Hep C Discussion Forum

WOW, IRIS!

That's simply wonderful!  Your train ride has been so much longer than mine.  You have really persevered, and I think it's great.

I agree, it's time to get back to the business of life.  I hope you will find a way to celebrate, to give yourself something you couldn't have or do during treatment or before, or to repeat a favorite thing, maybe tap dance on the train tracks.  Whatever it is, I wish you fun.

I can't wait to hear how you are feeling and coming along outside of the tunnel.

With all best regards,

Cheddy

Thank you, that last sleep was pretty good, the sound of the whistle blowing didn't even wake me once.

And here I come out of the long tunnels ...3 tunnels ...three bottles of pills, the first was the hardest. (I intend to return with a complete  list of side effects and other strangeness, when I get a moment)

This clip ends in Chatsworth California and is actually from the town I had lived in when I got sick. I loved this area lived next to the hills and hiked around on the rocks ALL the time. Went through all of these tunnels while hiking. The long tunnel one starts in Simi Valley @ what used to be Corriganville. The middle one is where we spent many summers escaping the heat and it was an excellent place to play music! Many trains passed by whiling away the summers and lemme tell ya, what a rush! That was exciting! They have since paved the inside of the tunnel so you cannot sit in there anymore. The long tunnel has cubbies you can slip into when the train comes, you will see those in the clip, you cannot see a thing in there and the first time I went we didn't have a flashlight. The last tunnel goes under Topanga Canyon Blvd and come out next to the famous Stony Point in Chatsworth, a San Fernando Valley landmark for many years. I don't know how I had the guts to hike through those tunnels then, Probably chalk it up to young and dumb, but in the 1970's it was a very happening spot. It would scare me to try that now. I'm speaking of all this because It would be nice to start again in a sense, I still live very near Chatsworth, love the place, and I have learned a lot in these many years. I recently went up to the Park where the tunnel is, It is all monitored now they do not want anyone in the tunnels. Well... I'm OUT OF THE TUNNEL NOW! EXCELSIOR!!!! let's get on with the business of life :)

EOT< I see the station coming up!! Woo Wooooooooooo I'm going to be getting off now, bu-buy Harvoni train! Have a good journey Karyl !

The area was known for many movies, westerns mostly so here is a  fun clip from the same middle tunnel, (had a hard time choosing which one to use)

MANY BLESSINGS TO ALL!

Iris

 

Well Iris,

It's one more sleep eh?!

Well, here ... we'll turn down the bed for you tonight and tuck you safely in.

Sleep well, it's this part of the journey's end tomorrow.  

It's been quite a trip you have been on so far - is it true?, that it is never quite the same way twice! I think so, except ... for in the cases of the trips that are only once in a lifetime. This one qualifies as wonderful, and, once in a lifetime, and will never be duplicated again! Happy arrival to your welcoming destination stop tomorrow - Autumn!  C. 

 

Thanks Tig!  You are so helpful. I spoke to the pharmacist yesterday and asked her if I can drink coffee before or right after and she said yes because coffee is very acidic.  I will take the PPI and Harvoni immediately upon wakening with a lot of water then wander down to the kitchen for my coffee. I truly appreciate all the advice you have given me.

Yesterday a nice man from the pharmacy delivered to my door my first bottle of Harvoni!!!!!  I am going to take the first pill tomorrow, Sunday.  I have a couple questions first.  I have been reading that if you are on PPI's that you need to be sure to take the Harvoni at the same time as your PPI. And on an empty stomach.  The instructions from the pharmacy say 4 hrs before or after can you take antacids. Do they consider the PPI an antacid or is that like Pepsid and Tums?  I'm a little confused and don't want to start off on the wrong foot.

 

Wooo Woooo,  I'm getting on the train!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

PS.  I will add my stats to the signature line as soon as someone will tell me what they are! ?Waiting on the lab to send them and my dr.s office to tell me more than "minimal liver damage"

-- Edited by Karyl on Saturday 22nd of September 2018 09:20:00 AM

I have shared this photo time and again. It’s my vision of us fighting through the smoke and fog, onward to our destination. The last Warrior that used this Locomotive, was RC. I invite you, no, WE invite you to board the train called Success! As Cheddy mentions, use the light and envision the end of the tunnel. This train won’t be stopped!

