Colloidal Silver

yes, i know, im grasping at straws...

anyone know anything about this, supposed to strengthen your immune system and fight the virus...

i take milk thistle every day, no idea if it is doing anything to help my liver or not, i know milk thistle does nothing for the virus but i figure my liver needs all the help it can get haaaa

[doglover28]

I'm not sure about symptoms worsening with progression of the disease, but I imagine they can.  I was just diagnosed in April. I haven't started treatment yet. You might want to go back to the doctor and discuss some different treatment options. I don't know anything about Collodal Silver and Hep C.  I know my sister-in-law swears by it for colds and such, but I don't think it can cure Hep C.  I could be wrong, but that's my opinion

[NYgirl]

What you are doing is VERY common in the beginning.  I think most of us did the same thing. Read about every vitamin etc. that might help us in some small way for the greater good.

Once you get on treatment and really "get it" you will chill on it and stop looking for these things. As far as I know this particular remedy is snake oil.  Such I read in here.

Don't go wasting money on things to help. Take GOOD vitamins (NO IRON!!! and try not to take any extra A or K) and eat well.  Do the things that medicine has been advising forever and ever - THAT is what helps your liver.

Not all the fake remedies that will suck up your bank account. Save the money, treatment and it's needs are expensive enough.

Rememeber: when you start treatment drop the milk thistle.

[nationsgirl]

Why do you say not to take extra A & K?  My doctor said to get lots of natural A  & K through greens and yellows.  Do you mean a supplement?

[NYgirl]

Yes as a supplement - doctor said not to ADD any because we don't need EXTRA in our diet if we eat right.  I guess (??) that too much of them is not a good thing.

Of course...try and FIND a vitamin without A or K it's practically impossible but docs advise us to stay away from Beta Carotene and of COURSE NO NO NO IRON!

I don't even eat out of cast iron skillets any longer and no more blood red meat waaaaaa - how do you have summer without rare hamburgers?  I tell you - this disease has really changed more things than I care to think about but now I'm getting used to hardly eating any red meat and if I do it's well cooked.

:(

[nationsgirl]

Oh...I have not been informed about "no iron" yet.  Can you tell me about this?  Maybe there are so many little things that the doctor just forgets to tell me...ha!?

[GrandOak]

One thing I have found is that there is absolutely no scientific studies which have been performed to support the claims made by most homeopathic medicines.  All are testimonies which may or may not have labs to support them.  This is part of the problem which the US FDA is currently having with providing consumers with accurate information with respect to these "natural" remedies, some of which I have found to be actually be synthetically manufactured despite their "natural" label.

If nothing else, I think that the pure power of suggestion may be more influential in the noted changes.  Often this concept is quickly dismissed by many, but I have found it surprising how many of these same folks jump on the same explaination for those who believe they received their healing from God (but that's another issue).

I guess the bottomline is that I have seen some of these homeopathic remedies work on animals, which may suggest that there is something to some of there claims if one believes that the animal can not be influenced by the power of suggestion.

[cuteus]

"anyone know anything about this, supposed to strengthen your immune system and fight the virus..."

of course it does, they are trying to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. It is not on the market, though.

just look at who is posting those things, is it a medical institution, or a reputable organization? it is all testimonial. If I was to get paid enough, I might say Bush is the best president ever, in a testimonial.


NOT!

ps just in case, thymus gland stuff and boiling blood is also 'good' for killing the virus, or so THEY say.

[nationsgirl]

Oh...I have not been informed about "no iron" yet.  Can you tell me about this?  Maybe there are so many little things that the doctor just forgets to tell me...ha!?

[nationsgirl]

Oh...I have not been informed about "no iron" yet.  Can you tell me about this?  Maybe there are so many little things that the doctor just forgets to tell me...ha!?

[nationsgirl]

Oh...I have not been informed about "no iron" yet.  Can you tell me about this?  Maybe there are so many little things that the doctor just forgets to tell me...ha!?

