SVR24- and straight back into full-time employment after a horrendous decade of HCV/interferon hell and accompanying poverty!

Well, I am nearly one month post treatment and I feel progressively worse. I have what appears to be chronic fatigue, a flat mood/mild depression, unsatisfying sleep (ie waking exhausted) and am aching all over constantly (legs are worst followed by shoulders/arms). I feel as though I have a touch of the old post interferon/ribavirin side-effects re-triggered. Is anyone else experiencing these effects?

Thanks for your input, Gaz! I’m actually treatment experienced by the way (pegasys/ribavirin). I do agree that 16 weeks treatment duration appears to have the edge over 12 weeks, and that there is very little difference between 16 and 24 week SVR outcomes…you are correct!

Hello and Merry Christmas to everyone. Thought I’d touch base again at Week 13 of treatment- I get my first blood test results tomorrow. I had a break from side-effects for around two weeks, however I am now experiences the peripheral neuropathy again, although to a lesser intensity than earlier in treatment. I feel tired and a bit flat in mood again.

I have also gained a large amount of weight (11 kg.), since beginning treatment. I have not been anywhere near this weight range (bar during pregnancy). I have eaten a little more than normal, but nothing that should cause such a dramatic change. Obviously I am wondering whether the mechanics of these DAA’S. are contributing to this.

I plan to reassess my treatment duration pending the outcome of the (much awaited) first results. It’s tempting to extend beyond the 16 weeks however the liver clinic nurse, after a phone call, all but insinuated there was no data to support this and actually sounded peeved I am considering this.

Feel free to include your own Dak/Sov experiences in this thread- it’s nice to have a sense of camaraderie throughout this experience!

So, as this study indicates, women that are in early menopause (whether natural or medically induced-grrrrr) have a much higher risk of non-response to pegylated interferon/ribavirin treatment.

This leads me to ponder whether this demographic would similarly be at a higher rate of non-response or alternatively, relapse, with the current DAA’s. Perhaps the hormone imbalance may make it more difficult to eradicate the HCV?

There is a rapid progression of symtoms and disease in post menopausal women too.

I feel that the S/D treatment I am on only appeared to begin working after week 10, and foolishly did not adamantly request the hospital clinic test my viral load at week 4 or 8. I have just had my 12 week blood test done, and although according to the nurse ‘there is no evidence to extend beyond 12’, I am considering going beyond the extra 4 weeks I purchased from Kingswood Pharmacy.

Any input would be welcome as I grapple with this scenario and continue enjoying my present state of medicated nirvana.

The process was easy! Yesterday I firstly rang and got the go-ahead with the nurse at the hepatitis clinic of the hospital (where I obtained my current 12 week course), then booked in to see a local GP. A script for a further 4 week course was made up and faxed to Kingswood Compounding Pharmacy at 7 pm. I followed up this morning with a phone call to the chemist (Nabil- who was great) and checked the script had arrived, address details, etc. Late morning I was contacted and told the DAA’s were ready to send! I paid the fee via credit card ($575 which included express post delivery), and can expect them in the mail either tomorrow or Monday! Yay!