If you are taking painkillers with APAP and worried about liver damage PLEASE READ

[goodgirlgonebad]

Hi! I have been addicted to the prescription painkiller hydrocodone...norco and vicodin...for the last few years. I do not have the benefits of health insurance or the large sums of cash needed to pay for rehab. Knowing I cannot kick this deadly habit alone and knowing the torment it is causing my liver...ONE of the things that MAKES this addiction so deadly...I have spent the last year researching, reading, learning and informing myself of the foods, minerals and supplements that are beneficiary to the liver...that big organ that filters your body of the bad toxins that we force through it each day. I am not a doctor, just a girl who has an interest in biology, nutrition and helping not only myself, but other people in my same situation do what they can to help rebuild and strengthen their liver to cope with this addiction.

If you take any prescribed medication other than the hydrocodone...DO NOT ATTEMPT ANY CLEANSE OR STRICT DIET UNLESS YOU TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR. SEROUSLY...people on blood pressure medication CANNOT take milk thistle...so be safe.
Some of you may already know this and some may not...

There is a dietary supplement called Enzymatic Complete Liver Cleanse. It's pretty much milk thistle, dandelion and burdock root...which are natural herbs that work wonders in restoring liver health. You can purchase this online or at Whole Foods for around $15

Also just buying milk thistle at walmart can help as well. Take 2 in the morning and 2 at night each day. Chose between the liver cleanse and milk thistle. Don't take both.

Some other supplements that show liver improvement in mice with hepatitis and acetaminophen induced liver toxicity are N-acetylcysteine and glutathione which you can get at any GNC health store. I would recommend taking one of these daily in place of the liver cleanse and with the milk thistle...or AFTER you have completed the liver cleanse which takes 2 weeks.

Also make sure you eat PLENTY of aparagus. There has been a few recent studies that show huge improvement in liver damage in mice when they are given aparagus leaf and stalk extract. So eat the stalks if you can!

Any green veggies are good...spinach, lettuce, bell peppers, broccoli
Any deep red veggies such as beets and red peppers
Garlic and vegetables that contain natural sulfur are great at detoxifying and it also containes glutathione...the supplement mentioned above. Eggs, tomatoes, brazil nuts, papaya, avacados, cayenne pepper ( I will add a recipe for a liver cleansing drink that contains this. It's not the best tasting but it works) green tea, soy beans, brown rice.

Veggies and fruit are just good for period...like you didn't know that already.

Now...what to avoid! LAY OFF DAIRY...it's not good for the liver...that means milk, cheese, yogart and ice cream. You don't have to stop it all together but try drinking rice milk instead of whole dairy milk. It sounds yucky but I love it. I'm drinking a cup as I type this. Caffiene is bad..no coffee and energy drinks. Try green tea or Whole Foods and Central Market carry this drink called Alo Awaken. It's aloe and wheatgrass and it actually has little chunks of aloe pulp. One shot of wheatgrass = one cup of coffee...and this Alo stuff tastes really good! I wouldn't recommend aloe juice alone...or wheatgrass..yuck. I had a half of a bottle this morning in place of my daily Red Bull and it perked me right up.

Also try to avoid taking any other kinds of medications if you can. If you have a headache, don't go reaching for a Tylenol...you are just packing youur liver with more acetaminophen. Just wait until your next dose of vicodin...that should get rid of any pain.

The reason for this info is that I began a diet of only the good foods mentioned above. I did the Enzymatic cleanse...and still on it..about 5 more days left (DO NOT TAKE IF YOU ARE TAKING BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION OR ANY OTHER MEDICATION PRESCRIBED BY A DOCTOR OTHER THAN YOUR PAINKILLERS. IT WILL SAP ALL OF THE GOOD MEDS OUT OF YOUR BODY TOO)

My liver enzymes and red bloodcell counts were extremely elevated...my hair was falling out in clumps, my face had broken out in sores to the point I could not leave the house. I only took a crap about once every two weeks. I was in seriously bad shape. I got my results back on my new enzyme test and though they are far from normal, they had dropped dramatically. My hair loss isn't quite as severe and my skin is clearing up. I truly believe that my liver is thanking me for changing my diet. I realize that I cannot stop taking the pills right now. I try to cut back as much as I can and this information DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT IS OKAY TO CONTINUE ON THE PATH OF ADDICTION. IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A REAHB CLINIC, N/A MEETINGS OR OTHER FORMS OF HELP...GET HELP NOW!

I have finally found a place in my area that will take people...must be on a waiting list first...for free detox and outpatient treatment. If you want help locating low cost or free rehab in your location please send me a message and I will help you as much as I can.