[GrandOak]

Iron is processed by the liver.  As your liver is the one under attack, or trying to recover due to the protective shield the tx is supposed to be providing, you do not want to follow a diet, or use supplements, which increases it's work load.

As we get most of the iron or bodies need through regular diets, avoiding a supplement containing additional iron is very similar to following a low protein diet as far as our livers are concerned.

[hep62pj]

already did tx but it didnt work...i was just wondering if anyone had tried this stuff, about the milk thistle i think that the claims on this one actually have been proven right??  that it does improve liver function?

im not tx'ing again until they come out with something new, i dont see the point when the odds of clearing are so insanely low, lucky i am only at stage 2 (i think?) so i guess i can wait but if i can find some kind of natural help in the meantime...

i eat pretty healthy, lots of garlic & olive oil haa, fresh fruits, veggies, etc, very little fat & processed foods, etc but i do take a multi-vitamin along with the milk thistle and the multi has iron in it, where do i find a multi without iron??

[NYgirl]

NO NO iron!  

IT PROMOTES THE VIRUS TO REPLICATE AND THAT IS THE LAST THING WE WANT IN THIS WORLD!

The first thing my doctor told me was under NO condition to take any extra iron, not to eat food cooked in cast iron pans even!  It is THAT crucial because we are trying to STOP the virus from replicating...we don't want to feed it the specific thing that helps it GROW!

Ask your doctor ASAP - it amazes me how doctors just "forget" to mention things like this.  This is one of the reasons I was so GLAD to find this forum - little tiny things like this... ;) so important.

[NYgirl]

It is possible to get a vitamin without iron you just have to look around and read them all.  It's harder to find one without additional beta carotene but you should NOT be taking any iron AT ALL.


There really is nothing that helps deal with the virus at all on the market. As Cuteus said if you look at the things you are reading they are REALLY mostly advertisements in one form or another and have not been approved by the FDA as cures or helps or anything like that at all.

Even traditional medicine is prescribed for money reasons. Have you ever heard of someone who has three weeks to live and they put them on chemo?  You have to wonder WHY if they are going to DIE would they do that?        $$$$$$$$$$$

The best advice I can offer you is eat right, exercise and live a healthy life.  Trying to find things to supplement to the point of spending any money is really just a waste.  Good health promotes a good liver the best it can.

(And believe me I DO take antioxidants and things...but I take them now for overall health and not just for my liver disease)

[doglover28]

ever since you posted that a while back about cast iron, I never cook in mine anymore either.
Whole foods has vitimins without iron.

[FlGuy]

I also did tx, and relapsed.  Since tx I have been using milk thistle (drops in water) and apple cider vinegar (mixed with water). Usually, it's about 3 times a week but I'm not as religious about it as I was.  Have no idea if either or both work but probably can't hurt. For no particular reason, I don't take both on the same day.  Otherwise, I try to stay with a healthy diet. My problem is a lack of appetite.  Oh yeah, I take Centrum Silver each day.

[cuteus]

the cast iron is only an issue with people with Hemochromatosis.  Not everyone has to avoid iron. Hep c positive individuals should limit the iron intake, but cooking in iron pots does not always leach the mineral into the food.  I still use my pans, have used them before dx, and during tx, and has not caused any problems. You can research the issue yourselves and decide whether you need to change anything. I chose not to, others stop all iron. Not enough medical data that says people without the condition above and pos for HCV need to throw their iron pans away. So, I don't.

[GoofyDad]

"I don't even eat out of cast iron skillets any longer and no more blood red meat "

Wow! Talk about progress. Before you know it you'll be clearing the bones off the dinner rock when company comes and tying the mastadon up downwind.....

How are ya' New Yorkie?

