JaneDoe2 - Homeopathic Treatment?

I am currently taking Alinia and should that fail, am intertested to trying Homeopathic treatment. I would like to do some research on the specific medication. Can you post what you are taking?  I

[desrt]

Not sure how your comment got added on to yesterday's homeopathic thread after it was closed, but I'll take a stab at answering your question.
Unlike changes in diet/lifestyle and (possibly) some herbs, homeopathy can do nothing to keep the virus at bay or allow you to "co-exist" with it. This in itself is dangerous as some patients may skip proven (though uncomfortable) treatments allowing their disease to progress.
Over the last 100 years homeopathy has been proven over and over again to be complete bunk, not just by researchers, but also by many people who have tried it on their own. Yet, over and over again it gets trotted out because it's principles 'sound' like they might work. I share the same distaste for the FDA (and large corporations) that many of you have, but since I have no better solution to offer, I try not to criticize.
For those of you interested in homeopathy, most health food stores keep a small homeopathic section where you can buy "formulas" and instructional materials. It's a proven money maker and relatively harmless, so most store owners can rationalize this. With just a couple hour's reading and a copy of the Materia Medica, you too can become a homeopathic doctor. After that you can move on to iridology, reflexology, light healing, phrenology, and doing  Guess-Your-Weight at the county fair.

[desrt]

Also never heard a figure as low as 5% quoted as a possibility for developing cirrhosis. If the postings I've read over the years are any indication, many, if not most of us, contracted this close to 30 years ago and the 20% figure is much more realistic. Just because cirrhosis or HCC isn't what you die from, doesn't mean they can't make your quality of life pretty miserable till something else kills you.

[GrandmaA]

I heard of one person who became hep. C negative on homeopathic treatment but they only had it one year and they might have been in the acute phase (not chronic).

[turtle 2]

Thanks for the reply.  Having my comments posted at the end of long closed thread, I wasn't expecting a response.  I have just stopped treatment after 26 weeks because I'm a non-responder.  I would like to wait for the new meds like VX 950 to come out.    I will get a biopsy next month.  Having never had one I don't know the extent of damage I have.  Anything I could do to slow down the virus right now would be a big plus. If homeopathic treatment offers any benefit I would be very interested in learning more about it.  The doctor wants me to switch from PegIntron to Interfergen.  These are powerful drugs with sever sides and as someone else just posted seem like a shot in the dark.  To me the negatives far outweigh the positives.  Having said that, after I get the results from my BX it may be my only choice.  Right now I'm desperately looking for alternatives.

[desrt]

Hey Grandma, how's tx treating you? Hope you're getting some support from those sons of yours. Is the specialist from UC Davis your tx doc? You seem like a woman of great determination, please post and let us know what's up.

[desrt]

Biopsy would certainly seem like the next logical step, since you may not even need to treat.
Most doctors seem to be choosing Infergen as their next step alternative(rough side effects from what I've heard). There's also Albuferon, switching PEGs(a tiny percentage respond to Pegasys but not Peg-Intron and vice versa), waiting for the results of polymerase/protease inhibitor trials(though I believe every protease inhibitor in the last 4 yrs. has washed out in phase 3 trials, either over cardio-toxicity or lack of sustained response). Then there's the all time favorite of a lot of folks here, treating longer/stronger - but since I feel this is just 'scraping the edges of the statistical bell curve' and has done more harm than good, I'll let others fill you in on that.
Two years ago some researchers in Canada claimed to have found a sequence of 18 genes that will predict ahead of time whether you'll respond to IFN tx or not, but I've not heard anything further about that. Besides, I think you have to be like 'Bill Gates rich' to have your genome sequenced.
Good luck. There's a lot of info out there and a lot of hope just over the horizon.

[janedoe2]

I am taking strong doses of homeopathic sulphur scalare progressive, same with the vincetoxicum scalare progressive, and iodum DH4, phosphorus CH 15, hep c lmo 180, hep b lmo 180.

