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Has any try Acupuncture
I have an appointment for Acupuncture, I am at stage 3 on Inflamation & Scar I also have SLE Lupus & Fibermyloga
I have taken milk thistle 3 times a day for 20 years.It did nothing to help cure me of hepatitis c.I finally decided to take treatment with interferon and riboviran,it is the only hope we have at this time for a cure.Please,with stage 3 don`t wait to get treatment.It doesn`t cure everyone,but you have to try.
Vicky is right.
Some acupuncturists are also herbalists especially the Chinese. I have a Korean doc and he didnt study about the herbs.
My partner had bells palsy and our chinese friends rushed him to this large acupuncture school. Treatment lasted for some months and included a script for herbs. We took the script to Chinatown in San Francisco. They carefully measured out the script and printed out the instructions in English.
We were warned to NEVER reheat and drink a second time but to throw out the gunk after drinking the first boiled cup. They said it could poison my partner if he redrank the second boiling!!!
UGH, that mixture had the worst smell as it was boiling. I dont know how he drank that crap...
btw, there are times when the needles do find a point that does hurt and it should be moved... sometimes they do find a muscled area and the body twitching (very light) starts. That needle should also be moved.
Maybe I have been lucky and have always had an excellent doc doing needles on me and have had some success with the many many many disabling sides since "curing" but you should try to get recommendations from others who have treated by the same doc.
Good luck,
f
Some acupuncturists are also herbalists especially the Chinese. I have a Korean doc and he didnt study about the herbs.
My partner had bells palsy and our chinese friends rushed him to this large acupuncture school. Treatment lasted for some months and included a script for herbs. We took the script to Chinatown in San Francisco. They carefully measured out the script and printed out the instructions in English.
We were warned to NEVER reheat and drink a second time but to throw out the gunk after drinking the first boiled cup. They said it could poison my partner if he redrank the second boiling!!!
UGH, that mixture had the worst smell as it was boiling. I dont know how he drank that crap...
btw, there are times when the needles do find a point that does hurt and it should be moved... sometimes they do find a muscled area and the body twitching (very light) starts. That needle should also be moved.
Maybe I have been lucky and have always had an excellent doc doing needles on me and have had some success with the many many many disabling sides since "curing" but you should try to get recommendations from others who have treated by the same doc.
Good luck,
f
Hi Cindy,
I am not talking about all supplements, milk thistle, cranberry, etc.... I am referring to the herbs or teas that are often suggested in Chinese medicine. Although many are harmless and can help other things, when you have a compromised liver you need to be really careful. I have been there and done that. It depends on what you are trying to accomplish with them. You have to understand that they will not cure your hepititis. Before I started the standard treatment, I tried the herbs and they made my liver enzymes skyrocket off the chart. That was not good.
I've never heard of the formula that you're taking. I believe Milk Thistle is fine. If you decide to start interferon treatment, you shouldn't take anything at all (that's what was advised by my doctor when I started the interferon).
I do believe acupuncture helps you to feel better. I've done it many times. It's temporary, but I believe it's better than taking more pills.
PS - if you post a new topic in the Hepititis C forum (not the social forum), then you may receive much more help from people more knowledgeable than me.
Hope this helps,
Vicky
I am not talking about all supplements, milk thistle, cranberry, etc.... I am referring to the herbs or teas that are often suggested in Chinese medicine. Although many are harmless and can help other things, when you have a compromised liver you need to be really careful. I have been there and done that. It depends on what you are trying to accomplish with them. You have to understand that they will not cure your hepititis. Before I started the standard treatment, I tried the herbs and they made my liver enzymes skyrocket off the chart. That was not good.
I've never heard of the formula that you're taking. I believe Milk Thistle is fine. If you decide to start interferon treatment, you shouldn't take anything at all (that's what was advised by my doctor when I started the interferon).
I do believe acupuncture helps you to feel better. I've done it many times. It's temporary, but I believe it's better than taking more pills.
PS - if you post a new topic in the Hepititis C forum (not the social forum), then you may receive much more help from people more knowledgeable than me.
Hope this helps,
Vicky
Based on my own experience with HCV and cirrhosis I would like to share a few things that I would suggest you might want to think about in the near future...
You say your liver disease is stage 3. Depending on when your last biopsy was, I would suggest you start to think about treatment for your HCV. (SOC or wait 1-2 years for new antiviral meds) Once you become stage 4, compensated cirrhosis, treatments are less effective in eliminating the virus. Luckily new treatment will be coming to market in the next couple of years so if you are genotype 1 your odds of SRV will be greatly increased based on the current data coming out of the clinical trials. But it is still less then those with less advanced liver disease. Stage 0-2.
One drawback to waiting to do treatment, once your liver advances to stage 4, even if you are able to eliminate the virus (SVR), you will be have an increased risk of developing HCC, liver cancer, for the rest of your life. You will need to be monitored and tested every 6 months so if you develop HCC it can be caught early. Have you thought about this? Needless to say this is no small matter as liver cancer is a very serious and potentially fatal disease.
