While missing a dose Harvoni had no ill side effects, I can’t say the same for accidentally doubling up. Last weekend I did just that, the side effects were quick and unpleasant. I was unsure as to whether or not I had taken my pill, and while I know that “if unsure if you’ve taken your RX, don’t” is the general rule, I was mostly certain I hadn’t taken it. So an hour following the first pill, I took my second. I didn’t notice how thirsty I was until the pain began two hours in. I’m prepared for hepatic encephalopathy, ascities, jaundice, fatigue, etc... but what I can find few solutions for is the arthritic mimicry. Joint pain from time to time is one thing, but this infects every subtle movement jarringly pushing me to a slightly less uncomfortable position.


I do not have Rheumatoid Arthritis. However, from time to time I notice the symptoms of HCV mimicking it. It’s more than just standard joint pain, and my heart goes out to those who find themselves suffer from both.


It’s not uncommon for the symptoms to express without other signs of HCV infection. I am lucky in the sense that i find myself with many of it’s symptoms, because without such challenges i may not have known of my affliction as early as i did.

 
Every joint in my body ached, it hurt to open a door handle. I hadn’t felt this kind of exhaustion and pain in some time. I had one solution in front of me, to wait and see. And so I slept the majority of the next few days. Drinking as much water as I could in hopes to combat my skin’s growing inelasticity. As the days passed, the extra pill’s effects began wearing off.

The RA mimicry that popped up has yet to fully fade, but at this point it’s just the state of my liver.

Nothing happened last week, which in a sense made it an exciting week.

Not because the extra pill had less ill effect than I had anticipated, but rather because of a phone call from my doc.

The week prior I had my blood drawn. I had hope that my numbers would show progress. The last few tests had shown overall that my liver function was improving, my numbers were returning to a normal state. And by normal, I mean like everybody else normal. I was constantly surprised at how well my liver function tests were going.

So now we’re here. Rather, we’re back here.

Six months ago.

I was able to zero out for the first time, however when the second draw came, there was a discrepancy between the tests. Within a month of finishing my 12 week Sovaldi Olysio treatment I found myself with rapidly elevating bilirubin. Which was only further complicated by a C. Diff infection from some diner food I’d eaten for lunch. A week’s long stay and a potential transfer to the hospital for transplant were real possibilities.

I say this with an uneasy stomach spinning from caution, hope, fear, and unbridled glee.

My viral load is undetectable.

It’s unclear as to exactly when it happened, but it has been the case for at least a week. And with about 10 more weeks to go, things are looking well.

I will have several more tests, one at treatment’s end, another a month following, and yet another in August when I will hopefully reach SVR12.

It takes two. End treatment and SVR 12, Two more tests will show me that I have done, what has taken me ten years, to do. I began my first tests for treatment when I was nineteen, and just this month I turned twenty nine.

So far, nothing has been the best birthday gift I’ve received.