Vitamins, Supplements - Ingredients/Questions

[Lilla]

I printed out a fact sheet from the site hcvadvocate.org, called HCV & CAM Dietary Supplements.  In this article it lists supplements to avoid by those with liver diseases.    One of the supplements listed is Borage.   Does anyone know, is this borage oil?    Many essential fatty acids supplements contain borage oil.   Black cohosh is listed as well and I know many women take this as an alternative to hormone therapy, and I have taken it in the past.    Any opinions, words of wisdom, etc. welcomed please.

[indiana frank]

i was just in sarasota last week,i take borage oil all the time and also take nite primrose oil every other day along with 10 other pills

[orphanedhawk]

Hey, You are just a few days behind me tx wise! I did my last shot on the 12th. Congratulations!  There are supplements I wouldn't take during tx but I think anything to assist our immune system while coming off tx has got to help. I have a massage scheduled for Friday to help flush those toxins out. I think we need to continue to stay hydrated.  Good luck.     OH

[GrandmaA]

We are all different and different ages. However, being careful to take only those things that are liver friendly is good advice. I never take tynelo PM unless I have pain, because it's not good for the liver although I sleep great with it. You have already been given good advice.

I haven't been onliine a few days. My best wishes to all. Only 6 1/2 more weeks, but who's counting?

[nygirl7]

While the meds were doing their complicated dance inside me and killing critters - I thought that the less was the better...mostly because you know good and well nobody has ever done any real studies with 99.9% of other vitamins and supplements and I just didn't think it was worth taking a chance that somehow one of them could disrupt whatever dance they were doing in there on a particular day.

[Lilla]

thanks for your input on supplements; I'm in agreement. I think I will go back to the omega 3 fish oil. I am taking alpha lipoic acid now.   Today was last shot #24; I have  one week of ribavirin left.  I will look into the Milk Thistle as well.  

[orphanedhawk]

My rule of thumb is to stick with things that are as benign as possible.  If you think of supplements and herbs as nature's medicines, than it makes sense that some are good for certain things, but not for others. In general, we need to avoid the ones that harm the liver. Although licorice is supposed to be good for the liver, it isn't if you have cirrhsois.
     Personally, if I was avoiding borage, I would avoid anything with borage oil in it.   I initially saw an herbalist who is an M.D. and has a lot of experience with HCV. I take Omega 3 fish oil, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Milk Thistle, Bromelain and SAM-e. I always try to take anything , food or supplement, that has the fewest additives as possible. I do think the SAM-E has helped my liver.
BTW: I never took cohosh during mentalpause. I was in Asia and stuck with  **** Kwai and Ginseng.