[Spider legs]

Thank you for the information.

[janedoe2]

thank you kalio no i had not seen that post. I do appreciate it.
and thank you heprcher for that post. I have been up to my eyeballs in work, this is a very busy time in the biz, Christmas, I am off to CA tomorrow very early to meet new hepatologist, considering biopsy, I will post when I get back.
I am going to be talking to Franco real soon, ask him if he can take on some more work here. I'll let you all know what he says.
Thank you all, take care, ciao for now, jane.

[cuteus]

don't forget to ask him about getting copies of the actual PCRs of pre and post tx chronic hep c infected.  HR brings a good point, if Dr Franco has treated mostly acutely infected pts, then the chances are a lot higher that they will clear the disease on their own if the immune system is aided with the process. They key is the chronically infected as we all were, that are now negative for a viral load.
Are you getting frequent liver profile testing? you want to  make sure that you are not endangering your liver with these unproven substances.
Lastly, I hope Dr Franco is willing to speak with Researcher, that would show sincerity of his beliefs in homeopathy.

[janedoe2]

i copied yours and hr's post and e-mailed them to myself so I have them.
what you all are asking is absolutely what I'd be asking.

and yea, I have frequent hep blood panel tests, like I said probably will have a biopsy, as much as I trust and believe in Franco, I am keeping a watchful eye on things for myself.

[Hepatitis Researcher]

Where will you be in CA tomorrow? Which hepatologist?

[Kalio1]

I don't know if you caught hepatitisresearcher's post and generous offer to you regarding Homeopathy but in case you missed it I will repost it here.


" There is no doubt that janedoe2 is a serious, honest, intelligent and vigorous person. What a writeup on the failure of science to understand fundamental realities like gravity or quantum mechanics, let alone how things work in biology.

Keeping an open mind is always important, particularly if it concerns treatment of a disease that can threaten your life.
Many important arguments raised here at all levels, mostly con.
If Dr. Franco has post homeopathy therapy neg PCRs of truly chronic HCVs it would be very remarkable. If he has a good heart as stated, he might be willing to talk about it, if the party on the other side has an open frendly attitude towards him. I would like to call him, talk to him, I have an Italian scientific interpreter actually available - aside from Jane herself - conference call would be good.

As a molecular biologist the knowledge that the HCv virus represents a complex selfdoubling machine in the Trillion number in the human body, particularly in the liver, represent a platform from which all thinking re its elimination must start. There has to be some interaction with the formation of this virus for any treatment even if it is only that the "natural defense mechanisms' are activated by it.
Any effect has to be mediated by molecular interaction and the belief that imprinted water can selectivly eliminate this HCv machine amids all the other biomolecules on hand is a priori so extremely unlikely that we are not dealing with it unless hard evidence is presented otherwise.
Meanwhile it is important not to raise false hopes that could prevent people, like Jane from treating with realistic means, particularly if she is advancing fast, something we dont know yet.
Some of this alternative treatment might also slow or halt fibrosis progression. Is homeopathy likely to be able to do that? I would doubt it, but like to be convinced otherwise."

[NYgirl]

Never have seen ANY data ANYWHERE to support the fact that anyone has killed the virus with homeopathic medications.

It does work to give you good overall health and stuff but the only thing that is currently able to kill this virus and give us a cure is the combo treatment of interferon/ribavirin.

IF there was an easier cure available - don't you think we'd all be doing that instead?

[kstar]

Once a month I meet with a group of homeopathic doc's (study group).  I have not taken an allopathic med in nearly eight years.  I have many viral issues (herpes-ebstein-bar etc)  including hep C and homeopathic treatment has been the only way I have been able to control these viruses.  For me anti-virals (allopathic) were a nightmare...I just go back from a trip to Duke...The doctors were amazed w/my test results and suggested that I keep on doing what I have been doing.  Hompathy and supplements...Yes it is true that this is not a cure all approach but what it has given me is time..