Harvoni Side Effects (Page 34)

I have been taking Harvoni for 3 months now and am having nerve pain in my legs and lower back pain. Is anyone else taking Harvoni having any of these same side effects as me? Please help if you are able. Thank you

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Re: Sharon (# 658)

I am also more debilitated now then I was before treatment.
I am "cured" of Hep C. but wondering if the "cure" was worth getting cancer and a host of other issues :(

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Re: New Day (# 457)

I am too. I had a nightmare experience with Harvoni. Was taking for 8 weeks and on week 9 had to run to see my GP. My BP jumped to 171, heart palpitations and shortness of breath. My left arm was feeling numb and I was sure I have a heart attack. Also high BP has gave me the worst headache i my life! Was very, very scary. My HepC virus was gone on week 3 so no way I was going to continue all 12 weeks. Also the deeper into treatment the more ugly side effects every day. Now taking BP medication and have weird migrating pains all over the body. We will all be lucky not to end up with some aggressive cancer after Harvoni. Many reports from people whose family members had died within a year after being treated with Harvoni. Please, think good before starting this treatment.

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Re: erna (# 662)

I made it a little over 5 weeks into a 12 week course. My levels were undetectable at 4 weeks. When I called the Dr office I told the Nurse I was stopping because I was miserable, couldn't walk, could hardly get out bed because of the depression. Her reply "too bad you can't continue, it seems to be curing you!" WTH. I couldn't believe it! Cured of what? A disease that I was living a productive life with? Sure it can kill me? So can a car, bus, gun or knife? Believe me, I would have lived with that over Harvoni. Even stopping at 5 weeks, that was 16 months ago... My life is nowhere near normal! I have worse sinus issues then before, I now have chronic pain, nerve damage (not sure if it's from the Harvoni or total knee replacement I had 2 months before starting it) need other knee replaced but I am afraid of it too not healing correctly. I make appointments with my PCP (who at first seem to care) and I come out feeling worse than when I went in! Given a round of NEW medications that are supposed to help. Feeling like a hypochondriac, and the Drs do nothing to make you feel any better about it!

PCP is now forcing me to see a Psychiatrist for Pain/Depression medications because she has run out of options!!! My body does not (has not) for years processed medications right. I'm constantly changing BRANDS because I have a reaction to it. Have to pay full price for Name Brand Sudafed because I can't take a lot of the generics and its needed for my sinus issues. I even told my PCP that I really didn't want to die, but if my life now is an example of what my future is? I don't want to live.... That was the appointment where I was given her last option of pain/depression meds. I have made 2 appointments since, only to cancel, because I Know she won't help me. I even asked to have a complete blood workup, because I feel something is not right?? They told me I just had one 6 months ago... So nothing changed in 6 months? I'm tired of health care providers Oregon has legalized Marijuana, for the first time in my life I'm feeling that might be the way to go? I just want to be the Happy person I was before Harvoni came into life.

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I am taking Harvoni and am only on day 5. Everything had been fine except today I experienced horrible pains in my neck and back. It almost feels like they need to be cracked but can't because of the pain levels. Neck feels like whiplash. I am hurting but my doctor and pharmacist didn't say anything about these types of side effects. Am I the only one? I don't know what else it could be? I haven't done anything different except take the Harvoni. And I was just sitting there when the pains started. Please let me know if I am not alone in this. Or if there is anything I can do. Thanks.

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Re: Drew (# 664)

Yes, experienced that too near the end of treatment and until now about 1 year.
I started detoxing with vitamins, healthy eating, and essential oils. Detox anyway you can! It has helped me.

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Re: JGP (# 59)

I am going into week 6 of Harvoni treatment and I wish I never started taking it. My hands are painfully freezing and numb all the way up to my shoulders. I have to sleep with gloves on. The depression is awful, I keep gaining weight, have insomnia, blurry vision, mild occasional arrhythmia, joint pain, tired all the time and no motivation. The doctor of course says "your side effects are in less than 1% of people reported but don't call the CDC because they will tell you to stop taking it". I am half way done and I hate it. Wish I never started?????? I was going to the gym 5 days a week and now I can't drive my truck safely with numb hands and dont have the energy to make a bowl of oatmeal ??.

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Re: JGP (# 59)

I also have horrible numbness and tingling in my hands.....they are always freezing. You are not alone in this.

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JGP (#59) --

You can always stop taking it. Many people only take it for 8 weeks anyway. What is the status of your liver? Your bloodwork? What was your viral load? If you are one of the 1% (and there are plenty of us out here so I do not believe 1%) then the problems you are having may be lifelong. I am almost now three years post and have neuropathy, joint pain, constant headache, tinnitus, hair loss, horrible fatigue, none of which I had before Harvoni. And yes, absolutely report it to the CDC and the FDA!!!! That is the only way they will know we are suffering from this drug.

