NONI JUICE AND TX .

[mother of three]

HAS ANY ONE ON TREATMENT USED THE NONI JUICE WHILE TAKING TX.

[MichaelT]

I'm sorry to say this, but Noni juice does not cure viral hepatitis .

[LvdByGod]

speaking of herbals, i realize they don't kill the virus, but can they still be benificial durring tx. to aid the liver. vit.e antioxidents, milkthisle,etc... should i stop all these. could they interfer with this tx? has anyone here who cleared been on any of these durring tx?

[MichaelT]

Sho-saiko-to, has been shown to help reduce liver inflammation and used in Japan to help those suffering with HepC. It was recently posted here that it is also an anti-fibrotic. I have no clue about obtaining it or dosing.

Milk Thistle? After all this time, there still doesn't seem to be a consensus. The best I've been able to get from a doc is "it won't hurt."

I have been completely unable to find legitimate sources backing up the claims of various liver concoctions held out to hepc sufferers as a cure or aid apart from the info above. Please consult with your doc about other supplements.  -Michael

[oldhippiechick67]

Dont be sorry!  I am so in agreement with you, herbs and this stupid Noni jc, dont cure Hep C.  My husband's brother has brain  cancer and he takes the sh**, thinking it helps, got my husband taking it too, $40+ a month per bottle.  Its old fashioned "snake oil", a "cure all", "magic tonic" made to quickly part naive folks with their money.  

http://www.fda.gov/cder/warn/cyber/sep2000/cyber025.pdf

http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/News/noni.html

I have done research on it, heard people praise it, even tried it myself for a month...no change in my symptoms at that time!
So I am a non believer.  I think it helps those who are gullible to the "placebo effect".  My husband still complains of arthritic aches and pains, walks like a stiff zombie after working all day, forgets words and names, tosses and turns all nite, yet professes the wonders of NONI juice and how it helps him.  I think its a buncha bunk.  Just my $0.02 worth!  OHC :P

[baby4cakes]

MY DOCTOR TO TOLD ME TO TAKE MILK THISTLE & V-E 400IU I DO TAKE THEM CAN'T HURT. I START TX ON YHE 29TH.ALSO I JUST SEEN A REPORT IN PREVENTION ABOUT A MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGH (FUTURE VACCINES )A NEW WEAPON THE FDA RECENTLY GAVE THE GO-AHEAD FOR HUMAN STUDIES OF AN EXPERIMENTAL HCV VACCINE.THE VACCINE WOULD BE GIVING TO ALREADY-INFECTED PEOPLE AS A WAY TO BUILD RESISTANCE TO NEW VIRAL STAINS.IT WILL PRODUCE MORE ANIBODIES AS WELL AS PRIME T-HELPER CELLS CAPABLE OF RECOGNIZING AND FIGHTING THE MANY STRAINS OF THIS EVER-CHANGING VIRUS.WIDELY AVAILABLE WITHIN 7 YRS.

[Bodie]

I take an Essential Multi-Vitamin w/o Iron and a Stress formula with the B-complex to help with the low red and white blood counts. I take Ensure once a day, twice on shot day. That has me up and feeling pretty good. It is a drastic change from the first time I tried tx. The first time, I was in bed from day one.  I guess there is something to be said for vitamins, but it is not curing the HCV. It is making it easier for me to take the tx. If you can't take the sides, and white blood count drops below 1.5, abs neut .5, then you can't take the tx. Couldn't get Neupogen or Procrit, so had to stop. Vitamins brought my red count back up to 10.8 after it being 7.0. this time.
Everyone to his own, but healthy consumption keeps you healthy. They say you are what you eat!

[oldhippiechick67]

Galen has an article that tells the properties/effects of milk thistle on the liver's enzymes.  Glad to hear you are feeling so much better now Galen!    As for vitamins, antioxidants I think those are fine and wont hurt your tx.  I was out of my multivit for several weeks and when I started on them I felt much more energetic, actually went outside and helped with chores.  But with my RBCs, ANC's, and WBCs falling, Im pretty petered out.  I dont believe in special brands and all the hype that goes with it, chuckle chuckle, although I take one that costs a bit more than the store brand.  But I have a distant cousin that claims her osteopath gave her liquid vits which cost about 45 dollars a bottle, and a colon cleanser!! for about the same price(basically fiber, metamucil-like).  She was bragging how she poops after every meal, "that is what babies do, and so should we" (LMAO), but now she is going into the hospital for removal of 5 feet of intestines.  I am sorry, but I just get ANGRY when I hear of these hypes.  
When I clicked on search for Noni juice it came up with about ten pages of sites selling the crapola/stuff.

