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Allen's Sovaldi + Ribavirin Treatment Log

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AllenM
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2013
Posts : 223
Posted 6/11/2014 1:13 PM (GMT -8)
Hello everyone, just a small update to say that I had a routine blood test the other day and my ALT is still at 18 after about 41 days since I ended treatment.

My next viral load test will be July 30th and I should know the results the first week of August and I have a followup appointment August 13th so should have better confirmation of the detected or not detected status.

I'm doing ok now, I am not at all tired like I was during treatment and life is resuming. I have been walking the dog daily for 30-35 minutes and I am also working out for 30 minutes daily at least 4-5 times a week though its taking a bit longer to get back in shape then I though...slow and steady I guess :-)

During my treatment I found I ate alot of comfort foods when I wasn't feeling good, so much that I packed on 10-12 pounds over my normal weight, many people wouldn't even notice but I do and it's something that will correct itself soon. I've never had a problem with my weight and have trained most of my life so its just a matter of time until I am 100% again.

I'll update everybody again soon when I hear anything worth mentioning.
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Dog LeDon
Regular Member
Joined : Apr 2014
Posts : 191
Posted 6/11/2014 2:50 PM (GMT -8)
Congrats, Allen. I'm glad to hear your ALT has normalized and you have more energy.
I have 15 days to go and hope I have the success that you are experiencing.
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sammanthac
New Member
Joined : May 2014
Posts : 17
Posted 6/11/2014 5:45 PM (GMT -8)
hi Allen
I hope I don't sound too shallow but wondering if you experienced hair loss or thinning eyebrows or physical appearances changed in any way due to these meds, i'm a girl and you know how important hair is to us. LOL.. but of course getting a new chance at life is the main thing, glad to hear you're doing well..congrats on finishing tx, also did you experience any digestive issues besides stomach cramps like constipation.. hope you don't mind me asking you these questions, and they're not too personal..anxious about starting !!i hate taking any pharmaceuticals , I don't even take tylenol or any OTC meds.. stayed on the natural path for many years.. thanks again for sharing your journey yeah
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AllenM
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2013
Posts : 223
Posted 6/12/2014 4:19 AM (GMT -8)
Hey, hair is important to use men also ;-) Anyways as for the hair loss I personally think I lost a bit, I noticed during the treatment that I would see pieces of hair on my keyboard as I work on computers all day at home and I think instead of falling out it was more likely brittle and breaking off.

My wife tells me she didn't notice ANY hair loss at all, I looked at a couple of pictures and I look exactly the same and no friends have joked "Hey Al, you sure lost alot of hair the past year" so I suspect its not bad at all if I really did lose hair.

As for Eyebrows, not at all and my eyebrows which are usually fairly thick didn't seem affected at all.

I did have cramps and constipation BUT I am taking prescription painkillers that caused me bad constipation before all of this happened so if it was happening more I wouldn't have really been able to tell.

When my stomach was not feeling well I would drink Ginger Ale, If I didn't drink it all I would just put it back in the fridge and drink the next day even if it was flat and the carbonation was gone and it would make me feel better. Make sure to drinks LOT'S of water...I can't stress this enough! I could tell when I wasn't drinking enough and you will be dehydrated and probably have dry mouth so its a good idea to have a exercise water bottle you can refill and drink all day long, when you go to bed I would keep on the end table beside me or I would just lay it in bed beside my pillow so when I woke up with my mouth so dry I thought I was having trouble breathing so I would just take a quick sip and swish it around and fall back asleep.


I don't mind you asking ANY questions and if you don't want to ask them publicly then feel free to send me a private message and I will try to answer if I can, we're all adults and though things are somewhat personal for some people I feel if someone has a questions and I can somehow answer it will make their journey just a bit easier.

Everything is gonna be fine Samantha, you'll get through this with no problems and realize the treatment is not that bad at all and mentally you will feel so much better knowing its eradicated from your system and after its over you will also feel better physically.

Take care...

Of all the people being treated I felt I complained the most(no joke) but my wife will tell you I tend to complain lots...haha. So whatever you do DON'T read my thread on my treatment and get scared about the side effects I mentioned because honestly I've been through way worse in my life and this treatment is NOT bad at all...I just complain alot :-).

