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Hep C Discussion Forum -> New Members Area -> Liver Pain and Swelling after Successful Viekira Treatment?
Post Info TOPIC: Liver Pain and Swelling after Successful Viekira Treatment?
singsong


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RE: Liver Pain and Swelling after Successful Viekira Treatment?
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Hi Brooke,

I found out I had HCV in 1996 after donating blood and then getting a letter advising they don't want my blood and here's why.  Obviously, I was devastated.  I was in a committed marriage - 20 years at that time.  I had 5 children with 2 still in high school.  I thought I'd never see them graduate.  Thought I'd never see my kids get married (2 are now married and I have 4 grandchildren).  Absolutely fatalist view of rest of my life.  The treatment regimen at that time was so awful, I was not prepared to do it.  A total chicken.  But with these new meds - 20 years later - life just keeps getting better.  As others have already said, relax, there's nothing to back up your fears at this point.  Knowledge is power. Anna 



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Age 66. 1988? Dx 1996. G1a.  Biopsies 1996/1998.  Mild inflam. Tx naive.12/2015-Fibro F3/10.5 kPa. VL 1.1m Harvoni 8 wks. 5/9 VL was 69.  EOT 6-13-16. ALT/AST 13/16. Platelets 325. UND.  9/4/16 EOT+12 UND & 1-10-17 EOT+30 UND!
Linuxter


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Hi Brooke,

Welcome to the forum, coming here for support and knowledge was a wise choice, we're glad you're here.

Yup, first things first ... relax, take a deep breath, get your post 12 week blood work done, and report back with results. (We can help interpret them).

Next, talk to your doctor and let them know any symptoms you may be experiencing and go from there.

Congrats on completing treatment, you'll be fine. It's natural to be anxious at this time, often just nerves and stress are playing a part ... do work on relaxing and do see your doctor ... we'll be here and you can feel free to ask questions all you like.

 

Take Care,

Dave

 



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63yy,HCV,2b,F3-A1, Sof/Riba,12wks Tx   SOT: 1/20/16, HCV-RNA 9,816,581, ALT 56, Hb 14.6

4wk: HCV-RNA <15 Detected, ALT 15, AST 17, Hb 13.6 EOT: 4/12/16, ALT 18 , Hb 12.9176a2f85d05d9c965eafe199f2ba9ba5.jpg SVR Achieved 7/8/16

 
RAGDOLL


Senior Member

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Hi Brooke, welcome to the forum.  You have come to the right place as this family of friends are awesome.  RC ( robertsamx) my husband, is right.  You need to calm down and breath.   Get to your doctor and get some MRI with contrast imaging and/or ultrasound which would be appropriate for the situation. This will confirm the shape your liver is in along with all other internal organs.   Let us know your results of 12 week post treatment.   Thanks for joining forum and please keep in touch.  CC 



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F 63,  1b  1974, no cirrhosis, fibro scan 5.8 F0-F1,fibro test .37 ,V/L 702987, ALT 90, AST 75.  ABBVIE Topaz II on 10-30-14 Viekira Pak no RIBA , EOT 1-22-15 SVR, ALT 37, AST 29, 4-15-15 SVR12 - fibro test .22,  1-21-16 SVR 52 ,  1-21-17 SVR 104! 1-21-18 SVR 3 years ,2020 5 years, 2022 7 years!
Sydhanrahan


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Hi Brooke,

Hep C is a deadly disease. It takes a long time to adjust to the fear and panic that we all understandably feel when we get those test results back which show it has already done considerable damage to our bodies. Finding others who are able to understand your journey is difficult. That is why coming to this forum, where others have been standing in the same shoes as you, is so helpful. Many people here know a lot about symptoms and treatment and people are nonjudgemental, kind and supportive. So by all means, go back and ask for tests and medical advice as often as you need to, but what it sounds to me you might also need is a place where you won't worry your friends and relatives and where you can just get some support. 

Congratulations on getting through 12 weeks of treatment - RIBA included - so strongly. Now you are playing the 12 weeks waiting game, along with me and many of the friends I have met here. No wonder you are worrying when there is so much at stake. statistically though you have already been through the worst, your liver will slowly heal and there is no reason you won't live a long and healthy life with your boys. 

I agree with the comments already made: you can't feel your liver from pressing on the outside of your body and dull aches are common in the abdomen for a variety of reasons including psychological ones. Try to relax until that 12 week post treatment result comes back. 

You have done a fantastic job - now just hang in there. 

Big hugs,

Syd



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Contracted Hep C 1969. Genome Type 2, treatment naive. Began 12 week RIBA/sof/Dac on 12/11/15. Cirrhosis. VL before treatment 4m. Treatment extended another 12 weeks without Riba. No virus detected at 9 weeks.
Loopy Lisa


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Hi Brooke,

Welcome to the forum, there is a lovely bunch of people with a wealth of knowledge.