ALL ABOARD.......

 

Ya, well .... OK ... I must admit THAT video was a bit of magic alright, really neat echoey particular acoustics (almost a song/melody to that whistle music the man played there!), it does evoke some neat feelings, and made especially enjoyable looking at that really neat windmill and farm wagon in the foreground.

Trouble is, I have a love/hate relationship with train whistles, for decades now, no matter which house I lived in, I ALWAYS seem to live on the wrong side of the tracks! Trains have rumbled past my houses and through my head so many times, I have automated to it, been deafened by it, been driven mad by it, infuriated by it, when (right when you wish and need quiet) the malicious whistle blower decides to try out a new prolonged irritating whistle number right on top/next to your house while you are trying to sleep or in the middle of a phone call - you know - I think I would appreciate train whistles more if I could actually ever get on a train and go somewhere! 

Oh, hey wait a minute - that was a Harvoni train right? Sorry then, those Harvoni train noises SHOULD be (are supposed to be) especially gloriously noisy, strong, loud and heart poundingly beautiful. heehee   C. 

 

You must’ve been an Army or Air Force Brat! My daughter and her Army hubby are living just outside of Ft Bragg now. He’s currently deployed to the Persian Gulf. I’m leaving tomorrow morning to spend two weeks with her and my grand children. My wife and I try to split up his deployments, just to help her any way we can. She’s an amazing woman, two younguns, a full time small business and is a full time University student. I honestly don’t know how she does it! We’re very proud of them all.

Congrats Iris, you’re well on your way to success! I’m anxious to hear all the lab results.

Hey Iris,

DOWN THE HATCH, WARRIOR!! 

You’re going to do great! Say goodbye to all those years of worry. You have finally gotten one of the best treatments available. I’m glad you avoided the Interferon and Riba nightmare. Things happen for a reason, this better and easier opportunity to kill your Dragon is it!

Remember, one gallon of water every day!

Tig wrote:

---

Welcome aboard! Sit back, grab your bucket of water and enjoy the ride. The EOT station will be the next stop on your way to SVRVille...  ALL ABOARD!!!!!

---

this post is so cute! and cool ......... indeed , grabbing my bucket of water ..and dragging lots of water to work with me. went back to work tonite after 10days off to get started on Harvi. So far so good, a few weird feelings but thankful for the easy start.... and praying it keeps feeling ok. I keep imagining the colony getting smaller and new ones not reproducing-it's a beautiful picture when I think of it. My work is being so cool with me too, lots of ppl know and are cheering me on and letting me out early to keep me feeling well. I am blessed. 

thank you to all the harvoni pioneers here and everywhere. I was an interferon pioneer and thankfully didn't have to do more than a few weeks of trial before they were good enough to take me off due to bad results.

I was sad and glad.

I started harvoni may 1st , 2018 and I feel so blessed to be on the harvoni train. looking forward to letting the virus go :)

Hey,

Glad you splained about the avatar - I was wondering, I showed the pic to my partner earlier today and but neither of us were sure, figured some sorta hawk or bird of prey - we're not really "up" on our birds (obviously) heehee. Good to know what it is, and what a neat shot for you to possess! Lucky you, to have those kinds of feasts for eyes, experience, and memory!

I am so jealous, I've been pining to drive the West coast all the way down along into Calif or further (or to just about anywhere of a warmer lattitude than here)! But Calif would suit me mighty fine! I went once as a child (from the Prairies no less), I only recall bits and pieces of that family trek. Recall I was astounded, mesmorized hitting Oregon as whole new "amazingly green" world unfolded before me, and then into the warmth Calif. I too remember seeing the Monarchs (but not hoards of them, just some gatherings). I was young, and was quite ill on that trip, so don't remember too many things. Will get there again eventually. I did fly in once as a young adult but it was a very short whirlwind kind of thing and did not get to spend any real quality time there, just a teaser, but knew I would return one day, fer sure

I'm so glad you went! Oh ya, Illinois! Right. Big brr. Well, doubly glad you got to Calif. then. Sounds wonderful. 

Also very glad you gave us such a good peek into your brain, and how you are feeling. Very reassuring to us who have also struggled through fog and things to see others resolving. Really good, and I'm so glad for you. Gifts, meant to be.  C.

