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Hepatitis C Herbal Remedy

I am a interferon non-responder and have begun taking a anti-viral herbal preparation that contains a total of 7 ingredients (3 uncommon herbs and 4 more common ones). My viral load has gone from over 6,000,000 copies to 897,000 in 3 months! This stuff is powerful. It was formulated by Helen Yong, a master herbalist of HerbWise from Ontario, Canada. I have her e-mail address for anyone interested. Is anyone else taking an herbal prepartion containing Sophora japonica(oxymatrine) or Andrographis paniculata as treatment for HCV?
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2059648 tn?1439766665
Lowering your count means nothing.  It goes up and down everyday.  There is no natural cure for hepatitis C.   All these herbal remedies are just "snake oil" (taking your money in a sales false pitch).  Don't fool yourself into believing you can buy a over the counter cure.   It's just not true.
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Avatar universal
Hi curious of what exactly the herbal remedies you took to lower your count, and were you taking pills, liquid or purchasing these products from their natural form. And how much of each you recommend.

Thanks
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Avatar universal
I didnt mind seeing 4Cs name pop up again.
And yeh I hope she is OK too.
CS
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Avatar universal
OOps, this is an old thread, oh well, it was a good one to bring to the top again.
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Avatar universal
Hi there, I didnt see you in the forums for a while there, wondered if you were alright or just taking a break? Nice to see you posting again.

In regards to taking the herbal remedies or vitamins and supplements, I agree with you that if you can take something and it helps to relieve the SYMPTOMS, then do it if they work.

As you know I am a relapser and suffering symptoms e.g. fatigue, depression, anxiety, brain fog/memory loss, nausea for many years..  Since taking a product called Hep C Complete with vitamins B, E, C, Zinc and magnesium I can honestly tell you that I feel so much better.  I dont take antidepressants anymore, no anxiety and have a lot less fatigue, but still tired to a degree, just not as severe.
It has changed my life taking supplements.
I was a SCEPTIC on vitamins etc, but since I have tried them for myself I am now a BELIEVER.

As you said, it wont cure me, only treatment can do that.

To anyone that hasnt tried any herbals, vitamins or supplements, then they really dont have an opinion about them.

I have contacted the Nu-Liver to see if I can set up a discount for people with hep c that visit the oz forum, I hope they reply.
The Hep C Complete company are selling their product for $9.95US at the moment because the product isnt selling as well as they thought, so if any of you are interested I would buy it now as there is a limited supply left.  Can be found at All In One Nutrition. (google it).

Cheers

Linda
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Avatar universal
This is the very long, old thread I mentioned, in reference to your posting today.
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Avatar universal
Responsibly requiring evidence of efficacy = close-minded?

Golly gee, your words are those I hear from folk with wounded beliefs.

If you wish a empathy/compassion contest - your on! I deeply and passionately care about human suffering and have devoted a lot of time and some money with many people in pain and turmoil. It would be criminal for me to recommend taking medicine(s) of unknown purity, content, effects, side-effects, other drug interactions - that is exactly what you are advocating.

Play Russian-roulette with your body, but think twice before advising others they too should play.

You haven't addressed anything of substance and I do not expect you too. Ciao!
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86075 tn?1238115091
Come on. It's all a bit of a cr**p shoot isn't it? We mostly all advocate that people take the conventional tx for Hep C, even though it has killed people (not many but it has) and caused cardiac problems, left people with long lasting side effects: effected people's vision, hearing, given them neurological problems, what have you, even though they don’t even get an SVR every time!  You've only to read the possible outcomes on the drug lit itself.

But it's the only game in town and there are many, many people who go through it relatively unscathed, at least for the foreseeable future, let’s hope it’s not even a problem ever...So we take it because that's the best that's offered to us and we don't want to gamble going to ESLD. And there are many who do clear...they clear the virus! and we hang on to that. Yet no one would call us "criminal" or very few...that we advocate the current TX.

There are many drugs that have gone through the FDA that kill. We are talking in the millions over the years. But because they have been sanctioned by the all mighty FDA you would call me criminal because I'm talking about shizandra berries and a few Chinese herbs for immune system boosting? Get real.

I'm not talking about dangerous herbs like ephedra, and I'm also advocating that anyone who experiments with herbs and vitamins should go through experts. I don't know how many times I've said that. Please, before we get on our self righteous high horses here, let's make rational comparisons...

