HELP Recently diagnosed...high viral count

[eyehavegr8life]

3 weeks ago I had some blood work done and found out I am positive with Hep C.  I just got the results today on my viral load and its 2,250,000 (copies?) I understand this is high. I'm also Genotype 1 (no a or b?)and already on medication for depression.  My Dr feels I wouldn't respond to treatment well, being Genotype 1. I've decided I will have a biopsy done to see what kind of damage might be going on in the liver.  
My question is:  I need hope and something I can be doing to help myself. I'm at the point of trying Homiopathic (spelling?)products.  I've been reading as much as I can about Hep C and I'm having the hardest time understanding what all the numbers mean! I hope my insurance has a good liver specialist. If anyone can try to help me understand the meaning of the numbers and what I want to be looking for in them, I'd appreciate it.  Also, my local health food store owner suggested these products to help the Liver. Has anyone used these or heard about them? Milk Thistle, Articoke capsules, Lysine 1000mg 3x a day, Grapefruit Seed Extract 6 drops in 8oz water 3x a day, vitamin c 1000mg 3x a day and MSM 2000mg 2x a day. Thank You, Please respond

[DonL]

I agree with joni. Prior to starting Pegasus/Ribovarin, I tried some voodoo with placental calf pancreas extracts and other nasty stuff. My practitioner was convinced he was curing the C. I totally felt like it was bs and my biopsies (1989 and 2003)confirmed my opinion. Second one showed some progression and scarring, enough to warrant dealing with the disease. Plus, the success rate had gone from 20% to 50% so it seemed worth the shot.

I assume that the herbal stuff can help your body, but I do not believe it will kill viruses. Each to his own, of course, but I would find a second medical opinion. I am 1a, in week 11/48, initial vl 141,000 (low, I admit) and holding up reasonably well, all things considered.

Good luck. There are a number of people on this board with geno 1 who started off higher than 2.25 mil vl and are SVR so take heart.

[eyehavegr8life]

Thanks for responding to my question.  I agree, when my Family Dr. said that to me, (I wouldn't respond to tx) it didn't feel right! He's known me all my life and I'm 52.  I hope the liver specialist he sends me to has a lot more to offer that NO HOPE! By the way, do you know anything about the alternative medications I mentioned? Thanks again

[jonihs]

FIND A NEW DOCTOR. WELL OVER 1/2 OF THE PEOPLE ON THIS FORUM ARE GENOTYPE 1. GET A BIOPSY TO SEE HOW MUCH DAMAGE HAS BEEN DOINE, THEN MAKE YOUR OWN DECISION. THE SVR RATE FOR 1'S IS OVER 50%.
GOOD LUCK      JONI