Interesting Harvoni/Milk Thistle Info

[andyhawaii123]

Hi Everyone,

I thought I would pass this piece of info on.... My Liver Center Pharmacologist recommended I suspend the Supplementation of Milk Thistle while on my 24 week course of Harvoni. He said it can interfere with the chemical actions of the Harvoni.  For whatever that's worth to anyone.....

Wishing everyone the best, and thanks so much for so many who responded and added to my "Harvoni Progress" Post...you guys are great!

Andy

[cakes8267]

Really?   My specialist said that was just fine to continue taking my liver supplement during my Harvoni treatment and I cleared within 3 wks.  I still am taking my supplement.  I finished my Harvoni yesterday, sure woke up with a headache this morning!

[bassetgirl]

When I was prescribed Sovaldi/Olysio, I was told : No Milk Thistle, no St. John's Wort, no grapefruit, no Meyer Oranges. We also had to OK any prescription medicine we were on with the hepatologist. No vitamin supplements either.
Because I am cirrhotic, I was also told only Tylenol for pain, and only if you absolutely need it.
The hepatologist said coffee was OK, and in fact said there was evidence it was actually good for the liver.
So, the above is what I was told by my doctor, and I followed all the advice I was given.
Good luck to you!! Onward to SVR!

[cakes8267]

I was told no St John's wort, and no Tylenol only Ibuprofen.  I take vitamins every day.  and coffee is suppose to be great for the liver.  

[bassetgirl]

That's interesting, I've seen the conflicting info before on Tylenol  vs Ibuprofen.  I don't know why different advice is given: maybe it depends on varying factors for different patients? In my case, my platelets are in the 60's so maybe that's why I was told Tylenol vs an Nsaid which could thin the blood? Will ask my hepatologist about this next time I see her-

[Carlhcv]

Great info and nice to know that I can continue to enjoy my morning coffee because I make the best coffee in the world! ;)

[flyinlynn]

Hi

As I have cirrhosis and low platelets having a dangerous bleed from esophageal varicies or other points in the digestive tract is a greater danger than the risk of a small amount of liver damage so basically Tylenol vs an NSAID  is the lessor of two bad things.

The recommendation for patients with cirrhosis is to try to avoid pain meds and if you must take some a minimal amount of Tylenol is your best choice.

[cakes8267]

what is NSAID

[JimmyMose]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonsteroidal_anti-inflammatory_drug

[AugustineMama]

My doc told me to stop all supplements period. Said they did not know what was in them and stop Xifaxin also. I also was told to not take anything but Tyenol limited to 1000 mg a day. I am cirrhotic and am going to transplant center at Mayo. I took every supplement known to man to avoid liver damage and ended up with it anyway.

[flyinlynn]

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
Drug class
Nonsteroidal anti‑inflammatory drugs, also called nonsteroidal anti‑inflammatory agents/analgesics or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, are a class of drugs that provides analgesic and antipyretic ... Wikipedia
Drugs in class: Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Diclofenac, Naproxen, …

[susan400]

For what it's worth.., I've never been big on Milk Thistle.  I tried it early on and it interfered with my asthma and caused me to wheeze, so I stopped it.  There really isn't any scientific evidence that it does anything to cure you of Hep C.  It is a nice thought that somebody could take an herb and have it get rid of Hep C, it that was the case, some drug company would have been adding it into their treatment. But, if you like it and it's working and it's not causing you any harm and your doctor supports you in using it, go ahead. Who am I to judge?  Susan400

[Ekkiemom]

Hi Andy.....YEP milk thistle is wonderful but as we treat we cannot use any herbal supplements at all. I was taking Reishi mushroom and Graviola (soursop) tincture but also was advised to stop 10 days prior to starting Tx
Wishing you well while on Tx and speedy SVR to you. It will be done before you know it. Kick some dragon butt!
Peace
Deb

[andyhawaii123]

Hi, and than you all for your usual insightfully, helpful information. Ya know I asked the Liver Center Pharmacologist if Milk thistle really works. He just smiled and said " I've seen no data, no reputable trials, or evidence that it is beneficial to the Cirrhotic Liver. and just kinda rolled his eyes and said...."but almost everyone in the Liver Center Program takes it...I really couldn't say"  I always swore by it, and with my constantly improving conditions, just assumed it was kick'n in somewhere, somehow. I must admit though, I have always been skeptical of all "supplements", especially since the won't even tell you specifically what they will do on the label. Like its some big secret at $20-30 buck a month per supplement. If you take several supplements, that's a lot of money for  "maybe...maybe not" products.

