best treatment available besides interferon and rivarin

[jimmy924]

I was under treatment for hepatitis C and took interferon and rivarin on two separate occasions for about 5 months in each instance.  Due to the effects on my red and white blood cells, my liver specialist stopped treatment.  I'm seeing another specialist at UM, Miamii, and the only medical advise I get is don't drink, come back in 6 months to 1 year, and let's hope for some new medication in the market.  

My question is:  Are there natural supplements that I can take to make my liver better?

[Bill1954]

(Sigh…)

If you’re going to involve yourself with supplements;

1) Understand their limitations.

2) Be able to afford them financially (don’t let their cost prevent you from purchasing allopathic meds and health care)

3) Discuss their use with a *qualified* medical professional prior to use; quality control is often compromised with unregulated products.

Supplement manufacturers often peddle their products by using ‘testimonials’, rather than demonstrating their efficacy via scientific principal. Why is this? Hmmm… could it be that they really don’t perform the way their purported to?

I hope they do find a cure for this disease soon from nuts and seeds; much of the U.S. pharmacopia is derived from some sort of organic source; the problem is that the one for HCV hasn’t been discovered yet, and to let desperation drive the sale of these products is frustrating, to say the least.

I feel you’re pain as a fellow relapser/ non/responder; if you find something that helps, let us know—

Bill

[HectorSF]

Interferon and Ribavirin are medications designed to eliminate the virus from your system. Basically if you achieve SVR you are "cured" of the virus.
No other drugs expect possibly some that are in clinical trials now are designed and proven to eliminate the virus.

Making your liver "better" is a relative term. Slow the advancement of fibrosis? Minimize other symptoms of liver disease? It depends on what you are trying to achieve.

If your liver disease is not very advanced you have time to wait for more effective treatments to come along.

Hector

[rita863]

Jimmy,

There are safety drugs that can help you through tx.  If you count become too low some people are put procroit or neuporogen,(not sure of the spelling)  There have been people here who have tx for up 72 weeks and even 96 weeks.  I am not one for supplements, I am not educated in that area.  Perhaps you can try seeing a Hepatologist for a second opinion.

Best of luck

peace
rita

[Trinity4]

You will see posts where some swear by supplements.  The claim is their enzyme levels have consistently remained lower.  I've even heard that their vl went down but vl really doesn't have much bearing on the big picture unless you're considering becoming pregnant or in treatment.  The only thing that can ensure your liver will improve is successful treatment for the virus.  Nothing else can give you that guarantee.
Trin

[fretboard]

I haven't gone thru tx yet, but I will be soon.  From what I've read there are some supplements that will sometimes keep your numbers low.  As far as stopping the progression of the HepC, I don't know.  I know there are others on this forum who didn't respond to tx as well,  so maybe they will chime in for you.  later