Like I said if you have any questions feel free to ask us, I knew really nothing about all of this when I found out I was infected and was so thankful to come to these forums and everybody accepted me right away and helped make me feel comfortable and could answer most questions I needed answered...many times they knew more than my own doctor or specialist.
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sammanthac
New Member
Joined : May 2014
Posts : 17
Posted 6/12/2014 6:12 AM (GMT -8)
Hi Allen,
Thanks for your response, I guess anticipating taking these meds can throw you into anxiety and stress, posting daily experiences really helps us who are about to go through it, just have to think ahead and realize some discomfort to rid the beast is a small price to pay, thank you for all your support and I'll probably be on here with daily logs , I'm sure it's therapeutic to vent and post here in a community who's going through the same thing..enjoy your life of good health and congrats..you did it.. what a relief to hear I don't have to stock up on cheesy wigs LOL
turn

Post Edited (sammanthac) : 6/12/2014 11:34:55 AM (GMT-6)

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AllenM
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2013
Posts : 223
Posted 6/12/2014 6:16 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks :-)
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DavidG57
New Member
Joined : Jun 2014
Posts : 1
Posted 6/18/2014 5:22 AM (GMT -8)
Hi Allen, thanks for all the info in this thread I am to begin treatments with Sovaldi and Ribavirn sometime this month or early next (waiting on insurance approval) I was curious if you worked out of the home or did "home" work while you were taking the meds. I am hoping I will be able to go to work as I work out of the home.
Thanks in advance
DavidG57
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AllenM
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2013
Posts : 223
Posted 6/18/2014 6:55 AM (GMT -8)
Hi David, yes I do work from home so I was sorta "Lucky" in that sense however I believe I probably could have also worked daily outside of the home and toughed it out though some days any sort of hard labor may have been hard because I ran out of energy alot of days in the afternoon.

If you work from home already you will have absolutely no problems at all, some days you might need an hour or two nap BUT I am sure alot of people didn't and I seemed to be one of those that had worst side effects from what I read between all of us on this forum.

Good luck David, you're gonna be fine and this treatment once you start will mentally have you feeling better in no time and three months really is not that long at all for the end result. Physically some days I felt short on breath and was tired but I was OK and I made it and I am happy I went through with it right away.
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pkchater
New Member
Joined : Jun 2014
Posts : 1
Posted 6/19/2014 9:38 AM (GMT -8)
hi all, i am so glad you are all well and positive about this new pill.
i live in the US and the cash price for this is 33K-35K, could anyone please let me know which pharmacy in Canada carries it and how much you paid? thank you so much, i've been searching for a long time
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AllenM
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2013
Posts : 223
Posted 6/19/2014 9:52 AM (GMT -8)
www.bioscript.ca/alberta.html

Paid for by insurance, cost for both Sovaldi and Ribavirin treatment for three months was somewhere around 90k CDN though I would have to ask the wife for the exact number. I had to also pay $3000 out of pocket.
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Copenhagen23
New Member
Joined : Jun 2014
Posts : 1
Posted 6/19/2014 11:38 AM (GMT -8)
Hello Allen I just read your log and decided to join because I just started treatment almost 3 weeks ago. I wish I was able to work from home but for now I'm collecting unemployment. I wan't to go back to work but I don't know if I should because the fatigue is pretty bad sometimes. I seem to nap an hour almost every day.

That is interesting about hair being brittle and breaking off because I notice some hair on my bathroom floor but its not full strands.

You're not joking about the water intake, you really need to drink a lot of water. I typically lift 4 days a week but since starting treatment I only go one day a week and its not a strong workout. Did you notice the fatigue is not as bad further into treatment? Do you drink coffee? I pretty much quit drinking coffee because I was getting pain through my entire body by the end of the day when I was taking in too much caffeine.

