Generic Name: Harvoni for Hepatitis C (ledipasvir-sofosbuvir)
Harvoni for Hepatitis C Reviews
"Just finished my fourth week of Harvoni. No side effects worth mentioning. Nice surprises, eye whites became WHITE the second week, urine pale yellow, my limbs and joints feel lighter, I have great energy, anxiety which was ever present melted away, I sleep better and wake rested, I have a real appetite (not because of or to quench nausea - which is gone too). I feel like I am brand new. Mental sharpness, clarity, and concentration much better too. Had the darn disease so long I forgot what feeling good really meant. 1st blood test tomorrow, I started at 13 million.... I'll be a monkey's uncle if it's not working. I feel fantastic! Thank you Gilead, my hero."
"Did not choose to try any of the older meds (interferon etc.). I knew I felt bad enough and could not handle the side effects for that long. Harvoni worked like a miracle with slight side effects. I have been given a second lease on life. Thank God."
"Side effects are light - fatigue and a bit of a headache. I did find it easier to take it an hour after dinner. WAY better than the triple-threat approach. My blood work does indicate that I am in the beginning stages of cirrhosis. I also had Hep B in 1994. So far, it's like a miracle. Other than the fatigue (which is nothing if you've suffered jaundice or the 'Sickie' symptoms that Hep C can cause), it's business as usual."
"I am entering the final countdown of treatment, 10 pills to go. Was put on the 12-week treatment after failing the triple medicine treatment 2 years ago. Developed a rash so severe my Dr. took me off the medicines. Harvoni has given me hope for a future without Hep C. I have had no side effects other than a slight headache the first week. Now the wait begins to make sure the virus is eradicated after 12 weeks of treatment."
"I took Harvoni for 3 months, missing only 1 dose which I made up quickly. No side effects at all. Tiredness was equal to tiredness prior to taking. I received my 2-month blood test after treatment & I AM CURED!! Thanks to my doctor & his nurse & the manufacturer & the good Lord above."
"Had Hep C for many years but didn't worry too much (except to protect others) until my tests (liver function, Hepascore, etc.) began to indicate treatment was in order. Admittedly, worried about the side effects. I (a bit psychosomatically) attributed every sound of my body, twitch, pain, rumble, headache, discomfort to the Harvoni. It became difficult to remember exactly how I felt before the pills and even if I could, was whatever problem I had related to the Hep C? A bunch of things did occur during the 84 days of treatment including one night of night sweats, some real fatigue in the 16-21 day period, Bell's Palsy symptoms (all of them), and a few other things which I recalled also sometimes occurred before the Harvoni. As to the sweating -- You know how when you have a cold, after a few days you sweat during the night and the cold is broken. Colds are viruses. Hep C is a virus. I decided to interpret the sweats as a good sign the virus is losing ground. There’s so much more to say but overall my side effects were minimal and 2 months after my 84th pill I’m undetected and clearly the Harvoni did that, so thank you Gilead. My advice is unless the doctor tells you, don’t stop. A couple of months of discomfort is nothing compared to the consequences of Hep C and we’re fortunate we don’t have to endure the interferon regimen of those who were treated in the past. I wish you all the best."
"Hep C, 1a. Started Harvoni on April 15th, 2015. Ended medication on July 7th, 2015. First blood test came on day 29, day after first script ran out. Result of First Test: undetected. Same for the 2nd blood test, day after script ran out. Result of test: undetected. After the last script ran out, the doctor waited 92 days for my final blood test. Result of Last Blood Test: undetected. Harvoni did it! I am now clear of Hep C. What a great medication."
"In time, the truth will come out about this drug. Many folks are having cardiac issues, and many of us are sicker than before we started it. It is a big money scam, and they are not being honest about it!"
"I have been on Harvoni for 4 weeks. It's cleared my psoriasis up. I was covered with it. I also have lost weight. Headaches, fatigue, nausea. This is helping me better than anything else I have tried. I have been waiting a long time for this."
"I am 68 years old and was told about 25 years ago that I had Hep C. I had no side effects from the virus. I am active in swimming and doing Yoga. I went to Johns Hopkins because my Primary Doctor was concerned since my viral load was 16,000,000. I was at stage 3 fibrosis of the liver. I took Harvoni for four weeks and the HCV is not detected. I will continue the medication for 8 more weeks. This stuff works."