I recently had rather bad pains under my right rib cage and ended up with a barrage of tests, high ALTs,/bilirubin, dark urine and a couple of grey stools. It turned out to be my gallbladder popping out stones - my body dealt with it without medical intervention. The one problem with the human mind is when we feel an ache or pain we tend to over think, but its always best to get it checked out just in case. I'm currently on treatment, and not yet cured, but I can appreciate the worries you must feel.

I've also read about other people experiencing pain after treatment as their bodies adjust to a viral free life, and the body begins the healing process, It is not uncommon, and a lot of people find it disconcerting!

One thing I learnt not long after my initial diagnoses was to discuss any worries I had with my doctor and order tests if need be. If this is worrying you, request further investigation, if anything it will give you piece of mind.

Do keep us updated and well done on completing your cure, it is always good to hear another person beat this disease.

 



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Genotype: 3b

VL.�over 15, 000 000

Failed TX 2014: Interferon/Riba.

Cured using Sof/Dak combination.

I can eat cake again! <3 
robertsamx


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Hi Brooke-- First off let me say welcome to the forum. We are all here to help.  First off calm down, take a deep breath. Two weeks ago I had a Dr apt with my liver surgen. I asked him how my liver felt from the outside , meaning can he feel the contour of my liver through my abdominal wall with his hands? he said no, that you can't really feel it that way. I have three small tumors in my liver right now and I don't feel any thing at all. They say the liver doesn't have any nerves that send pain to your brain?  I kinda wonder about that, I would think a really big one would hurt? If your a f3-4 then you have cirrhosis or just approaching it at f-3. Have you had a fibroscan? That info from the fibroscan will tell you a lot about your livers condition. Insist that they do at least a ultrasound, or a MRI.  The MRI would best describe your livers condition.  Have the test done so you can put your mind to rest.  Push your Doctors, and keep pushing them until you get the U/S or MRI.  With SVR your liver will stop the downword spiral and things should settle down.  It's not uncommon for HCV livers to produce sludgey bial and your gallbladder could be full of sludge and stones. one more reason to have a MRI, to rule out the gallbladde. Don't over think your situation. Get the test done.   RC



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 M-68, 3 Treatments)( SOF-RIBA 2014)(SOF-RIBA-PEG 2016)(HCC 2016) (LIVER TRANSPLANT 8-2017)(VOSEVI-RIBA 2017)   SVR-12. 3-13-18   
Pablito


Senior Member

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Hi Brooke

Welcome to the forum and well done to you for getting through treatment.

Re your symptoms, slow down and let's try and sort them out one by one.

Can you describe a bit more by what you mean by you liver feeling more firm?  Are you talking about a transient dull ache?  If so this could be the damage done to your liver from before treatment, i.e. fibrosis.  This takes time to heal.  Studies show that 65% of people will get a reduction in fibrosis staging after SVR over a time frame of years.  I too have experienced some liver pains after treatment and I conceptualise this as my liver healing itself.

Re your liver protruding from under your rib....I doubt this very much.  It's just not possible to palpate your own liver...I know: I've tried many times and what I end up thinking is a swollen liver turns out to be muscles (according to a doctor when they examine me).  There's a large psychological overlay/emotional tone to this illness and it's easy to (mis)attribute things.  We all do it.  Me included.

You almost certainly haven't got cancer or have relapsed.  Wait till you see your doctor and let them decide.  The one area, like you, that I disagree with your doctor is around the pain going.  As above, it takes a while for healing to occur.

Pablo



-- Edited by Pablito on Thursday 23rd of June 2016 03:29:41 PM

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44 y.o. male, HCV G4 since 1996, F-scan score 9, F2, Failed prior I/R, finished sof/vel/vox 8 weeks 5/16, pre-treatment VL 2 million, EOT UND, EOT+4 UND, EOT+12 UND.
brooke


Newbie

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Hello,

I've never been part of a forum before, but thought I'd give it a try. I don't have anyone to talk to about this. Maybe it will help with anxiety and to gain some knowledge. I was diagnosed with hep c 1a awhile back. I was told my fibroscan showed I was at level 4 (I believe) and towards the end of the last stage before cirrhosis. I started Viekira Pak with Ribavirin in January and after 3 months, the virus was undetectable. I am about to have my post 12 week blood work done to see if all is still well. The problem is that the pain is still there; it goes away and comes back. Also, my liver feels even more firm and I can now feel it protruding slightly from under my rib. Maybe I just never noticed before, but I don't think that's the case. I just spoke to my doctor's office and they said that I shouldn't be having any more pain, but that doesn't make sense to me since the liver damage is still there. It just shouldn't be getting worse (in theory). I don't know, I worry that maybe I have cancer or the virus has come back. I am freaking out and paranoid, which has been the case the entire time to my doctor's dismay. I am so scared. If I didn't have my boys, I could deal with it. But the thought of not seeing them grow up is killing me. I'm scared and I can't say that enough times. I don't mean to sound dramatic and morbid, so forgive me. My mother thinks the pain and swelling/protrusion could be from something else like my intestines (for example, she has celiac disease, which runs in my family) or even another organ. I suppose it's possible, but in my opinion, unlikely. Thoughts? 

 



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