 

Lindz & C --- sorry for the delay here! I have just returned from a month long trip to California of basking in the sun, hiking and feeling terrific!! The trip was something I did for myself since I am feeling so happy and healthy these days! I definitely had the encephal..effect in the brain from the HCV. Since treatment and SVR, the brain fog and fuzziness I felt for YEARS is quelled. My head is so clear and my energy level is much improved. I am in general feeling amazingly better than I have felt in many years,,,so a month in CA out of the cold weather of Illinois was a gift to myself. My partner and I explored Big Sur, Monterey and southern California...fantastic weather, swimming, sun,,all goodness.

Thanks to everyone here who has supported myself and others through this slaying of the dragon. I love being a part of this fabulous Club Zero...I've always been a basically optimistic person, even though I had not felt 'quite right' for a long time. It seemed to be taking a toll on me the last 17-18 years, because it was becoming harder and harder to keep up with day to day living and now I am free of HCV!! Hoorah!! My biggest benefit as a result of SVR is the brain fog and energy level,,,wow. 

Thanks to all!! 

Cheers!

PS

PS -Where are you?  I'm missing you!  It's been way too long since you've checked in with us here!

Now, were talkin'! I got you 12 scoops to celebrate. 

So glad you are official now. What weird and wonderful trip you have been on eh.

Time to kick your shoes off a bit, loosen the belt, revel in the saiety value of this day. The rest is cream.  C. 

 

YIPPEE PS!!  So very happy for you!!  Congratulations!!

Hi Tig & Canuck -- yes, I think they simply checked boxes when I told them I had HCV and completed treatment ~90 days ago. I had copies of all the tests that were run previously, but I think checked boxes, not reading the information or listening to me.

LZ - Yes, I panicked for a few minutes when I got the call and they said I was REACTIVE to HCV...I'm sure my face drained and I felt a dizzying moment.

Robert --you make a good point, I don't think they even were testing my LE's! I need to call them in the morning...

Wow, hope for no VL and another Party here!

Poor ps!!  I'm so sorry you had that unnecessary scare!!  I'm so glad it was nothing but I do get frustrated with some of these medical professionals who just don't seem to know much about HepC.  Hopefully, that will improve in time.  I have no doubt your news will be good but please be sure to let us know when you get your results so we can celebrate with you! 

If you've been charged for the antibody test, you tell the doctor's office that it should be on them. They should've known that it wasn't necessary. I don't think the antibody test is all that expensive anyway. They can do them now with a finger stick in some cases. The blood test is going to be higher. So remind them that it was their mistake, not yours. I haven't had a viral load in a couple years if memory serves me. I'm of the school of thought, that if I were to relapse at this late date, my first inkling of trouble would be elevated enzymes. Then I'd request or the doctor should recommend, another viral load. The odds are so low, that it doesn't even cross my mind anymore. Once cured, we typically stay that way, thank God.... Even then, the treatments are far, far easier than they were, so retreatment would be easy peasy. Once approved that is. We still have that hurdle sometimes, but it's getting better, too. 

I see you answered your own question, but I can confirm that yes, you will always be HCV antibody positive. It simply indicates that you had it at one time. It’s the same test that most, if not all of us had that alerted our doctors to our little friend. Some found out by having elevated liver enzymes, which in turn brought about the Hep C antibody test. 

Once we have cleared the virus, any elevation in our enzymes again warrants another viral load to confirm or rule out relapse. You should know that once SVR12 is achieved, the chance of relapse is <.5 (1/2) of 1%. It’s very, very rare. Once cured, we tend to stay that way, thankfully!

Hail to the Elite -- Tig - Canuck - other Gurus--

Will I always show REACTIVE for HCV even when the Virus is cleared?

Congratulations PS on that UND at end of treatment!  Now the wait begins for the first post R/X results. Seems all we do is wait for the next test results. Once you come back UND at your 4 week post blood test you can take a deep breath and relax . The waiting will be over!

                                                               NICE JOB POLOSILVER.      RC

Thanks for the happy wishes C & LZ!

I'm a marching warrior princess that is now doing a ruby slipper-ed happy tap dance! Fun!!

 

ps