I too have been indulging in comfort foods and I'm not happy with how my body is starting to look 3 weeks in, but I'm too tired to do anything about it!
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AllenM
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2013
Posts : 223
Posted 6/20/2014 6:58 AM (GMT -8)
Hello Copenhagen, glad to hear you're going through with the treatment. I noticed throughout the treatment I did lose hair and it seemed to thin out a bit but now a about 50 or 60 days later I don't really noticed and I recently got a hair cut and look's the same as usual so its returning :-)

Yes the water I was drinking lots, my wife kept telling me to drink lots and my doctor was constantly telling me it was *very* important to stay hydrated with these med's. As for coffee, I typically drink about three glasses a day...I make them in one of those Keurig machines for coffee on the *large* size and which is probably the size of a large cup when dispensed...I put it in one of those To-Go cups with the lid you screw on and can shake it etc and it won't leak.

I did not notice body pain from the coffee but I sorta craved it because I was tired alot of times and also found sometimes I might drink later in the afternoon around 3-4 p.m...I think to sorta wake myself up.

As for the comfort foods their is not much you can do, its better to be comfortable then being worried and your body usually even when you stop working out for a year can get back in shape and get its muscle back in 6-8 weeks even when you gain 10 pounds simply with more exercise and following a good diet.

I still have not totally gotten back into shape as I have a separated shoulder right now causing me pain, instead I have been doing P90-X workouts instead of weight lifting and any exercises that cause my shoulder pain I then switch to running on the spot or repeat another exercise I did recently to fill in that time space and I also have rubber band's and a small pulley that I connect to a door downstairs to keep working out and getting in shape and I also walk the dog every day for 30+ minutes....better than no exercise and eventually I will be working out 4 days a week lifting but for now I am just coasting along and trying to slowly get back in shape and not worrying myself too much about it.

It's well known that "muscle memory" is real and you'll be back in shape in no time when this is all over if that's what you really want, just need to put in the effort but you'll notice even one week after stopping treatment you will have alot more energy and you will want to exercise.

Take care and good luck!
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pet lover
Regular Member
Joined : Jun 2014
Posts : 25
Posted 6/20/2014 11:49 AM (GMT -8)
pkchater, have you contacted the patient assistance programs? For those uninsured, it's possible to get the meds free.
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iamhmanley1973
New Member
Joined : Jun 2014
Posts : 12
Posted 6/23/2014 8:43 AM (GMT -8)
Hi I have hepatitis C geno 03 type and an expected to start treatment sometime this week for 24 weeks with sovaldi and ribavirin I'm very scared and wondering if I'm going to have a hard time taking care of my 3 year old toddler also I'm worried about losing my hair I hear a lot of talk about people being very tired and falling asleep off and on and I worry that I will not be able to take care of my 3 year old on this treatment and I don't have anyone to help me with my child
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AllenM
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2013
Posts : 223
Posted 6/23/2014 9:18 AM (GMT -8)
Personally I think you will be fine, I had the luxury of working and home and being able to sleep if I wanted but believe me on the days I had to stay awake I did and it wasn't impossible to do at all...I just felt tired some days.

As for losing hair, again DO NOT worry about this, its not like the movies with cancer treatment and handful's of hair falling out...not even close! I noticed sometimes when I when to the washroom I might brush my hair a bit and noticed a few more hairs in the sink that usually but again...I'm in my 40's and I started losing it long ago but its not like my wife is saying...."Oh my, you sure lost alot of hair Allen"...in fact she told me she didn't notice I lost anything at all and says I'm "imagining things" :-)

You're gonna be fine, don't be scared and get the treatment you need now and be done with it. As I've told other I think I probably had more side effects than most(my wife says I complain alot) and most I observed on these forums doing treatment at the same time seemed fine!

Everything is going to be fine....
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iamhmanley1973
New Member
Joined : Jun 2014
Posts : 12
Posted 6/23/2014 11:32 AM (GMT -8)
Thank u so much for taking time to write me and help me to feel better about starting my treatment I am looking forward to hopefully being called cured from this and I'm so glad u so many others r doing great on this treatment god bless u and ur family :) ❤
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**David**
Veteran Member
Joined : Nov 2009
Posts : 3708
Posted 6/23/2014 12:53 PM (GMT -8)
Do the treatment. You do want to be around for your daughter, right?
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iamhmanley1973
New Member
Joined : Jun 2014
Posts : 12
Posted 6/23/2014 1:36 PM (GMT -8)
Yes I do want to be around for her and I will definitely do the treatment
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iamhmanley1973
New Member
Joined : Jun 2014
Posts : 12
Posted 6/23/2014 1:43 PM (GMT -8)
I would also like to know if ppl r loosing waght or gaining waght on it I been on a diet for 4 months now and I work out 5 days a week for an hour a day I have lost 40 pound and want to loose 25 more and I seen a few post on here about gaining waght but not waght loss? I guess really I'm wanting to know more if people out there are having luck with losing weight instead of gaining weight?

