Anabolic steroids and HCV treatment

[ganderboy]

I am a competetive powerlifter who has had HCV for 30 years.  I lift in a non-tested federation and use anabolics to keep my weight on and to help me recover.  I ues only injectables and no orals.  I do use HGH to help me heal.  I use only the safer anabolics like testosterone and decca and ocasionally low doses of tren.  My liver enzymes are good and after a second biopsy, I'm still stage 1.
My question is about using anabolics while on treatment.  I have told my hepatologist that I would like to do the Teleprevir treatment as soon as it's available.  What is you opinion of continuing with low doses of anabolics while on treatment?  The anabolics have made a world of difference as to how I feel, recover and heal. How would treatment affect this?

To the laymen reader:  This is a question fo a doctor.  Please don't respnd with the usual "you should only be thinking about you health now".  
Well that's EXACTLTY what I'm thinking of.

[tashka]

Mike, thank you for clarification. I did mean corticosteroids. Anabolic steroids are "sterols", but of different kind.

[James10500]

That doctor said if you need steroids, like medical need.  You don't need steroids you choose to take them.  

[Susan_1a_CC]

Since you wrote the following to someone else's steriod question, I'm confused as to why you have a question that is similar?  I might have missed something tho...
__________________________________________________________________________

by ganderboy, 2 hours ago
To: newleaf09
No offense, but you don't know what you are talking about.  Steroids do not suppresse your immune system, or they they would not prescribe them for AIDs patients.

you might want to check out:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Hep-C--anabolic-steroids/show/775579

They are not the evil agents that the general public makes them out to be.  They were developed for situations such as these.  And using a cream is no different than using injectables.  You just have to use more (and every day) to get the same effect.

Trust me I've used both; for years.  I switched over to injectables because they are safe and I can control the dose better.

Most doctors no little abour steroids because a; they are not in the mainstream, and b; there is little research being done on them.

If you want to see an interesting docucmentary on the subject, rent BIGGER, STRONGER,FASTER by Chris bell.  It addresses all these questions.

[mikesimon]

You have to distinguish which steroids you're referencing. Anabolic steroids are quite different than corticosteroids.

Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid drug that is particularly effective as an immunosuppressant drug.
Anabolic steroids "...increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue (anabolism), especially in muscles."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabolic_steroid

Prednisone is a powerful immunosuppressant drug and should be avoided with HCV infection and particularly while treating.

Mike

[tashka]

Your immune system constantly works to suppress HCV virus as much as it can. Steroids lower your immunity, and as the result your viral load can increase.

The whole point of treatment is to whip up the  immune system to kill the virus for good. This is what interferon and ribavirin do. Taking steroids will work against this goal. You should avoid them during treatment. And you definitely should inform your doctor about any drugs you take. Some are contraindicated with HCV treatment and others can not be taken by patients with liver problems. Please, talk to your doctor.

[Susan_1a_CC]

My study absolutely warned against taking any steroids - even within a month before treatment started.  YMMV (your mileage may vary)

[larf]

can steroids help hcv breed ?

[R Glass]

you should only be thinking about your health now.  

[willbb]

From a layman reader..... " Should be thinking about your health now..."

All the best

[can-do-man]

You should only be thinking of your health now........ Oh BTW theres no doctors here. Good luck