Just a question, you don't go by another name? Andy per chance? Just asking.
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86075 tn?1238115091
Well gee. What can I say? Testing. FDA tests a whole bunch before releasing drugs to market. Vioxx and more than a few other FDA approved drugs??? Ooooops. Betcha some poor guy who's just sustained cardiac arrest after ingesting the stuff for awhile doesn't give two cents for all their exalted testing procedures. Don't get me wrong - the more tests and studies the better, on any compound, allopathic or not, but let's not fool ourselves into thinking we're dealing with some infallible FDA approval process, as good as it is.

And if I'm responding to all the anti-oxidants, enzymes and compounds that are making me feel better, then so be it. (Lot's of good studies in the press lately about anti-oxidant rich compounds, and the beneficial effects they have on the immune system, but maybe they are all off the mark as well.) I just can't help thinking that there might be some out there so intent on believing their own personal philosophies that they might be losing out because of it, and be in more discomfort than they have to, to prove a point I guess???  

And why is my "placebo effect" so darn picky? Why does it respond to something allopathic, and not the other? To something non-allopathic, and not the other. Because the box was green? I like that color. Gotta sit down with it and make it respond to anything and everything. To go from paleness and dark circles, liver pain and IBS nausea, etc. feeling generally cr**py, to feeling much better, wow, my placebo effect is pretty powerful! I should bottle it! If that's what it is, I'll continue stoking it whatever it takes.

Because if I had my druthers, I'd be able to talk that darn placebo effect into responding to water for the same outcome so as not to have to open my wallet. Have a feeling that's not going to work though...You believe what you want to believe. But if one person, just one person, is able to feel better because of something they heard about in my post, or anybody else's for that matter, allopathic or not, it's worth taking all the slings and arrows. A closed mind never learns much anyhow.

Once more, I am not contending that someone in a higher biopsy range not do treatment, anything but. Thank God treatment can work for so many people. But there are some who don't benefit; it's good there are things out there that might help with the symptoms while waiting for better drugs.
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Avatar universal
you are doing fine with the posting, just write in the "comment to" section the name or the subject matter on your mind. This site is not as bad as MSN's, at least here you can direct your response to a particular person. You will get it in no time.
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Avatar universal
I apologize for my previous post to you.  It was a misdirected verbal scud intended for some of the more closed-minded in the group who hide in fortified bunkers of cynicism and propagandized half-truths disguised as empathetic sincerity.  .....you know who you are.
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Avatar universal
You posted in the right place (thread) but since they're so many different topics going on and some of the posts were buried I missed it. That's not your fault, just the limitations of this particular discussion group where only so many new threads can be opened a day. Also, you posted to "ever". If you had flagged me and posted to "jmjm" I might had seen it. Don't worry at all, I've been in a lot of discussion groups and this particular format is VERY confusing. :)

The Ludwig criteria seems to be a 4 stage system so you're stage 3 out of a possible 4 stages. That means you do not have cirrhosis which is good but it means you're only one stage away so it's good that you're treating now. The other good news is that if you treat successfully, you can reverse some or all of the damage to your liver.

"Genotype" is important so you should ask your doctor. Same thing with viral load. They must havde both these tests done before a correct diagnosis and treatment plan can be formulated. I'm sure they did them.

As far as Redipen, since you're 25 pounds overweight it might be a good choice since it's weight based. Or you could lose 25 pounds and ask for Pegasys. A lot of people use both successfully so there's really no right answer although many say less sides with Pegasys.

As pointed out, should be no problem with your blood pressure and thyroid meds, just let you're treating doctor know what you're on.

Last, but not least, your Ferritin level. None of us here are doctors,but it seems very high and I believe if it's too high that can intefere with your chances of clearing the virus. Sometimes they treat high ferritin prior to treatment with phlebotomy where they draw a little blood out of you each week to bring the levels down. You should speak to your doctor about this.

Regarding posting here...

In addition to posting on top of someone else's thread -- which we all do by necessity -- you can also post your own thread. The problem is they only allow so many new threads a day so it's possible you'll get a message something like "all new threads are closed for day."  Anyway, the way to start your own topid (thread) is to go the top and click under "Ask a Question"

Hope this helps some and again, this is a very confusing discussion group format so don't kick yourself about it.