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Re: Dogman (# 645)

Okay. I had to quit the 12 week course on week 8. Dizziness, depression, anxiety, and illness stopped me cold. My hands have nerve damage from the pegasus interferon treatment, and the harvoni has made this even worse, if you can believe that. Temperature spiked the Sunday of the time change, and I went down for just over 13 hours. I was having moments where I found myself on the floor, or on the bed, with no knowledge of how I got there. Even had some wounds on my head. I must have been passing out. So I had to quit. Still dizzy, but not passing out anymore. But still, my doctor tried to convince me to go ahead and resume the medication. I responded with an emphatic nope. Not happening. I live alone. I don't have anyone doing anything for me. I have two dogs and a cat, and I keep a bowl of food down for them all of the time, and normally feed them wet food each morning, but they didn't get that for a few days. Another reason for me to stop. My kids gotta eat! They'll eat the dry food, but they look forward to the wet food each morning. Anyway. I still do not know what my viral load is. The doctor hasn't told me. I asked, but she said the VA has to send the blood work out to be evaluated. So I don't know, and truly, I don't really care. If God wants me to be clear, I suppose he'll make sure I've taken enough of this drug. We will see what we will see, but it's been 5 days since I stopped taking this drug, and my head is starting to clear, and the dizziness is still an issue, but it feels like it's getting better. I know I'm a lot happier. My dogs are getting fed, and the cat seems to be a little calmer.

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Re: HepCFree (# 668)

I am almost 3 weeks after stopping Harvoni on week 9. Have to take Lisinopril for BP, which I never had any problems before starting Harvoni. Also noticed my memory is not the same as before. Still have weird pains all over the body. Even in the most unlikely area like tail bone. They do not last longer then a second but give very unpleasant sensation. BP medication took care of heart palpitations which Harvoni brought into my life! Have impression that my skin has aged too-very dull and dry.

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Re: HepCFree (# 668)

How go we notify the CDC?
Harvoni changed my life!!

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Re: Calldor (# 671)

The CDC is not involved with pharmaceuticals. The FDA is the agency that granted Gilead the right to cut the Harvoni trial time by 1/2. It's all about money and I will never take a new drug again.

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Re: Calldor (# 671)

It's pretty easy to get that number. Just get on Google and you'll get directed right to them. I told my doctor the book on this drug isn't written yet. This drug is reaching so many more people, and the reactions are widely diverse. It's because people are different, and have different reactions to this drug! We are the ones who will fill in the chapters of the book about this drug and it's looking like it's going to be pretty extensive.

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Re: jana (# 672)

The CDC is involved with pharmaceuticals. As a matter of fact, the CDC has issued new guidelines about the prescribing of opioid pain medication to people with non cancer related pain management. A reduction of 10% in the amount opioid pain medication per month. The CDC is involved with pharmaceuticals because of diseases like HIV, HCV, and others because these drugs being developed are use to treat these diseases, but something occurs to me. A huge effort to try to eradicate a disease that takes decades, sometimes 5 decades or more before it starts to take a toll? What's up here? I mean, cancer takes lives faster than hiv, or hep-c. Who decided that this crisis was so serious that it was necessary to cut the evaluation time in half? I mean wouldn't it be more prudent to find a cure for cancer that takes lives so very quickly, than hep c that takes 5 decades, even more in some cases, before it might kill you. Of course, lifestyle would be a factor in how quickly your liver might be damaged. Stay healthy and hopeful. The only way at this time, to really know what this drug might do to you is to take it, and I so really hate to say that. How desperate a person might be for a cure too. In my case, I don't know yet if no was the right answer. I'll probably know in time, and all I can do is hope the almost 8 weeks I took this medication was enough. I don't drink, and I don't do anything to harm my liver, so we'll see.

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Re: Melissa (# 666)
After 2 1/2 years I still feel like crap. Fingers are nerve damaged due to Vitamin B12 shortage. Teeth ache. Brain fog. Can't even add correctly any more. Health care provider poohpoohed all side effects. Became sensitive to tylenol, aspirin & motrin. I hadn't used alcohol in over 10 years. Now I drink to stop the pain in my face. Harvoni destroyed my life. Oh how I understand what you and others here are going through.

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Re: jana (# 672)

I agree!! Pharm companies don't give a dam about whose lives they destroy. We are guinea pigs to them. Let's see how many of them would dish out these drugs to there family members.

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I started harvoni last month on the 27th of October and I have felt horrible. My stomach is bloated, my neck is swollen, I can't swallow, my eye's twitch, my heart goes bum bum bum. I really want to stop this. Will the side effects go away? I was at a very low level.

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Tony! Sideeffects will go away. I am 1 month after 8 weeks of Harvoni. Still sometimes have strange pains for a split of a second. Not so often anymore and brain fog is still present. My Dr. did not cancel BP pill yet but I hope I will stop taking it soon. Never had BP troubles before Harvoni treatment. Hope for the best and you, please, do the same.

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Re: Keeneland (# 677)

for some of us the symptoms are still with us, I am 1 1/2 year post tx....I am suffering like never b4 tx

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Re: Melissa (# 666)

I would have stopped at 8 weeks, had I known I was going to feel this bad after tx. Most are cured on 8 weeks so why expose us to another 4 weeks? Money

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