??? outside the box

wow, have I stubbled into Hepheaven or Hephell on earth??
Nothing like a little lively interchange to help boost ones immune system, eh?
First, thank you all for participating, I am just this week diagnosed with Hep c-1a so I obviously have a lot to learn but must say I appreciate both the information, such as which tests are accurate, and the humor, helping all to stay sane in an insane system has to have it's merits. For instance, it took my doc 5 years to send me to the right specialist. How frustrating is a disease not even experts can agree about? How many pubmed articles does it take to make one's head go Linda-Blairing off....
and how much positive energy does it take to rename each day as new and hopeful. In the first week, all valid questions.

I would much appreciate any steering (albeit I realize this could be classified as "references" just to steer me to that which others have found most informative.

I have already discovered an AVI BIOS experiment RNA gene type drug in phase 2 trials at my local hospital, and am wondering if anyone knows if this would be a better choice than interferon/R chemo.

also, I'm wondering does anyone have any input on whether any of the immune systems boosts currently being used for HIV/AIDs patients are being used for HCV and if so which, and or why or more to the point why not, assuming the current treatment are so far from optimal.

Thank you in advance, for any response, and forgive me my ignorance or any Gall I may have displayed in asking for direction. I suppose with liver disease comes come gall as well! Peace to all.
MerryBe

[pigeonca]

Nice to meet you.  I know that for me this forum has kept me sane through treatment and now through that awful waiting period between end of treatment and SVR (I'm hoping).

Phase 2 trials can be excellent, but you always risk being in the control arm.  If you are, it will be SOC, but without the individualization that you would ordinarily get just taking what the doctor ordered.  Before you make any decisions, you need to learn your genotype, get biopsied, and prescribed a course of treatment.  If you're geno 2, for example, you might want to just stay with SOC, whereas with geno 1, a more radical approach might be warranted, depending on the degree of fibrosis in your liver.

I think the drugs HIV patients take are called protease inhibitors, and for us the big player is Vertex.  A number of people here are participating in Vertex trials.  Check out earlier posts and the archives.  Google Vertex.  A number of people here know a lot about supplements, including GrandmaA and Forseegood.  i don't know much, but this much I do know: milk thistle is good both before and after tx, iron should be avoided, and no booze.

Once again, welcome to the forum.  Look forward to hearing more from you.
pigeon