[tulsatime]

P. s. One source vitamins is walmart brand

[NYgirl]

I know what's wrong with me? Getting healthy? Well I must admit to eating a Drakes Yodel last night...it was the best dang snack food I've had in YEARS - even blew away the fudgicles!  ;)

and I still smoke...and drink loads of coffee...so don't ever let me seem like I'm LYING and pretending I've gone the way of our pal Rocker - he's too good at this health stuff for me!  :)

What's been up with you I haven't seen you around too much?  You just enjoying life and playing?  I hope so!

[Forseegood]

the reason I take individual supplements (and i really don't take many vitamins per se) is because then I can really see what I'm taking...it's really hard to find a multi without A and iron, and K, etc...but it can be done...maybe go to a high end health store...good luck to you...

[jmjm530]

No lecturing or judgements here (meaning I don't want to engage in any debates today :) ) but just want to make sure you're aware that studies suggest cigarette smoking is linked with increased inflammation and fibrosis in patients with HCV, as well as lower SVR rates in at least genotypes 2 and 3. As a mixed genotype currently treating, this might be of interest. http://tinyurl.com/r9k3m

-- Jim

PS Couldn't find any Drake Yodel studies so I guess that's OK :)

[GrandOak]

Centrum Silver or a generic equivalent.

Basically, any daily multi-vitamin made for seniors (i.e. aonyone over 50) should be low or no iron.

[cuteus]

Rev- you don't mind debates? they might come again...
not from me, though, I am calm today.

I hope you are well, any graduations your way? or Proms?
I will face that next yr. I think I rather do tx.

[GrandOak]

One problem I've seen with the smoking study Jim provided is that it's based entirely upon the WIN-R which only looked at G2 & G3 patients and only look at those undergoing the PEG-IFN-alpha-2b using the weight based dosing.

However, two issues I've seen is that PEG-IFN-alpha-2a and PEG-IFN-alpha-2b has been found to have a different pharmacokinetics (see PubMed abstract ID 15456079 at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?DB=pubmed).  The measured result is that PEG-IFN-2b does not remain consistent in the blood stream over a regimen period (i.e. 1 week), thus allowing less flexibility in when an injection is obtained and in some cases resulting in studies recommend a multi-injection per week to achieve a sustained level of IFN in the body.  Another is that the weight based dosing (see PubMed abstract 15865213) of PEG-IFN-alpha-2b does not appear to yield any reduction in interpatient variability and their likelyhood of attaining SVR than PEG-IFN-alpha-2a.

[iceboy]

Hope you see this. Im posting late on this. Why is beta carotein bad for. the only thing I could find on it on Janis web site is;

BETA CAROTENE
Beta carotene levels are low in patients with liver cirrhosis, while a diet high in beta carotene might reduce liver damage. Cirrhosis of the liver often is associated with increased activity of harmful compounds called free radicals that might increase the risk of liver cancer. As an antioxidant, beta carotene might prevent the formation of potentially harmful free radicals

[tulsatime]

You know when I was told no iron in a vitamin, I looked and looked for one and couldn't find it without iron.  An old man in the store told me that men's vitamins don't have iron. Wow. It was that simple. I guess men don't need it. So I got Source-one complete MENS multivitamin. It has no iron.
I think sam e and milk thistle might be the only thing I would take. And only when not treating. I had a friend send me some of that silver. Before I started treatment. I took it for a month and seen no differance. Then I read some bad things about it concerning the liver so I stop and through it away. Take care

[cuteus]

Iceboy; congratulations on following up with your own research! It is the best way to make informed decissions.

Beta carotene is a precursor to vitamin A, it is not assimilated and stored the same way as oil soluble vit a, or even water soluble synthetic A, Beta carotene is not harmful. It might give you an orange tint, but that is not fatal.
from the Harvard site:
"In contrast to preformed vitamin A, beta-carotene is not toxic even at high levels of intake. The body can form vitamin A from beta-carotene as needed, and there is no need to monitor intake levels, as there is with preformed vitamin A."
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamins.html

[iceboy]

Thanks Cuteus

xx

[genie123]

I notice all of these  comments were made in 2006. Is there anything more current, or is this even still active?