[MichaelT]

I don't know which one was in the article, but Innogenetics has a theraputic vaccine in trials in the U.S. and Europe. Is that the company?

Wouldn't this be great? No interferon sickness, hair loss, confusion, itchiness, etc.

Innogenetics has a web site: www.innogenetics.com

click under "Therapeutics" and the "Hepatitis C" to get to their description.

[Martee]

I have been taking milk thistle since right before I started treatment. I don't believe it interfered with the treatment since I cleared at seven weeks. I'm not saying that it cures hep c, I'm saying that it does aide the liver, and apparently it did not interfere with the treatment. I also take 800 mg. vitamin E.

[lackalustre]

been there done that.  tried every natural thing there is prior to doing tx.    noni  didnt help.  in fact it can aggravate  any immune system problems.  my immune system was wacky for years.   and products that "regulate" or "boost" the immune system often made me  feel worse.  although sometimes it would seemed like they helped at first.

[baby4cakes]

HI MICHAEL
          THAT'S ALL IT SAY'S ABOUT THE VACCINE. THANKS FOR THE WEB SITE I LOOK AT IT TONIGHT. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR ALL THERE INFO I GET A LOT OUT OF THIS FORUM. I CHECK IT DAILY..
I HAVE A BOOK BY MY COMPUTER AND I LIST THINGS TO ASK THE DOCTOR OR JUST FOR MY INFORMATION.
                           THANKS AGAIN & GOD BLESS US ALL

[Galen]

From http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/hepC/mthistle.html


A Warning about Milk Thistle and Drug Interactions

The seeds of the milk thistle plant are commonly used to protect the liver from damage caused by hepatitis viruses as well as alcohol and other substances. Compounds found in milk thistle — sylibin, sylimarin — act as antioxidants and also stimulate the repair of the liver. But now it appears that these and possibly other compounds in milk thistle can have other effects.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have suspected that milk thistle can slow down or reduce the activity of enzymes in the liver. What does this have to do with HIV? you might ask. Well, enzymes in the liver break down many of the substances that we eat and drink, including medications. If the activity of these enzymes are reduced, then drugs remain in the blood longer than they otherwise might. This could lead to having higher-than-expected levels of drugs in the body, causing side effects or intensifying already-existing side effects. Indeed, in recent experiments using milk thistle and human liver cells, the researchers found that relatively small concentrations of milk thistle did significantly slow down the activity of the liver enzyme CYP3A4 by 50% to 100%.

Many medications taken by people with HIV/AIDS (PHAs) — such as protease inhibitors and non-nukes — are processed by this liver enzyme. If milk thistle is taken by someone using protease inhibitors or non-nukes, it has the potential to raise levels of these drugs, causing unpleasant or even dangerous side effects. Below is a short list of some other medications that are processed through the CYP3A4 enzyme. Levels of these medications may increase if taken by people who are also using milk thistle. This list is not exhaustive:

methadone
heart drugs – Tambocor (flecainide), Rythmol (propafenone)
antibiotics – erythromycin, rifampin
anti-seizure drugs – carbamazepine (Tegretol)
antidepressants – St. John's wort, Zyban/Wellbutrin (bupropion), Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac (fluoxetine), Luvox (fluvoxetine) Serzone (nefazodone), Zoloft (sertraline), Effexor (venlafaxine)
antihistamines – Hismanal (astemizole), Seldane (terfenadine)
antifungals – itraconazole (Sporanox), Ketoconazole (Nizoral)
gastrointestinal motility agents – Prepulsid (Cisapride)
ergot drugs – Ergonovine, Ergomar (ergotamine)
anti-psychotics – Clozaril (clozapine), Orap (pimozide)
sedatives/sleeping pills – Ambien (zolpidem), Halcion (triazolam), Versed (midazolam)
lipid-lowering drugs (statins) – Lescol (fluvastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin) and Zocor (simvastatin), Baycol (cerivastatin)
transplant drugs – cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), ProGraf (tacrolimus)

Milk thistle also has the potential to lower levels of the following drugs:

anti-parasite drugs – Mepron (atovaquone)
sedatives/sleeping pills – Ativan (lorazepam)
hormones – estrogen

The research by the scientists in Pittsburgh should emphasize to readers that simply because a product is "natural" it does not mean it is safe when taken with other substances. This research also shows the need to conduct further research on herb-drug interactions on liver cells as well as in people. Such studies may find combinations of herbs and drugs that can be safely used together.