I would suggest educating yourself about the options that lay before you. It is your life and your choice of course but it is not something to procrastinate about any longer in my opinion. I would hate to see your liver disease so advanced that you got to the point where you where unable to undergo treatment as the only option at that point would be a liver transplant.
As far as the supplements you are taking I don't have experience with them. All I can say is that you have advanced liver disease so how these might affect you may not be the same as a person with a healthy liver. You should be cautious about anything the might put stress on your liver. I.E. No alcohol please.
Best of luck.
HectorSF
You say your liver disease is stage 3. Depending on when your last biopsy was, I would suggest you start to think about treatment for your HCV. (SOC or wait 1-2 years for new antiviral meds) Once you become stage 4, compensated cirrhosis, treatments are less effective in eliminating the virus. Luckily new treatment will be coming to market in the next couple of years so if you are genotype 1 your odds of SRV will be greatly increased based on the current data coming out of the clinical trials. But it is still less then those with less advanced liver disease. Stage 0-2.
One drawback to waiting to do treatment, once your liver advances to stage 4, even if you are able to eliminate the virus (SVR), you will be have an increased risk of developing HCC, liver cancer, for the rest of your life. You will need to be monitored and tested every 6 months so if you develop HCC it can be caught early. Have you thought about this? Needless to say this is no small matter as liver cancer is a very serious and potentially fatal disease.
I would suggest educating yourself about the options that lay before you. It is your life and your choice of course but it is not something to procrastinate about any longer in my opinion. I would hate to see your liver disease so advanced that you got to the point where you where unable to undergo treatment as the only option at that point would be a liver transplant.
As far as the supplements you are taking I don't have experience with them. All I can say is that you have advanced liver disease so how these might affect you may not be the same as a person with a healthy liver. You should be cautious about anything the might put stress on your liver. I.E. No alcohol please.
Best of luck.
HectorSF
Can You please tell me more about this ""Also don't take any herbs, no matter how promising they sound they are too hard on your Liver" Does this mean the supplements that I posted ""What do you mean about the herbs? I'm taking "Standard Process" Livaplex & Magnesium Lactate Dietary Supplements & Also "Mason Natural" Milk Thistle/Cranberry Liver & Kidney Cleanser Do you know if these hurt the liver? ""
Thanks, Cindy
Thanks, Cindy
Hi. I`ve tried it yrs ago. You won`t feel a thing. They use it 4 many things. I had it 4 my back. I even tried it 4 smoking. For smoking they put the needles in your ears.
I am considering trying it again for chronic pain from a brain tumor.
I have injections in my head & never looked at the needle. Yesterday a friend of mine. He said they were 2 inches & thick & they pushed it all the way in a few times. I used to get them in my neck, shoulder blade & back.
Go for it hon, you won`t feel it. You`ll have to go a few times @ 1st. After a while you`ll go less & less. Also alot of insurance companies pay for it. I`m on SSDI & they surprisingly pay for it. But it`s a lot cheaper than my head shots. Only wish my head shots were for a modeling agency instead, lol!
I am considering trying it again for chronic pain from a brain tumor.
I have injections in my head & never looked at the needle. Yesterday a friend of mine. He said they were 2 inches & thick & they pushed it all the way in a few times. I used to get them in my neck, shoulder blade & back.
Go for it hon, you won`t feel it. You`ll have to go a few times @ 1st. After a while you`ll go less & less. Also alot of insurance companies pay for it. I`m on SSDI & they surprisingly pay for it. But it`s a lot cheaper than my head shots. Only wish my head shots were for a modeling agency instead, lol!
Thanks for your reply, What do you mean about the herbs? I'm taking "Standard Process" Livaplex & Magnesium Lactate Dietary Supplements & Also "Mason Natural" Milk Thistle/Cranberry Liver & Kidney Cleanser Do you know if these hurt the liver?
I have a have had a lot of Acupuncture. Although I agree with the above post, it won't cure you of any infection, but it sure makes you feel good.
I think it will probably benefit your Fibromyalgia the most.
Make sure you go to a state licensed acu. Make sure they use brand new needles and check out his credentials.
Also don't take any herbs, no matter how promising they sound they are too hard on your Liver.
The best thing about it is simply helping you to temporarily feel better.
Good luck.
I think it will probably benefit your Fibromyalgia the most.
Make sure you go to a state licensed acu. Make sure they use brand new needles and check out his credentials.
Also don't take any herbs, no matter how promising they sound they are too hard on your Liver.
The best thing about it is simply helping you to temporarily feel better.
Good luck.
My father in law in Japan got Hep C from acupuncture. I guess they are more careful with the needles today than 20 or 30 years ago.
If it makes you feel better, than fine to do it. Just don't expect to get cured, there is only one cure which is treatment (with or without experimental drugs), and sadly, it doesn't work for everyone. It is a fantastic feeling if it does work though, it gives you your life back, whic is the case with me.
If it makes you feel better, than fine to do it. Just don't expect to get cured, there is only one cure which is treatment (with or without experimental drugs), and sadly, it doesn't work for everyone. It is a fantastic feeling if it does work though, it gives you your life back, whic is the case with me.
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