I was taking over 20 pills a day at one point in time. I'm to about 16 right now. I take the norco over the vicoden or percocet any time I can because it contains less acetaminophen (APAP)...for those on oxycontin...you really don't have to worry about liver damage like us other painkiller addicts do. Not that it makes you any better!! (*wink)

I am starting a website dedicated to helping people with painkiller addiction stay healthy and again this is not condoning addiction or telling anyone that it's okay to continue beause you can still be healthy if you follow the rules...addiction is bad regardless of what the substance is or how well you take care of yourself, but at the same time for those of you like me who just cannot stop no matter what...these are some things you can do to help protect your body from the damage as much as possible. This is not a cure for liver disease and is not guarenteed to prevent damage. Each body and each liver is different...but eating healthy and taking safe supplements like the ones mentioned above can't hurt...they helped me...and I want to pass on the info.

Please contact me if you have any question or if something didn't make sense. I am not going back and revising this :)

[coolfox]

Milk thistle hasnt been proven to fix liver damage. Itis still technically being debated and scientists have found it to be nonconfirmed. Milk/dairy is not necessarily bad as a matter of fact it helps with digestion. Caffeine you said is bad, that is incorrect as well. It actually helps the liver remove toxins from the body including helping its ability to process. As you said the vitamins you get from vegetables and fruits are vital. Also helps to have walnuts and other things that include antioxidants. Antioxidents are really important. Getting your max amount of vitamins is the best thing you can do as this with help the liver heal itself. A helpful word of advice is to get fish oil for the omega 3, especially with your case with skin and hair problems this would help you alot. Also you have to mention to people that you need to clean your colon first before doing a liver cleanse or it can back up the blood flow and also hurt the gallbladder when done with medication. If you need further information about specific ingredients, vitamins and data please ask.

[MoMo2401]

I appreciate all this information.... Thank you!! To both of you I have read the same info as the girl that you are answering about Silymarin and had no idea it was being debated...... I am grateful to know you can't take it when on blood pressure meds ..... Lots of great info thank you for sharing

[coolfox]

Milk thistle hasnt been proven to fix liver damage. Itis still technically being debated and scientists have found it to be nonconfirmed. Milk/dairy is not necessarily bad as a matter of fact it helps with digestion. Caffeine you said is bad, that is incorrect as well. It actually helps the liver remove toxins from the body including helping its ability to process. As you said the vitamins you get from vegetables and fruits are vital. Also helps to have walnuts and other things that include antioxidants. Antioxidents are really important. Getting your max amount of vitamins is the best thing you can do as this with help the liver heal itself. A helpful word of advice is to get fish oil for the omega 3, especially with your class with skin and hair problems this would help you alot.

[laurel453]

HI :)

good luck with your detox and yes, tell us how was the experience.

and thanks for sharing your info and what you have done to repair your liver. IT was very interesting, this thing about the dairy caught my attention, i usually eat a lot of vegs but also a lot of dairy products ( protein shakes too ) i knew i was making my liver working a lot with those protein shakes but i know now that with the dairy products too.

[goodgirlgonebad]

I'm going first thing in the morning to get on the waiting list for free detox and rehab. That was another obsession of mine. I just refused to believe that there was not some govt program out there to help addicts with no insurance. Well see how it goes tomorrow.

When the doctor told me how bad of shape my liver was in.. And I knew there was no way to just STOP ( I did mention that stopping would solve all problems but just isn't possible for some right now) I had to do something. I just wanted to pass on the info. It helped me quite a bit.  

As for the name... I used to be an angel. Don't smoke don't drink play by the rules... This damn drug changed all that :(... I'm out of control... But at least my liver is a little stronger ;)

for those wanting help with no ins it is out there just get online and look. Call the 24 hour helpline and they will tell you where to find help. I'll do my 10 days of detox and come back to share my
story.

[vicki595]

To: Dav125

XOXO

[Dav125]

:) :)

[vicki595]

LOL... It's my mission in life !!!   And,no,I couldn't resist...  But yes,it does solve a lot of problems...  ;)

xo

[sooners181]

Great information. one suggestion. Take care of your self first. Put this on the shelf. First things first. get clean first. Best wishes.

[Dav125]

Quote "  I only want to add that NOT taking any opiates or Tylenol will help your liver recover much quicker!!  :) " End quote.

Good point Vicky! (you couldn't resist , could you :)..Yup, that would solve everything:) (chuckle)

[Dav125]

Looks like you got obseesed with the subject Goodgirl(I don't believe in the gonebad part,you wouldn't be writing this:))..Thankyou for the information .I'll have to study it more indepth. I got bases covered in one dept though. Got vegetables coming out of the ying yang due to "my obession" in planting a "big" garden this year. And the big plus? I have aspargus plants. In their 7th year now..

Thankyou again for the wealth of information :)

[vicki595]

This is great advice.  I only want to add that NOT taking any opiates or Tylenol will help your liver recover much quicker!!  :)

V.