-- Jim

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Avatar universal
Like I said: "been dare' dun dat maaannn." interferon/rebetrol non-responder. gimmme a break!  Who said anything about faith-healers, chiros., reflexologists?  Besides... maybe you would enjoy a nice tastey, SSRI,acetaminophen,minoxidil,bextra..extra thick butylene glycol shake.  MMMMM MMMMM good.  keep your sarcasm to yerself maannn. Okay~Dulcolaxi?
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Avatar universal
Hi Jim I answered you re: my results you asked about, I'm not sure if I am doing this correctly, answered on "hep-c herbal" thread again. thanx Sue its reassuring that I may be like you and not have problems with Thyroid and BP
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Avatar universal
puh-leeze! You got the hard evidence? I will hand carry it to the JAMA or NEJM. Oh, ain't effin' got it? Oh, no!

My position is if it isn't repeatable and verifiable under controlled conditions AND suitably reviewed you are in Conjecture and Guess Land. Can you say PLACEBO EFFECT - well, shoot, it works for me!

Dear anti, you are responding to a perceived attack on your belief system. Get over it. Believe any damn thing you want.

Ya'll need to review the posts and look up the word "anecdotal."
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86075 tn?1238115091
Hi Anti! Please, no need to apologize to me, I got the gist. Like Fairygirl, Cuteus, Dollface, Chev and some others so aptly said, this board is mainly about support and person to person info, questions, etc., but if I'm going to say that herbs and vitamins help my immune system and therefore my symptoms in dealing with this disease, "I" think, then I know I'm going to get some countering views and that's okay. I don't take it personally. I really think people who are sensitive and tend to personalize it when people disagree and debate with them (providing of course there are no outright personal attacks) probably should re-think their decision to come here or any public forum, hep c or no hep c, unless of course you are only asking questions and not making any statements. My own view. There are bound to be people out there who will disagree with me from to time to time, plus I'm opinionated, gotta cop to that.

And this was nothing compared to the blistering I got on some other forums, for this particular subject...so I figure I'm way ahead of the game, ha!!!  I've gotten called an imbecile because I've tricked myself into believing they help me, God knows what. I'm a lot of things but I'm no imbecile, at least not yet. Maybe check on me after the "treatment" ha! (Just kiddin’ folks,  some dark treatment humor.)

But I really have to scratch my head on this one thing I keep getting from the naysayers of "non-allopathic" treatments. And there is always a few on every hep c board, sometimes more than a few....when I say that this has been my own experience. That certain symptoms: IBS, liver area pain, paleness, low hunger, etc. have been greatly alleviated or have gone away completely with my regimen...they'll tend to come back with, "Well if you truly "believe" this has happened to you, than there is not much I can say to bring you to reason." Whaaa? What's this "if you truly believe" twaddle? If I have a headache, and I take an aspirin and I still mostly have the headache, so I'll opt for an Aleve or something, and the headache is miraculously gone, I can probably figure, through deductive reasoning, that the Aleve worked much better on my headache than the aspirin did. I suppose if you want to...you can make a case that I just wanted to "believe" that the Aleve was going to work instead of the aspirin, but why would you? I don't care what works as long as it does.

Same thing with vits and herbals, I've gone through a long process of trial and error, some have worked, others not. I've come to a regimen that works for me. Might not work for you, but it works for me and no one is going to talk me out of it because of their own belief constructs...and I go through purgatory again??...than I would be an imbecile!!!!
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Avatar universal
Not sure if you're referring to me but I did say there's no direct relationship between liver damage and liver enzyme levels.

Your doctor seems to say the same thing. The liver enzymes are ALT and AST. The other markers you mention, total protein and albumin are not considered liver enzymes.

And while I'm not read up much on either, I doubt if those two markers alone can give one much of a safety net.

Both of mine are near the high end of normal (albumin 4.6, total protein 7.8 )yet I'm between stage 2 and 3. Even the Fibrosure tests which use many different markers have been challenged in the middle ranges.

I'm not saying blood markers can't be one useful tool out of a bag of manny, just that: (1) I question their use when herbs may skew the results: (2) In many cases, you probably need a needle biopsy at some point as a reality check.

This all goes back to a number of posts where someone says something like "I started taking herbal mix so-and-so and my enzymes and viral load dropped" with the inference that their liver is being healed. And while I do share many of MichaelT's concerns, I'm not necessarily anti-herbs. I just don't want people to take them and draw false conclusions as to the health of their liver. In the end, the liver biopsy is still the best way to show whether or not the liver is healing.