With regard to the Tylenol... I kicked myself off the Morphine and Oxy's last winter (didn't want to replace on addiction with another) Tramadol, the strongest non-opiate didn't do a thing for me, and my doctor has alays said I can take SOME Tylenol: Max - 2000mg per day, and only 500mg at any one dose. I rarely take it...I do take Neurontin (Gabapentin)  500 mg x 6 daily for pain and mood....and it works very well at relaxing and taking the biting pain down a few notches.

Thanks again everyone.

Wishing you the best,

Andy

[beenthereback]

my hepatologist said 1 only vitamin & supplement was A

[Dancer1934]

Congratulations, Andy.  Hope you have a long and disease-free life.  I know you're 51 and are Hep C free.  Keep it up.  I was diagnosed in 1994 at age 60; back then the side effects seemed worse than the cure. Now they have made great inroads in curing HepC, 20 years too late. Have you had a problem retaining fluid?  My albumin level is half what it should be; I've gained 40 lbs.due to fluid retention.

[virt111]

If your Albumin is that low, you may want to have your kidney fuction tested. Blood and urine.

I had gained 30lbs of fluid in my lower extremities from a disorder with my kidneys. Either Nephrotic Syndrome or Nonproliferative Glomerulonephritis.nNephrologist wanted me to treat my hep c to see if the kidneys would come around.

The other thing is, if your albumin is low, you may be expelling a lot of protein in your urine. My urine was bubbly/foamy from my kidney disease. Also, my blood Albumin is very low...2.5 range.

Good luck.

[Cookie1952]

Been on milk thistle for over 10years through the interferon treatment and now da also. My specialist  said it was fine and as far as pain meds naproxen not Tylenol which is bad for liver. Good luck on treatment and I guess follow what your specialist says and please have a specialist not a reg doctor

[Cookie1952]

I meant to say I'm on the savaldi and ribivirin treatment now

[Jazmine6]

My doctor told me to not bother taking the Milk Thistle anymore.  He said it really doesn't aid in helping when you have hep c.   When I asked if I should just stop it, he said I was wasting my money.  Anyone else get told this?

[1bucky]

More or less what my IDS & Gasto said. They both have said that if MT had therapeutic value a major drug company would have marketed a prescription form of it.
One thing I have notice about a blog or web site touting the great benefits of MT is they have a link to purchase it.

[Ekkiemom]

It's really not a good idea to take MT while on Tx, most importantly it's not FDA  regulated. IMO I would not entertain taking it

Best of luck

Peace
Deb

[ianapoppy]

My hepatologist  said  milk thistle doesn't  work.   I  had  taken  it  for  much  of 10  years  until  I got  tired of it.    I'm  going to think  it  might help a healthy  liver  detox  from   paint   fumes   and  things,   but  not  help a viral  infection.   But   I  don't  really  know  for  sure.

[ianapoppy]

My hepatologist  said  milk thistle doesn't  work.   I  had  taken  it  for  much  of 10  years  until  I got  tired of it.    I'm  going to think  it  might help a healthy  liver  detox  from   paint   fumes   and  things,   but  not  help a viral  infection.   But   I  don't  really  know  for  sure.

[Pablo11]

Aloha Andy,
I just started Harvoni 4 days ago. I take Gabapentin, Tramadol and Zoloft, and I've been looking for any info about Gabapentin's impact on my treatment. My main go-to person is a pharmD. She cautioned me about Tramadol, saying it was the same as Tylenol (?) but the Gabapentin was okay. Still, I am searching for other opinions.