Harvoni And Confusion, Depression, Acid Reflux Side Effects (Top voted first)

Curious, I've started my 5th week of treatment and am wondering if anyone has experienced similar side effects as me: Confusion, depression, crazy acid reflux, and mood swings...3 weeks left to go.

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REPORT

Yes fellow sufferers, I am in my last two weeks of a six month course of Harvoni and am finally free of side effects, I too suffered headaches, swelling lower back pain and waves of nausea...having asked my croaker about all this, she said "this soon will pass" small consolation when its you in distress...however, a few months of discomfort is better than full blown liver cancer if you don't pursue the drug...a as I'm sure we've possibly all known friends or family who've succumbed to the fatal cancer...I'm now hepc clear, but the next ultrasound and blood work in 3 months will be the disclosure of total freedom from hep c....here's hoping...just persevere and you hopefully will have a great outcome...a choice between the better of two evils....good luck and godspeed with your recovery.....

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I'll be just taking Harvoni starting this Monday, all I can say is have enough to get you through *VALIUMS * Don't know what kind of side effects I'll have~(90)days of treatment!!!

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Hello, Joe! How are you?

Yes, those can be typical side effects of this medication, along with headache, nausea and dry mouth, as reported by the U.S. FDA.

However, such side effects are usually transient and should go away, within a week or two of finishing our course of treatment.

Is there anything else I can help with?

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Hi Joe
I would finish your treatment! Your in the home stretch. I know the sides are bad...and I live with them still but I am virus free and that is important to hang on to in your battle to get well. I also did the 8 week plan and it worked.

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Joe you are doing really well, hang in there and if the going gets tough,,,remember you will be cured

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My son had to stop taking at 6 weeks. He got severe depression an suicidal thoughts. It has been about 3 month's he has been taking wellbuturin for 2 months it is getting a little better but still has bad outburst that last the rest of the day about every 2 to 3 days. Wish you luck with yours.

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I just began taking Harvoni and I'm also on Adderall and I was wondering if anybody else has taken Adderall while on Harvoni? Also I'd like to know what side effects I may experience from taking the Adderall while on the Harvoni treatment.

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My husband was on Harvoni for the full period. At times he felt tired, headache etc. He was glad that he was at home while taking it. I think with any particular Drug such as this one you will incur side effects. However, on the brighter side Harvoni has definetly cured my husband. The side effects disappeared after about 2 months. As he said, he is so very thankful of being HepC free!! I do believe that with a prescription such as this there is a risk however, if you checked every medication that your Dr. has given you, most likely you would not want to take it either. Give Harvoni a chance!! You will feel so much better knowing that you are not a HepC carrier anymore. After your cure, you go back in a year and have blood work done again, just to make sure that you haven't relapsed! I wish you much success, and much happiness when it is all gone. Good luck!!

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Im on my 4th wk & have 0 side effects. Very Blessed!

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Hang in there Joe. I was on Olysio/Solvaldi for 12 wks., then Harvoni for 26 wks. I've been clear of the virus for 2 1/2 years. Your side effects are such a small price for the payoff of clearing HepC from your body and your life. I was Ms. Grumpy pants for sure. My poor husband was a real trooper. I didn't have the acid reflux, but your specialist should be able to help you with that. See if you can get on a low acidic food plan, don't eat several hours before bed. Don't drink a lot of fluid with your meals. No alcohol. That's what has worked for several of my friends. Exhaustion, scrambled brain (Hepatic encepholapathy (sp?) is what it's called, I think) aka: Brain fog, will get better. Listen to your body. If you are tired, sleep. Hungry, eat, (keep the meals small, low-sodium if edema is a problem), etc. If you can get a little excercise, walk around the block, whatever works for you, it will help depression sometimes. Hope some of this helps. Please don't give up before your miracle happens. The funky side-effects, while nothing like Interferon was, will eventually pass. Take care of yourself.

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Coma,
My GI told me that my 4-week bloodwork showed no HCV. I received my last 28 pills in the mail today, and I intend on continuing through my 12-week course of treatment unless I become exceptionally ill. The reasoning behind my choice is due to my desire to regain my health as I'll turn 60 one week after my final bloodwork (3-month post treatment). Over the last two days I haven't noticed any of the bad side effects, which I don't understand but am grateful for. I feel as though this is my last chance to rid myself of this disease, and want to give myself the best opportunity available. I have no cirrosis and only moderate fibrosis, so am hoping these last 4 weeks provide less discomfort than the previous 8 weeks. Best Wishes...

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BURNING IN STOMACH WHILE TAKING HARVONI? I AM ON 6TH WEEK OF TREATMENT! I TAKE GARDEN OF LIFE 85BILLION RAW PROBIOTIC WITH 1 YOGURT DAILY NO MORE BURNING !