Post Edited (iamhmanley1973) : 6/23/2014 3:59:07 PM (GMT-6)

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AllenM
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2013
Posts : 223
Posted 6/23/2014 4:08 PM (GMT -8)

iamhmanley1973 said...
Thank u so much for taking time to write me and help me to feel better about starting my treatment I am looking forward to hopefully being called cured from this and I'm so glad u so many others r doing great on this treatment god bless u and ur family :) ❤

Your welcome and thank you!

As for losing and gaining weight, the ONLY reason I gained weight was because I choose to eat alot of comfort food, that was my excuse to make myself feel better and honestly it was a very poor excuse and the medication I do NOT think caused me to gain weight at all.

You need not worry about gaining weight and what you need to worry about is not being positive and keeping yourself in a *positive* mood to get through this, if you gain a couple of pound you will lose it just as easy as you did the last 4 months when you lost 40 lbs so honestly don't even worry about it and just do your best to eat healthy and try not to eat junk food like I did if you don't have too.

I'm not sure if these medications cause weight gain and I personally think if their is any weight gain its due to people sitting around more, instead just keep fricken walking daily and if you can do workouts then do that also and you will be fine and you won't gain weight and even if you did gain a couple of pounds it will be easily lost.

I am not sure if you will continue to *lose* weight while on the treatment and I think that should be the last of your worries, your quality of life is more important than a diet right now and you can resume when your finished treatment and in no way would I advocate severly cutting calories while on treatment and if anything you need to keep active and keep your body nourished while it fights this Hep C for good!

I probably could have attempted to diet while doing my treatment but honestly my FIRST concern was healing my liver, diet's come and go but you only have ONE liver!

Also make sure you drink LOTS of water, this is important!

Good luck!
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iamhmanley1973
New Member
Joined : Jun 2014
Posts : 12
Posted 6/23/2014 4:21 PM (GMT -8)
Ok thank u again for all ur information I will make sure to drink lots of water 😊
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neil005
New Member
Joined : Jun 2014
Posts : 3
Posted 6/30/2014 2:45 PM (GMT -8)
New Member just beginning week 9; Age 55; location: NYC.
Genotype 2 since 1999; Pre-TX V/L 1 million
Rather compliant with Med regimen but only took 4 caps Ribavirin rather than 5 recommended (My weight is very low at 133 I'm usually 147-I have a rare MD-wasting disease-genetic);
At day 18 my V/L was 61 (no typo, 2 digit #); After that I began taking the full 5 caps Ribavirin.
No side effects for first 18-20 days but thereafter I got very weak, blurry vision w/ spots and felt like crud in early morning;
I always took my Sovaldi after dinner 6pm with 2 caps Ribavirin same time.
At week 4 I had begin staggering the morning dose of Ribavirin and began taking those caps throughout morning/early afternoon. Cannot wait to stop taking it.
At week 6 my V/L was undetectable. I had also become Anemic by a few points.
Has anyone seen reports on this Fall the 12 week Length of TX will drop to 8 weeks for some TX naïve, genotypes? neil

Post Edited (neil005) : 6/30/2014 4:49:06 PM (GMT-6)

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ppm guy
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2010
Posts : 1261
Posted 6/30/2014 6:08 PM (GMT -8)
neil005, there will be a treatment this fall that may have 8 week txs for select genotypes. But, it is not the tx you are doing. you had a good start(very important). stay the course, and stay compliant. i am 135 pounds and took 5 pills a day for a year, plus shots and a DAA.


welcome to the board
barry
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MamaLama
Veteran Member
Joined : Oct 2010
Posts : 4907
Posted 7/3/2014 6:34 AM (GMT -8)
Allen: This post has gone long. Now that your treatment is complete, lets start a new volume.

All: Here is the link to Allen's Volume II.

www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=25&m=3122413

Best to you today,

Mama Lama
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