"Just finished my 5th week out of 24 weeks of treatment. My first lab result at the end of week 4 came back UNDETECTED! I have been praying for this day. I have not had any side effects. I have suffered from insomnia and fatigue for over ten years. This has not changed since starting Harvoni. Death to Hep C."
"This medication has almost zero side effects. I read all the reviews, and I was so afraid to take it. But I've been taking it for almost three weeks, and I feel better than ever. There are no side effects. Don't listen to all the people who talk bad about it. I don't understand what is wrong with all of them, but it's fine. I just wanted to tell everyone this."
"My experience with Harvoni was pleasant. I had no side effects at all, and I sure was expecting some. I felt normal every day. At first, I was denied the drug, my insurance would not cover it. I have Medicaid and Medicare. My doctor put up a fight and kept applying until she somehow got it. Compared to the 15 or 20 years I had Hep C, 3 months of medication was a raindrop in the bucket. I expected side effects because I always got the raw deals in life. I didn't think I would be cured as I had it for so long. I took my meds like I was supposed to. Three months went by like a breeze, it was going away, but for sure, I knew that ugly monster would resurface - well, not at all. I am told by doctors I am cured. May others be cured also."
"I had Hep C for over 35 years. I took Harvoni for 12 weeks. Twelve weeks after completing Harvoni, I had a blood test and I was Hep C free. I am cured. I was genotype 1a. This is our miracle drug. I had three prior treatments that made me feel terrible. A total of almost three years on treatment. Nothing worked. Harvoni is your cure."
"Have been on Harvoni for 6 weeks. Only symptoms are some fatigue and sometimes slight stomach upset. I have already cleared the virus, but I must keep on taking Harvoni for 3 months. It seems like a miracle!"
"I have just finished a 12-week treatment period, and my last blood work was viral-free, as it was after the 8th week. My viral count was 3,000,000 at the outset of treatment, 45 after 4 weeks, and, as I said, undetected after the 8th week. I have experienced some mild diarrhea briefly and mild tiredness, but I'm 69 years old, so who's to say?"
"I picked up a cheeseburger wrapper off of the seat of a transit bus back in 1990. It had a syringe wrapped in it, and I managed to hit it on the back of the seat and stab and inject whatever was in it into my hand. I was a lab rat for the high-dose interferon-ribavirin combo treatment in early 2000 but was booted from the trials because of problems they found in my blood. I never told them about passing out, etc., I just wanted to be better or not be at all, as I felt so poorly. Harvoni side effects are mild for me, they include a ten-point increase in blood pressure, an increase in insomnia troubles, a metallic taste in my mouth, and a slight headache. I am sixty-three years old and on week nine of my twelve-week Harvoni treatment. Mental sharpness, clarity, and concentration were a little better right away. My night sweats and itching are mostly a thing of the past, my energy increased, extreme fatigue was replaced by a light relaxed tired feeling, and much of the HCV fog lifted by week three. I can actually think again and move at the same speed everyone else does. What a plus! I am grateful for those that pioneered the medication, I thank them, and God bless them for all their hard work. As for those who set the unholy prices to gain and extort money from us, our insurance companies, and the very government that paid billions for the research for the cure, they should be in prison. Shame on you, Gilead, and all of your greedy investors who make untold billions of dollars while so many millions in the world suffer and many die just so you can get monetary gain! Judgment awaits each of you."
"I think that I contracted hepatitis C when I was born as a blue baby and needed blood (back then they didn't test the blood). It was a direct transfer. But this can't be proven! Because the day you get hepatitis C is all a guess. I tried a treatment about 4 years ago and lasted about 15 days before I almost died (INCIVEK). I did go through the Harvoni last year, with complete success so far. BUT I had major stomach issues since. This started in the 2nd month of treatment, and it has become a problem. Very strong burning pain only after eating or drinking anything, including water. I tried the BOD diet, but it didn't work. I'm wondering if anyone else is having this problem? Hepatitis C is still gone and has NOT returned... YEAH!!"