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To all of us that had *HARVONI TREATMENT, If you were given 12 weeks or 8 weeks, I was cured of hepatitis in 36 days of my 12 week treatment. Those that get their blood work done every 4 weeks, once you find out that like I did that there wasn't any sign to suggest that there were no hepatitis antibodies showing after 36 days of treatment, just remain on the course of 9 weeks. I can say this - that most of us are already cured and should ask your Liver Specialist if you can move on ~ Have your tc-scan which you have to get a 3D SCAN using 'Radioactive Fluid put into your vein to show how your liver looks like, meaning 'Cancer cells that may have developed while talking *HARVONI TREATMENT ~ I got good news ~ I'm cured and took another blood test and will see my DR. Again in 1YR, I know everyone responded differently, but have faith. I'm 64 and still have cirrhosis, but if you keep away from drinking alcohol and illicit drugs your liver will repair itself. What ever damage you've done over the year's drinking and doing illicit drugs is in the past now you have a new chance in life to start healing and live your life to the fullest ~GOD Bless to you all, your life matters! J.W.C.

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I completed my 12 week therapy of Harvoni in late September but rather than scheduling my final Bloodwork in three-months as is recommended, my Physician scheduled mine to be done six-months later. So I won't know if the treatment has been successful for me or not. I'll post again once the final Bloodwork results are in, to share my success or failure to clear it once and for-all. I will not be treating again in the future, so hopefully it's done what it's been marketed to do...

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Hi. I take Vyvanse. I have 2 weeks of pills left, of 12 weeks. Missed a few cause of falling asleep and missed taking the pill.
I feel by taking Vyvanse I might have not had as severe fatigue, as if I weren't. More dry mouth, some days it seems Vyvanse doesn't work, other days, too strong.
Too many what ifs really to pinpoint. I have has alot of side effects.

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I just felt tired the second day with headache. I take mine in evening. The first week is a little brain fog, headache, some sleep problems. Nothing unbearable. Honestly now on day 13 I was crying just moody. Prayed and slept really good. Up and downs. Some days really good. I'm on day 19 and have more energy than I did before harvoni even though I had a sleepless night. The Dr. told me I could take B-12, C, D3 and baking soda 12hrs. before you take harvoni. She said I could take melatonin if can't sleep also. Most nights though I sleep well. Bless You! It's easier than you think. I've seen friends die of this horrible disease in such agonizing pain, this treatment is a TRUE BLESSING!!! If your tired rest. Have faith and don't dwell on it. It will only be a space in time before you are cured and give your body some time to get back to normal! (BIG HUGS)

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It's obvious that when I required about my first blood work done 30day's after taking Harvoni, I was told that I was free of hepatitis, but still had go through another 8WKS of 12week treatment, this appears that I should of been on 8WKS of treatment rather than 12week treatment, I'm now into my last 3weeks of Harvoni Treatment and I feel that this unnessary wasting a medication that others can't afford, Being over treated isn't how this drug works, Dr's should be monitored in sharing our progress with *HARVONI staff, So that those who are treated aren't being over treated ~ It's a waist of medication for those that need this! How do you feel about being over medicated?

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Hello coma,

I just found this site today and am disappointed that the manufacturer hasn't made these other side-effects known. The commercial that's run each day gives the impression that the medicine is a miracle-drug that's as safe as an aspirin. Everyone is smiling and looking as healthy as one could hope to be. The only other time I felt this badly was when I was treated with Interferon/Ribavarin. In 2000 I went 53 weeks on it. Cleared the virus until getting blood work 3 months later when it had returned. I'm a 1A, so tried treating it again in 2010 with Interferon/Ribavarin until 8 weeks-in I had an extreme bout of both vomiting and diarrhea together which caused my GI to take me off treatment. I despise having HCV hanging over my head and would give six toes to get rid of it, but am now considering the potential for long term complications from the Harvoni. I realize that this med is still in the experimental-stage, but bearing these horrible side effects and stress on our bodies is becoming just as big a worry. Manufacturers need to be more transparent with patients and those considering treatment. I was diagnosed with non-A-non-B Hepatitis in the mid 80's. Was subject to air-injections as a Vietnam Vet and suspect them to have been my means of contraction...

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bill r,

Most doctors are making folks who were treated previously with interferon with 24 weeks of Harvoni, so wrong. If you are past week 6, you are more than likely already cured. I showed no signs of hep c at my 4 week lab. The question is, once cleared how much more do we really need to endure?

I wish you luck and keep me posted. We are all suffering and recently lost a member to death, we don't know what killed him and he was not sharing his problems with his family. Good luck and keep us posted. And yes those jet guns gave many people HCV.

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Hi-Ed,

You've asked how I was making out after taking the harvoni 12 week treatment. Well actually I was asking about my viral load, dr. Said I didn't have any detection of the virus in my blood. That's after 36 days, but dr. Said finish off the course of 12 weeks. I stopped after 9 weeks. Hey, I've read on another thread about the pro's & con's that there were people that only had 8 weeks of treatment but were cleared within 6 weeks of treatment. So as I read a lot of people were saying that most of us were over treated with harvoni, and as to those that have post treatment problems like pain in their joints and heart problems, also a lot of anxiety with depression and so on. But now I go in on august 16th to view a 3-d scan of my liver. I had a ct-scan and had to drink some 2 pts of white s***, then 2hrs. Later had a scan with this 'radioactive fluid put into my vein to show how my liver was doing, checking especially for any cancerous tumors that may have developed with this treatment. So~ good luck. Also you may be free of the 'virus, but be very careful out in this 'world ~ God bless! For this treatment -J.W.C.?

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