[DownThisRoad]

My GI and also primary doctor told me not to take any supplements or herbs while on the combo medicine treatment; Pegasys and Copagus (riba).

The results of taking other herbs with treatment are not yet known but my GI did say that I shouldn't mix anything else with the treatment besides a multi vitamin without iron. He said the extra herbs or stuff could interfere with my treatment results.

Even vitamin shakes, energy drinks, etc. he told me, should be avoided.

[MajNeni]

My doctor told me it was fine to take the following supplement list (daily).  I'm in my 50's, and on for the long ride.
Calcium (600 mg w/200 I.U. vit.D) for bone density
Centrum Silver w/Lutein (no iron) (multivitamin)
Vit. C (2 x 500 mg.)
Vit. E (400 I.U.)
Folic acid (400 mcg)
Super B-complex
Zinc (50-60mg.)
Some of these are mostly just antioxidants, some help fight off infection, some help the eyes and nerves, and some help with cell healing.  I didn't take all these - or as much - last year on Peg, and had tons of problems with rashes, hair loss, weird skin.  This year - on Pegasys - I have not had nearly as much trouble.  (I have lost 22 lb. and good riddance.)  
I recently had to add some Iron; I've been on Procrit almost since the beginning, and had depleted my iron stores.  
My doc feels these are safe, well tested/regulated, and may support my immune system, etc.  He does not go with any herbs except milk thistle, and that only if there is no counterindication and if someone can't do standard tx.
Docs opinions differ on supplements, but my doc and I feel the above supplements are helping me.
Maj Neni

[Indiana]

I tried that Nioni juice while on my tx. I got it at the local Walgreens pharmacy. It's a "Natural" juice from some sort of Hawaiian plant or tree and is supposed to help with boosting the immune system. Since it doesn't have any additives that I could see I gave it a try.
I can't say for sure that it helped but it certainly didn't hurt anything. I WAS a 1B and I cleared just fine. I was battling low white counts all the way and my counts did raise a bit when I drank that stuff. Could be coincidence but all I know for sure is that I CLEARED!! I have seen NO evidece that Nioni Juice is bad during tx. It will NOT clear the virus but it MAY boost the white counts a bit. It's kind of pricey and it has an after-taste but not too bad. I still take a shot sometimes.
The point is that I rank it right up there with Milk Thistle...in the "who knows but it won't hurt" catagory. If nothing else, it helped me mentally as I felt that I was doing SOMETHING to help my white counts on tx.
I remain SVR so far and will get my 1 yr test in Feb. It didn't hurt me........

[LvdByGod]

THIS year my  VIRAL count was 100,000 MORE than this year. I ACTUALLY WENT DOWN IN COUNT.(I HAD NOT YET STARTED TX UNTIL LAST WEEK.)AS SOON AS I FOUND OUT I BEGAN A HERBAL/VITAMIN REGIMIN. i took milk thistle, "liveraid",vitamin without iron, vit.e, and fish oil, and other antioxidents/HERBS to support liver function. my alt and ast were lower since i started these supports. so yesterday at my appointment DR. said keep doing what your doing it seems to be helping your liver. but, the pharmasist said to quit everything but multi without iron, and vit. e. so who do i believe? by the way it was my not my GI who told me to continue it was my primary physisian. my DUMB GI, simply said i should take my meds as usual but he didn't even bother to ask what they were. DR.S ARE SO RIDICULOUS. ANYONE ELSE BESIDES ONE PERSON SVR AND STAYED ON ANY HERBS THROUGH TX?

[lackalustre]

dont judge a lot by your viral load.   mine was 6 million  and went down to 2 million after using chinese herbs for many months.  i believe it was just a coincidence.    it went back up to 5 million post tx.  the viral load can fluctuate and does not mean your liver is better or worse.    the mind is a powerful thing. if you are doing something for yourself that you think is helping it may just help.   a good site for natural vitamins is www.consumerlabs.com.     they are an independetn testing lab that recommend many vitamins, etc..  and most are inexpensive brands.  we dont have to pay so much for "good" products.