"Today is the sixth day of taking Harvoni. I have had Hep C for over 30 years, I am sure from my wild days and sharing needles. I feel like something must be wrong with me. I am reading all of the other reviews, and everyone is reporting no or little side effects. I have been on this for six days, the first few days were a breeze, but the last few... I am experiencing diarrhea, nausea, I am so fatigued, I can barely get out of bed. I am weak and dizzy. None of these will make me quit taking the medicine, but I wonder how I will be able to do this for 12 weeks. I really don't have a choice, my numbers jumped from 4,000,000 to 10,000,000 and I have cirrhosis. I hope I get to the part where I feel better and more energetic than before soon!"
"My husband started Harvoni on June 14, 2016. July 08, 2016, he died of an aortic dissection and cardiac arrest. He saw his doctor regularly and had no signs of heart problems or high blood pressure. The doctor said that sometimes the Harvoni can increase your blood pressure. So please, everyone, discuss this with your doctor."
"After 40 years with HCV, I started Harvoni 14 weeks ago. I am G1 with a VL of 9,000,000 but asymptomatic. After 6 weeks on Harvoni, my blood test revealed no trace of the virus, and all LFTs and blood work returned to normal. I was on 24 weeks of Incivik, Riba, and Interferon previously that almost killed me and had to stop because of the side effects. I take Harvoni in the morning with one Advil and a Centrum and forget about it. Absolutely no side effects at all. Thank God for the Gilead Support Path for providing Harvoni for me at no charge due to the fact that my overpriced BCBS Insurance denied coverage twice. Keep the faith!"
"I had Hep C for over 45 years. I got it from IV drug use. Harvoni is a miracle treatment for me. I took one pill a day for 12 weeks. After 4 weeks of treatment, it was non-detectable. My blood work is exceptional and I didn't experience any side effects that made me want to stop treatment. I got a few headaches, but they were mild and I took 1 or 2 Advil for relief. No big deal really. I had some stomach problems, but once again very mild and manageable. My stools were often loose but not diarrhea. You do have to be careful not to take anything that might affect the medication's strength. Simple things like antacids can lessen the effectiveness of Harvoni. I was taking Prilosec for acid reflux and was told that this medication would also affect it."
"I started Harvoni on 2/23/15. I'm on my 6th week. The side effects are headaches, brain fog, body ache, and tiredness. My first lab results I received on 4/1/15, my doctor read the report to me, and it showed no detection of Hep C. I was so excited, I hugged my doctor. I had Hep C for 30 years. I've tried other treatments, and they failed. When I started Harvoni on 2/23/15, my Hep C levels were over ten million. I have 6 more weeks left to go with treatment. I'm getting through this by pushing myself and being active, it's very hard, but you have to push. That's how I'm overcoming the side effects. Thank you, Gilead, for making this drug possible and effective for a cure for Hep C."
"Started taking Harvoni Dec. 15, 2015. Dr. said I only need 8 weeks of treatment. I take it in the morning after I eat breakfast, was told it is more effective if taken with a meal. So far, 4 weeks in, I have zero side effects, like taking a vitamin. I start my 2nd bottle in one more week. I am so happy my insurance covered this medication for me. I feel like I have been given a second chance in life and can't wait till I can say I beat this!"
"I am on a 24-week regimen and into my 12th week. Some increased fatigue, way too much gas, increased appetite, and some insomnia are my current side effects. These are nothing compared to Interferon/Ribavirin. My only disappointment is my doctor told me that my fatigue might not improve due to the fact that I have cirrhosis, but my blood work (low platelets, liver enzymes, and viral count) is all normal. She told me that some of the fog associated with Hep C will be gone. I am very happy with the medication and course of treatment."
More about Harvoni (ledipasvir / sofosbuvir)
- Check interactions
- Compare alternatives
- Pricing & coupons
- Drug images
- Side effects
- Dosage information
- Patient tips
- During pregnancy
- Support group
- FDA approval history
- Drug class: antiviral combinations
- En español
Patient resources
- Harvoni drug information
Professional resources
- Harvoni prescribing information
- Ledipasvir and Sofosbuvir (AHFS Monograph)
Related treatment guides
- Hepatitis C
