Hep C Discussion Forum

Thanks for checking in Isak

It's always good to hear that folks reached SVR! Tell her congratulatins from me!

And welcome in baby girl!!, congratulations to you both, may you all be blessed in health.

Bb, Iris

Hi Isak,

Thanks for letting us know how she is doing. Good to know she is not feeling "too" bad. Too bad about the headaches - does hydration help in minimizing them? Good she is trying to eat well and trying to get sufficient rest.

I agree with the comments others have made here, regarding the importance of hydration, good diet, rest and being followed closely by her doctor. Like Syd said, she needs the bloodwork to keep tabs on things like her prior Hgb of 13.8 now being 11.5, but I am sure the both of you are making sure she is well followed by her doctor. Tig is quite right about strict adherence to the decided-on treatment plan.

I questioned you in regard to her length of course of SOF/RBV - but I really should not be questioning how your doctor arrived at his decision on drugs or length. I had recalled she was F0 to F1, but I did not remember (or note) she was a GT3a.

I am also GT3a, with a higher F status, and 24 weeks of SOF/RBV was also exactly the same recommended treatment I was offered here because it would have been effective. I just happened to end up with a different drug regime in the end because I am in a trial now.

Currently, for GT2's and 3's in my area of Canada (to receive free "approved" treatment) - and if you are treatment naive - then the first standing recommendation is Interferon/RBV at 14 to 24 weeks, if for some reason it is decided that you cannot take Iinterferon, then, the next standing recommendation is SOF/RBV at 12 to 24 weeks - only GT2's may be offered SOF/RBV at a shorter length of 12 weeks. I am not privy to how your country's doctors decide on drug choices or lengths, but perhaps it is similar to here. Things are changing here and the newer DAA's with shorter treatment durations are slowly being approved. Some are now in use, for some GT's (mostly for GT1's). Drug options for GT3's (actually GT2's through 6) still remain limited in my area for the moment. Technically, as it stands here, no GT can qualify for free treatment unless you are over F2. Additionally, as a GT3, I would have to exhaust the use of Interferon/RBV first (either by failing the treatment or it's use being contraindicated for me) before I would even be offered SOF/RBV, and both drug regimes were at 24 weeks.

It is good if her F status is 0 to 1, that she had no other health issues, and, that her pre-treatment labwork did not reveal other major abnomalities. Did she end up getting a fibro-scan, ultrasound, or biopsy during her assessment period?

It is nice you that you are able to know she is responding so well so soon. Keep us posted! We are happy for you. Canuck

 

Congratulations to both of you for this happy bit of news! It's very common to see the viral load go undetected rapidly. It's vital that she continue on and complete the entire course of treatment! It's the combination of exposing the virus and all body tissues to these drugs and doing it over a prescribed period of time, to assure it perfuses every square milimeter of her body.

It may be inviting to end treatment early, but her efforts would be doomed to failure. The drug manufacturers tried using shorter courses of treatment to measure effectiveness and costs of care. They developed the current courses of treatment after years of trials. So stick to it and keep up the great successes she is now witnessing!

Encourage her to maintain her treatment schedule, a healthy diet and adequate hydration. Stay active, but don't overdo it. The time seems to drag by during treatment, but once finished, you will both realize the time went by quickly. After that you can begin you new and healthy life together. Good luck!

Hello again Isak,

So good to hear back from you again, and so glad to hear your good news. You must both be feeling much relieved with that news.

How is she feeling now? Is she holding up well? Last we spoke, you said she had weakness. Is she still busy lecturing. I trust her doctor is following her course of treatment well and seeing her frequently? Are her other blood work labs results all good? 

I am wondering why the doctor has told you she needs to complete course of SOF and ribavarin for that long - for 6 months? 

Happy news for you and her, you are both doing a good job - please keep us posted how she is feeling and doing.

Canuck

 

Hi Isak,

Wonderful news that your "wife to be" is now on treatment ... that's Great! 

I am currently taking Sovaldi/ Ribavirin and am nearing week 7 of treatment.

She should be consuming a minimum of 3 to 4 liters of water per day and she should be taking the Ribavirin with food.

Canuck's advice is spot on, spicy foods should be avoided, fresh/ washed vegetables and fruits help maintain nutrients and if you have access to yogurt I find it quite soothing and beneficial for digestion along with leafy greens. I find a spoon of honey mixed in yogurt helps the energy level some.

The very best food I know for continued energy throughout the day is Oats. Here we have Quaker Steel Cut Oats which are "Whole Grain", something similar may help with the energy level throughout the day in addition to other meals.

I have been trying to stay within the scope of a Mediterranean Diet where I eat lots of nuts, fresh fish twice per week (if possible), lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, some chicken and smaller amounts of red meats. HERE IS A LINK to some suggestions and information regarding the Mediterranean Diet.

