Rooibos Tea? Any experience? Forseegood?

[jmjm530]

A number of you (including TallBlonde, Rocker and others) have suggested that Rooibos (Red Bush) Tea is good for the liver. From the little research I've done -- Rooibos is a natural non-caffinated tea, native to South Africa with a very low tannic acid content. Many accalades on the net, but mostly from either alternative health sites or those selling the product. Only found one medical study which did demonstrate that Roobios had a protective effect in rat's livers.

The claims for Rooibios are numerous, including applying it in the form of wet soaks for various skin problems.

Very interested in anything anyone here can add from personal experience. How much they drink? Which product? Any noticeable effect on liver or enzymes? What did their doctor say about the product?

Forseegood, if my memory serves me (and it doesn't a lot lately :))you commented recently that you found Rooibos too strong for you? Could you please clarify and elaborate? I'd like to get both sides of the story.
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To be continued...

[mikesimon]

I covet your bilirubin Jim - it's beautiful. I would think that your nice looking alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin rules out liver injury as a cause of the elevation in GGT. The stuff I've read, and I stress that I'm not up to date on this subject anymore, suggest that an elevation in GGT without corresponding elevations in the other markers (ALK & Bili) can be caused by many factors ...medications, alcohol intake, and I can't remember what else. I don't think that the slight elevation in ALT is worth even thinking about. I get labs so frequently that I see fluctuations greater than yours all the time. I am now getting labs at least every 2 weeks and if they decrease my rejection meds as I expect I will be getting weekly labs so I see values all the damned time. I get worked up but my transplant center hadly ever does and they're always right. For now Jim I wouldn't worry about a thing. Of course, I would worry but I'm totally insane and highly obsessive compulsive but hopefully you're  closer to normal than I am and you'll be able to shut it all off till your PCR results. I would have either not gotten any labs or gotten every lab including the PCR but, like I said, I'm insane. I am wishing you the very best outcome Jim and I'm believing that you're clear. Mike

[jmjm530]

Goof said: I asked about using frequent liver panels as a barometer for relapse and my Doc scoffed. Said alt/ast could go up, down, or sideways and it would mean nothing relative to viral load.
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Thanks. That's VERY reassuring, but like you said, it's very hard to fight tne normal reaction at this particular moment in the twilight zone-- r * e * l * a * P * s * e.  Of course, my doc is out of town now. Curious, I think you did some post-tx bloodwork? How did your enzymes fair?

The abnormal GGT is another thing. However, since my GGT was normal not only during tx but *before* tx, I'm thinking maybe there's a good chance the two are not connected. I'm gonna blame it on the d*mn Bush tea. LOL.

Still don't know what I was thinking getting the tests done now as I'm not planning on re-treating soon. Ignorance may not be bliss but it's better than elevated enzymes.

-- Jim

[sunspot]

My EOT HGB was 9.6. I continued Procrit for 6 weeks at 80k per week. My 6 week HGB was 14.5. I went for a 12 week CBC and PCR today. I will let you know my HGB about mid-week.


At this point, I am a bit nervous about my first post-tx PCR. How about a round of prayers, good lucks or a ritual sacrifice in my name? I need the help. I m a wreak.

[jmjm530]

I asked my docs about continuing Procrit after treatment but they said just stop everything at once. Maybe it was because I was at hgb 11.4 at EOT and not below 10. Not that I always listen to them, but frankly I was sick of the drugs -- all of them LOL -- and it was a relief to stop. Hopefully my hgb will start to climb up more rapidly, but if not, then I'll have to be content with what appears now to be half-a-point a month rise, but still have some Procrit in the fridge, just in case :)

BTW you're hgb climb is quite remarkable and hopefully it's translated into how you feel.

I hear you about that first post-tx PCR. I thought I was doing real well not thinking about it but I guess that's not how it works. I'll leave the ritual sacrifices and sprinkled entrails to Goofy, but all the best luck and prayers for your -- and all of our -- SVR's.

-- Jim

[mikesimon]

If I recall correctly you use Quest but in any event I think all the labs are pretty close with their ranges. My Quest normal ranges for liver enzymes are:
ALT 3-60
AST 3-50
GGT 3-80

Just to give you a picture of some of the fluctuations I've had since stopping TX and rmemeber that throughout I have tested undetectable at least 10 times.
ALT (monthly or more freqently) 16, 57, 56, 43, 39, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25, 35, 51, 11, 14, 16, 32, 17,
The 57 number was less than 2 months after I stopped TX and I just knew I'd relapsed. My surgeon wasn't worried and he was right. So Jim, you can see that these values can and do fluctuate with no basis in hepatitis activity. I see your ALT rise as nothing at all - really nothing as it's just so very slight. And I would suspect the tea as the culprit resposible for your GGT if that's the only new thing in your life. Your bilirubin absolutely excludes bile duct involvement as a cause of the GGT elevation as does the alkaline phosphatase. I just want you to be able to relax a little. You've worked your ass off and you've done everything right Jim. It's gonna be good. Mike

[sunspot]

At 14.5, I felt like I could do anything I wanted with the rise in energy level. My only problem in that department is I lost my muscle tone, sad to say. I try to go outside everyday and do house and yard chores.
How is your energy level doing?
BTW, I also have 2 vials of Procrit in the fridge just in case.