milk thistle and treatment

[hepcD]

Hello.............
                  I have my meds and i am going to start treatment on the 7/28 . I know to drink alot of water but, is there any thing i should avoid . I have read some comments about milk thistle and it not being good for you on treatment. Is that true ?

[Kalio1]

I was told to stop the milk thistle prior to treatment and not to take it at all during treatment. What did your doctor say about it?

[hepcD]

My nurse said it won't hurt or help.

[Moniker]

I was also told to stop the milk thistle prior to treatment.
Bob

[way]

I was told by nurse to write down everything I was taking and so I did- (Hyaluronic Acid and Milk Thistle) she put it in chart, and nothing was said to me by Doctor about it.

I quit because of what I read on this forum and since I got a 4 wk UND PCR I'm thinking I did something right.

Milk Thistle works (from what I've read-sorry no studies to quote)by protecting your liver from toxins. Interferon and ribavirin are probably, to an extent- a toxin and it is killing the HCV in your liver and in your blood. I think Milk Thistle would make it harder to do its job. This is my opinion.

[Califia]

Please see <a href=http://www.hcvadvocate.org/news/newsLetter/2004/advocate0704.html>A Warning Abut Drug and Milk Thistle Interactions</a> .

A google search will bring up lots of information on this subject, including Andrew Weil's endorsement of taking milk thistle while on tx.  Personally, I would adhere to a more cautious approach based on the CATIE research referenced above.

[hepcD]

Thank you all . I am glad i asked the question .

[beamishboy]

hey lady,good to see you posting-always a pleasure reading your musings

[lat36]

I've taken milk thistle for over 10 years, doctor had no opinion on it during treatment. I'd taken it for most of the tx duration already so I continued with it through to the end. Saw something about a correlation between lower SVR and milk thistle but decided I was too far through for stopping to change much. I'll let you know if the virus comes back. I also read that they prescribe it in Germany as a supplement to take with interferon, and that studies on Milk Thistle are difficult to draw any conclusions from, no standard methodology. If I was starting again I probably wouldn't take it.

[dyce]

beamishboy, ha guy, thanks for the encouragment the other day. Did shot 21 fri. nite and it's kickin butt . How are them trees coming along? I'm sure the mnt. up there is nice this time of year. Haven't ran a dog for awhile now and thier just a carrien on but I told the ole dogs too be patient and when I'm done with the tx dad will start playin again.

lat , long time , hope your well.

[beamishboy]

Good to hear from ya!..let them sleepin dogs lay-for now-you can run em til there tongues drag post-trx...my trees are loving equal parts rain & sun-good growing summer here...my worst weeks were about the same as yours,should get better....hang tough bro

[goldyn]

Always good to hear from you, i can tell your feelin more alive by the sound of your post, my hemos at 11.5 and nuets are .9 not on rescue drugs yet but begging to feel like i needem on shot33/48......

[OnAPrettyPoison]

I MISSED YOU!  Please feel better soon so you can come back out and play with us!

[lat36]

Hey Dyce, been a while. Hope the treatment is going alright. Getting a bit anxious about this 3 month PCR coming up.. You end up undetectable?

[irondoor827]

did  you  take  anyother  Herbs  with  milk  thistle???
Burdock  root  and  dandilion ....sparilina  ....Vit. C    CO-Q-10  
LICORICE  ROOT  ????/