I also have been consuming a lot of vegetables, fresh (washed), steamed or if you have access to a blender, I like making green smoothies which mix lots of vegetables and fruits. I find them ideal since the blending process breaks the vegetables down to at or near cellular level so they are easy to digest and extremely nutritious. HERE IS A LINK to lots of suggestions and information regarding Green Smoothies. (Eating fresh washed or Steaming the vegetables would probably be the next best method of preparation to get the most from them.

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You should tell your Doctor about the weakness and other symptoms so they can monitor your wife-to-be and advise you regarding diet or medications.

Ribavirin is known to reduce the Red Blood Cell Count which in turn can cause varying degrees of anemia.  This can and should be monitored by your Doctor if possible to avoid severe anemia and if tests show Red Blood Cell Count and Hemoglobin out of their normal range your Doctor may (or may not) wish to reduce the amount of Ribavirin taken daily. (Ideally, if tolerated, the initial dose of Ribavirin will be maintained but it's my understanding that anyone taking these high doses of Ribavirin should be monitored to avoid severe anemia). Some tiredness and low energy levels are to be expected and I am experiencing some tiredness at weeks 4, 5, 6 etc of treatment.

I would recommend:

LOTS of water (3-4 liters per day), nuts and whole grains, ample protein (fish and chicken etc), yogurt if possible to help digestion, lots of fruits and vegetables.  Plenty of rest and as Canuck recommended, some time off from work if possible or at least reduced hours may be very beneficial. A little exercise is helpful but lots of rest whenever she feels like it is very good as well.

I would tend to avoid:

Fried foods, foods high in animal fats and most if not all processed foods, junk foods etc. I would also avoid long work hours and excessive exercise wherever possible.

 

I hope this helps, I'm just a patient who is going through similar treatment and the information above is some of what I've learned along the way and what seems to be helping me during treatment.

I understand exactly what your wife-to-be is feeling, I too get tired easily and experience some shortness of breath just walking from room to room. These are expected, to some degree, but it's a good idea to have the Doctor aware of any side effects so they can advise you.

 

Dave

p.s. Isak, please feel free to post and ask all the question that you like, we'll try to help point you in the right direction to find what you need. There are lots of other resources on this forum as well, you may find much more regarding nutrition HERE at the Hep C and Nutrition forum

-- Edited by Linuxter on Saturday 5th of March 2016 04:27:08 AM

Hi Isak,

So glad to hear your loved one is now on treatment. It is warming you are so supportive to her. This is a very good combination (you and her). Both of you successfully preparing for, obtaining and now accomplishing her treatment. Very well done.

The drugs are powerful and effective, expect a cure.

You will hear many on this website stressing the importance of drinking LOTS of water while on treatment, and this is very true - it will help with common side effects of being on the drugs. I assume she has already received some good council from her doctor, and that they covered the importance of an ample water intake. But as her main support you can help ensure she does take enough water.

You mention weakness, and diet. I cannot advise about diet other than ensuring she is getting adequate amounts of a healthy diet, and that the water intake is sufficient. Fresh nutricious foods, perhaps lighter and more frequent meals, not too spicy, salty, heavy, fatty, but with enough calories to sustain and nourish her adequately. Palatable but what she can tolerate to get the important nourishment she needs

She should be trying to take foods which she can easily digest and tolerate.

The weakness she is feeling must be hard. Other than combating that with adequate water and a good diet, my only other suggestion would be to consider how much rest she is getting and how much energy she is having to expend at college. The drug treatment can be demanding on a body, and hard on people, adequate rest is also an important component through treatment. Would it be possible for her to work less at college? Just a thought. Can she take a "leave" from the college if necessary?

She should be keeping her doctor fully informed in how she is feeling and all her symptoms. I am sure she is in good hands with you helping her. Good for you for being so attentive to her. 

I'm sure some of the others will soon be adding more advice for you.

Best wishes to both of you. Canuck

Isak: The info I have always read is about how long you have been with your partner. I met my wife a year after I assume I was infected in 1978. I never knew I had it till 2003.  Been married to her for 35 yrs. She does not have the dragon and never did. I cant say you cant get it or the baby will either. If your concerned which I cant blame you, use protection. She most likely will be cured of this soon. I agree with all of Cinnamon entirely.

Well folks, here on the east coast we have snow, they say we could see 2 feet. My 2 feet will be seen on the couch Saturday. EAT HEALTHY!! 

Hi all here comes test results of my girl friend. Her viral count is 407330 IU/mL with genotype 3a. she is 27 years of age with not any other known disease. Her hematology results are entirely with in reference values. Clinical chemistry results are also fine except less albumin (0.40g/dl) and slightly higher SGOT. her hematolgy PT test is touching upper limit (its limit is 10-15 sec and she is at 15 sec). Now trying to take appointment from hepatologist. Please comment and guide what to do next.

