pm #29341
Dr James
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@fixhepc
Hope is very important, here’s a video we did about it for World Hepatitis Day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTC2E13E1Ww

YMMV
29 July 2019 at 9:26 pm #29344
Mar
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@mar
I like the dramatic effect of the typewriter sound, especially with the question mark towards the end, powerful message.

Making the world a better place – one patient at a time.
30 July 2019 at 2:44 am #29345
KarenB
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@karenb
It truly is like this. I lived with the hep c diagnose for almost half of my life, and for a very long time, in a full uncertainty and fear, knowing that i have a scary, uncurable disease that can decide to kill me any moment. There was the awful interferon therapy with side effects outweighing its benefits and the expensive drugs that i could never afford buying. That was it. Quiet a dead end street…
So yes, finding out about the generics was a revelation, I could probably regain some better sleep after years since i found out about them and even before I got them. Because, the very fact of having an OPTION, is comforting by itself….
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