-- Jim
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86075 tn?1238115091
Oh, and that very same chiropractor might take a little exception at you lumping him in with Christian Faith Healers, but he's a quibbler after all, ha!
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86075 tn?1238115091
Hmmmm. Last summer had a hep flare up from hell. Doc told me to stay away from herbals and vit regime and the flare will probably go away. I duly did just that. Symptoms keep kicking my butt. 2 1/2 months go by. I'm still in purgatory. I deduce, gee, when I was taking my regimen, I felt better than this, what's wrong with this picture? Start taking my regimen; feel better within a week or so. Paleness and IBS goes, most all the other more than annoying symptoms, or they get much better, plus some more much needed energy, although I'm by no means 100%, just 70% instead of 35%.

Now I could be an inveterate lier, you don't know, or I could be at the mercy of a some big huge mind game on myself, anything's possible on God's green earth, but am I going to listen to all the naysayers telling me these things don't work at all for symptoms or anything else?, or am I going to the "feel better" window while I'm waiting to go on conventional treatment. You tell me.

And I know plenty of others who are continually taking these regimes, some are friends of mine (perhaps mass hysteria?), don't know that they would be paying out the money if it wasn't working for them at all, some on this very board. Most of the places these things are sold at are relying on mostly repeat business. Like I said, I'm not against allopathic medicine either, I'm just going to do whatever works for me, because I'm pretty invested in my own comfort. That includes going to a chiropractor if I need to, the guy fixed my neck pain back in 98. I totally respect your disagreement though. Peace
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Avatar universal
Dear friend, almost everyone receiving a theraputic dose of an appropriate interferon <i>will have a reduction of hcv viral load</i>. Those few that don't, paradoxically, experience an increase. I have not read in any journal, website, or from personal anecdotes where a theraputic dose does absolutely nothing.

I've been there, done that, kind'o 'ting, man, in part because I hope something turns up that fights the hcv vigorously without the hell treatment put me through and also in part because, genuinely, the truth needs to be on the table. If a person wants to <i>really, really, believe</i> in naturopathy (Tinkerbell?), facts and reason won't persuade that person of the rank quackery being perpetrated. I make my appeal to those who are, variously, sincere, but uniformed, tend to be gullible, or to the desperate and distraught.

I do my utmost to be honest, realistic, compassionate. Naturopaths, homeopaths, chiropractors, so-called herbalists, new age "healers", reiki practitioners, "Christian" faith healers, reflexologists, etc. are either deluded or are knowingly screwing people who are in real need, feeling real pain, and should be getting real help.

See, it shouldn't matter what an individual "believes" about herbal "medicines" as to whether or not they work. If they work, it will be measureable and repeatable under controlled conditions. Excuses such as an observer's negative energy will be ridiculed. Interferon-alpha and Infergen are directly anti-viral, demonstrably so. Herbals, <i>ain't</i>. Inf + Riba often succeeds in producing a biological response. Again, herbals have not.

Possibilities with herbals? Sure. So far, though, smart money isn't going anywhere near the herbal betting window.
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86075 tn?1238115091
I understand Cuteus' concern about people who are in the upper grades of biopsy and they might think that herbs are their way out of taking treatment - they could be playing a high stakes game with their livers in that herbs don't clear the virus...only treatment can...with varying results of course. Point well taken.

But what about the people who are 0 biopsies with good labs? And the 2 and 3 time non-responders and relapsers? I often hear of these people and I gotta ask myself, why don't you really get serious about your diet and exercise and try one of these regimens with the help of some experts? Especially if you are symptomatic and your quality of life is being greatly effected. If they don't work in helping you with your symptoms and/or helping with the inflammation, stop taking them. It's not like they are going to "lay waste to you", the vast majority of the time. And I gotta say, it's been my experience that most people who "out of hand" poo poo the regimens, have not tried them for relief of symptoms...keeping in mind they don't work for everybody, neither does tx for that matter.
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Avatar universal
or Starbucks without raw sugar, vanilla w/o the bean, Bacardi w/o molasses...
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Avatar universal
Herbs? Love 'em! I am not anti-herb. Wouldn't have boiled potatos without parsley. Herbed Chicken would be impossible without... HERBS! Indian food sans herbs would just suck. Herbal teas sans herbs would also suck; kinda' like just drinking hot water...
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Avatar universal
when you have mild liver damage you have the time to "play around" with other things, folks in stage 2, 3 or 4 should not be thinking herbs instead of tx. Everything can be a poison to sensitive people, Dust mites, pollen and molds can cause severe reactions and they are "natural". HAve you had a biopsy since 2002? If the damage is still the same, you are one of the fortunate ones that can leisurely wait. I would have another bx to make sure it has not progressed faster as it has to some members here, as mentioned before, normal enzymes is not the marker.
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