Hello Isak,

I am rather new here, but I was diagnosed with HCV in 1999. My wife is not positive for Hep C, and we have been together since 1998. Our children from previous marriages, are not HCV positive. So, I would think that you should continue your plans for the lady you want to marry. Just continue your pursuit, and her pursuit of knowledge about the disease. And always know the rules and follow them. And, live a great life.
Mike

Isak wrote:

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 ill share outcomes here.

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 Hello Isak.

 Welcome from me as well. We will be looking for your post including the results of her upcoming PCR RNA and genotype test. Until then feel free to ask any more questions you have. We also have a 'search' function that can be useful for finding discussions on topics already discussed in the past. If you need definitions for any of the abbreviations often used here on this forum then click the link below.

 I wish you and your girlfriend/wife well. Hopefully her PCR RNA test will reveal that she does not need treatment, but if so there is a solution in the new DAA medicines and there is plenty of information and support here on this forum to get you both through it with minimal problems. Good luck!

Click Here for Forum Abbreviations

Isak,

She needs to have the PCR RNA testing completed. Until she has that test perfomed and confirmed, will you positively know if she has the chronic infection. So that's the next thing you need to do. About 20% of the people with positive antibodies will test undetected for the RNA, because their own immune system was able to successfully fight the virus. That test will also show what genotype of the virus is. Hep C has many subtypes. We have primarily genotypes 1,2 and 3 here on this forum. Treatment and duration often determine exactly what drug protocol she will require. There is a 20% chance that the test could come back undetected too. Wait for the results, could be some welcome news, you never know! 

If she is going to start treatment right away, I think that postponing a planned pregnancy until after treatment is the best idea. Best of luck to you both.... 

Hi again Isak, yes I do understand what a shock it must have been for both of you to hear of your girlfriend`s positive antibody diagnosis.  In fact many of us here had no idea that we were infected with Hep C before we found out by having blood tests done, for various reasons.  I certainly had no suspicion at all when I was diagnosed in 1995. 

To answer your question about how my husband and myself both became infected, I must tell you that when we were young we both were involved with intravenous drug use and we shared needles, with each other and occasionally with other drug users that we knew.  We thought we were being very careful about hygiene and cleaning the needles and other equipment, but Hep C was unknown back then in the 1970`s and we had no idea that we were putting ourselves at risk of catching this disease.  Yes, I know it was a very stupid thing to do and thankfully we both gave up the drug use many, many years ago. 

We are all very keen to help you, so please feel free to ask as many questions as you like, and we`ll do our best to reply and give you the information you need.

 

Hi Cinnamon Girl

thanks for welcome, i am glad that i am here. it is since she got positive antibody HCV a couple of weeks age i am searching on about this disease. You now it is shocking when you are looking perfect no symptoms at all but your test report says something else. since than i am searching good doctor in the city and getting information about the medicine.

i am happy for your kids as you told that they were not infected.

As you told that your husband was also infected; were you got infection from him or vice versa or both from some other unknown sources....thank you again

 

Hi Tig

Thanks for such information; no pregnancy until she is clear her from virus. Right?

Isak,

I just want to reinforce what has been said, once your girlfriend/wife has been successfully treated and cured, there is no risk to the baby (fetus). She does want to wait until after she has completed treatment to get pregnant. They do not recommend taking these medications during the pregnancy. Her doctor can explain that to her if she has any questions. They recommend two forms of birth control while on treatment to prevent pregnancy. There is no problem once treatment is finished. 

Hi Isak and welcome to the forum. 

I have three children and none of them are infected with Hep C, nor my husband although I had it for 35 years before being diagnosed. Like Tig, I took no special precautions with my blood until I was diagnosed 10 years ago. 

Your girl friend is very lucky to have someone as kind and considerate as you in her life. I wish you both all the best for both her treatment and your future life together.

Regards

Ari 

 

 

Hi Isak,

Welcome to the forum. I'm glad you checked in and I would like to calm your fears best I can. The chance of your wife infecting others is very low, and the risk of sexual transmission among monogamous partners is very rare. While the risk to newborns being infected is present, it is also rare to hear about. The virus does not cross the placental barrier. The virus is only transmitted by blood to blood contamination. Infected blood must be introduced into someone via a cut, needle stick or other direct introduction. I have been married 36 years and have children, none of them have ever contracted the disease. I had been married 17 years before knowing I was infected and I wasn't being cautious of my blood or anything else. So the risk is low. Doctors don't recommend any special precautions regarding sexual contact between monogamous partners.

Here is a link to some helpful information. If I can answer any questions, let me know. It's a big shock to find out this kind of news, but trust me, it's very manageable and the new generic medications are likely accessible to you in Pakistan. She can be treated and be rid of the disease in short order. Do your best to support her and educate yourself. Everything will be alright, promise!

http://hcvadvocate.org/treatment/guides-treatment/